I'll leave it up to my readers to decide which explanation they prefer. During World War II, my mother sent a penny to each of my cousins who went off to fight. By now they should have added up to real money. Write to Abby. For a personal, unpublished reply, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Dear Abby, P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, Calif., 90069.
All correspondence is confidential.