Nov 28, 2013 2 min read

Q. I’m 16 and have been best friends with “Cindi” since second grade. Last weekend, my parents attended a party and allowed Cindi to stay overnight. Two people broke into the house to rob it.

They tied up and gagged Cindi and then forced me to take them from room to room putting things in a sack. Before leaving, they tied and gagged me, too, leaving both of us face down on the floor. Over the next few hours, we struggled and then tried to talk and even started giggling, but mostly, we just waited for my parents to come home and call the police.

Naturally, we’ve been the “stars” at school since then, but I discovered that Cindi is telling her own version of what happened. She says I was weepy and panicky. This really upsets me. I don’t want Cindi to portray me as a weakling to our friends. We spent five hours on the floor together, but except for a few sobs, I thought we handled it well. So how do I handle Cindi? – Bound, Gagged and Furious

A. Cindi does this because she wants to make herself look good. The fact that she does it at your expense is damaging the friendship, and you should say so and ask her to stop. You also can let your friends know that you remember things a little differently, while holding your head up and not letting it get to you. But mostly, we hope you realize how fortunate the two of you are to have escaped unharmed.

Dear Annie: The letter from “New York” described Dumpster diving for food. My husband is an experienced “diver,” although he doesn’t look for edible items.

We live in a small college town. Annie, you would not believe what students throw away when they go home. My husband has found new appliances. We have found microwave ovens, computers, video games, patio furniture, linens – you name it. When we were both out of work, this was a lifesaver to us. We are in a better financial situation now, but I remember those days fondly. – Mel in Michigan