On Saying Please Summary

The essay titled “On Saying Please” by A.G. Gardner discusses the significance of using polite expressions like ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ in daily social interactions. These expressions are highlighted as essential for maintaining courtesy and civility in society. Read More English Summaries.

On Saying Please Summary

On Saying Please Summary in English

One morning, a liftman threw a passenger out of the lift. The passenger did not use the word ‘please’. The liftman was demanding ‘top please’ instead of ‘top’. The passenger refused his demand. The liftman hurled him out of the lift. He was fined accordingly.

In the eyes of law, discourtesy is not a legal offence. However, our social standards demand that we should be civil and well man nered in our behaviour. A man can be uncivil. But the law will provide him protection against violent retaliation. No legal penalty can be imposed on a boorish or haughty person. On the contrary, he will be called an ill-mannered fellow. The law can not compel anyone to say ‘please’ or to attune his voice to other people’s tastes.

This does not lead to the conclusion that damages are negligible. Though the bad manners do not cause us physical injury yet they hurt us badly. In reality, the physical injury is forgotten after a short while. But the injury to our self-respect may poison the whole day. An ill-mannered person infects the world with his ill humours. He poisons the stream of general life. They do greater harm than all the legal crimes done in a year. If a senior officer is bullied, the junior k officers will naturally be bullied.

It was possible that the complainant might have been snubbed by his irritated employer. It is true that law does not govern our civilities, speech and moods. These are governed by our old and social practices. The first and foremost requirement of civility is that % we should accept a service by saying ‘thank you’ and please. These little courtesies not only sweeten our life but also make it run smoothly. A friendly request for a service is more workable than an order.

The author quotes an example of a polite bus conductor. However we find unpleasant bus conductors in rare cases. They regard the passengers as their born and staunch enemies. They shout at the passengers and cheat them. But a polite and jocular bus conductor makes the journey easy and pleasant. One day the author boarded a bus. He had left home without any money in his pocket The conductor did not make a fuss. He rather booked him through. He gave him the ticket not caring for the repayment of the money Just then j the author found a shilling in his pocket. He squared the account. He ever remained thankful to the conductor for his good natured action.

A few days later the author’s toe wag trampled by the heavy boots of the same conductor. His anger cooled down when foe conductor apologised to him. A journey with that noble conductor was a lesson in natural coustesy and good manners. He was polite to all especially for invalids.

On Saying Please Summary Class 9

If bad manners are infectious, so also are good manners. An uncivilised fellow leaves his imprint on us and we are likely to be rude. On the other hand, a cheerful fellow affects our mood like a fine day. The good-humoured bearing of a polite bus conductor infects his passengers. By lightening their spirits, he is lightening his own work. In reality his gaiety is not a wasteful luxury but a sound investment. Only an uncouth person gets disagreeable with sunny people.

War has affected our day-to-day civilities of behaviour. It has rendered for people aggressive. Law would fail to help us if we desire to restore politeness. Law can only help us against physical injury and material loss. Taking revenge like a liftman will not do good. If he would have tolerated the passenger politely, he would have gained victory no1234only on foe passenger but over himself also.