Garden-Variety Thief

To Kleptomom. Here’s a news flash: you’re not a kleptomaniac. You’re a garden-variety thief. You’re just one step away from a peanut butter and jam sandwich lunch at Las Colinas. Ever heard of it? Hint: It’s not a boutique restaurant.

Your stolen goods lead to a pack of lies. Like the stories you tell about where you got the fabulous scarf or coat. Or the story you fabricate to explain to a family member how you could afford a certain appliance.

You’ll soon be teaching values to your two precious children. How can you do that when your life is one big lie? And your husband condones this? Yikes. You two are meant for each other! Where are Social Services? Those poor kids.

I just feel very sorry for you. You’ll never experience the joy of working hard and saving money for a special treat. How very empty. I’m just curious ... how would you feel if a house guest ripped off some of your favorite clothes or other cherished items from you?

• Name Withheld
• via voicemail

Fat, Arrogant, Immoral, and Disgusting

I wish to support the views of Mr. David Yuter (Letters, February 5). I join him in condemning your vile story, “One in the Gut. One in the Head.” (January 22 cover story).

As a historian of law, I cannot make a definitive judgment on the person who killed Mr. Upton. Yet, it seems to me that this person was not willing to avoid a confrontation. Since he was armed, and since he clearly saw the possibility of the killing of Mr. Upton, his exoneration is highly questionable.

Murder will sometimes out a man who is a murderer. An escaped punishment will, like an animal with a taste for blood, repeat a killing.

I regard the Reader as having decayed morally, spiritually, and artistically over the years. You have become fat, arrogant, immoral, and disgusting.

• Name Withheld
• via voicemail

Actual Factual Facts

I am interested in a column, Almost Factual News, about brain pain (“La Jolla High Fights Brain Pain”) by Walter Mencken. I wanted to check with him about the details of that story.

We’ve gotten a couple of calls about it. I wanted to know what are the actual factual details of that story.

• Cheryl Morrow
• Editor, San Diego Monitor

Walter Mencken responds:

For the actual factual facts, your best bet is to consult actual factual news. We are strictly almost factual.

Get the Name Right

My all-around favorite Adams Avenue restaurants are Cafe 21 and DaoFu. Note the spelling for the latter. The one time the restaurant name was mentioned in the Barbarella review (“Satan’s Spice Scale,” it was misspelled.

I have been going to DaoFu since it was Tao, and Maggie and Eric were just beginning. Eric brings his chef’s sensibilities and and Maggie is the consummate house manager and host. I am unable to eat tofu anywhere else, so spoiled am I by his, made fresh every morning. The unusual pricing structure? This good couple charges not a penny more than they need to to give both your mouth and your pocketbook pleasure. So, do get the name right, thank you.

• Bonnie Bekken
• Normal Heights