Nicely

John and I walked in to the daycare this morning just as the rest of the kids were getting ready to go out. John, seeing his buddies moving toward the door, turned around and started to open the door himself - and they've got the pull-latch style doorknobs, so he would have done it, too.

Except one of the little girls - she's probably a year or so older than John - pulled his hand away. "No!" she said.

John stuck out his quivering lower lip. Crying was imminent.

"You've hurt John's feelings," one of the teachers said, "tell him that children aren't allowed to open the door - only teachers are. And tell him nicely."

"Nicely," the little girl said.

"No," the teacher said, "tell him children aren't allowed to open the door - only teachers. Say it nicely."

"Children aren't allowed to open the door. Nicely," she said.

And the teacher said "close enough."