16 JULY 2005, Page 55

Q. ‘C.W., Glasgow’ — where else? — (2 July) was

whining about paying £2 or £3 extra at restaurants and a possible ‘challenge of some kind’ from his, perhaps ‘immature’ stepson (who always chooses the most expensive dish on the menu when his stepfather is paying). But why assume that the stepson’s father is not alive? If the stepson’s father is still alive, why shouldn’t the stepson let his mean, Scotch, adulterous stepfather twist in the wind a little? We are talking about £2 or £3 — for a conceivably abandoned and, therefore, abused youth, whom you too, Mary, have sided too easily against, without condescending first to check the most salient circumstances of the case.

Name and address withheld A. Thank you for raising this sobering point.