Thank You

The manager of an office in Shelford was a hardworking man who never arrived late and never left early. He was honest, clean, well-dressed, and clever. But one very important quality in men of good position he had never learnt, and that quality was politeness. He never took the trouble to be polite; he never considered the feelings of his staff. If he wanted something done, he did not say, "Do you mind doing this?" He gave an order: "Do this and be quick about it." When he failed to hear a question he was asked, he never said, "I beg your pardon?" He just shouted, "What?" The words "Please" and "Thank you" formed no part of his conversation. If he had spoken gently, the work of the office would have been done just as well, and probably better; for the staff was a good one. But one after another they left and found work elsewhere. No one could explain to him why they did not stay. It was difficult to go to the manager and tell him that he ought to speak more politely. So he never understood the cause of the frequent changes in the office staff, and probably did not know how impolite he was. Even his chief clerk, Hollis, who had been with him for many years, was getting tired of his rough way of speaking. The secretaries, the typist, and even the office-boy, had often complained to Hollis, and begged him to tell the manager about it; but he never had the courage to do this until one Friday evening, when he suddenly took his opportunity. Hollis had worked hard for several nights on some difficult papers that the manager wanted on Friday. It had needed a great effort to get them finished, but Hollis had succeeded. With great satisfaction he brought them into the manager's office and laid them on his desk, thinking that this time he might receive a word of praise. The manager looked at them and said nothing. As the chief clerk reached the door on his way out of the office, he turned round and said, "I beg your pardon, sir?" "I didn't speak," said the manager shortly. "Oh!" said Hollis. "I thought you said 'Thank you.'"