Please send your questions for publication to prudence@slate.com.

Dear Prudence,

I was wondering if you could help me with this unique problem. I am 20 years old and am seeing a gentleman who is 20 years older than me. I know this doesn't sound too bad, but the wild card is that the man is my dad's best friend. I don't know, well, actually we don't know how to tell my dad. Your thoughtful advice would really come in handy.

—Puzzled Daughter

Dear Puzz,

Prudie will relate a similar situation she was told about while in New Zealand. The couple is now married, and the wife told this story: She had known her father's dear friend (and contemporary) as a little girl when he was married to his first wife. When she grew up to be a working woman in her 20s, that couple divorced, and she and the family friend went out for lunch, during which the man made a joke that he was looking for a "floozy" to install in his apartment. When the romance blossomed and they decided to marry, the man, a very solid citizen, by the way, went to his chum (and future father-in-law!) and said, in essence, "Look, you know me, you know what I'm made of. Your beloved daughter might have brought home a biker or someone equally unsuitable. At least with me you know what she'll be getting." They did marry, all are doing fine, and the reason Prudie is passing on this true story is because it's as good an approach as any she could offer. And it worked!

—Prudie, encouragingly

Dear Prudence,

What are your thoughts about responding to feel-good e-mails, e-cards, and other Internet kindnesses? I receive quite a few of these from friends in addition to my professional e-mail, and while I am anxious to focus on my work, I do not wish to offend the senders. What is your advice?

—Sincerely,