[Leica] the loss of POLITNESS!!!

[kenlass at gate.net (Ken Lassiter)]

Ted, I agree with you and Luis on the lack of politeness in society 
today. It is a loss to civilization. .

I grew up in Richmond, Virginia. My mamma raised me to be a Southern 
Gentlemen.  I was taught to open and hold doors for ladies, push in 
their chairs and let ladies enter and leave the elevator first.

Recently I was at a meeting and a cute young thing came over to sit in 
the open seat next to me. When I jumped up to pull out the chair and 
hold it for her, she starting fighting me for the chair. She thought I 
wanted it!  I explained I was just holding the chair to assist her. She 
responded she was not used to that but agreed to let me help her.  It 
won her over. We chatted and got along fine. I kissed her when we parted.

When I meet a lady for the first time, I usually take their hand but do 
not shake it. I bend from the waist, gently raise their hand to my lips 
and kiss the back of their hand while delivering my Best Southern 
Gentleman Compliment.  They love it! "How Gallant!  Where are all the 
gentlemen?" they say.  Works every time

Another trick is to kiss both cheeks when you greet a lady. "How 
European!" they say.  If you really want to impress them, kiss 3 times: 
once on the first cheek, the the other and finally back to the first. 
Tell them "This is what they do in Belgium." It startles many ladies and 
they are often charmed.

But today you seldom see people help old ladies, hold doors etc. And 
many people are taken back when it happens, they don't know what to say 
so the say nothing. Their mamma never taught them how to say, "Why thank 
you, sir."

I still remember the first time a young thing called me "Sir.  It is 
better than what my wife calls me!

My mamma always said, "You can catch more flies with honey than you can 
with vinegar"  I still believe mamma was right.

Ken Lassiter, Boynton Beach, FL