Husband's ex-girlfriends keep emailing

DEAR AMY: I am a newlywed. How should I handle running into my husband's two ex-girlfriends? Both of these women affected my husband's life very negatively, but they still keep emailing him as though nothing bad ever happened. One emailed him while we were on our honeymoon. My husband tells me about the emails, and then he usually deletes them. The most recent one was a query about some things of hers she left with him 10 years ago. He responded politely. These women both live nearby. I can't shake the feeling that they will cross our path. I can't imagine showing courtesy to people who have shown my husband no such consideration. I have no desire to be rude, but I'm not interested in being polite, either. Any suggestions?New to "Newlywed Game"

DEAR NEW: Ex-girlfriends cross your path until they tire of you. And then they move on, like antelope crossing the savannah.

The best rule for dealing with anyone you dread seeing is also the simplest. Be polite.

Why? Because it is always right to be polite.

Being polite -- not dramatic, not sophomoric -- will make the exes tire of you more quickly. Your husband could shut this down by not responding (even politely) to their emails.

DEAR AMY: I'd like to respond to "Marsha," who didn't know what to do for a friend who is dying. My brother recently died of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. I was most grateful for two letters from friends that he had the chance to read before his death. They reminded him of shared memories, highlighted his most special qualities and reiterated how much he meant to them. They said how much they loved him and how they would miss him. He shared them with me so proudly.Another Reader

DEAR READER: This sort of warmth and affection can be expressed even at a distance.