Teen thinks her response to gifts sounds insincere Dear Abby: I’m a 17-year-old girl, and all my life I have had trouble accepting gifts, even inexpensive ones. Searching for Words Out West In a case like your brother’s gift, you could have said, Wow! Dear Abby: I am 29, independent, single and have a steady job. Is there a polite way to convince her without being rude? Try this: Plumbers make good money. Is there any hope for a man who refuses to turn off the TV during dinner? When I tell him dinner is on the table, he waits until it’s cold and then continues to watch the program from the dinner table and ignore me. Food drops out of the side of his mouth, and it’s disgusting to see.