An 84-year-old mother, still mentally acute, has begun sharing every possible detail about acquaintances and their health issues. For her devoted daughter, enduring these meandering conversations has become an unexpected test of patience and love.

A couple grapples with whether to charge houseguests for their stay, questioning the limits of hospitality. Meanwhile, another reader wonders if leftover food from neighboring tables in a restaurant is fair game. Advice columnist Eric Thomas addresses these daily dilemmas with clear-eyed practicality.

Baltimore Sun advice columnist Eric Thomas confronts two piercing reader questions: whether it is worth the emotional cost to remain in a neighborhood shared with an attacker, and how to respond when a close friend disappears without explanation. His “Asking Eric” column lays bare the tangled calculus of safety, trauma and loyalty.