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KING PELLINORE’S LITERARY MAGAZINE

One in an on‐going series on the Lost Art of Manners.

K
nocking at a closed door. There is an alarming tendency for
people give a li le rap at a door and then fling it open wide;
or worse, proceed directly with the flinging without even so
much as the rap! Some doors haven’t locks, you know, and
it isn’t polite simply to turn the knob and intrude. If a door is closed,
and you wish admi ance to its room, knock before entering. In fact,
knock, then listen for an answer. If you don’t hear an answer, wait a
pa ent moment, then a empt a second me, on the off‐chance you
weren’t heard the first.
But then, don’t, my
friends, don’t assume that
because you’ve heard no
reply from within that the
default answer is “If you
don’t hear from me, by all
means, invade my
privacy!” Rather come to
the opposite conclusion:
that is, that the person on
the other side of the door
is either occupied or
uninterested in an
interrup on at the
present moment. Accept
that. Come back and try
again later, if you must.

Is that so much to ask?

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