He always did make it back up -- eventually -- after he explained the rest of the process. The one asking for help (known by the fancy-shmancy term "suppliant") grasped the knees of the other person and then made a request. This could be either awesome or awkward for those involved.
Sometimes the request was successful
... and sometimes not.
I wouldn't recommend trying the knee-clasp in this day and age (be sure to let me know how it goes if you make the attempt, though), but I can give some advice for the modern era, particularly regarding what techniques to avoid. Stay away from the following:
1. Downplaying the other person's busyness.
Bad:
Better:
2. Insinuating that this is a favor to them.
Bad:
Better:
3. Not actually asking
Bad:
Better:
4. Phrasing an order as a question
Bad:
Better:
I'm sure that I have missed some other standard annoyances, so list your pet peeves about help requests in the comments below! <-- Shameless plug; it's been nearly a year since the last comment on this blog.
