Daily graces

“How y’all doing this morning?” said the gentleman as he walked into the elevator. “Fine, thank you” the chorus and me responded, on cue, in unison. Smiles, nods all around. As the doors re-open, I step out and the gents follow. Make no mistake, this requires a certain consciousness. In Asia, where I travel often, the men get out first and I have to hold back. In the Southernness that DC still has, I pay attention and step out quickly. Otherwise, everyone else’s exist is delayed while one dawdles. Such courtesies are luxuries. I remember as a student in Boston, visiting DC and enjoying these graces I had grown up as a child of the South. As I returned to Yankeeland, doors slammed in front of me, left behind in the stampeded out the elevator doors. Graces matter sometimes.