Wednesday 2 February 2011

Chivalry and Bug Bears !

Can anyone tell me when did chivalry die? I'm being deadly serious. Has something happened to some men out there, who appear to lack this essential quality and don't have the self awareness to recognise this and address its absence.

I've always been a stickler for good manners. Perhaps because my Pop is such a gentleman, he even walks on the outside of me to shield me from kerb obstacles like cars who splash you.

Perhaps I've read too many books and watched way too many old Hollywood movies, where men opened doors and even stood up when a lady entered and left a room.

I love it when a guy orders for me (after consulting me first of course) at a restaurant or opens a car door for me. It's classy and it's those little things which make a woman feel special.

Either way I have certain etiquette expectations that I think men should adhere to:

1.If a pregnant woman is standing on the train in front of you, have the common decency to give up your seat, not raise your paper higher, so you can continue to pretend you haven't seen her.

2.Walking through a door before a lady is bad enough, but not holding the door for her after you barge through with your friends poor form. Thank you to the young man who noticed this and remarked to me "Some people just don't know how to treat a lady".

3.If a woman is seated at the head of the queue while waiting for a boat (moi), don't walk past her and stand at the front of the boat boarding gate - It is super rude and makes you look like a prat, particularly if you do it while look on the phone looking totally self important.

Fortunately the guy behind the prat, who was about to do the same thing, thought better of it looking at my face and gestured at me to get onboard ahead of him.
While I'm all riled up about chivalry, I don't think my annoyance is as as extreme as W's.

W is perennially hacked off about children on planes, trains and in automobiles (I couldn't resist that pun!).

W is the high achiever of our little coven. You know the friend with the dream career (in PR), perfect boyfriend (he loves her and is her chief cheerleader in whatever she does) who gets to travel regularly and looks incredible all the time.

I know we should all hate her, but on top of everything she is really lovely and very funny. W had just flown back from LA and called me yesterday, so we could catch up over dinner.

"BB honestly I am beginning to hate the travelling" she said.

This Friday, I am going on my first ever overseas business trip to Paris to train up one of our teams. To say I am excited is an understatement.

First it's Paris - Hooray! I know It's only short visit, but it is another step in the right direction for me to getting to where I want to be career wise and I get to check out new sexy hotels - something I am great at !

"Just enjoy it and remember how lucky you are cherub".

"Have you ever sat on a plane with screaming children?"

"Yes" I replied "But a) you hate children and b) you have to understand they aren't crying just to annoy you".

"It's easy for you to say Little Ms Sunshine. Children and babies love you. It's like you're a bloody child whisper! Well while you're connecting with them, I've decided my only comeback is to talk to their parents"

"What did you do?" I said smiling.

"Having put up with 4 hours of squawking from this child on the plane, I leaned in and said to his Mum 'Are you going to walk him up and down the aisle to shut him up, or do you want me to do it for you!"

"You didn't?" I said laughing out loud.

"I damn well did. The mum looked at me like I was some sort of ChildCatcher (dodgy character from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), but she got up and walked that child rightaway!"

"Honestly, you must have scared the crap out of her. There are others ways to handle noisy children you know"

"The only other one I know, involves replacing their milk with a large gin and tonic to knock the little terrors out!"

I couldn't help but laugh, loudly.

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