“I believe you're the right person to write an advice column (专栏) for the students called Dear Amy!"Jenny, editor of the school newspaper, said to Andy, who finally agreed to accept the job if Jenny promised not to tell it to anyone else.
At first it wasn't too bad. Most of the letters he received were interesting and quite easy to answer. Then came a letter from a person named Joe.“Dear Amy,” it began, “I'm in real trouble. I've wanted to be a songwriter all my life, but my parents don't even let me take music lessons. I have a guitar, but they both get angry if I play. I've tried explaining, but they didn't listen. I feel sad. Should I run away from home? Maybe that will make my parents agree.” The letter signed “Joe”.
Andy thought about this letter for a long time. Should he advise someone to run away from home? Probably not. But didn't Joe have a right to be a songwriter if he wanted to? Andy thought hard, but couldn’t think out a good answer. Andy couldn't sleep. He just worried about poor Joe.
At a bar a few days later, Eleanor, a girl in Andy's maths class, sat down next to him and asked, “ What's wrong with you? You look a little worried.”
“I guess I do,” said Andy.
“If you get a problem, why don't you try writing to Dear Amy about it?” asked Eleanor.
Andy sighed. But Eleanor continued, “In fact, I guess Dear Amy is rather busy with other problems. She still hasn't answered the phony letter I wrote her last week. You'd better read it — it may even make the most hard-hearted person cry! It was supposed to be from a songwriter named Joe.”
