1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: All right, guys, time now for today's Strawberry Letter. And 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: if you need advice on relationships, dating, work, sex, parenting, 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: and more. Please submit your Strawberry Letter to Steve HARVEYFM 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: dot com and click submit Strawberry Letter. We could be 5 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: reading your letter live on the air, just like we're 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: gonna read this one right here, right now. Buge lappinhold 7 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: on tight, We got it. Paul you here. It is 8 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: the Strawberry Letter. Thank you nephew. Subject Should I love 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: him or leave him? Dear Stephen Shirley. I met an 10 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: older guy and I was attracted to him, but played 11 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: hard to get. He begged me for a first date 12 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: and I eventually agreed to go out with him. He 13 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: asked me to pick him up, and I didn't think 14 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: much about it since his house was on the way 15 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: to the restaurant. When I got to the house, he 16 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: came out, and so did a much older lady. He 17 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: got in my car and told me that was his mother. 18 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: That was his mom, and that he lived with her. 19 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: At this point, I had an opportunity to tell him 20 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: that I was not interested, but I went out to 21 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: dinner with him anyway. At dinner, he told me that 22 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: he's a convicted felon, but that was years ago, and 23 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: he's got a great job and a new life now. 24 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: I kept seeing this man and eventually went to his home, well, 25 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: his mom's house, and saw how filthy his room was. 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: And I also noticed that his mom's yard was unkept 27 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: and there was trash lying around the driveway and porch. There. 28 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: These were red flags, and I told him he should 29 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: do better at helping his mom out around the house. 30 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: Then I invited him to my house to meet my 31 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: two children. I know he talks really hood and street, 32 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: but I thought he would do better when he met 33 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: my children. He did not, and my kids asked him 34 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: why he was talking like a rapper. He kept commenting 35 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: on how nice I kept my house, and after the visit, 36 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: his conversations turned to us making a commitment. He suggested 37 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: moving in with me so we could be closer and 38 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: he could help me out around the house. I was 39 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: excited at first because I really like this man, but 40 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 1: then I thought I was being naive and he could 41 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: just be using me. Although he has some character flaws. 42 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: Could I work on this fix or upper and be 43 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: happy or should I leave this man at his mama's house. 44 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: Please advise, run, run, run as far away from this 45 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: man as you possibly can. I mean, you got to 46 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: leave this man alone, please. I mean, when you see 47 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: red flags, don't ignore them. That's what red flags are for. Okay, 48 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: let's go through him. He lives with his mom, all right. 49 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: The yard is nasty, his room is nasty. He has 50 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: no car, He doesn't know how to be a good 51 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 1: role model in front of your children. And if he's 52 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: got such a nice job, in a great job and 53 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: all this stuff like you see in the letter, why 54 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: doesn't he save his money and get an apartment. There 55 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: was no discussion about that in this letter. And you 56 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: know it wasn't until after he saw your place, after 57 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: he came over there, that he started, you know, like 58 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: kind of pressuring you to move in and to be committed. 59 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: He said he would help you around the house. Oh really, 60 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: you would help her, but you're not. He'll help you, 61 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: but he's not going to help his own mom around 62 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: the house. He could at least clean up the yard, 63 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: and what about his room. Come on, I don't get this. 64 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: I say, don't let him in your house in this 65 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: kind of a way. Don't let him move in please, 66 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: this is not how you want to live. You have 67 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: two kids to think about. I think if he was 68 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: and you didn't mention, you know, what he was incarcerated 69 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: for or anything like that, you just said he's out. 70 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: That was years ago, and he has a great job 71 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: in a new life now. But it just doesn't look 72 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: like it or seem like it. You know. Yeah, he 73 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: could be using you, but I say no, it's too 74 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: soon to move in. Don't let him do it. Steve, 75 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:03,119 Speaker 1: I'm confused. I really am uh huh about Why Why 76 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: is she writing us? Yeah, what is the purpose of 77 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: this letter? I don't even know why? Why are we 78 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: Why are we talking to her about? Who? Who are 79 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: we talking about? That? Everything in this letter screams what? Yeah, 80 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: I mean, the whole damn letter. Let's start. I met 81 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: an older guy right down and us attracted to him. 82 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: But you played hard to get Okay, you know, older guy. 83 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: He begged me for a first date. I agree with brother. 84 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: He asked me to pick him up. Right there, let's stop, 85 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 1: let's let's go, let's listen. Just listen. You met an 86 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: older guy. He asked me to pick him up. I 87 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: ain't think nothing about it since his his house was 88 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: on the way to the restaurant. When I got to 89 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: the house, he came out, and so did a much 90 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: older lady. Let's circle this. Let's just go for what 91 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: we got so far. Matter, older guy, he asked you 92 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: to pick him up. He come out of the house 93 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,119 Speaker 1: with an old ass lady. He got in my car 94 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: and told me this was his mom and he lived 95 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: with her. Let's circle that. At this point I had 96 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: the opportunity to tell him I was not interested, but 97 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: I went out to dinner with him anyway. For what why? 98 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 1: Let me circle that. I went out to dinner with 99 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: him anyway. Then at dinner, he told me he's a 100 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:57,559 Speaker 1: convicted feeling. Let's circle that twice. But that was years ago, 101 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: and he got a good job and got a new life. 102 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: Now I kept seeing this man and eventually went to 103 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: his house, well, his mama's house. Okay, Let's circle that, 104 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: because now were you why are you still talking to 105 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: his answer? After this? I don't know, But you went 106 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: back to his mama's house. And then this older man 107 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: you met, You saw how filthy his room was. You know, 108 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: the last time I had a room I was seventeen. Yeah, 109 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,679 Speaker 1: and last time I took somebody to my room other 110 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: than a dormitory in college. Yeah, all right, how filthy 111 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: his room was. Let's stop down or to be right 112 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: at twenty three after the hour A subject of Today's 113 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: Strawberry Letters, Should I Love him or leave him? We'll 114 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:57,799 Speaker 1: be back right after this. You're listening, all right, Steve, 115 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: Come on, let's recap today's Strawberry letter. My recap can 116 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: just be a continuation because as I continue, I'll explain it. 117 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna show you everything that's wrong with this letter. 118 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: This letter is should I Love him or leave him? 119 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: Stephen Shirley. I met an older guy. I circled that 120 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: I was attracting him, but I played hard to get. 121 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: He begged me for a first date. I eventually agreed 122 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: to go out with him. He asked me to pick 123 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: him up. I circled that everything I circled is screaming 124 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: what I ain't think much about it since his house 125 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: was on the way to the the restaurant. When I got 126 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: to the house and he came out, and so did 127 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: a much older lady, I circled that who is this 128 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: old ass lady? He got in my car and told 129 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 1: me that this was his mom. And he lived with her. 130 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: I circled that, let's go back, older guy, you had 131 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: to pick him up. He's this old lady stay there, 132 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: and you found out his mama. At this point, I 133 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: had an opportunity to tell him I was not interested, 134 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: but I went out to dinner with him. Anyway. I 135 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: circled that. The question I'm begging everybody to ask yourself 136 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: is why is you at dinner with this old ass 137 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: man to stay at the house with his mama that 138 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: you had to pick up. That's all I'm asking. At dinner, 139 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: he told me he was a convicted fellon. This whole 140 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: letter is going to hell. But I kept seeing the 141 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: man why. Eventually I went to his house where his 142 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: mom's house. So I circle that because it took you 143 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: two visits to get it the first time you pulled up. 144 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: Next time you went to the damn house and found 145 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: out it was a mama's house. That yet all in 146 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: blue plates leaning up against the wall on the fireplace, 147 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: and had that big wooden spoon and fox set hanging 148 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: on the damn wall, that picture the white Jesus mar 149 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: Luther King and John F. Kennedy. And I noticed that 150 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: his mom's yard was unkept, and it was trash laying around. 151 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: I circled that he don't give a damn bout his mama. 152 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: Trash laying around the driveway and the porch that's where 153 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: he eats. These were all red flags, And I told 154 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: him he should do better helping out his mom around 155 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: the house. You know what Judge lying Tolder told me 156 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: one time on the show, She said women should stop 157 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: collecting red flags. Yep, women should stop collecting red flags time. 158 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna let you use that already for love this year, 159 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:50,599 Speaker 1: women should stop collecting red flags. I told him he 160 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: should do better helping his mom out around the house. 161 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: Then I invited him to my house to meet my 162 00:09:55,400 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: two children. I circled this, why is he meeting your 163 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: damn kids? Exactly what redeeming quality has he exhibited where 164 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: you think it's time for him to meet your damn kids? 165 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: Now he talks real hood in street. I circle that 166 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: he stay at home with his mama. Is mama old? 167 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: You had to pick him up? He lived with his mama. 168 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: You went out to dinner anyway here convicted felling. You 169 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: went to his mama's house. His room is filed. It's 170 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: translating around the driveway in the porch. I invited him 171 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 1: to your house to meet the two kids, and he 172 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: talked real hood in street. This whole letter is just 173 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 1: going to hell. But I thought he would do better 174 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: when he met my children. He did not. And your 175 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: kids asked him why was he talking like a rapper? 176 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: You know why, because your kids know his whole ass 177 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: should be talking better than one of their damn piers. 178 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: Your kids know that, but you don't, So I circled that. 179 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: He kept commenting on how nice I kept my house. 180 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: Hell yeah, questions wo to break the law just described 181 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 1: in Mamma's house. And after the visit, his conversations turned 182 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:23,199 Speaker 1: to us making a commitment, a commitment to what he suggested, 183 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: moving in with me so he could be closer and 184 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: he could help out round the house. He don't help 185 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: out round the house. He don't help out round the house. 186 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: He don't help out in his filthy ass room. He 187 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: don't help out with nothing on the poach, He don't 188 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: help out with nothing with the driveway. Where do he 189 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: clean up at? So he fldn't help you? Well, I 190 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: was excited at first because I really liked this man. 191 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: What is it you like you ain't saying nothing in 192 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: the letter you like. Your whole letter is you disappointed 193 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: you on this man, then you sat really like him. 194 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: You like what you must not. You ain't never handle 195 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: man before, you never had a good man before. Because 196 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: if this is what you like, I show what I 197 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,199 Speaker 1: hate to see, the one you got rid of, the 198 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 1: one you had them two kids by lady, you need 199 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: to up your up your game. I really like this man. 200 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: But then I'd have thought I was being you naive 201 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: and he could be using me. Although he had some 202 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: character flaw character flaw. He old his hell. That ain't 203 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: a cafter flaw. He ain't got a car. That ain't 204 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: a cafter flaw. He stayed with his mama. That ain't 205 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: a character flaw. He's a convicted fellow. That ain't a 206 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: character flaw. His room is filtered, That ain't a character flaw. 207 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: It's chanced on the driveway in the ports. That ain't 208 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: a charcter flaw. He wants to move in with you 209 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: so he can help out around the house. Here, damn 210 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: lie run all right, Steve, We're run. Post your comments 211 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: on today Strawberry Letter on Instagram at Steve Harvey FBM 212 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: dot com and check out the Strawberry Letter podcast on demand. 213 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Steve Harvey Morning Show