So Whatever Happened to Chivalry???

Let me begin by stating right up front that I’m no shining example of chivalry myself. Sure, I hold doors for ladies, I always try to let members of the fairer sex go ahead of me when possible, I go around and open the passenger door of the car for women when I’m driving, and I even do my best to remember to stand when a lady is leaving or coming to the table when dining.

Come to think of it…maybe I AM a shining example of chivalry!

For whatever that’s worth, yesterday I witnessed what has to be the most abhorrent display of UN-chivalrous behavior known to man.

It’s pouring down rain. I mean raindrops the size of grapefruits and there were millions of them. I’m driving somewhere to do something when I see this man and woman walking down the sidewalk.

The first thing I noticed was that they had only one umbrella and it was over the man. My first thought was, “Man! What a jerk. He should give his umbrella to the lady.”

However, the closer I got I realized that not only was she lugging some kind of bag in her right hand and he was carrying nothing, but in her left hand SHE was holding the umbrella…

OVER HIS HEAD!

They were probably a foot and a half apart, so it wasn’t one of these, “Hey, lets share the umbrella,” things. Oh no, the entire umbrella was over him and she had her head down just watching her feet and trying to keep the drops from hitting her face. She was drenched from head to toe!

This guy was being a complete jerk.

Maybe I’m being too judgmental.

Maybe there is a really good explanation for his seemingly UN-chivalrous behavior.

Maybe he has the same odd affliction that the Wicked Witch of the West had and getting wet causes him to melt. And he wasn’t holding his own umbrella because both of his hands were broken.

Maybe he was on his way to do surgery and needed to keep his hands sterile.

Maybe they were doing an experiment on the effects of rainwater on women who are carrying heavy loads.

Maybe, Maybe, Maybe. Blah, Blah, Blah…

Make all the excuses you want, but what I know is that this guy was making us all look bad. At least all us men.

So what can we do?

Practice!

Take every opportunity you have to display your chivalry and make being chivalrous a habit. And maybe, just maybe it will become cool, again.

So whatever happened to chivalry?

I think we just got out of the habit.