Mr. Manners Comes to the Rescue

Someone heard the sweet cry of damsels in distress and he came swiftly, gallantly, astride his strong white stallion.  This knight in shining armor is James Henry II.  Thanks to my friend Sara Damelio, I was sent to this much needed website: http://www.gallantryguide.com/.  Henry’s book is being launched Wednesday but you can check out this site prior.  It’s all about the rules of being a mannered, civil, gallant, well poised, polite, chivalrous gentleman.

I’m distraught that I’m even going to admit this outside my inner circle, but here goes.  This last year I’ve been on some of the worst dates, purely because these men lacked simple manners.  It completely floored me.  Some displayed acts that left me wondering what barn they were raised in and others made comments on first dates which would send their mothers into a state of shock.  I even had gentlemen friends witness some of these behaviors that left them with their mouths hanging.  Sure, it was fodder for laughs later, but still, we all were wondering: Whatever happened to the “gentleman”?

After a few of these dates, a girlfriend told me, “You know, you’d be doing a lot of women a favor if you just bullet marked all of the ridiculously rude, insanely crazy things he did and said in an email and sent it to him.  But do it in a polite, yet matter of fact way. Say, XX, the reason why I will never go out with you again is for the following.  Then you just wish him luck and hope that he is smart enough to figure it out.  You aren’t doing it for him, you are doing it for the next female he encounters.”

“No, don’t do that,” my male friend countered.  “He’s old enough to know better. If he hasn’t figured it out now by now, he doesn’t want to.  That’s just who he is and it’s not your problem.”  I took the easy way out and chose to never talk to the antagonists again.

Henry thinks that the easy way out isn’t always best.  With his website, ladies, after the date from hell or even the one that leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, you can anonymously let your knight in filthy armor know he’s just that yet in the most polite sense.  Not only can you send him what rule he broke or line he crossed so that he is educated for the next lady who enters his life, if he so requires, you can actually send him the entire book on etiquette and courtship.  All anonymously of course.

Thank you Mr. James Henry II, on behalf of the many disgruntled females on the planet (believe me, have you seen Facebook and all of the dating advice sites lately?) you are doing us all a favor. And I must say, it really makes one appreciate the REAL gentlemen in one’s life (including my brothers and my father).  And you know who you are.

Want to meet Mr. Henry to thank him in person?  Here’s the schedule:

Book release and signing event for The Laws of Love: A Guide to Gallantry, with Washington, DC writer and filmmaker James Henry

Wednesday, February 10th, 6-8pm @ ACKC Cocoa Bar
Saturday, February 13th, 5:30-7:30pm @ Reston Tasting Room,
Sunday, February 14th, 2:30-4:30pm @ Reston Tasting Room
Sunday, February 14th, 5:30-7:30pm @ Friendship Heights Tasting Room

ACKC Cocoa Bar: 1529 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005. 202.387.2626
The Tasting Room Friendship Heights: Wisconsin Place (alley beside Bloomingdales in Friendship Heights), 5530A Western Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815
The Tasting Room Reston: Town Center, 1816 Library St. Reston, VA 20190
[Book, Wine & Chocolate Specials all Week]