Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: When our young son jumped from a tree in our front yard and broke his leg, my wife rushed from the house and called me down from where I was working on the roof.

While my wife put a splint on his leg, I decided I should call the doctor to see if we should go to his office or the hospital.

When I went inside, I found dinner cooking on the stove. If I hadn’t gone in to make that phone call, our house could have burned down while we were at the hospital. So, when crisis strikes and you must rush off to deal with an emergency, first turn off the stove, iron, bath water or anything else that could cause damage! - Topher Eliot, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Send your money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, PO Box 795000, San Antonio TX 78279-5000.