Hi there, guys and dolls! Welcome to another edition of Free Advice Friday. Let’s get right to it and see who I can help or hinder this week.

Dear Barbara Jean,

We all suspect that the new girl in our office,”Kitty” (if that’s her real name), lied about her credentials to get a cushy executive secretary job in our office! We were shocked! Who lies at work, especially to get a good job like that? How else would a girl just jump in like that without doing her time in any of the office pools? I’ll bet she doesn’t even know how to take a phone call, let alone a letter. None of the men are complaining and say she does a fine job. Now, we don’t have any proof exactly, but Myrna from the typing pool swears that Myron from accounting saw her just last week, performing at a gentleman’s club, and she certainly was not sporting a steno pad and pencil, if you catch my drift. How to we catch her out and expose her for the fraud we are pretty sure she is?

Offended Olga in Oregon

Dear Olga,

You know, I read your letter twice, and then again. Are you sure there’s just not a lot of sour grapes floating around? How many of you are in this lynch mob anyway? I say, leave the girl alone, or better yet, find out exactly how she hurdled past the rest of you office steeple chasers and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two. Maybe Myron’s wrong (doubt it would be the first time…) and if she is lying, maybe she can teach you a thing or two on how to get ahead in business without even trying (I believe that has been done a time or two…).

Good luck making friends and promotions, Barbara Jean

Dear Barbara Jean,

My parents have grounded me for no good reason! I really haven’t done anything wrong, well, nothing that the average teenage girl hasn’t done. Now I have to stay at home, either inside or no further than the bottom step. All of my friends are having fun, going to parties, happenings and other swell shindigs. What’s a girl like me to do?

Careless Cathy in Carson City

Dear Cathy,

Hmm, I wonder what you did, exactly. I’ve heard what kind of hellions you new teenagers can be and what you get up to (just between you and me, I might be a teeny bit jealous, I love to raise a roof or two myself). I’ll bet whatever you did, you deserved a little time in parental custody (and it was probably worth it). Here’s a tip for the future, always remember to cover your tracks. It may take extra work, but if you want to get away with something, make sure you’ve left no trace.

Don’t ask me for bail money because I’ve already spent it, Barbara Jean

Keep your letters coming! I love to help or hinder any way I can.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more posts. And don’t forget to give my Poppy Cove Mysteries a try if you haven’t already.

Toodles, Barbara Jean