Whatever has happened to manners

[Chas]

When I was in the Royal Air Force in the 70's, it became fashionable to send servicemen on all sorts of residential courses at civilian establishments. Whether they wanted or needed to go or not.

For reasons still unclear to me I was sent to a conference centre in the middle of nowhere to learn about 'Moral Leadership'. I cannot remember learning anything about leadership and as it was residential and both genders there were precious few morals about either.

Anyway, the course amounted to a couple of hours in the morning, a very long lunch at a local inn, followed by a couple of hours in the afternoon, a semi-formal dinner and then another session afterwards before drinks and then bed. All very convivial and polite. I enjoyed it.

The only fly in the ointment was a small but vocal group of females who had 'issues and agendas' that they had to tell us all about constantly.

We were only supposed to enter and exit the building from the front doors, but the carpark was round the back and about a 1/4 mile walk. Most days it was quite pleasant after a long lunch to park and take a slow walk round to the front.

The day in question had been overcast and only got darker as it progressed. The rain started while we were eating in the inn - steady and continuous.

When we arrived back in the carpark the heavens really opened and it was the mad dash to the back door.

There was no porch and no awning, just the door flush with the wall. As each arrived they held the door open for the next person. I was second last.

When I got to to the door I held it open getting one arm nice and wet. Walking at a slow, but determined, pace was the chief woman of the group of women.

Her voice boomed over the carpark "I am a modern emancipated woman and do not require the door to be held open by a lily livered man such as you."

"OK" I called back and gave a cheery wave before turning round and walking down the corridor. The door closed and the last thing I heard was the little "click" as the Yale lock locked.

That afternoon session was the best of the whole course.

Regards

Chas

[Jock Scot]

Great story Chas! I am a firm believer that "every dog has its day".

[Meggers]

If you don't like people who text and walk, please don't come to Japan...

A typical sight is this: (imagine if you will)... Ditzy teen girls, riding bicycles in the rain, balancing an umbrella in one hand, texting with their other, wearing miniskirts, riding against traffic (on the wrong side of the road), and not very straight I might add, while chanting: "Samui, samui, samui...." (Means: "cold" in Japanese).

Thats hilarious. I can't see myself needing to go to Japan in the near future but if I ever do, I will steer clear of the "samui" chanting school girls.

Guess you were right then... It WASN'T possible. That's why they make surfboard racks for bicycles... So you can keep your hands on the handlebars... And bluetooth headsets -- for the same reason.

LOL! This reminds me of a time when my best friend and I used to be roommates and we went to the store and bought these huge bright colored lawn chairs. They didn't fold up so we didn't know how to fit them in the car. We eventually squeezed in like 2 in the back but we still had a third to try to get in the car. We got about halfway out of the parking lot with my body sticking halfway out the passenger side window holding onto the third chair outside of the car when a lady in a truck stopped us and offered to drive them to our house. LOL!

We probably looked like complete idiots and people probably hated us...but just for the laugh, it was kind of worth it.

When I was in the Royal Air Force in the 70's, it became fashionable to send servicemen on all sorts of residential courses at civilian establishments. Whether they wanted or needed to go or not.

For reasons still unclear to me I was sent to a conference centre in the middle of nowhere to learn about 'Moral Leadership'. I cannot remember learning anything about leadership and as it was residential and both genders there were precious few morals about either.

Anyway, the course amounted to a couple of hours in the morning, a very long lunch at a local inn, followed by a couple of hours in the afternoon, a semi-formal dinner and then another session afterwards before drinks and then bed. All very convivial and polite. I enjoyed it.

The only fly in the ointment was a small but vocal group of females who had 'issues and agendas' that they had to tell us all about constantly.

We were only supposed to enter and exit the building from the front doors, but the carpark was round the back and about a 1/4 mile walk. Most days it was quite pleasant after a long lunch to park and take a slow walk round to the front.

The day in question had been overcast and only got darker as it progressed. The rain started while we were eating in the inn - steady and continuous.

When we arrived back in the carpark the heavens really opened and it was the mad dash to the back door.

There was no porch and no awning, just the door flush with the wall. As each arrived they held the door open for the next person. I was second last.

When I got to to the door I held it open getting one arm nice and wet. Walking at a slow, but determined, pace was the chief woman of the group of women.

Her voice boomed over the carpark "I am a modern emancipated woman and do not require the door to be held open by a lily livered man such as you."

"OK" I called back and gave a cheery wave before turning round and walking down the corridor. The door closed and the last thing I heard was the little "click" as the Yale lock locked.

That afternoon session was the best of the whole course.

Regards

Chas

Beauuuuutiful!!!

And I can't believe she seriously said that. I wonder if these women have husbands. I feel like they just truly hate men.

[James Hood]

Television.

When first introduced, it was a bit of novel entertainment and nothing more. But with each passing generation, it becomes more and more "social programming" to children, whether we intend it to or not. And with each of those generations, the quality of programming goes downhill. I'm not sure it's even possible to instill values in children any more without banning the television from the house. Or at least severely limiting (censoring) what they watch.

Personally HATE television and gave same up over 2 decades ago.

That said, to quote an auld hippie-ism, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

Each waking, each person chooses their values, their manners, behaviour, morals, level of learning, code of conduct. Alas, so, so many glance over their shoulder at the mistakes, flaws, shortcomings, imperfections and deliberately bypassed opportunities they went to sleep with, the night before...

...and decide those were good enough a model for this next day of their one, single, precious, life...

...no self-improvement is necessary.

Pity them

[okiwen]

Is there supposed to be a surfboard or a Bluetooth headset somewhere in that picture?

I didn't see one either. Perhaps a larger photo would reveal the boothtooth-whatever.

[Mael Coluim]

A reminder to all Members:-
Rule #11
- Whenever someone brings up the subject of weapons the discussion has always gone downhill rapidly. Because of this, we must insist that there will be no discussion, posting or photos of, weapons not traditionally or historically associated with the Kilt or Scottish Regiments.

The previous Post #81 took this excellent thread off topic by introducing the subject of carrying weapons and predictably the thread went downhill so all posts from then until now have been removed to the Holding Cell meantime.

Please feel free to continue discussing the subject of manners and rudeness but please note that if you really must discuss the merits and rights or otherwise of carrying weapons go and find another forum to do so.

The moderators have decided the posts mentioned above will remain off the thread as they are a discussion of weapons in violation of Rule 11. The posts have permanently moved to the Archives which cannot be seen by members only moderators.

Mael for the Staff

[CopperNGold]

Chas, That was just plain rude on her part, and showed a lack of manners and proper upbringing. I just want to shake my head sometimes.

[ohiopiper]

Reading all the experiences some of you have had with extremely ill mannered people has reminded me of something I heard long ago. Some people are like slinkys. Not good for anything, but a lot of fun to push down the stairs.

Referring to the boors, not members here, of course.

And in case it's nknown outside the U.S., a slinky is a spring toy that "walks" down the stairs when tossed lightly off the first (top) step.