GAWD. My parents just gave me a lecture on not having good manners or whatever. I would take it like a man... woman... thing... if it were justified, but I don't take well to lectures out of the blue, supposedly provoked my me not introducing Alex to my dad. Um. A boy drops by for 15 seconds to pick up a book and I ought to introduce him to my parents?? There's like a paragraph of dialogue necessary for that exchange; "Hi, Alex. Here's Richelieu. Cool, see you tomorrow. Have a nice day." Somehow, I don't see where I can work in, "this is my dad" into that little shpiel. MY BAD. Is it not having manners to not do something completely uncalled for? Like, my mom always makes me bring presents to Alex's parties. Which mostly consist of generic crap she bought for male friends should I need to give presents to them. That's ruder than not bringing anything at all; it makes me seem gratuitous, makes everyone else feel awkward, and makes Alex feel awkward because he has to thank me and crap and act all nice when he wasn't expecting anything other than a casual session where everyone gets together at his place.
They claim rather sarcastically in America that I don't need manners in the first place, which I suppose is supposed to shame me into having manners, but if that's how they define manners, I'm glad I don't have them. Manners genuine displays of affection and refinement, not the mechanical motions of trying to be affectionate and refined. Manners are a temporary restraint from spite towards someone else in respect to his humanity. You'd think I could trust my own judgment on what actions are appropriate when and where, but I guess I have to endure my parents beating the opposite actions into my head whenever I act on my own judgment, while claiming to promote teaching me how to use my own judgment in the first place.
You'd think that if they decided to propose something totally repulsive to me that they'd at least do it consistently. "You should be more cheerful and charming to others", "You should stop being so frivolous and take your responsibilities more seriously".
To thine own self be true.
BTW, my mother thinks Nick B is a "well-mannered young man of good breeding." Stand proud. ^__^