‘Votes is votes’
A friend of mine, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) candidate, was canvassing at the last provincial election, and came to a house with a slavering, stud-collared pitbull terrier outside. He loathed, abhored, as a matter of fact, all dogs, but ‘votes is votes’ and he hesitantly strode up to the front door and rang the bell. Apparently, he was given quite a warm welcome by the homeowners, who always voted for him and invited him in for a cup of coffee. The candidate edged past the growling mutt, and it followed him inside, baring a mouthful of sharp pearly whites and fangs at him from the middle of the floor. The nervous politician and the smiling family discussed local issues over their coffee for a while, and the dog kept snarling, until it suddenly caught hold of his trouser leg and ripped a hole in it. The politician looked at the dog, then the family; smiled back as if nothing had happened. Taken aback by their reaction and wondering what kind of supporter he was attracting, he decided to leave. Finishing his coffee, he made a polite excuse and paid his good-byes. He’d only taken a few steps out of the door when one of his hosts asked: ‘Are you going to take your dog?’ |
- This story may or may not be true, but what does it say about the importance of being polite?
- Are manners just a matter of being correct, or are they about making other people feel comfortable?
- What is this tale really about? Can you relate it to your own experiences?