at the mall today.

by - August 15, 2012

(which is now the other day, last Thursday to be exact. I sort of forgot about this post.)


I was at the mall today with a friend, and my mom had an appointment, so my friend and I put Mariana and Septimus in strollers, and wandered around. We spent a long time in Chapters (the Canadian equivalent of Barnes&Noble) then sort of wandered around for a while. Once mum came back, we had to wait a few minutes for her to return some things in Old Navy. I was carrying some of the things we'd bought at the mall, my friend was pushing one stroller (dear thing) and my mom was pushing the other, so once it was time to leave, I rushed forward to open the doors for them. Now, there are two slightly different versions of what happened next.

Mine: Two extremely handsome young men ran forward when they saw my mom and my friend with the strollers, and opened the doors before I could get to them. I said thank you very politely and walked by.

Mum's: Two extremely handsome young men ran forward when they saw my lovely daughter, the smiles on their faces said it all, and opened the door for her, in an extremely heart-warming and gentlemanly manner.

Huh. Okay. I still hold to my story; I really do think that they were opening the door for my mom, because I was perfectly able to open the door myself and I'm sure they saw that, because (even though it sounds nice) who just goes and opens the doors for "lovely young ladies"? Not only that, but since I wasn't exactly at my best looking that day, I really don't think it had anything to do with me. Of course my mom and my friend
teased me mercilessly, especially when they saw I had started blushing.

All that aside, their courtesy really made me happy. I love when young men open doors for women. I mean, it's nice when older men do it, but since it's a huge surprise when younger men do it, it makes me happier. And these two were basically teenagers. It makes me feel like the human race hasn't completely become barbaric, at least not just yet.

I guess if they did open the doors for me, it had something to do with the way I was dressed. I overheard mummy on the phone with my friend's mother, and she was saying how when the young men looked at me (assuming they actually did look at me) they looked with genuine respect. My mother said she was sure that if I had been wearing mini-shorts or a low-cut top, their reaction would have been much more crass. I wasn't exactly dressed elegantly, but I wasn't showing off my whole body to the world either.

So the encounter, no matter what actually happened, has made me think. It's made me think just how precious gentlemen are. About just how important dressing modestly is. And about how extremely confident my mother is that her daughter has men trailing in her wake.

-Gwen




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6 comments

  1. Your two different stories are quite funny! It is stories like this that renew my faith in humanity and that me may not be an entirely lost cause. :) I have had one experience like that. We were at a restaurant, and I thought the waiter was being quite nice asking me if my food was all right and if there was anything else that I need. I was latter teased as well by my family and my grandparents who were visiting at the time.

    I think you have a very good point that men respect women who are more modestly dressed. I, like you was dress modestly and not showing off anything. It really does make a big difference. What really is funny is that women want to be treated more as equals, but when they dress the way they do me have little to no respect for them.

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  2. It is SO nice when a guy opens the door for a girl. It is such a small sign of respect, but at the same time, it can make SUCH a difference of my opinion of him. I love this post. :) There actually are SOME good guys left in the world. And I have to applaud you on your modesty! It is certainly lacking in today's society and I am so happy to hear from someone else who appreciates the importance of it.

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  3. I love it when gentlemen open the door - I feel like...well, basically what you said - that young gentlemen aren't as bad as they seem. :) And I side with your Mum. They bust have been looking at you, dear. ;D

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  4. sorry, I meant to say "must". I am forever forgetting to proofread, and regretting it later...;P

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  5. I love when guys do this. Living in such a protected bubble of large Catholic families, a guy is just expected to hold the door for a girl or anyone else. But unfortunately, I have yet to experience it out there in the world :'(

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