European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 Ann Landers the stars and stripes tuesday december 10,1991today�?Ts crossword if i so dear Ann Landers Well Here we go again. Christmas is coming and the list gets longer and the Bills pile up. But we All do the Best we can. My 9-year-old tells me he has to bring a grab bag gift to his class a something that costs no More than $3. That a no big Deal. _ the homeroom Mother Calls to a ask if 1 can provide a bag of Candy for the class Christmas party. I Tell her a wok i can manage  then i get a phone Call from another room Mother asking if i can Send $4 with my daughter for a class gift to the teacher. Let me see a at $4 per child with 25 children participating that a a $100 gift. A a what a the gift going to be a i ask. A a gift certificate is the reply. Done to you think a $100 gift certificate is rather extravagant Ann As a single Parent with two children i believe that a a Little Steep. It also raises questions about parents at the poverty level who have five or six kids. How in the world can they afford this aside from the expense what message do our Chil dear Abby dear Abby my Only son recently died because of complications from a heatstroke he suffered while serving in the . Marine corps in Okinawa. Upon notifying us that he was in serious condition the military requested that my daughter in Law Billie and i travel to Nis bedside in Okinawa. Billie was Able to leave immediately travelling with military orders and her dependent military id in lieu of a passport. I however having no connection with the military had to get a passport in a hurry. The state department was marvelous. A passport can take up to six weeks to receive and there Are Only three cities where one can be obtained in one Day a new Orleans los Angeles and Houston. I flew to Houston on fathers Day sunday received my passport and left for Okinawa the next coming. Upon arrival after this Long journey i found my son had died just six hours earlier. Abby my Point is this if i had already possessed a passport i could have accompanied my 18-year-old daughter in Law and been there in time at least to have said goodbye to my son. I would like to encourage All a i j it. It now. I Hope they will never have to use it except of pleasure a but if a loved one is injured overseas they wont have to waste precious time As i did. Linda Nickell Oklahoma City dear Linda my sincere sympathy to you Bible and your of silly. The Point you make to an excellent one and Well Worth sharing with parents of All military personnel. Actually i checked with the . Passport Agency in Washington and was told there Are 13 passport offices quibble Dren get from this 1 remember proudly bringing my teacher a gift each year something i had made at Home with my mothers help. I started to do the same with my children but suddenly i was told it Wasny to  my oldest child says she would be embarrassed to bring homemade jellies or cookies for her teacher. It was fun to make these gifts for the special people in our lives. We used to look Forward to that part of the Holiday season. I always believed it helped my children understand the True meaning of Christmas. I am sorry if my child will be singled out and embarrassed for not bringing her a contribution a but in a standing by my principles. Some people will probably think in a from another planet but i like to think in a Down to Earth in . Dear Down to Earth i think you Are courageous and i Salute you for having the guts to Buck the tide and stand up for a principle. I do Hope you will make some Jelly or cookies and let your children know that it s perfectly of not to be part of the organized gift giving in class. Ill bet anything the teacher will enjoy your homemade goodies a lot and will Admire your courage to dare to be  c croat ois Syndicate nationwide capable of issuing a passport for a life and death emergencies on weekends and holidays. Thank you for wanting to spare others the anxiety you experienced. Dear Abby. In be never written to you but a recent letter in your column has motivated me to share my experience with tattoos. Some parents were concerned that their Bright responsible daughter had a betrayed Quot her decent parents beliefs and values by getting a Tattoo. I too was a popular Bright High school student. I was class valedictorian president of the National Honor society and a National Merit scholar. I had my Choice of colleges and scholarships and initially chose a Small Church affiliated College. I later transferred to a Large state University where i graduated with a 4.0 Grade Point average and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After leaving graduate school i worked As a. Volunteer teacher for Vista the Domestic Branch of the peace corps then i became a Federal Law enforcement agent and Nave been in that career for the last 16 years. I am married and have three wonderful children and am Active in my Church. And guess what when i was 24,1 got a Tattoo. A rather Small one in a relatively private place. I think a to and would a were i not concerned about contracting hepatitis or parents who have children in the military to get a pass tattoos Are fascinating and would have another one some other disease from a dirty Needle. I have had that Tattoo for 15 years and do not regret it or suffer any embarrassment because of it. I got it for myself not for Public display a although those who see it May get a clue to the a dinner me not normally revealed to the casual acquaintance. 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