A handshake should always be good enough – reams of legal documents can be easily signed by bad people without good intentions.
PopPop’s Additional Comment: Even as an attorney, I still wish that a handshake would be enough. When I started practicing law, there were many attorneys that followed the above precept: Their words were their bond. I remember having a real estate closing with an attorney who asked me to do all of the paperwork on the closing. I sent him the documentation to review and he called me immediately upon receiving the paperwork. His comment on the telephone: “I did not check the figures on the closing statement, I know they have to be correct because they are from you.”. He knew I would not cheat his client and would charge each party what they should be charged or credited correctly for on the closing statement. It’s a shame—there are less of those types of people around anymore.
Compliment the meal when you’re a guest in someone’s home and make the bed when you’re an overnight visitor in someone’s home.
PopPop’s Additional Comment: When my wife and I stay over at a friend’s house, my wife insists upon making up the bed. We try to leave some covered candy on top of the bed—similar to if you were staying at a hotel, where they leave candies on the side table or bed. It’s just an additional thank you and hopefully reflects that we appreciated their courtesies and friendship. Sometimes our friends don’t discover our little candy addition at the top of the bed for weeks. They have informed us that the candies put a smile on their faces. Let me make an additional comment on the covered candies. My wife and I visited St. Petersburg, Russia and were fortunate enough to have toured the Hermitage Museum. The guards are known as babushkas, which are older women that wear head scarfs tied under their chin, as they guard the art. They very rarely ever smile. My wife and I usually take covered hard candy with us on our trips and then give them out to people who need a lift-up or as a thank you. I will never forget the large smile we received from one of these babushkas when she realized what we had handed her. We all should compliment, say thanks to others, and if possible show a little appreciation to others. Giving a piece of hard candy to others is a simple way of saying thanks, or giving a little “have a good day” token.