I've said it before and I’ll say it again. Chivalry is dead. Forget the good old days when people held doors open (now they're automatic), when they said please and thank you (now you're lucky if you get a head nod much less a grunt) and long gone are the days when a man stood and freed his seat for an expecting woman (What? It’s not his fault she's standing for two).
This morning I reached the bus stop just in time to board behind two young, strong, and seemingly polite men. As I climb on fresh and ready to start my day, I find that there are no more seats. OK, I think and shrug. I assume the position to stand for the 12 mile trek to the City. Arms flanked on either side of me clutching the, for lack of a better word, overhead bin of the bus – I feel like Touchdown Jesus or the Karate Kid minus the awesome jump kick he does at the end. As I’m holding on for dear life, sweating away the mineral makeup I applied so gingerly this morning, it occurs to me; every single person occupying the aisle seats this morning is a man! Well surely, I think, given their proximity to me and the fact that I’m standing is the perfect opportunity for one to brush up on their chivalry manners and offer me, the only woman on the bus standing, their seat.
Before we reach the arches of the Lincoln Tunnel, about 45 minutes into our 55 minute drive, it becomes increasingly clear to me that not a single one of these men will stand and offer their seat to me.
Now a few things enter my mind. What if I were a cute Blonde wearing a cute black dress? Oh that’s right. I am. What if I were a cute Blonde pregnant woman? (Don’t get any ideas!). What if I were just a woman, the only woman, standing on a bus full of men, overweight men, and young men, ugly and attractive men reading newspapers, Blackberrying, sleeping? Surely their mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, nieces, etc., would be sick to themselves with shame that they wouldn't have given up their seat, right?
Not quite. While I’m stuck staring down at the Kangol-hat-wearing-metro-sexual listening to “Bella’s Lullaby” on his iPod shuffle, I come to the conclusion that yes, chivalry is dead. Even Touchdown Jesus would have at least offered His seat to me, and he’s an inanimate object!
Let us all bow our heads in mourning for the dearly departed Chivalry. May it rest in…no! May it stand, for all eternity, in traffic in the Lincoln Tunnel.
This morning I reached the bus stop just in time to board behind two young, strong, and seemingly polite men. As I climb on fresh and ready to start my day, I find that there are no more seats. OK, I think and shrug. I assume the position to stand for the 12 mile trek to the City. Arms flanked on either side of me clutching the, for lack of a better word, overhead bin of the bus – I feel like Touchdown Jesus or the Karate Kid minus the awesome jump kick he does at the end. As I’m holding on for dear life, sweating away the mineral makeup I applied so gingerly this morning, it occurs to me; every single person occupying the aisle seats this morning is a man! Well surely, I think, given their proximity to me and the fact that I’m standing is the perfect opportunity for one to brush up on their chivalry manners and offer me, the only woman on the bus standing, their seat.
Before we reach the arches of the Lincoln Tunnel, about 45 minutes into our 55 minute drive, it becomes increasingly clear to me that not a single one of these men will stand and offer their seat to me.
Now a few things enter my mind. What if I were a cute Blonde wearing a cute black dress? Oh that’s right. I am. What if I were a cute Blonde pregnant woman? (Don’t get any ideas!). What if I were just a woman, the only woman, standing on a bus full of men, overweight men, and young men, ugly and attractive men reading newspapers, Blackberrying, sleeping? Surely their mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, nieces, etc., would be sick to themselves with shame that they wouldn't have given up their seat, right?
Not quite. While I’m stuck staring down at the Kangol-hat-wearing-metro-sexual listening to “Bella’s Lullaby” on his iPod shuffle, I come to the conclusion that yes, chivalry is dead. Even Touchdown Jesus would have at least offered His seat to me, and he’s an inanimate object!
Let us all bow our heads in mourning for the dearly departed Chivalry. May it rest in…no! May it stand, for all eternity, in traffic in the Lincoln Tunnel.
