Dear Readers: An item that appeared in my column on Sept. 16 caused considerable embarrassment and heartache to a longtime friend and fellow Sioux
Citian. The item came from a newsletter that I receive called the Sioux City Californian. In that newsletter was a notice from a native Sioux Citian, Dr. Joe M. Krigsten, which announced his 93rd birthday and discussed a family reunion that was to be held. I reprinted this information as a letter from Dr.
Krigsten.Unfortunately, I also included another item that immediately followed the announcement. The item was a joke dealing with marital fidelity, which I thought Dr. Joe had sent to the newsletter along with the news of his birthday. The joke, however, had nothing whatsoever to do with Dr. Joe, and including it in my column has caused him and his family embarrassment.
My apologies to Dr. Joe and his family. Also, heartfelt best wishes to him on his upcoming birthday. I hope my apology serves to highlight Dr. Joe's many contributions to the Sioux City community, since that is all I intended to do in the first place.
Dear Abby: I am a widow who is now living with my son and his family. They are very good to me.
Yesterday, I saw my 18-year-old grandson take some money out of his father's wallet, which was lying on the dresser in his bedroom. I wasn't spying - I just happened to pass that room and the door was wide open.
I did not let on that I saw him, so he thinks he got away with it.
Abby, this boy is supposed to be looking for a job, but he sleeps until noon every day and isn't trying to find work. He is turning out to be a big disappointment. I don't know whether to tell my son what I witnessed or not. He would be heartbroken if he knew.
- Worried Grandmother
Dear Worried: On the chance that your grandson had permission to take money out of his father's wallet, ask him. Then confirm it with your son. For you to remain silent would be doing your grandson no favor.
Dear Abby: The letter from the 25-year-old high school teacher, who was constantly being mistaken for a student, reminded me of the following:
Congresswoman Emily Taft Douglas used to tell this tale as a true story: A young, petite bride answered a ring at her front door to find herself confronted with a caller who asked, "Little girl, is your mother home?"
Drawing herself up to her full 4 feet, 10 inches, she replied, "I AM my
mother." - Etha Beatrice Fox, Chicago
Confidential to Insecure New Architect: In the words of Frank Lloyd Wright:
"A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his client to plant vines."
For Abby's favorite family recipes, send a long, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $3.95 ($4.50 in Canada) to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet No. 1, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is
included.)