Before my translation class every Tuesday, I usually pop into the MOS Burger outlet at Raffles City to grab my dinner.
I am always happy to be served by an elderly uncle, probably in his seventies, but bursting with the enthusiasm and energy of someone decades younger. There is an unexplainable old-world charm about him. (Ok, I’m known to date older men, but come on, this is not one of those ocassions!)
He greets me, asks me what kind of day I’ve had, before he moves on to take my order. I’m usually quite tired when I pop into the outlet at 6.30pm, and it feels really nice to have someone taking time to show you care and concern, rather than rushing you to make a decision.
We got talking while I stood in front of the counter waiting for my food. When another customer came along, he quietly said, “Please excuse me” to me like a true gentleman from one of those b/w movies. And I felt like such a lady!
I really have a soft spot for men who bother to treat a lady right. You know, the kind of old-school gentlemanly behaviour such as removing their hats when they greet a woman, getting up from their seats when a lady leaves or joins, pushing in the chair for the girl, opening doors and removing their coats for them.
Unfortunately, few men these days and even fewer Singaporean men bother about such etiquette anymore. Though a man was kind enough to offer me his seat when I took the train the other day.
And I began to think if it was because I had a fat tummy like a pregnant woman. Sigh! Men can never get it right, and women never get satisfied.
