Dear Abby,

I am facing a real problem that I am hoping you can help me with. I just found out that my uncle is a traveling salesman. First, let me give you some background.
When I was very young my father ran away and left me to be raised by my mother who had a drinking problem. When my mother wasn't drinking she would try the best she could to support me. She worked two, and sometimes three different jobs to make ends meet. One night, while on her way home from work, my mother was killed in an automobile accident. Suddenly I had to fend for myself at the age of fourteen.

I dropped out of school and began hanging around with all the wrong people. I began drinking and taking drugs, and eventually started shoplifting to support my drug habit. I was arrested for stealing and was sentenced to spend three years in juvenile detention and drug rehabilitation. It's been a hard life, but things may be turning around for me.

A few weeks ago I met a beautiful girl, and we have begun to date. She doesn't know anything about my checkered past, and I'm afraid to tell her for fear of losing her.

This past Monday I received word that I will soon be released on probation, provided that I can find a place to live. Fortunately, my uncle has offered to let me stay at his house. He is a salesman, and travels away from home most of the time. He wrote in his letter to me that I could stay at his place while he's out on the road making sales calls. That's the good news.

Here's my problem. I think my new girlfriend would forgive me if I came clean and told her the truth about my criminal past and drug abuse. On the other hand, how do I find the confidence to tell my girlfriend that my uncle is a salesman?

- Worried in Kansas