DR. WALLACE: I have a part-time job this summer that I'm enjoying. I like my coworkers, and I'm also making decent money.

Making some money definitely helps my summertime social life. But I ran into a problem last week because I had to make a special request to my work supervisor for what I felt was an important reason.

Even though I believe this was an easy request for him to grant, he told me no, and that there would be no more discussion about the matter. What's up with this? Why would a work supervisor who has always treated me well previously be so blunt on a minor request? — Not Happy About This, via email

NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS: The good news is you and your work supervisor have gotten along well in the past, so I don't think his reply was necessarily directed at you or any previous tension.

What often happens in a variety of workplaces is that there are certain rules that the ownership and management don't wish to breach. It may seem like the matter was insignificant from your point of view, but management and ownership are likely hesitant to grant certain requests because if it's done for one employee, it must also be done for all others who wish to receive a similar benefit or accommodation.

My advice is to simply move on and not think about it too much, continue doing good work earning your pay and enjoying your summer.

MY BOYFRIEND'S BROTHER IS THE ONLY PROBLEM HERE

DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend is 18, and his older brother borrowed his car and crashed it last weekend! Not only did he damage the car so much that it wasn't drivable, but his brother also got arrested for drunk driving.

Luckily, this brother did not hit any other vehicle or pedestrian; he simply went off the road and crashed into a wall and then a pole. He got bruised up, but was otherwise not injured.

My father is now telling me that I'm not going to be allowed to take a ride from my boyfriend once his car is fixed. When I asked him why, my father simply said, "that's my decision, you'll have to live with it."

My boyfriend is 18 and can, of course, do what he wants, but I won't turn 18 for another six months. So, I'm stuck at home under my father's rules for at least half a year.

Do you feel my father is being unreasonable? My boyfriend didn't crash the car, it was his older brother who was drinking and driving. — My Father is Unreasonable, via email

MY FATHER IS UNREASONABLE: You didn't mention whether your boyfriend ever drinks alcohol, but while you're living at home and under the age of 18, your father does have control over the rules regarding your social life, at least for a little longer.

It will likely take time for your boyfriend's car to be repaired, so you'll likely be looking for alternative transportation for a while anyway. You didn't mention how well your father knows your current boyfriend, but if you can bring the two of them together so they can get to know each other better, this will likely help your case at least somewhat once the car is repaired.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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