A12 East Oregonian PEANUTS COFFEE BREAK Thursday, October 7, 2021 DEAR ABBY BY CHARLES M. SCHULZ A girlfriend wants live-in beau to end his marriage FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE B.C. PICKLES BEETLE BAILEY BY LYNN JOHNSTON BY MASTROIANNI AND HART BY BRIAN CRANE law’s behavior was appalling. Dear Abby: I have been with Have a private talk with your a man for the last six years. He sister. Could HE be entering a has been separated for 20 years. second childhood? Knowing When I asked him if he was go- how he feels about children, if ing to finalize his divorce, he said you wish to see him and your no. When I said I would like a sister, consider socializing with commitment, he said he gave me them separately. If other fam- one when he moved in five years J EANNE ily members with children invite ago. His wife even asked him for P HILLIPS them to anything other than an a divorce, but he said it’s expen- ADVICE adults-only gathering, Sissy and sive. I told him by my upcoming her hubby should politely offer 50th birthday I want a yes or no their regrets. on the divorce. What should I Dear Abby: I have a class reunion do? — In Limbo In Massachusetts Dear In Limbo: Assuming this man coming up and want some advice on how lives with you rent-free, you have spent to stop a fellow classmate from giving a the last six years with a houseguest who religious sermon. I don’t want to hurt his is more concerned with his net worth feelings, but after the last reunion, sev- than your need for validation. If his wife eral people complained about his lengthy wanted a divorce, it would have hap- preaching. I’m afraid if it happens again, pened already. This arrangement is serv- some people may choose not to attend. ing them both in some way. Your next How can I tactfully handle this issue? Any help is appreciated. — Wants To step should be to make a final decision. Dear Abby: My brother-in-law (age Have A Good Time Dear Wants: Unfortunately, some 75) apparently doesn’t like kids. He just told my husband that what he doesn’t people don’t know how to let go of a mi- like about our family gatherings is the crophone once they have one and aren’t attention everyone shows my two grand- able to sense they have lost their audi- daughters. (They are 7 and 8.) At a re- ence. Handle this uncomfortable situ- cent gathering, he actually threw down ation by advising all the speakers that game pieces and stomped off when they their remarks must be limited to no more approached. Should I sever contact with than three minutes. Of course, if the my sister and him? I know if I tell my “sermon” runs long, you will have to step son about this, my son will cut ties with forward and call a halt to it by asking the them. Your advice might help. — Family audience to give the person a big hand to show their appreciation. (If that doesn’t Gal In Alabama Dear Family Gal: Not everyone relates do the trick, you may have to resort to a well to kids. That said, your brother-in- hook.) BY MORT WALKER DAYS GONE BY FROM THE EAST OREGONIAN GARFIELD BLONDIE BY JIM DAVIS BY DEAN YOUNG AND JOHN MARSHALL 100 Years Ago Oct. 7, 1921 The new Rivoli theatre is the best west of Omaha and is unequaled for beauty and convenience in this territory, in the opinion of Ned Alvord, advance agent for the Marcus Show of 1921, who was in Pendleton yesterday arranging for the coming of his attraction to the new playhouse early next month. “Whoever designed the new house knew his busi- ness,” he said. “While there are some larger stages none are better or more completely arranged.” Owing to the unset- tled business conditions and continued high railroad rates the Marcus Show of 1921 is the only big musical revue coming west this season. 50 Years Ago Oct. 7, 1971 Got $300 and sick of your spouse? Get a divorce. In the first eight months of 1971 there were 156 divorces in Umatilla County. “We can’t drive a car without some kind of driver’s education, but we don’t offer any training on how to be a good husband or wife,” said LaVon Wilson, director of the Umatilla and Morrow County Mental Health Clinic. “Plus, marriage is a legal contract. We couldn’t buy a car with- out some money, but we can take on a marriage with noth- ing.” Pendleton attorney Art Barrows agrees with this. He says the main cause of divorce is the unpreparedness of the people for marriage. “They should have to show a certif- icate saying they talked to a counselor before they can get married,” he said. “The sad thing about divorce is the support of the children. After a woman gets divorced, she’ll remarry. That husband will have to support the children of her previous marriage while the real father is out having a good time.” 25 Years Ago Oct. 7, 1996 After a long workday, picture chasing away all the stress by walking through a rose garden where the scents blossom into visions of night- ingale, evening dew and romantic elegance. The Shady Locust Herb Farm and Nurs- ery at Umapine, owned and operated by Connie and Char- lie Kidd, offers just such a rose garden. All it takes is a phone call, and it’s in your mailbox in a few days. The catch is you’ll have to let your nose do the walking. Aroma therapy is the term for what the nursery northwest of Milton-Freewater offers. Fragrant herbal beads are the product. Shady Locust sells the beads as a kit that contains petals fresh-picked, then finely ground and sifted, and preserved by a binding substance. Besides rose, beads are also available from lavender, lemon verbena and patchouli. TODAY IN HISTORY DILBERT THE WIZARD OF ID LUANN ZITS BY SCOTT ADAMS BY PARKER AND HART BY GREG EVANS BY JERRY SCOTT AND JIM BORGMAN On Oct. 7, 2001, the war in Afghanistan start- ed as the United States and Britain launched air attacks against military targets and Osama bin Laden’s training camps in the wake of the Septem- ber 11 attacks. In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up co- lonial grievances against England. In 1910, a major wildfire devastated the northern Minnesota towns of Spooner and Baudette, charring at least 300,000 acres; some 40 people are believed to have died. In 1949, the Repub- lic of East Germany was formed. In 1954, Marian An- derson became the first Black singer hired by the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York. In 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Ital- ian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterra- nean. (The hijackers shot and killed Leon Kling- hoffer, a Jewish-American tourist in a wheelchair, and pushed him over- board, before surrender- ing on Oct. 9.) In 1991, University of Oklahoma law profes- sor Anita Hill publicly accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thom- as of making sexually inappropriate comments when she worked for him; Thomas denied Hill’s alle- gations. In 1992, trade repre- sentatives of the United States, Canada and Mex- ico initialed the North American Free Trade Agreement during a cer- emony in San Antonio, Texas, in the presence of President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gor- tari. In 1998, Matthew Shep- ard, a gay college student, was beaten and left tied to a wooden fencepost outside of Laramie, Wyo- ming; he died five days later. (Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney are serving life sentences for Shepard’s murder.) PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN BY DANA SIMPSON BIG NATE BY LINCOLN PEIRCE