A Real Gentleman
Probably one of the last places I would expect manners is in the city. But today I was pleasantly surprised when one man went "beyond the call of duty" and allowed me to go first while I was at John Hopkins in Baltimore. I thanked him, not once, but twice, and added "for being a gentlman" the second time.
Ladies, I think men need to hear that from us because they're not so sure anymore what we want or expect from them, and maybe are even a little frightened to offer help for fear they will be rebuked or rejected. That is what I read, anyway.
I must say, though, that's not what I've experienced. Some time ago, I saw a rather funny demonstration. I had bought a big bag of dog food. I'm not sure how I got it into my cart because I was having trouble with my shoulder at the time, so as I pushed my cart out to the car, I looked around for my "victim"; someone I could ask to hoist the bag into the back of my van. I've always been a very dependent person, so I never have any trouble asking for help. I saw two men nearby and when I called out for help, they practically knocked each other over trying to be the first to reach me. If I were 30 years younger, I would have understood their reaction. As it was, I had to wonder, "Are men that desperate to come to the aid of a woman these days?" I'm not sure.
Having said that, I see very few young men who allow their girlfriends/wives to walk ahead of them, and I find this disturbing, especially since at least two of my sons are guilty. In defense of my married son, he says if he waited for his wife to go first, they would never get anywhere. I understood what he meant after going shopping with her. Still, I hate to see it.
Finally, just in case any men are reading this post, I want to address another issue -"gentlemen's clubs". In our neighborhood, we have one such establishment. I was buying gas next door to it one evening when a guy held the door for me. Afterwards, he proceeded to walk over to "Wild J's". Apparently, he had been frequenting the place and had walked to the gas station to get food, a drink, or cigarettes. I stood there dumbfounded. You see, I had mistaken him for a gentleman, but he wasn't. A real gentleman holds women in high esteem. He was obviously a fake.
Ladies, I think men need to hear that from us because they're not so sure anymore what we want or expect from them, and maybe are even a little frightened to offer help for fear they will be rebuked or rejected. That is what I read, anyway.
I must say, though, that's not what I've experienced. Some time ago, I saw a rather funny demonstration. I had bought a big bag of dog food. I'm not sure how I got it into my cart because I was having trouble with my shoulder at the time, so as I pushed my cart out to the car, I looked around for my "victim"; someone I could ask to hoist the bag into the back of my van. I've always been a very dependent person, so I never have any trouble asking for help. I saw two men nearby and when I called out for help, they practically knocked each other over trying to be the first to reach me. If I were 30 years younger, I would have understood their reaction. As it was, I had to wonder, "Are men that desperate to come to the aid of a woman these days?" I'm not sure.
Having said that, I see very few young men who allow their girlfriends/wives to walk ahead of them, and I find this disturbing, especially since at least two of my sons are guilty. In defense of my married son, he says if he waited for his wife to go first, they would never get anywhere. I understood what he meant after going shopping with her. Still, I hate to see it.
Finally, just in case any men are reading this post, I want to address another issue -"gentlemen's clubs". In our neighborhood, we have one such establishment. I was buying gas next door to it one evening when a guy held the door for me. Afterwards, he proceeded to walk over to "Wild J's". Apparently, he had been frequenting the place and had walked to the gas station to get food, a drink, or cigarettes. I stood there dumbfounded. You see, I had mistaken him for a gentleman, but he wasn't. A real gentleman holds women in high esteem. He was obviously a fake.
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