Chivalry is not dead; just afraid or hiding!

I make it a point to have at least one meal together as a family. This almost always ends up being dinner time. Most days, conversations around this time are about how everyone's day was. Sometimes, a certain someone (let us say a teenager) monopolizes all the time and then there is a little someone who is left with his hand up in the air. It is kinda cute and frustrating at the same time. Since the teenager rarely shares anything; so anything from him is like little treasures of information about his life...even when he shares a joke posted by a classmate on Facebook! That tells us a little bit about the quality of the sense of humour he is developing or not developing. All in all, both the boys get to have their say. And the big boy gets to say a bit as well.

Recently, the conversation revolved around protecting Momley and her honour. For some reason, at least 2 out of 3 boys, can't seem to get over the Greek God episode! So, I decided to do an intervention with a couple of stories from 2 generations.

Here is the first story:

My dad always talks about my mom as the "cutest girl on his street"; I totally admire the lack of exaggeration in that statement! It is one of the most sincere sentences of admiration I have heard in my lifetime. The story is about how they were at the movies one evening and someone tried to touch my mom from the back. Apparently, she complained to my dad and he went into serious rage mode. He pretty much beat up the guy who dared touch my mom!

At this point in time, the boys were like “Wow! We can't believe grandpa was so violent! So cool!"

Craigley pipes in with "I could beat up Greek God you know!"

It was time to narrate the second story:

Fast forward to a quarter of a century and a few months  later. Craigley and Momley were on the TTC. Craigley reaches out to hold Momley's hand, and has a big smile on his face. Momley politely asks him to let go off her hand. He does not and she gets into a struggle to release her hand. At which point, Craigley exclaims in exasperation, "You are my wife for crying out loud!”. Momley answers that one with "Your wife who doesn't want her hand held right now! Now, let go!"

The teenager was definitely enjoying this narration. Craigley was waiting for the point to it all.

Here is the point. Please don't try to rescue a girl who is in no real danger. Please don't talk about beating people up especially when it is totally unwarranted. Please don't hold a girl's hand if she doesn't want it. Be a man. Be secure. Be there when the girl in your life needs you. Some of us girls love chivalry; just time it well guys! Make it count.

Note: I rarely go into "lecture mode”; but definitely enjoy it once in a while. This was one of those rare times. Hopefully, the boys remember this conversation for the rest of their lives.