How to Say No - Moral Maturity (1951)

[Music] how to say no that's the subject under discussion and there are plenty of times in life when you have to say no fortunately sometimes it's easy saying no most of the time is as simple as this no thanks for asking me but yes sometimes just plain no is best but sometimes such a direct no would offend people cause you to lose your friends make you seem to disapprove of them and if you just take a subscription for only one year I I can get that bicycle well new food new hair new gloves do you like them well well it's two of that guy yeah two chicken to pick up some Dames with us you're coming aren't you Johnny well uh how can you say no and still keep your friends now that's quite a problem sometimes well let's sit in on a discussion of that problem come in here are some of my friends I think you'll find they have helpful opinions like to present Marty and Lucy Nora and Howie hi G oh and I'm Bill well we're going to discuss saying no and still keeping your friends but you'll see better what we mean if we get right to our exam Marty I believe you had an incident you wanted us to discuss well uh go ahead well the fellows and I often stop somewhere for snack after a game or after practice it's usually just an ordinary place where you you can get a good sandwich but sometimes the fellows pick a Tavern and then well service here well how about it let's have a drink a drink sure SW idea well I I dare you what do you mean dare a drink never hurt anybody he Marty well uh well be boy I'll have a beer me too here huh scotch and soda for us he Marty well uh um well that's the situation what can I say cuz well I want to get along well with those Fellas on the team I don't want them to think I'm a drip well couldn't you just tell them you're in training those Fells are supposed to be in training too well that makes it harder no wonder we lost so many games I bet they really feel a little guilty themselves if they're in training why couldn't you just order something else maybe how what would I say well just whatever you would say anyway if you were ordering don't you think that he should be direct sure yeah I think so without making any fuss about it just order what you want well let's see how will that go scotch and soda for us say Marty I'll take a double hamburger with French pie no drink no I'm hungry yeah I I think that might work you know I'll try it next time I don't think it'll work at all not if the boys are at all insistent maybe they'll let it go at that but there are a lot of kids who won't give in so easily let me tell you happens all the time at pajama parties for example we get all settled down and the host of other safely out of the way and then boy I'm dying for a smoke how about you girls Mary well Nora no thanks I got some gum somewhere light sure you won't Nora no thanks really I'd rather have the gun oh come on Nora be a good sport yes try it just this one here take a puff on mine see what I mean no just doesn't mean no to some people well I don't think she's very much of a Hostess if she forces things on you like that well there's some consolation in there but seriously I can't give up a friend just because of one little fault like that how can I say no and really make it stick why don't you try some paror tricks you can always distract attention with a good card trick here take Card take Card take Card come on you're the one that's distracting now no wait distraction is an answer oh I don't mean card tricks but you can say no and change the subject bring out the latest gossip sure maybe could be you see oh how well let's see how that might work here take a puff on mine no thanks Rose oh go ahead say have you heard about Ted Marr breaking up no well who's she out after now yes what's the story well I guess it's t that may be a pretty Rosy version of what would happen it might work though distraction change the subject it takes more than changing the subject to well what about the problem of of boys they're well their hands you know Lucy you promise not to tell oh I didn't mention any names but but seriously I've run into problems like this a lot you get home from a date and it's still early enough to stay outside for a while to talk some talk it's a funny thing this boy has probably been good company on the date but just give him half a chance alone and there's just no stopping him moral don't spend time alone with him simply don't get into a situation like that oh it isn't quite as simple as that is it and he has to take you home sometime so you ask him in your folks are up you have something to eat in the kitchen and then you say good night that's a help all right but but really you can't help getting into situations where petting is likely to start when you date in the car at the movies even in your their own home watching television H you know I never thought of that before well why don't we take some cases starting with yours Lucy and show just how you can say no all right we'll say that this time I didn't plan ahead and here we are on the front steps uh tell me what are you going out for in the track meet next Saturday oh the relays I guess oh how wonderful or take the case of the girl who finds herself in this situation say is anybody else hungry how about at you too couldn't we go someplace for something to eat just a minute I'm not sure those are very good examples that poor guy in the front seat of the car sure was mad and the other guy but Bill it's not easy you know why you have to have a whole bag full of tricks to handle situations because well because each one is different that's right and fellas react differently seriously you serious you girls seem to think it's always the boy who starts things well naturally oh no Lucy I well sometimes we're partly to blame we invite a little attention goes on and then it's hard to stop there are times when it's up to the boy to say no some fellow seem to think that pettings well well thing to do and some girls think that they have to permit it for date Insurance well each of us has to set his own standards I guess yes but those standards vary with with a lot of things if you're really like a boy you want to be close you want to hold hands maybe a good night kiss and so on it's the and soons that are Troublesome but well I think the important thing is to know yourself and standards know when and how you're going to say no but in advance even then it takes all the Ingenuity your hands well I think we've cleared the air a bit and we've outlined some skills in saying no and still keeping your friends I think we ought to list them again and review yeah Lucy try to avoid difficult situations Howie distraction change the subject Nora no exactly when you want to say no and be definite Marty and then say no friendly as possible but still no but don't be too preachy well I think there are some good ideas here what do you think how about talking this problem over it's worth some effort to learn how to say no and still keep your friends [Music]