Dear Abby: My son and his wife were married three months ago at a formal church wedding. My husband's family is very large. One of his brothers (a professional) and his wife have five adult children who are all on their own; none of them live at home. Each one of them received individual invitations to the wedding. They all accepted, and enjoyed themselves.
At the gift opening, my husband and I noticed that the whole family went together and pitched in for one gift - a two-slice toaster. Do you think my son and his wife should write six thank-you notes?- Disappointed in Florida
Dear Disappointed: One thank-you note addressed to your husband's brother, his wife and their adult children would be appropriate.
Dear Abby: Why can't people get it through their thick skulls that being gay is not a choice; gays are born that way?
I have yet to hear a talk-show host correct those who say, "Well - if that's the lifestyle they choose . . . ," etc. Gays have such a problem staying safe, staying alive, staying employed - why in the world would anyone choose that lifestyle?
Abby, thank you for educating some folks. Please try to reiterate the facts often; maybe someone will listen and learn.
- Philadelphian
P.S. I am not gay.
Dear Abby: My mother died when I was an infant, and after her death my father lost all his faith in God, and he never set foot in his church again. Consequently, he never had me baptized.
I am now 21 and have met a wonderful man who is very religious, and I would like very much to be baptized. I was recently godmother to my nephew and I felt like a hypocrite up there at the altar taking part in a sacred religious ceremony, knowing that I had never been baptized. Is it too late? I'm too embarrassed to ask anyone else.
- Unbaptized
Dear Unbaptized: You need not feel embarrassed. Adults are frequently baptized. In fact, some churches baptize their members only after they have reached adulthood.
Dear Abby: With summer vacation approaching, I am compelled to relate our story to your readers.
My daughter, her husband and their three small children drove to another state to attend a wedding and visit relatives. On their trip, they stopped at a reputable motel to spend the night.
The following morning, just as they were packing to leave, the 4-year-old very excitedly said, "Look, Daddy, I found a balloon." Then he put it in his mouth and proceeded to blow it up. This so-called "balloon" was a used condom - left on the floor near the commode by a previous occupant!
For the next three months, this sweet little boy must get hepatitis shots and must be tested periodically for HIV-positive blood.
To prospective travelers, I beg you, don't take for granted that your room will be clean and safe for your little ones. Check it out very carefully.
To motel cleaning staff, please clean and sanitize each room as though your family will be the next occupants.
To the previous guest of that motel - if you had enough sense to use a condom, why did your good sense stop there? Proper disposal of the condom would have eliminated the mental anguish our family is going through - not knowing if our precious little guy will be OK, plus the pain and discomfort he will have to endure from the needles and testing.
- Heartsick Grandma
Dear Grandma: On behalf of my readers, I thank you for caring enough to write this letter of warning.
Good advice for everyone - teens to seniors - is in "The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It." To order, send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054. (Postage is included.)
1993 Universal Press Syndicate