A spilled drink can remain a spilled drink when people respond generously.

Accidents get their size from the reaction around them. A glass goes over, and within seconds the moment becomes either a small practical event or a story about someone being careless, depending entirely on what the nearest people do. The mopping takes a minute. The atmosphere afterwards is decided by whether anyone made it mean something.

When something gets knocked over near you, reach for the cloth before you say anything at all. Skip the reassurance, which draws attention, and skip the raised eyebrow. Then return to the conversation exactly where it was, which tells everyone the evening is unaffected.