kvetch \KVECH\, intransitive verb: To complain habitually. noun: 1. A complaint 2. A habitual complainer.
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Walking Into Chulent

by DK

After talking a little, a woman educated in Boro Park waits for myself and a friend to walk into chulent.

“It’s okay, Miriam,” I said. “We aren’t haredim. Women can go first.”

18 comments

1 Sarah/froylein { 02.01.08 at 10:40 am }

Did you hold the door open for her?

2 DK { 02.01.08 at 10:45 am }

I did! Because I am a sheigetz like that.

3 Sarah/froylein { 02.01.08 at 10:54 am }

Makes my heart melt. :)

4 mohammed { 02.01.08 at 11:39 am }

Why do you think that ladies first is any better than men first? they’re both gender discriminatory.

5 DK { 02.01.08 at 11:51 am }

Because it seemed she felt she was supposed to go in after us.

6 mohammed { 02.01.08 at 12:10 pm }

I don’t see the difference between her prejudices and yours.

7 Sarah/froylein { 02.01.08 at 12:35 pm }

mohammed, bisti fun Brooklyn?

Women feel charmed by men going out of their way for them. We want knights in shining armour - those knew their ways in battle as well as in courting. :)
Though this year’s a leap year, which means that over here gender roles are reversed for the year being.

8 mohammed { 02.01.08 at 1:08 pm }

If you like being patronized that’s fine.
But complaining about gender discrimination and then going and doing the same in reverse is illogical.

9 cipher { 02.01.08 at 1:13 pm }

Mohammed,

It’s elementary politeness. Because men are already dominant, and this is a way to make some small attempt to counteract the selfishness and aggression programmed into us by evolution and culture. Because it’s a distinguishing characteristic of a gentleman. Because it doesn’t cost you anything.

10 DK { 02.01.08 at 1:14 pm }

“Because it doesn’t cost you anything.”

This is why even Orthodox Jews should consider it, mohammed.

11 mohammed { 02.01.08 at 1:39 pm }

From what I understood from my feminist friends, it’s sexist and patronizing. I prefer to be pc and not an anachronistic “gentleman”.

12 Sarah/froylein { 02.01.08 at 2:10 pm }

mohammed, I’m as emancipated as it gets, which, to me, includes the understanding of how men and women feel differently. I don’t need language-spoiling political correctness to assure me of my femininity. Women enjoy being courted, men enjoy savoury food and not being shrieked at. :)

13 suitepotato { 02.01.08 at 4:08 pm }

I hold the door for men or women, so am I discriminating against myself?

14 TM { 02.01.08 at 4:36 pm }

It goes like this: men open the door for women so that they may enter first; women follow men up the stairs so that they may stare at his fine bottom and not the other way around.

15 Miriam Henya { 02.02.08 at 6:44 pm }

For the record I did not think you were supposed to go first. Even the “ghetto queen’s” chareidi upbringing didn’t sink in that far. My thinking was that there was no more reason for anyone to go in first, but that it was quite sweet of DK to let me go first. Especially since it was so freezing.

And while on the subject of who’s supposed to do what for whom, didn’t I light your cigarette for you?

16 aaron { 02.02.08 at 7:01 pm }

As a typical male, I always let the woman go first, because I like looking at butts. It’s a shame that haredim don’t let themselves experience this pleasure.

17 cipher { 02.02.08 at 7:09 pm }

As a typical male, I always let the woman go first, because I like looking at butts. It’s a shame that haredim don’t let themselves experience this pleasure.

Shush! Don’t tell them the real reason!

18 Sarah/froylein { 02.02.08 at 10:18 pm }

Aaron, dare I ask, how close do you usually walk up resp. how tall are you?

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