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50 THINGS EVERY YOUNG GENTLEMAN SHOULD KNOW
WHAT TO DO, WHEN TO DO IT & WHY
By JOHN BRIDGES BRYAN CURTIS
Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2012 John Bridges and Bryan Curtis
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4016-0465-3
Chapter One
SAYING "PLEASE"
Saying "please" is the simplest thing you will ever have to do. It is like taking the easiest class at your school. It is a slam dunk. It's probably smart to start using the word "please" as often as you can, beginning right now. It will make life go much more smoothly for you.
Here's what's in it for you: Remember when you were three or four and you would ask for something, and before your mom would give it to you, she would stand there asking, "What do you say?" and of course you would say, "Pleeeeeeeease." And she would give it to you. That was cute when you were three. But look how old you are now.
If you haven't already started using "please" all the time, you should be worried. And your parents certainly ought to be concerned. They may even be asking themselves, "Should we even bother putting him in the will?" or "Why should we be worrying about sending him to college? He can't even say 'please.'"
Start practicing now:
At the breakfast table, you don't say, "Can I have some cereal?"
Instead, you say, "May I have some cereal, please?"
If somebody asks, "Do you want sugar on your cereal?" you don't say, "Yeah."
Instead, you say, "Yes, please."
If you're on a crowded elevator, you don't say, "Can somebody over there press nine?"
Instead, you say, "Would someone press nine, please?"
If you come to the door, and your hands are full, you don't say, "Hey! Somebody get the door!" Instead, you say, "Would you hold the door open for me, please?"
"Please" is a lot like HD televisions, the newest gaming system, and having cash in your pocket. It makes the world a nicer place to live in.
Learn how to use it, and start using it now. It will take you far.
You do
Say "please" any time you are asking someone to do something for you. That means, when you're in a restaurant, you say to the waiter, "May I have another soda, please?"
You don't
Assume, just because other people are doing their jobs, that you don't have to show appreciation for their efforts.
Why
One day you will realize that you should be as nice to the person who opens the door for you at Trump Tower as you would be to Donald Trump himself. If you learn that now, you will be way ahead of the game.
A gentleman knows that "please" and "thank you" go together like nachos and cheese.
* * *
A gentleman says "please" to anyone offering him assistance. It does not matter if he is being offered an order of fries or free tickets to a football game.
Chapter Two
SAYING "THANK YOU"
Saying "Thank you" is just as easy—and as important—as saying "please." Remember how easy it was to play T-ball? Saying "thank you" is that easy. You say, "Thank you," any time anyone does something nice or helpful for you.
When someone holds an elevator door open for you—you say, "Thank you."
When someone tells you that you are the smartest young man they have ever met—you say, "Thank you."
When someone gives you a new video game—you say, "Thank you."
When someone hands you a saltshaker—you say, "Thank you."
You do
Say, "Thank you," whenever anybody says something nice to you—even if you are not sure you're being paid a compliment.
You don't
Ask, "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
Why
When people tell you that you look just like your grandfather, they are trying to say something nice. Even if you don't think being compared to someone who has lost most of his hair is a compliment—it is. Just say, "Thank you." It will make your grandfather very happy.
You do
Say, "Thank you," whenever someone gives you a gift, even if you are not crazy about it.
You don't
Laugh or frown or do anything else that gives the impression that you do not like the gift.
Why
You are not always going to like every gift you receive. Every young gentleman has an aunt who gives him underwear or a godparent who buys him things that are four years too young for him. But it is always important to say, "Thank you." You don't have to pretend that you love something you don't like. But saying, "Thank you for thinking of me," gets the job done. And you are still letting people know that you appreciate them and their thoughtfulness.
You do
Say, "Thank you," when your mom hands you your allowance, when the person behind the counter at the fast food restaurant gives you your chicken nuggets, and when your dad helps you with your homework.
You don't
Assume, just because you're used to getting your allowance, picking up your chicken nuggets, or having help with your homework, that you don't need to say, "Thanks."
Why
It is important to be nice to people who do nice things for you—whether it is fixing your dinner or smiling when they hand you your chicken nuggets. When people treat you well and they see you behaving like a gentleman in return, they will be proud to know their efforts haven't been lost on you.
A gentleman does not put a price tag on his saying "thank you." He says, "Thank you," for small acts of kindness, just as he does for the big ones.
A gentleman knows that a simple "Thank you" is usually fine. There is never any need to go on and on.
Chapter Three
SAYING "EXCUSE ME"
Whether you are stepping in front of someone in a store, or sneezing or burping, or trying to get another person's attention, "Excuse me" is a phrase you will need to use for the rest of your life.
It doesn't matter whether you are a young man or an old man. You are going to burp or pass gas or get the hiccups. You are going to have to step around other people on airplanes, at the movies, or in the bleachers at a ball game. You are going to have to interrupt someone to ask a question or ask for help. It just happens.
Saying "Excuse me" is the right thing to do, in all these situations. It doesn't matter whether you're getting in someone else's space, whether you've created an odor that smells like a dead animal, or whether you need to interrupt somebody to ask for directions. "Excuse me" is always the right thing to say.
You don't need to say, "I'm sorry," because you haven't done anything wrong—unless you have been rude and walked in front of somebody at the movies and stood there so long he or she missed half the show. That's when you need to say, "I'm sorry." But most of the time, "Excuse me" is all you need to say.
You do
Try to wait until you can get outdoors before you pass gas. At least try to get to a room where you will be the only one breathing the air for a while.
You don't
Assume, just because you can say, "Excuse me," that it's Okay for you to pass gas, no matter where you are.
Why
Accidents happen. But if it's not an accident, you're just being rude, and it won't take long for people to figure out that they don't want to be trapped in a room with you.
You do
Say, "Excuse me," when you have to interrupt someone, like the librarian at your school who may be reading a book (that's what librarians do), to ask for help in locating the book you need for your homework.
You don't
Just stand around and wait fifteen minutes, hoping the librarian will finally notice you standing there.
Why
It is perfectly all right to ask a question. "Excuse me" was invented for moments like this—when you need to get someone's attention.
A gentleman never uses the words "Hey," "Hey you," "Hey dude," or any phrase that starts with the word "hey" when he is trying to get another person's attention. He says, "Excuse me."
A gentleman does his best to control all bodily functions in public. That way, he will not have to say "Excuse me" all the time.
Chapter Four
MAKING AN APOLOGY
There are plenty of times in life when you will want to say, "I'm sorry." When we make mistakes, it is best to go ahead and admit them. You may need to say, "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings," "I'm sorry I left my pocket knife on the couch and you sat on it," "I'm sorry I used the last of the toilet paper and forgot to put in a new roll," or even "I'm sorry I spit in the air and the wind caught it and it hit you in the face."
You probably can make your own list of times when you will need to say, "I'm sorry"—because everybody makes mistakes and does stupid things. A gentleman tries to make as few mistakes as possible, and if you are lucky, as you get older, you won't make mistakes quite so often. If you try not to make the same mistakes twice, you will be relieved that you don't have to say, "I'm sorry," again and again. Better yet, people will accept your apologies and forgive you for having screwed up.
You do
Say, "I'm sorry," and mean it.
You don't
Say, "I'm sorry," if you don't really mean it or if you're just trying to get somebody off your back. People are smarter than you think; they know a phony apology when they hear one.
Why
Being a good guy means that you admit it when you do things that hurt or inconvenience other people.
You do
Say more than "I'm sorry" if the occasion calls for it. For example, if you throw a baseball and smash the neighbor's window, you say, "I'm sorry I broke your window. I'll make sure it gets replaced." If you can't afford to pay for something you have broken, you can offer to work out an arrangement that will allow you to correct your mistake. Maybe you can work out a deal with your parents so that they will give you an advance on your allowance, or maybe they will let you do some extra work around the house to earn the money you need.
You don't
Assume that saying "I'm sorry" always gets you off the hook.
Why
A gentleman knows that sometimes a few words are not enough to fix a mistake. Part of growing up is learning what you really need to do when you've damaged somebody's property or hurt another person's feelings.
A gentleman, who has offended another person, says, "I'm sorry."
A gentleman does his best not to offend anyone on purpose, but if he realizes that he has offended another person because he didn't think before he spoke or acted, he immediately apologizes.
A gentleman knows that saying "I'm sorry" will not mean much if he does not try to do better. You can only get away with forgetting to feed the dog so many times before your parents, and the dog, start growling at you.
Chapter Five
ACCEPTING AN APOLOGY
Let's say a friend's dog has chewed up a comic book you let your friend borrow. The friend says, "I'm sorry." You might respond in one of two ways. You might say, "That's Okay. Stuff like that happens." Or you might say, "You idiot. Why did you leave my comic book lying around where your dumb dog could eat it?"
Sometimes, it's hard to say, "I accept your apology." But most of the time it is the right thing to do. Because you want to do the gentlemanly thing, you try to put yourself in your friend's place. If it had been your dog that destroyed your friend's property, you would feel miserable. You would hope that your friend would give you a break, so you try to cut him some slack as well.
If your brother forgets to replace the toilet paper roll after he has used the last of it and he says, "My bad. I'm sorry," you accept the apology. Similarly, if the server in a restaurant brings you a sandwich you didn't order, and he says, "I'm sorry. Let me make that right," you accept the apology. After all, that's what you'd want them to do for you.
You do
Forgive someone when he or she says, "I'm sorry." Then you move along, as if the mistake never happened.
You don't
Let yourself be taken advantage of. If your friend's dog chews up your comic book every time you loan him one, you may still accept his apology—but you don't have to loan him any more comic books.
Why
Being a gentleman does not mean you have to let people treat you badly. Sometimes, if someone does the same inconsiderate things or hurts your feelings over and over again, you may want to keep your distance from them.
You do
Say, "That's Okay," when someone apologizes.
You don't
Say, "That's Okay, just don't let it happen again," or "That's Okay, but try not to be so stupid next time."
Why
It's not fair to pretend to accept a person's apology and still try to make that person feel rotten. When you accept an apology, it's best to use as few words as possible—especially if, deep inside, you're still feeling angry or upset.
A gentleman knows how to forgive and forget.
A gentleman does not keep reminding his friends about their past mistakes. If he finds that he is getting tired of the same old problems occurring, he might want to think about getting new friends.
Chapter Six
INTRODUCING YOUR FRIENDS TO YOUR PARENTS
Your parents don't want to run your life. But they do have the right to ask a few questions.
Let's say they run into you at the mall or in the park, and see you talking to someone they do not know. If you just wave at your mom or dad and then go on talking with your friend, your parents may be thinking, "That's a cute girl. I wonder if she's his girlfriend? I bet she'd make a lovely daughter-in-law and their children would be beautiful." Or they may be thinking, "That kid looks like trouble. I think I saw him on the ten o'clock news last night." Or they might be thinking, "This child I raised from a baby has no manners. I have failed terribly." (And that would be the worst thing possible.)
You don't want them thinking any of these things—especially about the girl. But it can be easy to nip that idea in the bud.
You definitely don't want your parents coming over to you and saying something like, "Scott must not want us to meet you. Just how do you know our son?" Or "Our son obviously has no manners. Hi, I'm Scott's mom." Or the worst: "Well, since Scott won't introduce us, I will just have to assume that you are his girlfriend."
You can stop all of this very easily if you just start introducing your friends to your parents. It is really painless, and, if you do it right away, they'll have less time to think of something to say that will embarrass you.
You do
Say, "Dad, this is Michael. He's on my baseball team." Or "Mom, I'd like you to meet Jessica. We go to school together."
You don't
Just say, "Dad, this is Michael." Or "Mom, this is Jessica."
Why
When you give your parents a little information about your friends, it gives them a chance to say something that doesn't make you feel uncomfortable—something like, "So Michael, what position do you play?" Give your parents a break. They are probably much more interesting than you think, and having parents your friends like is a great thing for you.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from 50 THINGS EVERY YOUNG GENTLEMAN SHOULD KNOW by JOHN BRIDGES BRYAN CURTIS Copyright © 2012 by John Bridges and Bryan Curtis. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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