Annie Lane, syndicated columnist

Dear Annie: I often go to a large pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. They see hundreds of customers daily, so there is no way the several pharmacists would recognize me. Since I wear a mask and must speak through the plastic shield between us, sometimes they cannot understand me when I say my name and birthday.

I’ve found a simple solution: to write my name and birthday clearly on a piece of paper before I go into the pharmacy and then hold it up for them to see. When I did this, one pharmacist said, “I wish more people would do this.”

It’s bad enough having to hear properly with the mask and plastic wall, but sometimes the speech of the person in line is not very clear, making the situation worse. This takes more time to get the information across. By everything writing down in advance, it helps you and the pharmacist, eliminates frustration and speeds along the whole process. — Jungle Jim in Indiana

Dear Jungle Jim: What a wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing it.

Dear Annie: Recently, my wife of nearly 50 years confessed to having had an affair that lasted more than two years with her supervisor at the time, who was twice her age.

The timing of this affair — more than 30 years ago — led me to question the paternity of our daughter. My wife was positive that I am the father, and I believed her.

However, a reputable and duplicated DNA test confirmed that I am not our daughter’s biological father. I am devastated, and my wife is in shock and broken.

I love her too much to do anything but continue to love her. However, in my opinion, my wife’s inability at the time to think things out has led us to ask, what do we do now? Does not the biological father, now in his 80s, have a right to know he has another daughter and granddaughters? Does our daughter have the right to know her father? How do we tell her? Are there legal issues?

We have a strong, healthy and now Christian family, and nobody will believe this of my wife. I feel lost in space. — A Broken Dad

Dear Broken Dad: Your love for your wife and ability to forgive her after all these years is beautiful. Your daughter will always be your daughter, no matter what a DNA test says. Having built your family on a strong Christian foundation doesn’t mean that you or your wife never made mistakes. No matter your faith, we are all humans, and no one is perfect. Admitting your mistakes and saying you’re sorry is what builds character. Start with being honest with your daughter. Consider going to a family therapist or counselor to help work through all of these new emotions. And please consult a lawyer for any legal questions. There are resources to support you and your family. Best of luck.

Dear Readers: During this unprecedented time, I wanted to share that I am thinking about you and your loved ones and sending you well wishes for health, safety and love.

Recently, I was devastated to read that the Villages retirement community in Florida was hit hard by COVID-19. Some of my best letters were sent from people in the Villages. Please know that I care about your health and safety. Wear a mask in public and please keep physically distanced as much as possible.

Remember, this won’t last forever.

There will be a vaccine. Please keep hope alive. The more we stand united in taking preventative actions and in sharing our love and gratitude with others, the faster these trying times will, eventually, be a part of our history, just like the Spanish flu of a century ago.

Editor’s note: Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.