It's Just a Matter of Good Manners and Good Nature

When I was little, I had a Paddington Bear record, and on that record, there was a song about the importance of good manners. 


"If you've got good manners and good nature, you really will get along. For with those good manners and good nature, everyone will shake your paw and say, 'glad to see ya and have a good day,'" went the song. I couldn't help but think of those lyrics while mulling over a phone call I got earlier this evening.

Note: I tried to find the song online to link to here, but alas, it was not to be. Which means that I actually remember the lyrics from a quarter century ago. Not bad, eh?


Anyway, backing up...I had a really stressful day. I have a lot going on this week, I've been really stressed out, and leaving for work today was sort of like coming to the top of the rollercoaster hill and seeing how scary the ride down will be.


By the time I got to play rehearsal this evening, I was ready to go off on someone for no good reason. But lucky for my castmates, that's when the phone rang.


It was Steve at the expensive gym, so often mentioned on this blog. He was wondering if I might be interested in joining. Rehearsal was starting, but I couldn't resist returning his call right away.


"Hey, Erika! How ya feelin'?" he answered.


It took everything in me to be nice. I mean, I was annoyed that he'd called me yet again, but he didn't deserve the full force of my frustration. So I firmly, yet politely, told him that I've already told him I am not interested in a membership and asked him to please take me out of the system at the gym.


And that's when Steve pulled out his Paddington good manners and good nature.


"Well, all I can say to that is, God bless you, and have a good night," he said.


I'm sure that when he hung up, he added, "you big fat fatty," but given the things I've written about him on this blog, I think he probably owes me an insult or two.