DEAR ABBY: Back in 1936 or 1937, I was living at home and driving a junky old car. One day I casually mentioned to my mother that I needed to give the steering wheel a good cleaning.
She went out and cleaned it, and as a joke I paid her a penny for it.
After she passed away and went to heaven, we discovered that she had wrapped the penny in a little piece of paper upon which she had scribbled, "The penny Carl gave me for washing the steering wheel of his car. Signed, Minnie Blaich." (I'm enclosing a photocopy.)
I had the nicest parents, and have a wife who is just as nice. We were married on my birthday, Oct. 8, 1939. We now we have been married for 62 years.
I hope you enjoyed my penny story. -- CARL BLAICH, ZEPHYRHILLS, FLA.
P.S. I'm still kickin' -- but I'm not making much dust.
DEAR CARL: Your penny story touched my heart. Obviously, your dear mother treasured the memory of that event, which is why the penny meant so much to her. I'll bet she wouldn't have parted with that penny for any amount of money.