I am a petite girl. At 5' 2", with a very slight build, most people are taller and stronger than I. Being raised in the South, I put much stock into manners. One thing I've learned: hold the door for people who may be exiting behind you. I may be small and slight, but no matter how heavy the door, I will hold it for whoever may be behind me. Nothing is more annoying than getting the door slammed right in your face. I should know. It happens to me all the time.
Sure I grumble about it, and insult, soto voce, the person who didn't bother, but (and here's where my Southern upbringing really comes in) I get really ticked if it happens to be a guy who has decided not to be gentlemanly enough to bother waiting until I can exit. I don't care if he OPENS the door for me. I believe that it's whoever gets to the door first, unless I'm obviously struggling to open it. I think it's ridiculous to expect a guy to pick up his pace so that he reaches the door before me, all because it seems more polite, when I can open the door just fine (usually) on my own. But seriously, when a door practically smacks me in the face because someone doesn't want to hold the door, and when that someone happens to be taller and stronger than me, I hurl insults with the best of them.
I once called a guy on this very thing, because he'd done it to me twice in as many days. BLAM! Right in my face. So I called out to him the second time, once I'd shoved the door open again. What's the freaking deal?! Oh, he didn't see me. Understandable. My size makes me easily misplace-able. Seriously, I've walked around a store with my brother-in-law, who has stopped in the middle of his conversation because he'd lost track of me. I was right beside him, but he didn't see me because he wasn't looking down low enough. It happens.
But, really, if you're walking out of a building, have the courtesy to hold the door. And if you don't feel like holding the door, wait until I reach and I'll hold it open for you. And then let it slam in your face before you even take two steps.
1 comment:
Yes this does frustrate me as well. Believe it or not, guys are actually a little polite here in Cali... but I do expect men to hold doors open for me, especially down south!
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