Advice Column ENF Story

[Fango]

From today's "Ask Amy" advice column:

Photo of wife puts hubby in purgatory

Published July 17, 2006

Dear Amy: A few months ago I took my very modest wife to a tropical island to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

Well, I asked, begged and pleaded with her to loosen up and go topless on the beach. After more begging (and several umbrella drinks) she did, as she was sure that she did not know anyone at this resort.

Now three months later, a good friend showed me a picture. It was of a young woman who was topless, and in the background clear as day was the image of my wife (also topless) and me! My friend said that this picture was posted on the Internet on a free site!

I contacted the site and they removed the picture, but by this time the photo had been shown for two weeks.

Now what should I do? I know that if I tell the wife she will freak out about this! Yet if she finds out from someone else that could be worse!

I know that this is all my fault.

Should I just ignore this and hope nothing happens? I need some advice from you and your readers.

-- Vacationer from New York

Dear Vacationer: The ethical thing to do is to tell your wife.

But I don't think that you should.

Husbands and wives tell each other hard truths and take responsibility for their actions. But husbands and wives also try to shield each other from devastating embarrassments.

If you have done every possible thing you can to get this photo pulled off the Internet (of course nothing completely disappears from the Internet), then let this matter lie.

Meanwhile, there is a special little corner of purgatory reserved for you -- and you will live there for a while, worrying that this photo might resurface. That's your punishment for plying your lovely wife with umbrella drinks and pressuring her to do something that you know she didn't want to do.

And let this be a very valuable lesson for the rest of us. Camera phones, video cameras and the Internet mean that none of us can be stupid in private anymore.

So, does anyone have the pic?

Fango

[Joku_]

I would actually bet pretty much that that photo is on this site somewhere or atleast will be in next couple of months. But of course there is no knowing which photo it is

[freddyquimby]

I find it irritating that the advice columnist describes topless sunbathing as acting "stupid".