Boiling Point and the Good in the World

Pretty much every morning, I stop by a bakery before work to get that good milk tea. It just so happened one morning that I was running late for work (I usually try to get there 10 minutes early). Normally, the lady hands back change before I get my drink. I gave her a $20, took my drink, and went off to work. Something missing? Yeah, I forgot to take my change. That's $20 for a $2 drink. It wasn't until 2 hours later when I looked in my wallet that I realized what happened.

Here's where the nasty takes over my mind. I assumed that since they were Chinese ladies, they would be stingy with this kind of situation. It has happened before when I was younger. My mom went back to a restaurant demanding that they give her back the proper amount of change and they denied ripping us off. Long story short: older Chinese people don't play games when it comes to money.

I was formulating all these situations in the case they denied not giving me back change. I was ready to break out some advance Chinese on them to stick it to them that I wasn't going to be messed with. I had all these nasty words ready to be unleashed. I was ready to point at the cameras and tell them to check everything. I was ready to explode.

On my break, I walked back to the bakery and approached the counter. I first calmly, yet had a hint of anger in my voice, explained the situation. To my complete surprise, the lady smiled and told me she remembered me. She said I walked away before she could go get the change for me. I smiled and apologized. She gladly gave me back the $18 that I was supposed to receive. I thanked her like four times on my way out.

It wasn't until I left that I realized what a terrible person I am. I thought the worst in humanity and didn't once think of God's love in others. I put my head down in shame that I was taken over by these wicked thoughts.

God is good. Always.

Chivalry and Independent Women

Let me say this now. Chivalry is not dead.

It's not that all guys are forgetting to be prince charming. Sure you may have your pick of guys who do not hold the door open for the ladies or pull their chairs out for them. But trust me when I say this. Guys are normally all for being chivalrous to girls, especially if that guy has an interest in you.

Chivalry didn't die. It's being stuffed in a bag and being tossed aside as old-school. Girls these days don't want to be a liability. They want equal treatment. Again, I can't say all girls. I know so many girls who would hop at the first chance to pay for their own bill. If a guy is willing to pay for your bill, why shoot him down? This is why girls think chivalry is dying. You girl will not give us that chance. My sister once asked me whether she should split the bill or let the guy pay when she went on her first date with her first boyfriend. That kind of mentality is what's putting chivalry in the backseat.

Let the guy treat you to the first dinner. Let him pay for your movie ticket. As you two progress through your relationship, you can work out who pays for that date. But the guys want to be that manly man. Don't laugh at our pride and pay your half of the bill. If we insist, just be grateful and enjoy yourself.