Miss Manners: When a dance request is passed around a friend group

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Dear Miss Manners: I have been ballroom and salsa dancing for 28 years. It is a great hobby, and it helps bridge generations. Most of the time, with respect to dance requests, I do the asking at socials, parties and clubs.

While I would like for the women I ask to say yes, it does not bother me if they say no. That is their right. I would rather a woman say no than to get on the dance floor out of obligation; when that happens, I can tell that she is not having fun. As a good (though far from great) dancer who is known for being a gentleman, I understand a “no” may not always be about me.

But what mildly annoys me is when a woman declines my request to dance, but then asks me to dance with the friend sitting next to her.

I respect that she is looking out for her friend, but it puts us both on the spot and can lead to me being turned down twice (or even more, if it’s a bigger group of friends). Some groups will have what looks like a congressional hearing to determine who would like to dance, while I am standing wondering what the heck I got myself into. I only asked the first woman to dance, and her friend is made to feel like she is the consolation.

I usually will dance with the friend if it is okay with her, but will never ask the first woman to dance again. What is the appropriate way to convey to a woman how inappropriate it is to dump me off on her friends without being rude?

Use your nimble feet to get out of harm’s way after the initial “no”: “I’m so sorry you don’t want to dance; perhaps another time. Excuse me.”

Dear Miss Manners: During lunch at a restaurant, I used my paper napkin to wipe my nose. My lunch companion said, “Oh, no you don’t,” and then rummaged in her purse until she found a packet of tissues and handed me one.

Is it incorrect to use a paper napkin to wipe one’s nose?

Yes, although it is also incorrect for your companion to have publicly corrected your manners. (Miss Manners has assumed that you have graduated from fifth grade and your companion was not your mother.)

Dear Miss Manners: I received a baby shower invitation that included several “requests,” one of which is: “Mom and Dad have worked so hard on the registry, so please do not stray if you choose to bring a gift that day!”

This effectively prohibits many types of gifts, including handmade items or gifts traditionally given by our family. What should I do? Pick a gift I don’t want to give? Decline the invitation? Take a gift of my choosing regardless of this request?

None of your suggestions is improper, but Miss Manners will add a fourth: Omit the gift, which is not mandatory, no matter what the hosts may think. Instead, after the event, write a charming letter of thanks for their hospitality.

New Miss Manners columns are posted Monday through Saturday on washingtonpost.com/advice. You can send questions to Miss Manners at her website, missmanners.com. You can also follow her @RealMissManners.