I don’t know how old my readers are, but I’m guessing most of them have heard of “Dear Abby.”
(And no, I’m not talking about Deer Abbey, the 13th-century Scottish Monastery, and not a single one of you thought I was.)
Dear Abby is of course the most famous advice column in the history of the world. She was writing an advice column in an era when everything was constantly changing and progressing: the 50s, 60, and 70s.
Abigail Van Buren
I’ll be honest, I didn’t realize that Pauline Phillips or “Abigail Van Buren,” from Dear Abby had a rival twin sister that also wrote an advice column. Esther Lederer, writing as Ann Landers. They were also known as “Po-Po” and “Eppie,” respectively.
Nor did I know that she got the job by telling the San Francisco Chronicle editor she could answer an advice column better than the current writer. He sent her some questions and she got back to him in an hour and a half and then got the job that lasted over 40 years.
Oh, and she was 37 when she started writing the column. Proof that it’s never too late to start a whole new enterprise, a whole new life, and go down in history for it.
Nor did I know that the name Abigail Van Buren is a combination of the Old Testament prophetess Abigail and president Martin Van Buren.
Okay, one more “nor did I know.”
Nor did I know that if she ever received a letter in which the person sounded like they might be suicidal, she would pick up the phone and call them so she could talk to them in person to listen and suggest they get professional help. Wow.
So yeah, those are my Dear Abby facts.
By the way, if you want any free advice, feel free to reply to this email and ask me. I’ve got nothing better to do.