DEAR ABBY: In reference to "Happily Adopted in Orlando, Fla." This indeed was a remarkable letter.
It is well-organized, well-punctuated and quite correct in every respect. A parse program I have rates it at the eighth- or ninth-grade level. No small achievement for the sixth-grade product of an educational system that for years has been unable to teach young people to tie their shoelaces. -- HAL D. WHITE, IMPRESSED IN UTAH
DEAR MR. WHITE: I'm printing your letter with the hope that "Happily Adopted" will see it and appreciate the compliment. And hats off to "Happily Adopted's" very effective teachers, who seem to have performed their jobs well.
However, not all my readers took "Happily Adopted's" letter at face value. Read on:
DEAR ABBY: There is ABSOLUTELY no way that I can believe that an 11-year-old boy wrote that whiny letter. It is entirely possible that he is being hassled over having two dads, but I just don't buy that an 11-year-old is/was this articulate! I have an 11-year-old, and I've worked with fifth- and sixth-graders for years.
I think one of his "dads" wrote the letter, and the son copied it and sent it to you. Personally, Abby, I think you've been snookered. -- MELISSA IN SACRAMENTO
DEAR MELISSA: You could be right, and if I have been snookered, it wouldn't be the first time.