DEAR ABBY: A close, longtime family friend recently passed. In order to relieve some of the pressure on the deceased's family, I volunteered my time and money to organize the reception following the funeral.
There was a lot of food left over, much of it food that I had provided. We offered the leftovers to the family and they took some, but not all of it. I assumed that what was left of my food would go to me and my family, but others (some of whom provided nothing) decided to pack it up for themselves. Am I wrong to feel cheated out of food that I purchased? -- TICKED OFF IN MASSACHUSETTS
DEAR TICKED OFF: I understand your frustration, but please don't waste your time fuming. The people who took the leftovers without first checking to see who had brought or donated the food probably needed it more than you. These are difficult times, so let it go.