Dear Abby

For more than 20 years, my mother-in-law has shown blatant favoritism toward my husband's younger brother. Several people, including her own mother and my ...

Is it rude to stop, stare and read the tattoo? Under what circumstances is it socially acceptable to read a stranger's tattoo? It seems he can turn any remark I make about something into one about sex, and my feelings are often hurt. My husband and I have been married for 35 years. While my husband accepts her lack of love for him and would never cease contact with her, I find her difficult to be around because she is just plain cruel. Several people, including her own mother and my father-in-law, have tried to discuss it with her, but she refuses.