My Life, As Told Between (Baby Cakes') Naps

I’ve always liked the idea of chivalry, although I think it has to be flexible and change with the times.  I realize some gestures are without much meaning nowadays, such as walking on a certain side of the street,* however, holding doors open and holding chairs out will always be appreciated (at least by me).  I like the idea behind chivalry, the idea of putting someone else’s comfort and convenience above your own.  The form is irrelevant.  

This weekend, I saw a perfect example of how chivalry adapts and changes with the times.  While tailgating at a country concert (no comments please!), a cry of distress caught my attention.  The girl next to us had somehow ended up with a lapful of beer and was noticebly upset by it.  Her boyfriend, likely also very drunk, promptly poured his own beer into his lap.  He then looked into her woebegone face and asked in all seeming sincerity, “Feeling better now, Honey?”  Now that’s chivalry.  Stupid, yes.  But also a little sweet.

On a non-chivalrous note, I traded in my bubble-gum pink shoes for a purple pair, which will hopefully give my foot better support and possibly prevent pesky foot problems.  Sadly, I also returned my new brown purse, which, as I feared, did not look as good on my short frame as it did on the freaking six foot tall model (what does?).  Sigh.  I’ve put an order in for another brown bag, so we’ll see how this one turns out. 

* As I’ve heard it, this tradition supposedly originated with the man walking on the inside of the street to protect a woman from garbage thrown out of windows.  Adopted for more modern times, when garbage isn’t often flung from building windows, the man is supposed to walk on the traffic side of the street (um, to protect a woman from oncoming traffic?).  Personally, I’ve found that while the thought may be nice, the execution is highly annoying as it oftentimes necessitates switching sides mid-stroll.