Courtesy

“All doors open to courtesy.” - Thomas Fuller

I remember a girl from about ten years ago. She was a student who attended my taekwondo class for approximately six months, maybe less. I know she earned her yellow belt before she dropped out of sight, moved back to Missouri or Kansas, or moved on to somewhere else.

I won't get in to the whole goofy story about her. I will say that I took her out twice. Once for her birthday and another time maybe a week later. My point I want to discuss is the courtesy I showed her during most of the two dates.

Most of the time, you ask? Let me explain.

I consider myself a courteous guy. I have my faults, sure, but I try to treat a woman with respect and courtesy. I try to be a gentleman. Part of being nice is that I open doors for a woman. Store doors, restaurant doors...and car doors.

I realize there are some women in this world who might find this gesture to be old fashioned and some who might be offended that I would think a woman needed help with a door. I hope there aren't too many of the latter kind.

Anyway, near the end of the second 'date' with the aforementioned girl, she told me I didn't have to open the car door for her every time. So, after our dinner in the restaurant near the end of the evening, I didn't. (This explains the 'most of the time' sentence from above.)

Actually, I was a little offended. I wasn't treating her as if she was a weak female. I remember holding the door for my long time girlfriend for awhile at the beginning of our relationship. Sometime during our time together I stopped doing it every time, but not because she told me, but because we had become comfortable with each other, like a normal man/woman relationship will get. But for this girl to tell me I could stop holding doors for her was a bit disconcerting.

I would think, and confirm this for me ladies, that most women enjoy being treated with courtesy. (I know, a big duh here.) Isn't it good for men to hold or open a door for you? I mean dad and I still do it for my mother. Would you tell someone NOT to open a door? “Hey, don't worry, I got this.”

Please understand, I'm not bashing this girl. (Hec, I don't even remember her name.) I do know she was pretty, an intriguing enigma who, if I was honest with myself, I knew wouldn't be around my town for very long. But those aren't the salient points.

Courtesy. I'm still going to show it...unless you are a hardcore, men hating ultra-feminist who considers all males to be worthless slimeballs out to stomp every woman under his hairy foot. Then I may think twice about opening the door for you.

Nah, I probably will and I'll just have to suffer the consequences of your laser beam stare.

As for the rest of you...expect it from me and I hope you appreciate the gesture.