Finding Items to Keep Her in the Chips

Eleanor Cooper of Laguna Hills has raced around all over Orange County in her search for individual poker chip holders ; she needs eight of them. Can you help Cooper get a good deal, or will she be buffaloed by four pairs of chip holders that just aren’t in the cards?

Ann Jo Phares of Laguna Niguel may some day lose her shirt playing poker with Cooper, but right now she needs to find some BVDs for a friend who cannot wear any other undergarment; so far, she has been short-changed in her search. Can you help save her friend’s skin, or will Phares feel that, underneath it all, it’s a waist of time?

Michael Papet of West Los Angeles would love to be on a roll, but for that he needs a single-speed tandem bicycle --an item that seems very difficult to locate. Can you help and thus get Papet into a better frame of mind, or will he never be a big wheel because he spoke up too late?

Patricia Rose of Downey, along with a few other people, is doing a slow burn because she’s been unable to locate the round cotton wicks for the small alcohol burners that go under chafing and casserole dishes. Can you help before she gets really hot under the collar, or is there no point in putting the heat on you as long as Rose can’t dish it out?

Reader-to-Reader Help Line: Betty at (213) 386-3252 has been sniffing around for Schilling’s Lemon Herb Garni , at one time manufactured by McCormick but evidently no longer on the shelves in markets. Please help spice up her life and don’t leave a bitter taste in her mouth.

Note: The Reader-to-Reader Help Line is only for one-time items and products no longer available in stores. And you must give us written permission to publish your telephone number, so that others may contact you directly.

Mrs. David Hummel of San Luis Obispo, who was looking for fitted bottom sheets that will stay on an overstuffed mattress, cannot lie down on the job just yet. Kim Johnson of La Jolla, who works for Strouds Linen Warehouse, says her company carries “Guaranteed to Fit” sheets by Springmaid that are cut deeper to fit oversize mattresses. Johnson says Martex and Cannon are also making these sheets. Unfortunately, there is no Strouds location anywhere near San Luis Obispo, but Johnson says her La Jolla outlet accepts phone orders for UPS delivery; the number is (619) 457-0525. Anna Kaplan states that Buffums was having a sale on Royal Velvet and Fieldcrest 100% cotton double fitted sheets in white, ecru, pink and blue.

Others trying to get to the bottom of this sheet problem include Jane Heard of Long Beach, who says that the more thread count a sheet has, the greater the stretch. She adds that a saleslady told her to buy 200-thread-count sheets for a better stretch. And Ruth D. Ungles of San Marino, who evidently had a problem similar to Hummel’s, says now she takes her sheets from the dryer while they are still slightly damp; the sheets then stretch slightly and tighten as they dry.

For Gen Taylor of Burbank, who was trying to obtain some Charlie’s Body Lotion by Revlon for a 92-year-old-lady confined to a convalescent hospital, we may have some more help. Joan Pradetto of Lake Havasu City, who works at Walgreen’s drugstore there, says they carry Charlie’s Body Silk, which she believes is the same thing; an eight-ounce bottle costs $7.50.

Herb Hain cannot answer mail personally but will, space permitting, respond in this column to readers who need--or have--helpful information. Write (do not telephone) to You Can Help!, You section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.