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,

I went to a New Year's Eve party thrown by a friend, at her loft. She's a lawyer, and I'm a semi-starving artist. At one point in the evening I stood up from her couch and an end-cushion fell to the floor, knocking a full glass of red wine onto her Persian rug. It was my roommate (semi-starving artist as well) who had set the wineglass on the floor. We were both apologetic, and the hostess seems to have forgiven us but, Prudence: 1) What's the best way to try removing the stain? 2) What's the best way for me and my roomie to make amends?

--Butterfingers

Dear Butt,

Prudie is not a dry cleaner. Had we, by some mysterious mechanism, been in touch the moment after the spill, Prudie would have told you something she just happens to know: Pouring white wine on red wine is the antidote. But this only works immediately after the calamity.

Alas, Prudie is as up in the air as you. Do offer to pay for the rug to be cleaned at the finest rug cleaner you can rustle up. If the lawyer-hostess declines, then send lovely flowers. If she tells you everything's fine and only a faint hint of color remains, suggest she tell friends the Persian weavers were famously big drinkers.

--Prudie, spotlessly

Dear Prudie,

My best friend was married two years ago, and I was his best man. I was somewhat lazy in procuring a gift, and in the intervening time my friend has got a divorce and is soon to be remarried. He tells me that I need to "double up" on his gift. What do you think is the proper protocol for this situation?