TEENS: Zack and Madison had been dating for several months and had good times together until one day Zack picked up a penny he saw on the floor of a restaurant. He then announced in a loud voice, "Hey, I found a penny and now I'm rich!" Other customers started laughing and this really embarrassed Madison. After they left the restaurant she told him that she never wanted him to embarrass her like that again, and they got into a huge argument that ended when they broke off their relationship.

When Madison got home she wrote to me asking who was more responsible for the breakup. I told her that she was more to blame than her boyfriend and I invited our readers to share their opinions. I was totally surprised to receive 927 responses and that 675 of the responses placed more blame on Madison than on Zack. The following letters are a sample of the responses:

From Shelly, Atlanta, Ga.: Zack sounds like a great guy. Next time he finds a penny he should say, "Find a penny, pick it up: all day long, you'll have good luck!"

From Andy, Dallas, Tex.: I've been married for 50 years and every time I see a penny on the ground I pick it up and my wife has never said one negative word about my "find," Every now and then she does say, "I think we need another jar for your pennies." (We now have 3.)

From Ashley, Hammond, Ind.: If this guy had picked up the penny and put it in his pocket instead of telling the world that he found a penny and now he's rich, the breakup would have been avoided. I think Zack should take the blame and apologize.

From Robert, Chicago, Ill.: Guys aren't the only ones who pick up pennies left by "wealthy" folks who would never stoop to pick up a penny. It was my girlfriend who started picking up discarded or lost coins and got me into the habit. She found a big glass "piggy bank" and so far it contains $8.21. It's always fun to spy one, and bending down to get it is also good exercise.

From Jessica, Denver, Colo.: Shame on Zack! Money is loaded with germs and especially money that has been lying on the ground. Think about it; if Zack found a penny a day, it would take longer than three months to have a dollar. That's a very skimpy amount, don't you agree?

From Amanda, from Albany, N.Y.: If an argument over a found penny was the reason why a couple broke up, then the relationship was on shaky ground and the relationship was doomed to end. The penny incident was just the "straw that broke the camel's back." Still, I blame Madison more than Zack for allowing something so small to build into a monster!

From Brianna, Cleveland, Ohio: I don't think the penny caused the couple to split, rather, it was the fact that Madison was embarrassed because of Zack's big mouth. I blame him 100 percent.

From Becky, Springfield, Mass: Too bad that Zack doesn't live in Springfield, because if he lived here, I'd sure look him up. He's definitely my kind of guy!

From Jan, Michigan City, Ind.: I wouldn't mind if my boyfriend picked up coins that were on the ground, but I'd encourage him to pick up silver coins only, and to be kind and give them to me.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Kate Ter Haar