In which Doris feels compelled to criticize someone who sent her a Christmas card for being too involved in his church

Doris emailed Primo today after getting a Christmas letter from Primo's best friend from high school, Fernando.

Fernando and Primo drank beer together when they were in high school, a traditional male bonding ritual. They worked together in the summers and were good friends for many years.

With time, they have drifted apart. Fernando married, had three children, and has become very involved in his church. He is late to serious church stuff - at Primo's wedding to Isabel, he hooked up with one of Isabel's bridesmaids. But with his own wife, they did not sleep together until their wedding night.

Fernando and Primo are no longer close, but they are still friends. For years, they would argue about major issues and enjoy the arguing, but now, neither of them really has time for it. They have become Christmas card friends.

We got the Christmas letter from Fernando last week. Much of his family's activities center on their church - they are very involved with religious education and with social activities related to the church. Fernando joked that maybe his daughter will become a nun and maybe his son will become a priest.

Fernando sent the same Christmas letter to Doris, whom he has not seen in decades. I thought that was a nice thing to do.

Doris emailed Primo that she was going to write to Fernando to complain that his life is too involved with the church.

"I think she wants my approval," Primo said.

"What do you think?"

Primo sighed. "Well, I think Fernando's letter was awfully churchy, too."

"No," I said. "What do you think about Fernando sending a Christmas letter to your parents and your mom's first response being to criticize?"

He sighed again. "I don't know. I'll talk to her."

Two hours later, he said, "I spoke to her. She's still going to write to him."

"Do your parents ever wonder why they don't have any friends?" I asked.