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Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 01/22/2011 07:41 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 01/28/2011 11:50 PM
Expires: 01/01/2016 12:00 AM
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“Women always go FIRST!”~by The Copper Curmudgeon
Reno Nevada in 1959 was a very different place . . . good people including all of my close relatives lived in Reno or Sparks. The casinos were all downtown and those were for the tourists. Reno residents only went downtown to do business or have dinner. For some reason on an autumn day my Dad and Grandpa Matt took me downtown with them to do some business. Usually this meant the boy needed a haircut which was an experience in itself because the barber shop was a mans’ place with hunting and fishing magazines and some whopper stories. And the old black shoeshine man loved my naivety and would always pull some joke on me . . . but that got me a piece of candy. Loved that old guy . . ....
Our first stop on this trip was to the Bank of Nevada that sat on Virginia Street. Dad parked the car and we walked down the street to the bank. I was in the lead and Grandpa opened the big glass door . . . no automatic door openers back then. I new which teller Dad liked so I headed in the door . . . the next memory is two hands on my collar, my feet about a foot off the round and I was choking on the top button of my shirt. Both men had grabbed the boy . . . literally by the scruff of the neck.
Two older ladies walked out the door still held open by Grandpa and I was set back on my feet. Dad apologized to the two amused women and said, “were are still working on his manners . . . we maybe losing the battle.” We did not go into the bank. We walked around the corner and both of these men said almost in unison, “Women always go FIRST!” Not the first time I had heard this . . . but I never forgot after that day.
Point of this old tale is I went down to the bay area this week to visit some of my relatives for the holidays because most of my family lives in California now. We lived in that “rat race” for most all of my adult life. One of my daughters needed new shoes so we went to the stores that sell $40.00 shoes for $65.00 and bought boots, moccasins and a pair of school shoes. If she had been with mom she would have gotten the school shoes . . . only.
As we were leaving the store I did what I am conditioned to do . . . I opened the door for my 17 year old daughter and as I am standing there holding the door open two kids maybe 15 years old pushed into the door way that I was holding open to come in the store. I maybe old but the first kid still remembers what it is to walk into my shoulder and his partner remembers what the sidewalk feels like because the first guy went backwards into him and knocked him on his ass.
I looked at my smiling daughter and said, “Women always go FIRST!” The two kids now standing outside just gave me a dirty glare but the three female clerks inside laughed and clapped as we left. I’m sure their Fathers would be very proud of these two young men?
So I get back up to Copper and I go to that fancy new coffee shop in Town Square to get that coffee that my mom always told me if it has whipped cream it was dessert and I could never have dessert unless I finished dinner . . . but this was going to be my breakfast. Yes . . . being old has advantages. As I am standing waiting for the white chocolate mocha with whipped cream . . . I notice an older pick-up pull up on the street and park. It’s one of those trucks that is a project in motion that some kid loves more than mom . . .
The boy driving is maybe 17 and he gets out walks to the passenger side and opens the door for something he obviously loves more than his old truck. As this cute young girl steps from the truck he stays right next to her and walks her into the coffee shop, holds open the door for her and then asks HER where SHE would like to sit. Then he steps behind her pulls out the chair and helps her to be seated. He asks what she wants, then he walks to the counter places the order and goes back to sit with his woman.
The look on her face was absolute adoration because she had found a keeper. And the parents of this young man can be proud of how he treats women . . . because someone told this boy that, “Women always go FIRST!” He had this date up on the pedestal where she belongs and if he keeps that up and she accepts his proposal it may keep him married for 38 years . . . it has worked pretty well for me.
This is a lesson taught by parents to children and unfortunately it is not being taught to many . . . My older boys have been taught and they understand this respect for women and my daughters expect nothing less from a man. But they also call their elders sir and ma’am. So how are your children doing?
I know just sit here and be quiet . . .?
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