DEAR ABBY: I am a newly single young woman just coming out of a marriage. I was recently dining alone in a local restaurant when I was sent a drink from a patron at the bar. This had never happened to me before.
Although I was flattered, I wasn't quite sure how to handle the situation. I wasn't interested in the gentleman sending the drink, and thus felt bad about accepting his kind gesture. What is the proper thing to do and say in this situation? -- NEWLY SINGLE IN THE SOUTH
DEAR NEWLY SINGLE: Here's how the drill usually goes: Unless the man is a mind reader, he will send a server over to offer you a drink of your choice. When the server asks, all you have to do is smile and reply, "Please tell the gentleman thank you for his generous offer, but no thank you." This eliminates the introduction and obligatory conversation that would normally follow should you accept the beverage.
In your case, however, the deed was already done. I would have smiled at the gentleman, taken a token sip of the drink and then asked for my check.