Dillie Dink's Manners

Dillie Dink's Manners

"Achoo!" said the Dink with a sneeze
and she gave no 'Excuse me please'.
So because she truly didn't care,
Dinkerville found her hard to bear.

Oh...they tried to teach her manners
and even posted town-wide banners.
But she would turn her head away
from the hinting town's displays.

Dillie Dink didn't care a wit,
not even just a teeny bit!
Her lips they uttered not a peep;
but remember what you sow you reap!

So in town one day it came to pass
that all had gathered...one Dink mass
(to figure out for her a lesson
what...for so long...they had been stressin').

"We must teach her to be nice,"
which was the crowds agreed advice.
"But what would be this needed lesson?",
is what kept the town still guessin'.

Until a small voice piped up with glee,
"I know just how to make her see!
Just treat her like she's done with us,
no 'thank yous', 'pleases', no big fuss.

No 'yes sir' and no 'yes mam',
and no 'Excuse mes' is the plan.
Don't look at her...turn up your nose,
shuffle past stare at your toes!

I know this is against our nature,
but we must help 'cause she's our neighbor!"
Little Dunkin's voice did ring true-
a Dink's gotta do what a Dink's gotta do!!

So imagine Dillie's great surprise
when not a Dink would meet her eyes.
Without a word they hurried past,
walking just a little fast.

No one spoke or called her name...
had Dinkerville gone insane?
Then Dillie sneezed another sneeze
and waited for polite decrees
from Dinks who surely would say 'Bless You',
because that's always what they did do.

Yet not a word was ever muttered
nor a sound was ever uttered.
And Dillie felt a little fear
for the Dinks now made it clear.

That a Dink must be polite,
use her manners day and night.
"Excuse me please," she whispered low,
ashamed because she didn't know
how truly she had been so bad...
surely now they were all mad!

But Dinks are never, never hateful.
They were only glad and grateful
that Dillie Dink now understood,
that good manners are just plain good!

So Dillie Dink did give in
and asks you now with a grin
that if you gave a great big sneeze,
would YOU say '"Excuse me please'"?