NEWS pholc Stuart Davis THESE MAPLEWOOD School puniis have a new set of Canada Junior Encyclopedias thanks to last year’s graduating class. The former Maplewood students donated the set after collect- ing the money over the summer. Pictured in the foreground are Grade 2 student Bryn Kelleher (left) and Kindergarten stu- dent Jenna Irvine. Th DANCE Ct GE0RGIA > It is not mandatory to be available for calls DEAR MISS MANNERS — We dive on a fairly tiree acreage whieh, when we boueht it, needed lot of work foomuhe if Me spend a great deal of time vutdeors, as vou imight ex- peck. Bat bere’s what hippeas, We fear the phone and aiake a dash tor Che beouse. Te rises four times und then slaps. Later the same person cally and mia uskh, “Were sou Out cartier?" “Ves Psas. ttout in the shed. We beard the phone but couldn't wet fo it. Nest time, det it cing lonver. please.” “ORL they sas with innocent surprise, “don’t you ftiave a por- table phone?’ Pm tempted to say. '*As a mat- ter of fact, Edo. but Pb doat wear itaround ms avck.”* lo think anyone who fis time to call me bas time te fet the phone ring reasonably long. Why do thes expect me to lug a phone areund? 1 don't think answering machines are mandatory, either. GENTIE READER Nw matter of fact, being availible tor telephone cally all the time o- a ever, for that matter -- ts not mandatorn. You are actualy tree to vo about vour business, talking oon the ents when and af vou see fir. Phe indignant .oamplaint that you were net waiting at the tele- phone when the comphuner chose to call you ontust be politely resisted. Answering machines are not a sufficient answer -- peuple will only complain that you are using, them to sereen calls, which Judith ERD MISS MANNERS happens te Me a good aad) proper use tor thei Asso tase bes Kind: enough foe phan thar ven would. mdeed. answer the telephang af ants at rang feng crough. Miss Manners behieves you ate meting vue callers more than haltwas. Pp you feel falsely shamed neta aecome modating them even more. sou might reflest on how Niiss Mune ners would handle it: the telephone would ring hew- ever few oor many times the caller cared to make it, Miss Manners would be happily oblivious, because if would be indoors, out of earshot. When caught fiter and asked i She had been out earlier, she would reply Yes cheerfully and honestly, before beginning generitl comersation ana fopic other than why she was not available earher. DEAR MISS MANNERS -- I hase been dating the same man fer sescrab vears, We do not tive together, nar da we tave plans to dose, AU oor triends hase taken to sending such things us invitations and vreeting cards to his address with both our nunes on them, the way sou would address mail for a marcied couple when the wife has retained her maiden name. Or the ensclope is addressed to him, with the vreeting inside displaying both OUP Hames, fohase openh and adamantly espressed my distihe for this pro- cedure, f feet that although the relationship ix of a longstanding and intimate mature, it does huse fimits. And because oof these limits, we should be treated as we separate, single people. GbNIDR READER — Het imatrivd until souvre and your friends Yes. SOE ty nairriead. ses, should) respeet veur wishes. Soaers has bee besieged with conthetng demands ro detine the individual and the coaple. Phe site whose husband is out of town and the husband whose wife dogsivt Fhe nurties feel insulied to Beoinvited only as a couple. The unniurnied couple who are living tovether want to be invited tovether. The single peron who innit dinong with anvone wants to be allowed to choose his or her own company to take along to social events. Sigh. [re is almost simpler now to assume that married people Wish to be treated socially as indi- viduals, and unmarried people as couples. That is the unfortunate esplanition of what has happened ta you.