Dear Abby: The letter from ”It`s My Turn in L.A.,” the girl who was snubbed by the ”in group” in high school and had no desire to go back for her class reunion, inspired me to write. I was just another girl who was not part of the ”in group.” I wore glasses, had ”zits” and never had a date.
At the time of my 10th reunion (in 1983), I was a successful pharmacist and faculty member at a state university. I threw hurt and anger to the wind and decided to attend the reunion-alone. Well, it just so happened that another classmate decided to do the same thing-so he went stag.
An hour before the evening ended, we ”discovered” each other. He walked me to my car, holding hands, and I felt like I was back in high school again- with the same excitement and ”jitters.” One thing led to another, and we married a year later.
Now I have a wonderful husband and three lovely children.
Wendy Weingart Bennewitz, Milwaukee
Dear Wendy: Congratulations. Your letter was a welcome ”upper.” This office loves happy endings.
Dear Abby: I know it`s a little late, but I wanted to report on another miserable Mother`s Day. It started out OK, but when my husband and I stopped off at a local ice cream shop, the clerk asked, ”Are you a mother?”
When I responded ”No,” I was told that if I had been one, I would have gotten a free ice-cream cone. How wonderful!
I can understand stores wanting to share in the Mother`s Day celebration, but I resent it. I cannot have children, and I don`t need it rubbed in by some clerk reminding me on Mother`s Day that I am not a mother and therefore not entitled to an ice-cream cone I didn`t want in the first place.
If shops want to celebrate the occasion, why don`t they just give their small gift to any woman of childbearing age (and up), and let it go at that?
Barbara
Dear Barbara: You make a point that I had never considered, and I thank you for it. Moral: Just because you`re celebrating, don`t assume that everybody else is.
Dear Abby: One good story leads to another. I was reminded of something funny when I read the letter from ”Appalled in Chicago,” whose new secretary couldn`t find ”Europe” in the dictionary. (She was looking under ”U”!) I can top that:
A few months ago, I dictated a letter to our new secretary who was a college graduate. The secretary was told to address the letter to ”John Smith, Esq.” When the letter came back to me for my signature, the salutation read: ”Dear Mr. Esquire:” Sign me:
Topper
Dear Abby: The defensive, guilt-ridden smoker who pointed her finger at fat people who tend to overeat should have pointed out:
(1) A person enjoying a baked potato with three pats of butter has never blown cholesterol in your face.
(2) No one has ever fallen asleep with a piece of pecan pie and burned down a house.
Medicine Lodge, Kansas
