5 Ways to Pretend You're A Gentleman (even if you're not)

It's all about being considerate. Nowadays (here in Singapore and even back home in Manila) I've noticed that common courtesy is getting to be an increasingly rare commodity. Putting the comfort of a complete stranger before your own even if you don't get anything tangible in return is hard. So let's try and fake it instead!

Here's a list of 5 things you can do to pretend you're a gentleman even if you don't mean it. (Great for dates and Valentines day!)

1. Give up your seat - Whether on a bus, train, resto, waiting in line or wherever seats are in short supply. Give up your seat to little children, to the elderly, the pregnant and even just to ordinary women. Most of the time I get amazed looks of thanks, other times i get winks from aunties (yeah baby!) and another time, a scolding from a plump lady who was insulted that I mistook her for being pregnant (boo!).

2. When crossing the street, walk on the side of oncoming traffic - If a car comes screeching, you will get hit first. Morbid huh? But this also implies that you want to protect whoever you're with. Plus it also has the added bonus of your companion being able to gaze at your brave visage while you confidently navigate these treacherous roads.

3. Hold open doors - Don't let it bang into the face of the person behind you. Most of the time whenever I do this, people breeze through as if they expected me to hold it open for them. But once in a sweet while and if i'm lucky, I get a smile and a thank you. Once i even got a wink from an auntie (no not the same one from the train.)

4. Boarding a taxi or car? Don't let her scoot over to the other side fool! Hold the door open and when she goes in, close it carefully. You then run* around the taxi and board from the other side.

*I did this once and the taxi driver thought I wasn't riding and sped away without me. So run fast.

5. Be Gracious and show a little class! - Say please, thank you, excuse me and sorry. When rushing to enter a train or bus and there's no queue and it's a free-for-all, don't go rushing in and jostling for a spot! Have you ever tried to pause, smile and say "please go ahead m'am." I've seen big and heavy gentlemen use their strength and bulk to successfully jump the queue ahead of the frail and elderly. What an accomplishment.

A lot of guys usually only turn on their gentleman face when trying to impress someone. That's OK! At least that's a good start but remember these five things can be applied to everyone, anywhere. It'll make the world a better place, you may even get to score this Valentine's Day and more aunties will wink at you.

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If you're feeling romantic, you might enjoy my review of Brett Dennen's Desert Sunrise. You can't go wrong with lyrics like: music drips from your lips like sweet sips of a summer's kiss summer raindrops.