The following is the first of five Ask Dr. Michael installments to come. All the questions were sent in by readers, and the answers were transcribed verbatim from 8-year-old Michael...

Dear Dr. Michael,

--Skinny and Scared

Dear Skinny,

I think you should cut off the date if you called her and you didn't know what she looked like. What you should do is buy a present for her and you say you're going to break the date and then if she doesn't understand you just keep talking and talking until she understands. Maybe you can get her a makeup kit, or something like that?

Tell her "Please, I just don't want to go out with you. I don't think this is right. I didn't know what you look like." But don't say you know she's fat. If she gets tough you'll have to say she's fat. If she gets mad and breaks the date then you won't have to even give her the present.

If you're just going out to lunch, that's not a date and you can do that. But some people might think it's weird that somebody that's so fat is with somebody so skinny. I wouldn't want you to be made fun of.

A fat woman and a skinny boy, ­that's weird! You might get hurt and she would too.

--Dr. Michael

Dear Dr. Michael,
My engine has been making a pinging sound. What do you think that is?

--Worried on Wheels

Dear Wheels,

It's just the engine or the gas. If there is a little something in the gas tube then just take it out. If it's something stuck in the motor you can get it out with something like pliers. It could be anything. Some crazy teenagers could have thrown stuff at the bottom of the car. But they only do this on Halloween.

--Dr. Michael