Husband's Reminiscing Can't Hold an Audience
Dear Abby | March 13th, 2026 | Letter 2 of 3
DEAR ABBY: My 71-year-old husband tells looonnnggg stories about himself to everyone -- family, friends and even strangers. I'm bored to tears hearing the same stories over and over, and I can see others' eyes glaze over to the point of avoidance. I have asked him to share only stories that are less than 10 years old, but that hasn't stopped him. What else can I do? This has gotten so bad that I find myself avoiding social situations with him. -- MAKE IT STOP IN CALIFORNIA.
DEAR MAKE IT STOP: Has your husband always been like this, or could his repetitiveness be a symptom of mental decline? When people regale others with old stories, it can mean that their short-term memory is deteriorating. Is the problem that your husband had an illustrious career years ago but has nothing recent to discuss? If his problem is simply that he's a crashing bore, consider socializing without him more often. Your friends and family will appreciate you for it.
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