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Dear Readers,
, it may have been reported to the publisher as “unsold or destroyed” and neither the author nor the publisher may have received payment for it. A Fawcett Columbine Book Published by Ballantine Books Copyright © 1996 by The Eppie Co., Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and distributed in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally published under the title Wake IIp and Smell The Coffee! by Villard Books, a division of Random House, Inc. All of the columns in this work have been previously published in Ann Landers’ syndicated newspaper column. The do’s and don’ts for people who want to help bereaved parents on page 348 were prepared by Lee Schmidt, Parent Bereavement Out-reach, Santa Monica, California. Acknowledgments for previously published material can be found on page 418-19. This edition published by arrangement with Villard Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Villard Books is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc. http://www.randomhouse.com Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 97-90022 ISBN: 0-449-91274-4 Cover photo © Bob Fila/Chicago Tribune Manufactured in the United States of America First Ballantine Books Edition: May 1997 10 98765432 1 Dedication I dedicate this book to my priceless staff: Kathy Mitchell, Marcy Sugar, Barbara Olin and Catherine Richardson. Kathy has been with me for 27 years, Marcy for 22, Barbara, 14 and Catherine, 6. They have saved me from myself more times than I care to remember. Without the loy-alty and dedication of such a stellar group, this collection would not have been possible. A 21-gun salute to my employees who handle the thousands of pieces of mail that arrive daily: Stanley Schall, Susie Harris, Bobbie Nussbaum and Pam Hegarty. Their support is invaluable. Special thanks to my boss, Richard Newcombe, President and CEO of Creators Syndicate. He is dynamic, generous and my personal can-didate for sainthood. And kudos to his right arm, Anita Tobias, who keeps her eye on everything and everybody. And to Mike Santiago, who’s always there when we need him. A round of applause to the syn-dicate’s editor, Katherine Searcy, for her eagle eye. And my hat’s off to Marianne Sugawara and Mary Ann Veldman for their hard work and dedication. Although Creators is based in Los Angeles, each and every member is as close as my telephone. Denis Gosselin, editor of the Chicago Tribune Magazine, is never too busy to set everything aside and edit my column. He is a pussycat, and I cherish our friendship. A warm hug to daughter Margo Howard, who has long served as a iV / II Ml MI ATIIIN sounding board. She is extraordinarily perceptive, and I always can count on Margo for an honest opinion. A word of gratitude to Ava Andrews and Bobby West, who keep my home fires burning. Without this competent, good-natured pair, I could never manage my back-breaking schedule. Grateful thanks to my twin sister,