Dear Abby: I liked your reply to "Front Desk Clerk," who wanted the public to know that a front desk clerk is not a maintenance man who will fix television sets, break into someone's automobile when the keys are locked inside, change light bulbs and unplug toilets.
The prevalent attitude of "It's not my job" is one of the reasons America is having trouble competing globally.That letter reminded me of a story I once heard:
A businessman arrived at a hotel late one night without a reservation. The night clerk on duty indicated that all the rooms were booked, but the businessman was welcome to sleep in the other twin bed in his small room.
The weary businessman accepted the night clerk's invitation without hesitation.
The next morning, the businessman thanked the clerk, and before departing, said: "If I ever own a hotel one day, I would like you to run it."
Some years later, the clerk was contacted by this businessman, asking him if he would like to come to New York and run his new hotel. The businessman was John Jacob Astor. The hotel, the Waldorf Astoria. True story!
- Chicago Trib reader
Dear Reader: An interesting aside: John Jacob Astor, the great-grandson of the family's founder, was one of 2,200 passengers aboard the Titanic in 1912. He went down with the ship.
P.S. I wonder who the "clerk" was.
Dear Abby: The controversy in your column concerning wind chimes prompted me to write to you about my pet peeve. I live in the country, and I used to like to sit on my back porch and watch the moonlight shimmering on our pond.
Now when city folks move to the country, the first thing they do is buy a couple of Dobermans and put up searchlights in their yard.
These searchlights glare into the neighboring properties whether the neighbor wants the light or not.
I maintain that people who are afraid of the dark should stay in the city. The glare of my neighbor's searchlights is polluting my property as it shines through my bedroom blinds and draperies and lights up my porch - where I used to sit and enjoy the stars.
Abby, shouldn't there be a law that these lights be hooded in such a way as to shine only on the owner's property? Sign me
. . . Not Afraid of the Dark
Dear Not Afraid: If you haven't spoken to your neighbors about this, you should. Many people light up their properties as an effective security measure. (Our across-the-street neighbor lights up his property like Times Square on New Year's Eve, but nobody complains because his lights provide added security for everyone on the block.)
Dear Abby: As a male of the species, I hate dancing, and most men will admit it if pinned down. I quit dancing 56 years ago because the girl I was going with wanted to dance, dance, dance - nothing else.
I have not missed the activity since, nor have I missed the fights with a jealous husband or boyfriend because I danced too much with his wife or girlfriend.
It is my opinion that women should be the only ones to dance - preferably with each other.
- Grants Pass, Ore.
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1993 Universal Press Syndicate