Try using a BufferedReader. Assuming c.input is an InputStream object,
you can use

BufferedReader input  = new BufferedReader(c.input);

Then just do "input.readLine();" which returns a String and then
convert it to the type you actually want.

String line = c.input.readString();
if(line==null || line.length==0)
{
deal with no input
}
else
{
response = line.charAt(0);
..........
}

while(!(response=='Y'||response=='N')){
c.out.println("Do you wish to proceed? Y or N)
try{
response =c.input.readString().charAt(0)
}catch(Exception ignore){
response='?';
}
}

Excepitons all for newbies, so what was the question.

Try this,
------------------------------------------------------------
.......... you code..........
try {

BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));

String userText = in.readLine(); // return  String from System's default input
stream

// Converting user input  from String to int

int userValue = 0; // to be safe from null value
userValue = Integer.parseInt( userText ); // this will throw
NumberFormatException if user  have entered  something except integer value

// This section will only print if user input was interger
System.out.println(" You entered: " + userValue );

}
catch(NumberFormatException numException) {
System.out.println("Sorry you have not enter an integer, Exception is: " +
numException);
}