But since she has a fiery disposition, make sure that she is not in arm’s reach of your best china when you speak with her.  This girl and I take the same train to work every day. We started talking, and I asked her out. She agreed. But whenever we fix a day, she moves it to another day. This has happened two or three times. Should I just leave her alone?  I have a hunch that your Lady Cancel-lot enjoys chatting with you on the train but isn’t sure if she wants to go on a date. So she sets a time in the future and reneges when the day comes and she’s still undecided. Then again, I also had a hunch that the housing bubble would last forever, and my apartment would be worth $42 billion by the end of the year.  If you’re still interested in this woman, keep chatting her up — without mentioning the date again. She may bring it up herself or give you a clue as to her interest. Otherwise, I’d write her off as one of those well-meaning egotists who somehow think it’s kinder to lead you on forever rather than just saying “no”— as if you’d never get over the devastation of not dating her.  The receptionist at my office wears a horrible perfume that permeates the office. How can I let her know that her perfume is putting a musky damper on my day?  It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where your liberties leave off and mine begin. I hate those Gordon Gekko shirts, for instance, with striped bodies and white collars. They’re so master-of-the-universe. But unfortunately, my preference does not trump your right to wear them: The assault on my senses is minor, and I’m free to turn away.  Perfumes are different. If the wearer uses too much, the scent becomes unavoidable, causing headaches and spontaneous gagging. So the question is: Do you merely dislike her perfume when you’re passing by her desk, or can you really smell it when you’re sitting at your work station or in communal areas?  If it’s the former, you’re going to have to put up with it. But if it’s the latter, you may speak with your supervisor — otherwise known as “the chicken’s way out” — or have an extremely polite word with the receptionist herself. Apologize for bringing up something so personal: “I’m sorry,” you might say, “but your perfume is somehow carrying all the way over to my desk, and it’s bothering me. Do you think you could wear less of it?”  Or you can always buy a gas mask. Now that the Department of Homeland Security has stopped handing out Code Oranges like peanuts, you may get a good buy on one from your local Army-Navy store.  For help with an awkward social situation, send queries to socialq@nytimes.com or Social Q’s, The New York Times Style Department, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018. Please include a daytime telephone number.  A version of this article appears in print on , on Page ST11 of the New York edition with the headline: Going Negative. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
This week, answers to readers' questions about friends arguing over politics, receptionists who smell too sweet and more.