Many years ago I opened a door for a woman and she said, "Chivalry is not dead!" My response was a Bob-ism of sorts..."Chivalry's not dead, it's just lying drunk in a ditch!" She laughed and we both went on to the rest of our lives.Dictionary.com describes "chivalry" as "the sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms." Well, I guess I was courteous by holding the door and generous in letting her go first, but there was no valor ("boldness or determination in facing great danger") involved since she was not offended at my being a male chauvinist pig for opening the door; although there was always that possibility I guess. And I'm thinkin' that since swords, battle axes, shields, and spears were not part of the event, I'll take no credit for dexterity in arms; although I did use one arm to perform the nearly-chivalrous act.
So what brought on this idea? ...More reading in The New Dictionary of Thoughts last night that included a bunch from Cervantes' Don Quixote. How could I remember that great story without thinking of Dulcinea as amply played by Sophia Loren to Peter O'Toole's Don Quixote?!! If it weren't all iced up outside here in Southeast Pa., I'd get on my white charger (no, not the Dodge muscle car) and tilt at a windmill or two!
Picture Source: Wikipedia Commons from article on Don Quixote. Engraving by Gustave Dore, a dead Frenchman whose copyright has run out. ;p
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