Rules to Live By II

To be honest at all times had been easy for Rick, it had been in his nature to began with. To be considerate to everyone was more difficult for him. It was so simple to lose his temper a little and find himself wanting to say things that he knew he would regret. If he was to do something like swear to be considerate to everyone he was going to do it all the time and that was where he found himself having trouble. If it was only considerate to some people, or those people who were considerate to him, Rick would have had no difficulties. It was to be considerate to all people all the time that he found himself wishing he had never thought of. There were times in school in particular that he found himself wanting to say things that he knew that while certainly honest, would break his other rule. He gained a reputation for being a quiet kid and he could deal with that what was more upsetting that he couldn't vent.

Quiet, sophisticated, and gentlemanly, that was the reputation that Rick graduated high school with. It didn't get him anywhere and it didn't grant him any happiness but it was a start. It wasn't until he reached the world of adults that his way of life started to net him results. Even in high school though he had discovered that his new personal rules was a good way to attract girls. Girls seemed to like gentlemen but that did not meant that Rick enjoyed dating. One of the things that he discovered was that girls would take advantage of his kindness so he avoided dating in general after the first couple of times.

This led to his final rule, he wasn't going to let himself get taken advantage of. It was difficult to be a nice person without offending people. Still he seemed to manage. It was his final rule, to do what was right for him, to be honest, and to be considerate to others, there seemed to be very little to add to that. Many years later he told all of this to his son and his son stared at him like he was crazy. A few years later though, Rick was humored to find that his son had become a lot more considerate. It was a circle that would continue through the generations and it spread until their clan was almost famous in the country. Doors were open, they gained important positions, and through their philosophies their name would give you friends even if they had never known you yourself.