By popular request, Abby shares more of her favorite prize-winning, easy-to-prepare recipes. To order, send a long, business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, Ill. 61054. (Postage is included.)
If God Set Up a Picket Line, We Would All Be Out of Luck
DEAR ABBY: Many years ago, I copied this poem out of your column in the Indiana (Pa.) Gazette. Since there are so many strikes now, I thought it might be a good time to print it again. -- MRS. ARTHUR STEELE, INDIANA, PA.
IF GOD SHOULD GO 0N STRIKE
by Walt Huntley
How good it is that God above
has never gone on strike,
Because He was not treated fair
in things He didn't like.
If only once, He'd given up and
said, "That's it, I'm through!
"I've had enough of those on Earth,
so this is what I'll do:
"I'll give my orders to the sun
cut off the heat supply!
"And to the moon -- give no more light,
and run the oceans dry.
"Then just to make things really tough
and put the pressure on,
"Turn off the vital oxygen till
every breath is gone!"
You know He would be justified,
if fairness was the game,
For no one has been more abused
or met with more disdain
Than God, and yet he carries on,
supplying you and me
With all the favors of His grace,
and everything for free.
Men say they want a better deal,
and so on strike they go,
But what a deal we've given God
to whom all things we owe.
We don't care whom we hurt
to gain the things we like;
But what a mess we'd all be in,
If God should go on strike.
DEAR ABBY: I am living proof that a person is never too old to learn. I have had a fingernail-chewing habit since I was a young boy. I tried everything I ever heard of to break the habit. Nothing worked -- until I read about a "cure" in, of all places, your column! You suggested wearing a rubber band around the wrist, and whenever the nail-biter picks up his or her hand to chew a fingernail, snap the rubber band instead.
Here I am, an 80-year-old man who finally found a cure for a habit I have hated nearly all my life. The rubber band I wear on my right wrist at all times is an eighth of an inch wide, and it's loose and comfortable.
I am signing my name, which you have my permission to use if you wish. Thank you, Dear Abby. -- WILLIAM (BILL) ISAKSON, HOLIDAY, FLA,
DEAR MR. ISAKSON: I am delighted to have been of help. I'd give you a snappier answer, but it might be stretching things a bit. So, congratulations, and all good wishes to you.
World War II Gun Needs to Be Discharged From Vet's Home
DEAR ABBY: I need to know how I can legally get rid of a military .45-caliber handgun that I have had since I was in the U.S. Army back in 1943. It was issued to me prior to my being shipped overseas.
When I was discharged, the parachute and most of the other equipment I had been issued was requisitioned back by the military, but no mention was ever made of the gun, or the 1 1/2 clips of ammunition that I still possess. (In all of this time, I have never fired the gun.)
I want to return the gun to the government, but I don't want to find myself in hot water for having possessed it all this time as a civilian. Since the gun is plainly marked "U.S. Property," I am wondering if my civilian possession of it all these years may have somehow been illegal ever since my discharge. -- WONDERING IN SAN JOSE
DEAR WONDERING: According to Sherry Lawrence of the Personnel Command Public Affairs Office of the Army, the failure of the military to reclaim the weapon at the time of your discharge was probably the result of a paperwork slip-up.
Because the weapon is old and probably has not been maintained, it may be a safety hazard.
Call your local police department and explain that you have a weapon from World War II that needs to be safely disposed of. They will either advise you to bring it in, or offer to pick it up.
I advise you not to handle it -- lock it up until you either deliver it to the local police or they pick it up. Peace of mind is only a telephone call away.
DEAR ABBY: Recently we had a devastasting fire in the East Bay hills of Berkeley and Oakland. There were many lives lost -- people and animals injured, and countless homes destroyed.
In the days after the fire, the San Francisco Chronicle printed stories of personal loss. Those who were able to escape from their homes with a few personal treasures mentioned that they grabbed photographs! This brought to mind that perhaps one of the best things family and friends of those who have lost their homes can do is to go through their own personal photo collections and choose photos to give the family who has sustained this tragic loss.
Negatives can be made from photographs, and perhaps some of the local film developers could offer a discount on the process for this particular group of individuals. It would be a small way to give people back parts of their lives. -- SYLVIA CLONINGER, BELMONT, CALIF.
DEAR SYLVIA: Only a person with a generous heart would have thought of the above. Take a bow, Sylvia!
DEAR ABBY: Can you stand one more letter about tattoos?
The only difference between tattooed people and non-tattooed people is: Tattooed people don't care if you're not tattooed. -- TOM THE TATTOOED TYPESETTER, SEATTLE
Most teen-agers do not know the facts about drugs, AIDS, and how to prevent unwanted pregnancy. It's all in Abby's updated, expanded booklet, "What Every Teen Should Know." To order, send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, Ill. 61054. (Postage is included.)
FIGHTING OVER PIANO LESSONS IS NOT MUSIC TO MOM'S EARS
DEAR ABBY: Our daughter, "Naomi," who is 8 years old, has been taking piano lessons for three years. In recent months she seems to have lost interest in the piano, and it's a struggle to get her to practice. I usually lose my temper, and she ends up in tears.
I finally gave up trying to force her to practice. My theory is that unless she is motivated by her own desire to learn, it's not worth the hassle -- not to mention the money we're wasting on lessons.
My husband disagrees. He thinks we should make Naomi practice no matter how much she hates it. I should also mention that our son, "David," who is now 13, was allowed to quit taking violin lessons three months ago because of his many school obligations, plus making the football team -- which his father wholeheartedly approved of.
Naomi is angry. She can't understand why we let her brother quit his music lessons, but we are not allowing her to quit.
What do you think, Abby? If you have a solution my husband will listen to, perhaps we can have some peace in this house. -- FIGHTING IN FLORIDA
DEAR FIGHTING: Assuming that David started taking violin lessons when he was 5, he has had eight years of music lessons. In order to treat both children equally, Naomi should take music lessons for another five years.
Don't give up so easily. Tell Naomi she may quit when she's 13, if she wants to.
For what it's worth, I have had numerous letters from readers saying they were forced to take music lessons and they hated it at the time, but later on, they were glad they weren't allowed to quit when they begged to.
However, readers have never written to say they regretted getting a musical education -- even though they often practiced with tears in their eyes.
DEAR ABBY: Thank you for suggesting that licking envelopes and postage stamps is unsanitary, then recommending a damp sponge instead. Right on.
Many years ago, when I was living in a college dormitory, I noticed that my postage stamps were not sticking to the envelopes no matter how much I licked them. Then I discovered that cockroaches were eating the glue off the stamps! With everyone in the dorm getting cookies from home, it was impossible to rid the dorm of roaches.
Now that I have my own home and am confident that it is free of bugs, I lick without worrying. -- JOHN WAYLAND, WACO, TEXAS
DEAR JOHN: Better keep your tongue in your mouth. I learned the hard way that storing those brown paper grocery sacks is not a good idea. The glue on the sacks attracts not only cockroaches, but mice and rats, too. (Sorry if I spoiled your breakfast.)
People are eating them up! For Abby's favorite recipes, send a long, business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, Ill. 61054. (Postage is included.)