DEAR HARRIETTE: My wife holds a high-profile position at a Fortune 500 company, and she is always in the company of powerful businesspeople. My wife is happy to have me as her husband, and she is always happy that I am able to accompany to her company's various events. However, I feel uncomfortable being with such powerful people. I am just a simple man, and at times I feel like I do not have any business being in the same room with my wife. How can I overcome my inadequacies? -- Out of Place, Brooklyn, N.Y.

DEAR OUT OF PLACE: It is understandable that you could feel out of place at some of these high-powered functions. And it is possible to overcome that. For starters, remember that people are people. Yes, they may have more clout, money or stuff than you, but chances are you have something in common. You can find out by asking questions about their hobbies, their children, their family members. Also, talk to the spouses of the business leaders who are likely seated at your table. Often the other half of a power couple is not as powerful, workwise. In fact, the spouse -- male or female -- could feel a bit intimidated as well. By engaging these people in simple conversation, you may discover that you can feel more at ease.

Don't underestimate yourself, either. Your wife is happy to have you as her husband for a reason, probably because you are, in your words, "a simple man." Feel good about who you are and how you live your life. When asked about yourself, share what makes you happy and how you spend your time. You may be surprised at how interesting you really are to others!

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am in a new relationship with a man who says he wants to be exclusive and committed with me. I love his company, and he treats me well -- except for one thing. I have noticed he is very frugal, and we only go out to places that are inexpensive, like pizza, matinee movies and two-for-one dinners. I appreciate a man who is conscientious about spending money; however, he needs to splurge and take me to a nice restaurant from time to time.

Well, my boyfriend finally decided to take me out to a fancy restaurant. We had a great time at dinner, but when the bill came around, he asked me if I could cover the bill. I did willingly, but it did not feel right. The man should pay the majority of the time, especially in the first few months of dating. I cannot afford to pay for half our dates, and this makes me think he will not be a good provider in the future. What are your thoughts? -- Too Frugal, Memphis, Tenn.

DEAR TOO FRUGAL: I think you need to have an honest talk with your guy. It may be that he cannot afford more than he is offering rather than being stingy or overly frugal. I do like the idea of a man footing the bills early on in a romance, but I am clear that people's wallets are not always full, especially these days. If you believe you are going to commit to this man, you need to talk about values, dreams, goals and finances. Put it all on the table.

DEAR HARRIETTE: To intervene or not to intervene, that is my question. I was recently in line at a fast food restaurant when I heard someone ask another person in line for directions. The person was giving him incorrect directions, but I didn't correct the direction-giver, and then I felt bad and hoped the person getting the directions made it to his destination.

Let me explain why I chose not to correct the directions: Years ago I was on my way home from out of town, and I stopped in a rest area along the highway. Someone who worked at the rest area was giving directions to a traveler who was going to where I lived. When I realized she was giving the person incorrect directions, I politely corrected her, but she got offended. What should one do in that situation? -- Flustered, Chicago

DEAR FLUSTERED: I believe that people should help each other. That includes gently correcting misinformation, especially directions. One way to do that with the least amount of friction is to say, "Excuse me, would you mind if I give some clarification on those directions? I live/work nearby and know a simpler way." Or something to that effect. If you define it in such a way that the person giving directions can save face, it will make it easier for your amended directions to be heard.

Generally speaking, when people offer directions, they intend to be accurate, but the result is not always the case. When you are sure that what you are hearing is incorrect, by all means speak up.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son yells "shut up" at his brother and even at me. It usually happens when he is frustrated or not getting his way. I do not allow that talk and often punish him, but he keeps it up. How can I get him to stop? I don't want his younger brother to pick up this bad habit. It needs to end. -- Bad Words, Shreveport, La.

DEAR BAD WORDS: Tell your son that those two little words can be extremely hurtful and rude. Ask him if he likes others to say or, more likely, scream those words at him. Point out that it is much better to walk away or use kinder words to attempt to stop an uncomfortable encounter.

When not in the heat of the moment, talk with your son about what it means to be a gentleman. Describe to him that it is possible to disagree with someone or even want someone to stop talking and to deliver that message gracefully and with authority.

Scolding your son is not the way to get him to choose to embrace more respectful language. Demonstrating to him how to handle conflict or extreme waves of negative energy is far more helpful. Remind him of the Golden Rule. And point out that he is in the unique position of demonstrating to his brother how to behave in all kinds of situations, especially when he's upset. Suggest that he step into the role of being a great example for his brother. He may like that if you position it positively.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My younger sister is a freshman at a college in New Jersey. Last month, she came to visit my older sister and me in New York City. She called us on Saturday morning and said she was coming to visit us that day. My older sister and I were thrown off and had many things going on, but our sister was excited about visiting us, so we said we couldn't wait for her to come. She came from Penn Station and met me at the apartment. She isn't used to the city and was frustrated with the directions to get to there.

We walked around the city and then met my other sister for dinner. In New York, we eat around 8 p.m. and hang out later. My younger sister, who is a serious runner, said she needed to go to bed by 10 p.m. My older sister and I were unaware of this and made other plans to meet up with friends after dinner. I told her how to get home, and she got really upset that we weren't going back to the apartment with her, only to see her go to sleep. She started crying, and we felt bad so we ended our night early and went home with her. She was being irrational and selfish, and a month later she is still talking about how terrible her time was in New York. She says she never wants to visit us because of her experience. We have tried explaining to her the situation, but she is oversensitive and prideful, so she doesn't listen to us. How can we get through to her? -- Frustrated in the Big Apple, New York City

DEAR FRUSTRATED IN THE BIG APPLE: Let your sister cool off for now. When some time has passed, invite her to come back to the city. Craft a schedule where you are able to show her a great time in the city and stay with her.

That is what she wanted. Her naivete about your lives in New York led her to believe that an impromptu visit would mean that you would drop everything to attend to her. She is young and inexperienced and probably was clueless about how disruptive her spontaneous visit actually was.

When you are next having a good time with her, you can point out the pace at which you live, the kinds of things you do and your own timing. If she wants to talk about her visit, acknowledge that it was horrible -- for all of you, because you hadn't made a plan together. Her expectations did not match yours, and you both failed to share your needs with each other. You had a full agenda that did not include her, and she had an early bedtime. When you do not communicate clearly, you are bound to run into difficulty.