DEAR ABBY: I was criticized recently for placing my right hand over my heart while the U.S. flag was flown and "The Star-Spangled Banner" was being sung. I was told that the hand over the heart is for the Pledge of Allegiance only, when the flag is present. Is that true, and what is the proper procedure? -- ST. LOUIS PATRIOT

DEAR PATRIOT: No, it is not true. Whoever criticized you was ignorant of the Flag Code, as amended by the 94th Congress and approved July 7, 1976.

According to the code, "During the rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present ... shall stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. ... When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the manner they would if the flag were displayed there."

And by the way, happy Flag Day to all my readers out there.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 25-year-old male who, for the most part, has figured out what I want to do with my life. I'm currently working, and I am also considering entering the military to boost my character and resume. I want to eventually become a lawyer so I can help people.

Something that irritates my family is my refusal to date. I suffer from anxiety attacks just at the thought of talking to a woman or asking for a date. My older sister asks me when I will marry, and my dad claims I'd be a great father. How can I get my family to understand that I'm not interested in marriage and children? -- LOVELESS IN THE SOUTHWEST

DEAR LOVELESS: I respect your desire to enter the military, boost your character and resume and earn a law degree. But please don't use the military as a way to escape dealing with your inability to be comfortable with half the human race. If and when you enlist, you will be in a work environment where there are females and situations in which you may be required to work as a team. That's why I strongly suggest that you talk to a mental health professional about your anxiety about women before enlisting.

Marriage and children are not for everyone -- and you may be one of those men who should be a confirmed bachelor. But not because you're afraid of women.

DEAR ABBY: My father has been dead for more than 15 years. Any time my mother sees people she hasn't seen since Dad's death, she makes a point of telling them how happy she is now that he's dead! She doesn't care how loudly she declares it or how she says it.

At my son's recent wedding reception, I overheard her having this conversation with my brother-in-law. He made eye contact with me to see if I could hear what she was saying, then shook his head like he couldn't believe what she was saying.

Abby, it's embarrassing that she does this all the time. If I say anything, I know she'll get mad at me. Any suggestions? -- CAN'T TAKE HER ANYWHERE

DEAR CAN'T TAKE HER ANYWHERE: Yes. Ignore her. Obviously your parents' marriage wasn't made in heaven -- but her widowhood is.

DEAR ABBY: My daughter recently told us she is attracted to women. I feel she has been unduly influenced by her mentor/professor at her college, as she quoted this woman several times when she "came out."

My daughter has always been quiet and shy. She finds it difficult to make eye contact with anyone. How am I to accept this, especially since I feel her mentor took advantage of the situation? I am finding it difficult to function at all. I love my daughter very much. This just hurts. -- MOM AT A LOSS IN OREGON

DEAR MOM AT A LOSS: I understand this has been a shock for you, and for that you have my sympathy. It is possible that your daughter has always been quiet and shy because she was wrestling with who she is, so the fact that she told you her feelings is a good thing.

Because you are hurting, it would be helpful for you to talk to other parents of lesbians and gays. They can help you through this period of adjustment. You can find support by contacting PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) by calling (202) 467-8180 or logging onto � HYPERLINK "http://www.pflag.org" ��www.pflag.org�. If you do, you'll be better able to support your child.

DEAR ABBY: My darling wife died not long ago. I'm still grieving. Please tell me what to do when women show up as if I'm available to date. They're not shy. I'm not interested in anyone, especially since my wife just passed away. I am still emotionally attached to her, and I don't want that feeling to fade.

Abby, these women are forward and aggressive. I can't believe how some of them dress. I miss my wife. I truly loved her and continue to do so. I know in time I'll meet someone, but I'm not ready to jump out there because my heart still belongs to my wife. I welcome your advice, Abby. -- HUNTSVILLE WIDOWER

DEAR WIDOWER: Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your beloved wife. Because you wrote to me in longhand rather than via the Internet, I'm assuming you are an older gentleman. Available men in your demographic are hard to find, which is probably why you're under siege by the casserole brigade. Actually, it's a compliment that they're lining up. However, because you're not ready to move in that direction, politely tell the women you prefer to be left alone right now to sort out your feelings. And, if anything changes, you will let them know.

DEAR ABBY: My darling wife died not long ago. I'm still grieving. Please tell me what to do when women show up as if I'm available to date. They're not shy. I'm not interested in anyone, especially since my wife just passed away. I am still emotionally attached to her, and I don't want that feeling to fade.

Abby, these women are forward and aggressive. I can't believe how some of them dress. I miss my wife. I truly loved her and continue to do so. I know in time I'll meet someone, but I'm not ready to jump out there because my heart still belongs to my wife. I welcome your advice, Abby. -- HUNTSVILLE WIDOWER

DEAR WIDOWER: Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your beloved wife. Because you wrote to me in longhand rather than via the Internet, I'm assuming you are an older gentleman. Available men in your demographic are hard to find, which is probably why you're under siege by the casserole brigade. Actually, it's a compliment that they're lining up. However, because you're not ready to move in that direction, politely tell the women you prefer to be left alone right now to sort out your feelings. And, if anything changes, you will let them know.

DEAR ABBY: No one in my family will tell my grandmother the reason they don't call her is she talks too much. None of us is retired like she is, and our evenings are chaotic enough without a two-hour conversation with her. Relatives ask me to relay messages on their behalf so they won't have to call her. She's always crying and telling me I'm the only one who is "good to her."

I'd feel guilty if I had to tell Grandma the truth -- but I, as well as the rest of the family, have had enough of her long, guilt-inducing talks and trips down memory lane from 1940. How can I get the point across without devastating her sensitive nature? -- CAPTIVE AUDIENCE IN FLORIDA

DEAR CAPTIVE AUDIENCE: The next time your grandmother tells you you're the only one who is good to her, you need to tell her she'd have better luck with the other relatives if she limited the length of her phone calls to them. Encourage her to find other interests so she isn't as lonely and dependent as she appears to be. To do so isn't cruel; you'll be doing her a favor because what's driving people away is her neediness.

I don't know what your grandmother retired from, but she should have retired TO something more than her telephone. Unless she lives in the wilderness, she should be encouraged to get out and volunteer.

DEAR ABBY: I received a wedding invitation from my step-cousin. She has been part of the family since we were kids. We have always had a friendly relationship.

My problem is, my last name is misspelled on the invitation. I'm married, so I no longer use the family name. I'd like to correct her for future reference (and so the place card is correct at the wedding reception), but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. What's the proper thing to do in this situation? -- DROP THE "E," PLEASE, IN PITTSBURGH

DEAR DROP THE "E": Whoever addressed your invitation may have been in a hurry, or your married name may have been incorrectly entered into a database. Because you are friendly with your step-cousin, call her and remind her about the proper spelling of your married name. Wouldn't you want to know? I would.

DEAR ABBY: When I was in fourth grade, I was a bully. I remember one girl, Margaret, whose life I made particularly miserable with verbal and physical abuse. Every time I did it, I immediately felt guilty because I saw how devastated and unhappy she was. I knew her pain because I had a rotten home life.

I grew up to be a responsible citizen and loving mother, but as I approach 80, I still wish I could tell Margaret how sorry I am. How do I resolve this? -- FORMER BULLY IN ALBUQUERQUE

DEAR FORMER BULLY: Because you know Margaret's age and place of birth, try Googling her. If you find her, offer the apology. However, if she is deceased, you'll have to work on forgiving yourself.

Today, many schools have programs that discourage or prevent bullying. It's sad for you and Margaret that there was no one to reach out to who could have made things better for both of you. Had there been, it might have made both your childhoods more pleasant.