I remember one particular date I went on a few years ago. He came to the door to pick me up and, when we got to the car, he opened the door for me. I thanked him and got in. As he walked around, I leaned over and unlocked his car door. After he got in, he turned to me and told me that he was really impressed that I had done that! He added something to the effect of, "You've just scored some major bonus points".
Though, nowadays, the remote control power locks sorta ruin that whole concept.
Also, I have a funny story about "Southern Gentlemen". Before I was born, my grandparents retired from the family headquarters in Chicago to the Arkansas countryside. In the lovely city of Searcy, Arkansas is Harding University. A couple years ago, my sister and I went out to see our grandfather. He had this idea to go to the university just to walk around and have a coffee. Now, this building we were in had a very long hallway separated by a couple sets double doors and a few steps down.
My grandpa, being 90 years old, needed a little extra hand whenever we got to the doors and steps. On one occassion, I held the door for him as my sister helped him down the stairs. Just then, the bell rang (yes, they have a bell system there!!) and all of the students started pouring into the hallway to switch classes. It got a bit chaotic and I just stood there holding the door because so many people were rushing through. I figured it would take a while for my sister and grandad to get to the next set of doors anyway so I just held the door open for the students.
As I stood there briefly, I noticed a lot of female students going past. I recall thinking to myself, "Wow, there sure are an awful lot of girls going to this university!" Just then, I happened to turn and look back towards where we had just come from. There was a whole line of guys standing along the wall behind me! I looked at them funny and sorta waved my hand as if to signal them to come along through the doorway. They just gave me an amused look and one guy sort of nodded his head as if to say "No, YOU go through."
Then the lightbulb went on in my head and I realized that they were waiting for me, the lady, to go through first! We all had a bit of a laugh about it. I exclaimed, "Ah yes, well, I'm from Southern California - I'm not used to gentlemanlike behavior. I sometimes think the men expect the women to hold the door open for *them*!"
Then, the guy nearest to me took the door from me and I went through. By then the hall was clearing up and I saw my sister and grandpa slightly ahead. I continued on towards the next door. As I did, that same guy looked at the door, then back at me and then *ran* ahead to the next door so that I couldn't get to it first! hehehe
I don't think they necessarily meant it in a chauvnist way as if they would be disgraced to walk through a door when a woman was holding it. I think it had more to do with the fact that I had been standing there for a while already. I guess they didn't think it was right for a lady to stand there holding the door open for a few hundred people.
I did think that was sweet of them. Though, I think that's they only time I've ever stopped men in their tracks.
.....Kelly
