Drawing upon her rich experience of life, Prudence (Prudie to her friends) responds to questions about manners, personal relations, politics, and other subjects. Please send your questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. Queries should not exceed 200 words in length. Please indicate how you wish your letter to be signed, preferably including your location.

Dear Prudence,

Long ago I read, in the Tiffany Manners for Teenagers book, that a gentleman should never wipe up anything he accidentally spills in a lady's lap. This suggests to me that our president IS a perfect gentleman, but should this point of etiquette always be followed in cases of possibly impeachable offenses?

--Thoughtfully,

Susan Easton

Dear Thought,

Prudie believes the Tiffany Manners people would be pleased to update their book to keep up with developments ... however, Prudie suspects that impeachable offenses would be applicable to so few teens that the lap etiquette will remain unchanged.

You were nice to call the president "a perfect gentleman." Prudie is betting that's the only compliment he's received on his manners since, oh, January.

--Prudie, primly

Dear Prudie,