Handkerchiefs and Tissues

47. Picking Up After Your Pet

48. Picking Up After Yourself

49. Putting Down the Toilet Seat

50. Personal Hygiene

Index

xi

INTRODUCTION

More than once, your mom or your dad has probably told you, “Sit up straight. Act like a gentleman.”

You know what they mean. They want you to have nice manners. They want you to be a young man people like. They want you to be a young man people trust. They want you to be a young man people respect. They want you to be a young man who gets into good schools and gets a good job.

Being a gentleman does not mean that you can’t have a good time. In fact, it can be fun—and a big relief—to know how to do things the right way. But there are a number of rules you will want to follow if you want to behave in a gentlemanly way.

You probably know a lot of these rules already. You know that a gentleman does not smack his chewing gum or stick it under the seat of his chair. You know that a gentleman does not chew with his mouth open or make irritating noises with his armpits. You know that a gentleman is helpful to older people and that he offers to help clear the table after dinner is finished.

But there are other rules, too, and a lot of them are included in this book. They are not difficult to follow, but you may need to practice them a little so they will come easily to you.

If you start now, however, they will stick with you for years to come. Then, when you are older, people will look at you and say, “Well, isn’t he a fine gentleman?” And that’s the same thing as saying, “Well, isn’t he a good guy?”

Better yet, there may be an immediate payoff for all this hard work. It may mean the best summer job you’ve ever had. It may mean impressing girls. It may even mean impressing your parents so much that you get more privileges.

We hope you enjoy this book. We hope it brings you lots of good friends and lots of great times. We hope it will help you make your parents proud.

1

Chapter 1

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.