“say please” he said.

say please for a crumb from a table overflowing? please for a piece of candy the marines are sick of or a scrap of an mre that will probably be trampled underfoot or burned.

no wonder so many hate us. i hate us. if i can offset this phenomenon in just a small way by being a mite over generous or kind or even respectful, then the small sacrifice of my being without my cushy hollywood luxuries for a while is more than worth it.

if that marine was so intent on sharing the exemplary rapport we americans afford one another then he would have learned to say “if you would like to ask for something in english in a very polite way and then thereby increase your chances of getting something sweet to eat you might say it like this. and thank you by the way for having us as guests in your beautiful country. in arabic.

aren’t our ways of education and systems of communication so superior? you be the judge. the meagerest christmas or birthday in the life of the poorest marine would seem a cornucopia to any of these kids.