Grandma Knew What She Was Talking About
Here is something from a recent Miss Manners column.
Dear Miss Manners,
I have been told that a gentleman should always have six things on him — a cigarette lighter, small flashlight, handkerchief, pocket knife, and in changing weather conditions, an umbrella, hat and overcoat. These days should the cell phone be added to this list? What else should a polite man carry?
Gentle Reader,
If he would just carry the handkerchief, Miss Manners would be satisfied. The cigarette lighter is unnecessary, the pocket knife will be confiscated by some security officer, the cell phone will cause trouble if it is not put on vibrate, the hat requires him to remember when to remove it, and we presume he checks the weather report and dresses accordingly. But in the absence of a handkerchief, he is not a gentleman.
My grandparents lived about a mile from my house and between my house and highway. I would often stop to say hi when I drove past their house. If during my stop I was on my way to a date with a young woman my grandmother would always ask. “Do you have a hanky. A gentlemen never goes anywhere without a hanky”.
She would explain that the hanky was necessary so I would be able to offer it to the young lady if the need arose. If I didn’t have one she would retrieve one from one of her drawers and give it to me.
I learned her lesson. Due to her emphasizing that I always carry a hanky. And I have had a chance to offer it on many an occasion to a woman or child.
I have always been happy to do it. Though not always so happy to get it back. But I often I think about grandma when I put my hanky in my pocket.
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July 3rd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
You might want to consider keeping a small pack of tissues in your pocket instead as that would be more sanitary and equally gallant. Perhaps Miss Manners could also be reminded of that since she seems to be keeping up with the times in other ways.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:18 am
That is such a grandma thing to say! Very cute, and I think Miss Manners is awesome! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
July 4th, 2008 at 7:15 am
I have to respectfully disagree with RBK. A tissue just wouldn’t be the same. I assume, of course, that your hanky is washed after it is used each time
July 4th, 2008 at 8:12 am
I don’t know if a tissue is equall gallant.
But I must point out that a small packet of tissues will not hold up well in a gentleman’s pocket.
But it looks like this topic might have the potential for controversy.
Who’d a thunk it!
July 4th, 2008 at 8:44 am
With equal respect to you Teresa, I am for a pack of tissues because of visions of a snotty hankerchief full of germs heading into the gentleman’s pocket. Of course the hankie is a nice quaint concept, we all have visions of a gentleman taking out his clean and crisp hankie in a moment of emotional crisis or some such situation, but I was thinking of the less charming, yet real needs…
And Red, the market today has plethora of tissue kinds available to suit every need including manly tissues compressed into small packs.
Hankies were a product of different times because nothing else was available to take their place. Both the tissue and the thought behind it would make it equally gallant.
I rest my case.
July 4th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
My grandma and grandpa were so cute! Never anywhere without a hanky, and my grandpa would always offer his hanky to whoever needed it!
July 11th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I think that is pretty cute… Nice to know there still men with manners out there… Just not in Norway… Hmmmph