Hello Roy,
Just to let you know that the custom is much older than the
Victorians. It dates to the Tudor times, when the houses were built
outwards from the first floor, almost meeting their opposite neighbours on
the upper floors, and restricting some of the light to the street
below. There was no plumbing in those days, just a gutter that 'flowed'
down the center of the street. Chamber pots would be emptied from the
upper floors directly into the gutter, thus threatening to catch anyone
foolish enough to walk near the middle of the street. Naturally, a
gentleman would want to protect his female companion from any such
drenching, and he walked on the outside.
There are some who would think that this might be a fitting place
for 'some' of our male listers
.......................................... but not me, of course!!!!!!!
Regards
Elizabeth Jones
Comfort, TX
At 11:09 PM 7/22/01 -0400, Roy wrote:
>I know this is in a way off the subject of LBCs, however, since the
>subject of gentlemanliness has been brought up I feel an urge to
>tell this short little story.
>
>During one of the many small town old car events regularly held
>here in Florida that I attend occasionally, I took a walk with a young
> lady LBC member to visit the towns antique shops to see what
>we might find interesting. She was, perhaps, in her late twenties.
>As an old geezer from another distant decade with certain ingrained
>manners, I automatically found myself trying to stay on the street
>side of her even though she unintentionally kept crowding me close
>to the edge of the curb.
>
>Walking on the outside of your lady on the street side, of course, is a
>very old custom that reaches all the way back to the Victorian era.
>It is a courtesy expected from male escorts to protect their ladies
>from horses hoofs and moving carriages splashing water and mud
>from the streets gutters. Later on it would be protection from the
>horseless carriages.
>
>When I was a young boy there was certain courtesies that were
>automatically drilled into young boys minds by their fathers like never
> to hit a girl, or never fight a boy wearing glasses and it was
>considered
>a cardinal sin if you should ever hit a guy when he is down or below his
>
> belt. There are many other forgotten courtesies like taking your hat
>off
>in elevators, ladies first, offering your seat to a lady on the street
>car, etc.
>
>Anyway, when this nice lady finally asked me what the heck I was
>trying to do I explained the old custom and hoped I hadnt offended her.
>
>Surprised as if this was the first time she had ever heard of it, or, at
>least
>something she had long forgotten, replied, Oh, I think thats just so
>sweet!
>I dont know why, although theres really no reason for it, I did feel
>somewhat embarrassed.
>
>Well, anyway, she didnt seem to be insulted and Im thankful that she
>didnt call me a chauvinist pig. Strange, isnt it, how drastic things
>can turn around?
>
>Roy Rogers
>1960 Sprite
>1985 RX7
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