Chivalry isn’t dead

 Read about an interesting episode in Calcutta.  A man, whose pocket was picked by a nimble-fingered lady, knelt before her and pleaded for the return of his purse and explained to the curious and amused crowd that he did not want the lady to be punished by law!  Still, we talk of chivalry being dead!

Imagine what a woman would have done under similar circumstances.  She would have raised merry hell and got the crowd to beat up the male pickpocket, before the police hauled him off to the jail.

I am afraid we’ve painted the devil too black.  Let’s for a change look at his shades of goodness.  Who but a man will let you get into the lift at the risk of his being late to catch the muster in the office?  All you’ve got to do is look desperately at your watch, wring your hands and seem agitated.  His gallantry is immediately roused and he waves you into the lift with a flourish.  Will a woman do the same for a man or her own sex?

Once I was in a long queue, waiting to buy a ticket for the Punjab Mail.  The lady issuing the tickets took her own time at it.  I was way behind with little hope of getting to the window for at least an hour.  The guy whose turn it was, beckoned to me to take his place while he went and stood in mine!  If isn’t chivalry!

Tell a man a secret and you can be sure it’s safe.  Tell a woman one and you can be sure it spreads.  If ever you want to confide in anyone, choose a man.  If ever you want any help too, don’t approach a woman.  It’s all a myth that she is sympathetic and softhearted.  Despite their boorish exterior, men are ever willing to do things for women-their motive might be questionable, but you can’t have it all your way, can you?

If you have a choice of working under a male or a female boss, you’d be wise to go in for the former.  They don’t frown and give you long lectures on proper planning and time management, when you want to take a day off to clean your cupboards at home.  If you make mistakes, they don’t hand you down sermons on efficiency being the hallmark of professionalism etc.  On the other hand, they are willing to hold your hand and guide you to greater performances – both in personal and professional spheres.

If you want to have a good cry following a quarrel with your hubby or maid, don’t choose a female shoulder – you’ll be shrugged off with a ‘that’s life.’  Go to your male boss.  He will lend you his broad dependable shoulder and his white handkerchief and even pat your head in concern.

They sure are a large hearted species.  How many times husbands offer to stay at home, cook dinner and look after the child while the wife has to attend an office party or go to a haldi kumkum’ at the neighbour’s!

If we know what’s good for us, we should befriend them and stop all this nonsense about equality.  Women are not men’s equals in anything except responsibility.  We are not their inferiors either, or even their superiors.  We are quite simply different and long live the difference as the Frenchman said.