Calli:
When I'd only been in NC for a few years, I saw a man with his arms full approaching a door. So I opened it for him. He thanked me and we went on with our lives.
Or rather he did. I got to listen to my Southern Belle acquaintance tell me -- at length -- that I shouldn't have done such a thing. A proper lady would never impugn a gentleman's strength and resourcefullness and yadda yadda like that. Besides, and she leaned over to whisper this part, "It's fun to watch 'em struggle." I replied that I'd rather have practical good manners than coded good manners that were really flimsily hidden malice.
It's not entirely amazing that we no longer hang out.