A Poor Example For A Teenager
Dear Ann Landers: Last night, we had dinner in the home of some new friends. Seated at the table were a neighbor, our two teenagers, the host and hostess and their two children of comparable age.
Halfway through the meal, the neighbor turned to the hosts’ teenage son and said, “Why do you wear your hair like that? Are you trying to advertise the fact that you are anti-establishment or what?”
The boy’s face turned a bright red, and it was apparent that he was deeply embarrassed. I’m sure it took a lot of self-control for the boy not to lash out in anger. He kept looking at his plate and did not respond. The jerk yammered on for about 10 minutes about the kid’s hair, and finally, the host changed the subject. By then, I already had indigestion.
How can we expect children to respect their elders in the face of such mean-spiritedness? Please comment on this. I’d like your views. - Alka Seltzer Al
Dear Al: Was that the best you could do - sit there and get indigestion? Why didn’t you tell the jerk that the kid’s haircut was his own darned business and he was out of line? File this one under “sins of omission,” and the next time you are in such a situation, don’t just sit there - speak up.
Dear Ann Landers: The daily papers these days are full of stories about drive-by shootings, gang activities and unsolved murders. Depressing, to say the least. The other day, I read a different kind of story, and it lifted my heart. It exemplified the decency of the common, ordinary man on the street. I hope you will share it with your readers. I’m sure it will give them a lift, too. The dateline is New York. I am - Manny in Manhattan
Dear Manny: Thanks for a real day-brightener. Here’s the story:
“Ten people leaped from their cars Tuesday to lift a 3-ton truck off a 15-year-old boy.
“Vitaly Donets was pinned under a moving van driven by his stepfather. Aleksandr Zverev, 28, had slammed on the brakes to stop for a red light, crashed into a car and a cab and flipped over.
“Zverev screamed for help, and people ran from their cars to free Vitaly from the crushing weight of the van. About 10 men - from construction workers to businessmen in suits and ties - lifted the van off the boy.
“‘It was all done by human hands,’ said Officer Ravi Malhotra. ‘New Yorkers do help each other in a tight crunch. I saw it myself.’
“Vitaly was hospitalized with pelvic and knee injuries. From his hospital bed, he told the New York Daily News he felt ‘very lucky’ and added, ‘I think God was helping me.”’
Dear Ann Landers: I have a cousin whom I love dearly. We grew up together like sisters. She has a beautiful face and figure and no brains.
“Betty” has a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old. Both are undisciplined holy terrors. She admits she can’t handle them. When they fight, she locks herself in her bedroom and turns on the TV so she won’t hear the noise. Her major threat is, “Wait ‘til your father gets home.”
“Father” travels a lot on business, and when he comes home, he doesn’t feel like disciplining the kids. What do you suggest be done? - Frustrated in Uniontown, Pa.
Dear Pa.: Since Betty is brainless and her husband travels a lot, check with the school principal and get the name of a good family counselor. That group needs professional help.