Day of the Dead

I arrive in Guatemala on The Day of the Dead, November 1st.  I’m curious about this holiday, so I go

to the cemetery to see what’s happening.  What I find is quite interesting.

The atmosphere is like a party.  There are people everywhere.  Families are sitting around the

graves of their dead ancestors.  They clean the graves and add fresh flowers.  I walk through the

cemetery and admire the beauty of all the colorful flowers. 

There is also color in the sky, because many kids are flying kites.  Some families are having a picnic

next to the graves.  They eat, drink, and chat together.  People laugh and smile. 

In the Unites States, cemeteries are always somber.  We certainly never have festivals or parties

next to graves.  We don’t laugh or play music or fly kites in cemeteries either. 

I find that I prefer the Guatemalan approach.  I like the way they remember and celebrate those

who have passed away.  I like that they acknowledge death, instead of denying it the way

Americans do.  I like that there is life, as well as death, in their cemeteries. 

Guatemalans call it “The Day of the Dead”, but it is also a day to appreciate life. 

Day of the Dead

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A Kiss

Carlos buys a new car.  It's a very expensive car.  It's a huge, blue,

fast car.  While driving down the street, Carlos sees a girl on a bicycle.

She has long blond hair and is beautiful. 

He yells to her, "What's up?" 

She ignores him.

He yells,  "How's it going?"

She keeps going and ignores him.

He yells, "Hey, why won't you talk to me?   I want to go to dinner with

you.   I'll take you to an expensive restaurant."

The girl turns, gets off the bike, and looks at him.   She says, "I don't

want to go to dinner.  But if you give me your car, I will give you a sur-prise."

Carlos says, "OK!"    He jumps out of the car.  He gives her the keys

and says, "Here are the keys."

The beautiful blond takes the keys and then kisses Carlos on the

cheek.   Then she jumps into the car and drives away. 

Carlos stands on the sidewalk.  Now he has no car and no girl.  He

says, "That's it, just a kiss on the cheek?"  

He gets on her bike and rides home. 

A Kiss

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huge: adj. very very big

What’s up:  a greeting,

“hello”

ignores: v. doesn’t listen to

How’s it going:  a greeting,

“How are you?”

keeps: v. continues

That’s it: idiom.  “That is all”,

there is no more, that is

everything

Past Tense Verb Forms

buys:  bought

is:  was

driving:  was driving

drive:  drove

sees:  saw

has:  had

yells:  yelled

ignores:  ignored

keeps:  kept

turns:   turned

looks:  looked

says:  said

jumps:  jumped

gives:  gave

takes:  took

kisses:  kissed

drives:  drove

stands:  stood

gets on:  got on

rides:  rode

Bubba’s Food

Sara Smith, who lives in San Francisco, went shopping for cat food.

Sara is 30, and lives at 3037 Market St. She has lived there since 1990.  Sara is married.  She is

married to a man named John.  She has been married for 7 years.

They have two children, and one very big cat.  Their son Bob is five years old and their daughter

Nancy is three. Their cat, Bubba, is 2 years old.   Bubba is huge.  He weighs 258 pounds  (117

kilos)!

At 9am,  Sara got into her car and drove to the pet store.   She bought 68 bags of cat food for $10

each plus tax. The regular price was $15, so she got a good deal. The total was $680.  She paid

by credit card. 

On her way home, Sara stopped at a convenience store to buy milk.  Bubba loves milk.   The milk

was $3.00 for one gallon, and Sara bought 30 gallons.   She paid $100 and got $10 back in

change.

Sara got home at 11 a.m.   Bubba was waiting at the door.  He was very hungry. 

Bubba’s Food

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Changed

NO AFFECTION ANYMORE

DEAR ABBY:

My husband of 39 years no longer hugs me or shows me any affection. I have seen him through

cancer and diabetes. We have four grown children, and we have been seeing a therapist for a year

and a half. He is kind, generous and friendly, but there are no compliments or any of the flirtatious

banter we used to enjoy.

He swears he's not having an affair, and he doesn't know why he has changed. Perhaps you do?

-- GRACE IN PHOENIX

Changed

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Dr a g

HIGH PRICE OF MOM'S HELP IS DRAG ON FAMILY BUSINESS

DEAR ABBY:

Twenty years ago, my sister and I bought a business from our mother. We all love and respect one

another and get along well. We will be finished paying off the business in two years.

Our problem: Mom, who is now 77, still draws a salary from us above and beyond the payment for

the business. Her workload has lessened greatly, as it should. She could do all of her work in one

day and lessen the burden of her salary. However, she says she'd "go crazy" if she retired. We

don't want that. She could still come in as often as she wants and do her personal paperwork, bank-ing, letter-writing, reading, etc. These are all things she does at "work" -- on the clock.

If we try to discuss this, Mom gets hurt and says, "Just let me know when I'm not worth the money."

We don't want to do that. We would hope she would see the fairness of this and suggest it herself.

Business expenses are going through the roof, and there are updates we should make, but we

can't do it as long as we are paying Mom at the level we are, on top of the money for the buy-out.

-- DAUGHTERS DEAREST

Dr a g

Intimacy

DEAR ABBY:

My husband, "James," and I have been married only three years. We are both in our 20s.

Everything is really great between us -- except our sex life. As far as he is concerned that's fine,

too, but I am not satisfied. It may seem odd to hear the female wants to have sex more frequently

than a young and healthy male, but that's the case in our relationship.

Abby, I work with the public and I get frequent remarks about what a beautiful woman I am. This

makes it hard for me to believe that I don't attract him at all. I have expressed many times that I

wish we were more intimate. I have even expressed it to him in more than one letter, hoping to

reach him.

I am at a total loss as to how to make him realize how important this is to me. Is there something

wrong with my body? I just don't know who to turn to for advice on this subject. Please help me.

-- SHORT ON INTIMACY IN OHIO

Intimacy

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Secret Love

WOMAN HESITATES TO REVEAL SECRET LOVE FOR COLLEAGUE

DEAR ABBY:

I am a single woman in my early 30s who has never been married. I recently fell in love with a won-derful man with whom I spend a great deal of time. He is unaware of the intensity of my feelings,

and I'm afraid of telling him out of fear of rejection.

There are a couple of additional concerns: He is 15 years my senior and a medical doctor. I am a

social worker in a lower economic class. In addition, we are of different religions, but we have simi-lar spiritual beliefs and values. He is also my co-worker.

I am very interested in pursuing a deeper relationship with this man, but would like to hear your

advice first. Thank you for your thoughts on this.

-- LONGING FOR MORE IN CHICAGO

Secret Love

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The Race

It's 5 o'clock and Allen is riding his motorcycle in San Francisco.  He is riding down Van Ness street

and comes to a stop light. 

A red Ferrari pulls up next to him.  The driver's wearing dark sun glasses.  He looks over at Allen.

Allen looks at him and realizes that the driver is Tom Cruise!

Tom sneers at Allen.  He says, "When the light turns green, let's race".

Allen says, "Allright, you're on!"

Tom says, "I'm gonna smoke you, sucka!"

Allen says, "You wish.  I'm gonna beat you and your sorry-ass car".

Allen and Tom wait at the light.  They rev their engines. 

Suddenly, the light turns green.  Allen and Tom take off!   They zoom down Van Ness at top speed.

Tom is winning.

But suddenly, blue and red lights appear behind Tom-- its the police.   They pull him over. 

Allen zooms past Tom, laughing.  He yells, "Better luck next time!"

Allen is the winner! 

The Race

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