Francis Gay

THE man with the supermarket trolley and the man slouching along with the cleaning cart were on a collision course. The man with the trolley stopped and said: “After you.”

Perhaps thinking the customer should have priority, the man with the cart replied: “No, after you.”

The man with the trolley smiled, walked on, and said: “You, sir, are a gentleman. Thank you.”

And the man with the cleaning cart went about his business, grinning and walking a lot taller.

It’s only my humble opinion, but I think a good definition of a gentleman – or a lady – isn’t someone who is special, but someone who makes those he encounters, whatever their situation, feel better for the meeting. THE lady two in front of me in the coffee shop queue apologised for keeping everyone waiting. As she tried to find the right money to pay for her lunch in a handful of notes and coins she explained that her eyesight wasn’t as good as it used to be.

The young man ahead of me held his hand out and said: “Here, let me help.” She gave him the money, he paid, and returned her “change”.

“I saw that,” I said, after the lady had left the counter.

“You gave her back exactly what she started with, and you paid for her food with your own money.”

“You saw it, did you?” he replied with a smile. “Then you saw me showing my appreciation that I could see well enough to do it.”