Times are a Changing
Tonight I went on date with a girl I met on Christmas Eve while on my way back to Los Angeles from Hartford. It was a challenge to talk to her, not because she is particularly pretty (she’s adorable) but she was flying with her brother which was a total asshole about me trying to make conversation with her. Short story, I bought him a drink, he backed off, I got the girl’s number.
I picked her up at her place on time, this is odd because in LA you’re either late or early depending on traffic… I’m usually early to most things, but that’s just me (and having a lead foot). I parked and walked up to her apartment. She was surprised as I she thought I would just call so she could come down to meet me on the sidewalk. I thought nothing of it… I opened the door to the car and closed it behind her.
We went to dinner at a nice French restaurant in the area, nothing too fancy, but nice and quaint. I parked a across the street and as we walked to across, I lent my arm. She understood what I was doing but her facial expressions showed perplextion.
As dinner was ending she stood up to leave the table to refreshen up, so I stood as well. This time she gave me this look as to ask if I were going somewhere. As she started to walk to the back, I sat down.
This is where I notice that she had not been accustomed to someone being gentlemanlike around her.
Then when I dropped her off at her place after drinks, She thought I was going to say good bye at sidewalk but I told her that I don’t do things half-assed and walked her to the door.
I’m not sure when it happened but in the past year I have been more “proper.” No one in the past has had these reactions to my actions. But she made it very clear that this behavior is scarce, even abnormal to a point.
It reminded me that this is no longer how men behave in the world. The way of the Gentleman, proper etiquette, being polite, treating a lady correctly, etc is being lost and it makes me sad.
