Sunday after church I headed to Kroger for a few groceries. As I pulled into a parking spot one of my favorite songs came out of the speakers. So I decided to just sit a spell and enjoy it before fighting the crowd. While humming along, suddenly I was jolted. I looked up and a man in a huge white truck had pulled in the space in front of me, hitting my car! He glanced at me, crawled out his door, and headed into the store. I sat speechless for a moment. Getting out, I walked to the front and saw our vehicles pressing together. I backed my car up, then got out again to see if there was damage.  All clear, but I was perturbed. How about, at least, an “I’m sorry.”  I wanted to pull his UGA tag off and write “Roll Tide!”

Old Fashioned Girl

Last week I was carrying a rocking chair from one end of the school to the other. A man (who does not work at our school) came around the corner and was heading in the same direction. As I toted the full-size rocker, he carried on a pleasant conversation. In my head I was thinking, Really, you aren’t going to offer to carry this chair for me?  He walked three long halls with me before saying, “Where are you taking that?” Finally! But to my dismay, he just kept talking, and I just kept carrying the chair.

Maybe I’m an old fashioned girl, but it seems to me that true gentlemen are becoming few and far between. Granted there are women who say, “I can carry this, I don’t need your help.” But ladies still exist who want the gesture, because it makes them feel respected.

Last summer I was leaving the Dollar General with my arms loaded. As I fought with the door, pushing it with my hip, and balancing the items that were about to fall, I looked up and saw a man standing on the sidewalk staring me down.  I thought to myself, If that were my daddy, and he saw a lady in this predicament he would rush over and hold the door.

Gentlemen

I was raised by a gentleman, who was raised by a gentleman, who was raised by a gentleman…. Maybe that is why I expect no less of my boys. When incidents like these happen to me, my boys get to hear me preach. A chivalrous man offers to help because he has manners, not because it is required, or he feels she is inferior. If you are a mother of a boy, I encourage you to teach them to be a true gentleman. Some ladies will appreciate their chivalry and your son will feel pride in helping them.