Dear Old Guy welcomes letters on all subjects, including love, marriage, child rearing, even basic plumbing and medical advice. What he doesn’t know, he is happy to make up. After all, he’s just an opinionated Old Guy. Submit your questions to Dear Old Guy here.

Here is something you’ve never addressed: I’ve lived for several years on a winding two lane road outside a small town. Just up the hill from me are some neighbors who have taken in a number of foster kids. Though I can’t say exactly how many, it appears to be at least 12. They range in age from three to maybe 16. I can tell from the outside that their house is not really suited to that number of people, especially when you add in the natural kids of the foster parents and some other family. Mostly, I manage to ignore the situation but recently I have had a change of heart.

This summer my cat disappeared. When I finally found her, after searching the nearby woods, she was tied to a tree and coated in some goo the police told me was bear bait. Someone had done this to my cat hoping she’d be attacked just for the thrill of it. Anyway, I have since learned that a number of my other neighbors have had pets go missing. I hate to throw stones but I think it’s possible that one of the troubled foster kids may be responsible for the sick event I’ve described. My instinct now is to make a complaint to the state and or town and see if something can’t be done to put an end the un-supervisable number kids who rotate through the home next door. What would you do?

Signed, Worried about possible sociopaths

Dear Worried,

You are duly concerned. What happened to your cat is the product of a diseased mind. A child who tortures animals is most likely going to be an even worse adult. You were right to call the police though I doubt there is much they could or would do. May I hope that your cat is now making the hard adjustment to a life exclusively indoors?

As to blaming the foster kids up the hill, it’s easy to imagine, but there is just no proof. That said, if you think the children are unsafe, improperly supervised or not well cared for you have an obligation to call the agency in charge.

Lastly, you could go visit these neighbors dressed in one of those very realistic bear costumes. Ring the bell and when the door opens the kid who looks the most worried is probably the culprit. Make sure to have one of those bear-cams and show the video to the police. Good luck. —O.G.

Dear Old Guy,

I’m 17 and two years away from graduating high school. My guidance counselor told me to write this to you. Here it is: How can my parents tell me not to take drugs and have sex before marriage if they didn’t follow those rules themselves? I mean it didn’t affect them any at all. My dad is a minister and my mom a minister’s wife. I think they are hypocrites. I’m right, right?

Signed, Want to be me

Dear Want to be me,

Glad you wrote. You brought up a very good point. Here’s your answer: In order to be a good parent you sometimes have to be a hypocrite. It’s done in the hope that said parent can keep his or her kids from having to reinvent the wheel allowing them start life in a better place than they did.

Now listen, I won’t tell you how to behave but if you want to do all that stuff your dad and mom don’t want you to do then go right ahead. Just keep in mind that you too might grow up to be a minster or a minister’s wife. Consider this a warning. —O.G.

Dear Old Guy,

My dentist, Dr. Booth, has really bad breath. He’s really nice and good at what he does but it’s so miserable that I’m thinking of finding someone else. I have some bridgework coming up and that calls for hours in the chair. Is there someway to politely let him know?

Signed, Clear the air

Dear Clear,

I had a barber who had the smelliest armpits. When he’d ask me, Want a little off the top? I’d tell him no so he wouldn’t raise his arms. Eventually I had to say, Lou, I love you like a barber but your pits smell really bad.

Do you know what he told me? Well neither do I. The second I made my comment Lou stuck his nose in his underarm and began to rummage around. Me? I took off like a shot so I wouldn’t throw up in public view.

Is there a point to my story? No. Your letter just reminded me of something, that’s all.

As for your dentist, I would speak to the receptionist about the problem. Dr. Booth may have a condition. She is likely aware of the doctor’s breath problem and report your complaint anonymously. Finally, if you can afford it, have nitrous-oxide with your procedures. It should hid most of the smell and what little odor remains will be something you can laugh at. Let me know how it all panned out. —O.G.