Keep your options open!
There was a buzz in the hall as the new graduates and their parents consulted
the seating plan and made their way to the tables. The ceremony had gone well.
Now they could relax and tuck into a sumptuous graduation dinner in these
stately surroundings.
But not everyone. The morning had been something of a trial for Will, a shy, retiring
man who nevertheless enjoyed company. He turned to the woman next to him, anx-
ious to start a conversation. He smiled nervously, trying to think of something witty
to say. ‘I’ve always thought it’s important to keep two things open in life,’ he blurted
out, ‘your options and your bowels.’
There was an embarrassed silence around the table, followed by uneasy splutter-
ing. The woman turned her back. Will’s daughter blushed. And no further attempts
at conversation ensued for the remainder of the lunch.
42 FIRST IMPRESSIONSIf you’re part of a group who are mocking or criticising others, or
making cruel comparisons, don’t get involved. Stay quiet and you’ll
experience a wonderful sense of freedom. Gossip is like a boomerang –
it always returns to hurt you.Two people-pleasing attitudes:■A stranger is simply a friend I’ve only just met.■I’ll make everyone glad they met me.294