Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/290721
DILBERT Scott Adams PEARLS BEFORE SWINE Stephan Pastis PICKLES Brian Crane BABY BLUES Jerry Scott & Rick Kirkman GET FUZZY Darby Conley ZITS Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman SHERMAN'S LAGOON Jim Toomey ARGYLE SWEATER Scott Hilburn BIZARRO Dan Piraro DEAR CAROLYN » I was having drinks last week with two girlfriends when one of them said, "I did something awful." She pro- ceeded to tell us that she was out at a work event and got drunk and ended up kissing some guy. She apparently feels horrible about it, but says she will not tell her husband because it was a mistake and she knows she won't do it again. I tried to remind her that honesty is the best policy, but she doesn't agree. I don't know her husband that well, but he's a really great guy and has the right to know. So should I tell him myself? — Friend DEAR FRIEND » Oh for the love of biscuits, no. Egad. For one thing, "Hon- esty is the best policy" is a blunt instrument where a marriage is better served by a thoughtful, individual touch. ("Butt the heck out" comes to mind.) And, it's a kiss, not an out-of-wedlock child. Pro- portions deserve respect. If he doesn't know about a single, regretted, drunken smooch, then the marriage can arguably hum along just fine. If instead he finds out about said smooch from a third party, the marriage can be knocked off its pins. And why? Be- cause you want to feel as if you did the "right" thing? If anyone ought to tell of an oops like this — and reasonable, decent people can disagree on whether telling is the right thing to do — then it should abso- lutely be the spouse who tells. When a transgression is huge enough to demand reporting, a friend's place is to say, "I can't in good conscience keep a secret this damaging. You need to tell the truth, or I will be forced to." This smooch falls very, very short of the "huge" standard, but even if it didn't, it would be wrong to jump straight to tattling, especially on someone you call a friend. As for that "reason- able people" thing: What matters here (the one place we agree) is the husband's feelings, and a good percentage of people in the husband's position wouldn't want to know. Why? Because the benefit of knowing so minor a transgression might not outweigh the pointless pain of knowing. I'm actually agnostic on this myself. If my spouse made such a confession to me in an act of honesty, or chose not to make such a confession in a genuine act of compassion, then I hope I'd recognize either way that he probably feels worse about it than I do, and that life is long, and that drunk long-married people sometimes become smooch-seeking missiles, and that it doesn't have to mean the End Is Nigh. On top of all of this, your tattling would be a betrayal of your friend. She trusted you to help her unburden and figure out how to handle this. Earn that trust retroactively, please, by zipping it now. If you resent being the bearer of such secrets, please warn your friends so they know to watch what they say. Kiss confession: Is honesty always the best policy? Carolyn Hax Ask Carolyn Email Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com. Sudoku Instructions: The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the number only once. Answer to Previous Puzzle Celebrity Cipher By Luis Campos Instructions: Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another. NEA Crossword Aries (March 21-April 19) — Being presumptuous will lead to trouble. Ask before you volun- teer someone for something. Avoid complaints. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — You could certainly improve your financial situation by con- sidering a personal or business partnership. Take full advantage of any favorable circumstances. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Don't blow your budget by buying unnecessary items for your home. Concentrate on a legal matter to ensure that you are getting your fair share. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Curb your tendency toward rash speech when dealing with friends or family members. If you force your opinions on oth- ers, you will cause hurt feelings. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — You will be praised for your professional attitude regarding changes in the workplace. Even if you have reservations, keep up with your responsibilities and take any new concepts in stride. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Someone has been less than honest with you. Don't fall for false promises or lame excuses. Be true to your beliefs and goals. A relationship will undergo a sudden change. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — You have all the necessary in- gredients for success. Be care- ful not to alienate your peers by being overbearing or aggressive. Avoid tension by being coopera- tive and congenial. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — A trip or fact-finding mission will bring you into contact with influential individuals. Your su- perb memory will serve you well, enabling you to converse with someone with plenty to share. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Don't rush into a finan- cial decision. Proceed carefully, taking time to investigate any contracts or documents that could indicate the nature of the risk you're facing. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Before you make accusations regarding a difficult situation, take a close look at your own actions. Consider that you may be just as much to blame. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Take positive action for a cause you believe in. Don't neglect your health or your financial concerns. Put greater effort into making your home convenient and comfortable. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — A friend or partner may have reservations regarding some- thing that you're planning. While the possibilities may be very attractive, pay attention to the advice offered. Thorough research is a must. Horoscope By Bernice Bede Osol SATURDAY, APRIL 5 Saturday, april 5, 2014 rEdBluFFdailyNEWS.COM | YOUR DAILY BREAK | 5 B