DEAR ABBY: Recently my husband, “Byron,” and I had an argument, and he took off in his truck. He didn’t return until after work the following day. He had he spent the night at our friend “Arlene’s” house. She is divorced and lives alone.

Byron assures me “nothing happened” between them. I want to believe him, but ever since this incident, Arlene will not look me in the eye or speak to me.

I love Byron and trusted him until now. It hurts to think that our marriage may be ruined over a stupid argument. I know he was intoxicated, but why did he choose to go to HER home?

BROKEN-HEARTED IN WYOMING

DEAR BROKEN-HEARTED: He chose to go to her home (even drunk as a skunk) because he knew he would be welcomed. It’s also the reason Arlene can’t look you in the eye. Marriage counseling for you and Byron may help you put this to rest. If he refuses to go with you, go without him.

P.S. It appears Arlene has an agenda of her own — and Byron may be one of the items on it. You’d be wise to delete her from your list of friends.

DEAR ABBY: I have always been touched by the acts of kindness stories in your column. When I was 20, I went into New York City to attend classes. Upon my arrival, I was mugged in the bus station. It was rush hour and I was too scared to scream.

After the mugger ran off, I picked up the few belongings that had fallen out of my handbag, walked across the street and down the stairs to the subway. It was then I realized I had no money to buy a token. I started crying and couldn’t stop.

A middle-aged woman with a friendly smile arrived and stayed at my side until the authorities arrived. She calmed me down and wouldn’t leave until she knew I was in safe hands. Before she left, she slipped some money into my pocket.

After Sept. 11, I heard people say how “surprised” they were that New Yorkers “came together.” Not me, Abby. I have known since the day I was mugged that there are only a few bad apples in the Big Apple. I hope my good Samaritan will see your column and realize what her compassion and generosity meant to me that day and ever since.

STILL COMMUTING IN NYC

DEAR STILL COMMUTING: Thanks for an upper of a letter, which proves that kindheartedness is universal — and not limited to any one area of the map.

DEAR ABBY: Please help me and thousands of other payroll administrators with a public service message. I will be sending out W-2s this month to current and former employees. Last year, I got back about 10 percent of these W-2s because employees have moved and left no forwarding addresses. Often the phone has also been disconnected.

Please remind anyone who has changed jobs and moved in the past year to make sure their former employer has their new address so their W- 2 will arrive on the first try. I have a stack of these forms that have never been claimed by former employees and no idea how to contact them.

PAYROLL ADMINISTRATOR, FORT PAYNE, ALA.

DEAR ADMINISTRATOR: I’m pleased to pass along your message. The W-2 is proof the government needs to verify what someone has been paid and what has been withheld by the employer. Employers are required to provide one.

Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.