A Englishman friend of mine (Italian heritage) asked me how men behaved here, if chivalry was dead. I’d like to tell him a story:
I ride the bus every day. I pick up my daughter from school and we make our way home. Usually, I have done some necessary food shopping. Often, I am coming from school myself. My hands are always full with multiple bags and a 33-pound daughter who climbs aboard me to climb aboard the bus. Almost always it’s a woman (probably a mother herself) who gets up to offer me a seat before my daughter, my bags, and my person go flying as the bus moves forward because I don’t have an extra hand, no matter how hard I try to find one.
The other day we boarded and most of the seats were filled with young men. Not one moved to help me out. As I looked around panicked, realizing I was going to have to drop something (I think we all know it wouldn’t have been the groceries), a sweet, dear old man, upwards of 80, crawled from his seat and fought falling himself. He’s desperately trying to grab a rail while pushing me into the seat as we are both already off solid ground and struggling. Once settled, I thanked him generously as he nodded his head, as true gentlemen do.
So in answer to your question friend, no it’s not dead, but it’s got one foot in the grave.
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