DR. WALLACE: I'm 17 and will turn 18 in about three months. For a while, I've wanted a part-time job so I can earn some money of my own, and a family friend was able to get me an introduction to work at a business in our city. It's only about 7 miles from our home, in a strip mall in a busy commercial area. I've been working at this job for almost four weeks now, and I'm starting to have second thoughts about it. The pay is reasonable, but it's an establishment that sells a variety of orthopedic rehabilitation products. Some of the products definitely help people, but some of them definitely seem like it's a stretch that it's going to do much for the person involved.

The main reason I'm considering quitting this job is that I find that their ethics and marketing tactics to the people who come into their store are not exactly held to the highest standards. Quite often they will talk over people and bulldoze them into buying much more than they really need, and they're always looking to keep adding products or to convince people that using different unrelated products together will create some sort of magic healing synergy.

I literally dread each shift I have to go in and work there. I'm hesitant to quit because a family friend pulled some strings to get me the job in the first place. What should I do? — Disagree With Their Sales Tactics, via email

DISAGREE WITH THEIR SALES TACTICS: Indeed, if you've already found yourself noticing things that you feel to be unethical, there's nothing that says you have to stay there and be part of that particular business any longer.

Yes, you did receive a break when a family friend helped you acquire the job in the first place, but this friend certainly wouldn't expect you to stay at any job, referral or not, where you are truly unhappy. My advice is to explain all this to your parents, and ask for their guidance on how to explain to your family friend that you're going to move along to a different type of work.

Your parents can really help you here, as they will no doubt find a diplomatic way to explain your situation without going into the deep details that you don't necessarily want to disclose to your family friend.

WOULD BUYING THESE SHOES SEND MY MOM THE WRONG MESSAGE?

DR. WALLACE: My mother's birthday is coming up just before Memorial Day. She likes to go on walks, even though she doesn't walk very fast. Sometimes she'll go with her lady friends, and other times she'll go with my sister and me.

When my mom puts her walking shoes on, she already has the laces of these shoes tied up, and she struggles mightily to get the shoes on her feet with one of those really long shoehorns. The shoehorn is about 2 feet long! It's kind of an awkward site to see her getting these shoes on, but none of us ever says anything.

Anyhow, her shoes are getting pretty worn, and I was thinking of buying her a new pair of walking shoes for her birthday. I saw a nice pair of Skechers shoes at a store that were reasonably priced. These are the types of shoes that have a "mini shoehorn" built into the back of the shoe that makes it easier to slip on. She might not need to struggle to use that long shoehorn if I got her these particular shoes.

The reason I'm hesitant is that if I got my mom these shoes, would I accidentally be "putting her down" by saying that she's old or can't get her regular shoes on anymore? I think my mom would really like and benefit from these new shoes, but I don't want to make her feel bad in any way. — My Dilemma Is to Get or Forget Them, via email

MY DILEMMA IS TO GET OR FORGET THEM: I say get them! You said yourself that the price seemed reasonable, and due to their functionality, they'll likely help your mom quite a bit. I don't think you're making any statement at all about your mother other than that she loves to walk and could use some comfortable shoes that may be easy for her to handle.

It's nice that you're so considerate toward your beloved mother and that you thought this situation through quite carefully. I trust that should you deliver this particular gift to her, it will be well received!

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 [email protected]. 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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