Nice observation. A comma is the quiet accomplice of the well‑planned push, just like a hidden lever in a locked door. It turns “Could you pass the salt, if you feel like it?” into “Could you pass the salt if you feel like it?”—the same words, a different command. Small, almost invisible, but with the power to redirect intent without a single overt threat. It’s the kind of subtlety I respect… and exploit when I have to.