Dear Abby >> I am a 55-year-old father of a 7-year-old child. My social skills and experience are rusty due to graduate school and post-graduate training years (12 years, to be exact) without much social interaction. I believe I missed an opportunity to bond with our 7-year-old.

Five years ago, my wife and I ran into a Hall of Fame ballplayer. I became so starstruck that I couldn’t stop blurting out how fantastic I thought he was. It did not go over well.

Fast-forward to today: My child’s classmate happens to be the child of yet another superstar. My wife told me, “Do not engage or talk to them.” She said she’d handle everything.

Well, I think I may have followed her instructions too literally and came across as rude or dismissive by not chatting with them. I’m afraid they may think I’m a snob or a jerk. How can I dig myself out of the hole I may have placed myself in? Because they are celebrities, I don’t want to invade their privacy.

I sent a holiday greeting to the email address shared in the school parent directory. No response. How should I interpret the non-response? Was my greeting delivered? Read? I also have their text number, but I don’t want to harass these people.

— Loving Dad in the South

Dear Loving dad >> Celebrities often receive greetings from fans they don’t know. Because you didn’t receive a response to yours, it is possible the celebrity didn’t see it, or was too inundated to answer. That your message went unanswered should not be regarded as a personal rejection. Do not text the person. Simply quit second-guessing yourself.

In the future, remember that celebrities are usually just like the rest of us. When you encounter one, remain calm. Smile and say hello just as you would the couple who live across the street. Doing that is not harassment, it’s being friendly.

Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.