To clear up doubt, it's best to write it out

Nothing is worse than active ignorance.

-- Johann von Goethe

A reader called the other day to ask me the abbreviation for the word village. I didn't know, but I looked it up and found the postal service shortens it to "VLG."

That's the thing about abbreviations -- they sometimes exist when you don't expect them. The best example I can think of is this old story shared by Everett Fernandez.

It seems a very proper woman began planning a week's camping vacation for her and her Baptist church group. She wrote to a campground for reservations. She wanted to make sure that the campground was fully equipped and modern, but could not bring herself to write the word "toilet" in her letter. So, she decided on the old-fashioned term "Bathroom Commode."

Once written down she still was not comfortable. Finally, she decided on the abbreviation "B.C." and wrote, "Does your campground have its own "B.C.?"

Unfortunately, when the campground owner received the letter, he could not figure out what she meant by "B.C." He showed it to several of the campers, one of whom suggested that the woman was obviously referring to a Baptist church since there was a letterhead on the paper that referred to a Baptist church.

He sent this reply:

"Dear Madam,

"The B.C. is located nine miles from the campground in a beautiful grove of trees. I admit it is quite a distance if you are in the habit of going regularly. No doubt, you will be pleased to know that it will seat 350 people at one time, and it is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday of each week. Some folks like to take their lunch and make a day of it.

"The acoustics are very good, so everyone can hear even the quietest passages. It may interest you to know that my daughter met her husband there.

"We are also having a fundraiser to purchase new seats, as the old ones have holes in them.

"Unfortunately, my wife is ill and has not been able to attend regularly. It has been a good six months since she last went. It pains her very much not to be able to go more often. As we grow older, it seems to be more of an effort, especially in cold weather. Perhaps I could accompany you the first time you go, sit with you, and introduce you to all the other folks who will be there."

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JUST WONDERING: Is there something about being a U.S. senator that makes you want to run for president? Seems like enough of them were in the race at one point.

Former governors, I can see. They have free time and were once a part of the executive branch. But senators?

Maybe they just get bored.

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TODAY'S JOKE: As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang.

Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on Interstate 77. Please be careful!"

"Heck," Herman said, "it's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"