April launches a long time dream come true – my inaugural manners, etiquette, and protocol column in a local paper. The focus is on every day situations that beckon us to be on our best behavior while being true to ourselves and always remembering that life success always begins with a genuine concern for others.
Today while at lunch with friends, an appetizer of escargot was ordered. It’s a delicacy and one many lose interest in once they learn it’s snails.
My father didn’t know what they were until I pulled a scene from the movie Pretty Woman out of my pocket. My words were to recall fondly the scene where Vivian was at her first formal dinner and encountered escargot. She carefully executed the proper utensil yet the escargot flew right across the room and she proclaimed, ‘slippery little suckers.’
Today’s lunch brought me home to watch Pretty Woman for the billionth time. And I was reminded again of how many timeless manners and etiquette lessons are in the movie.
From the rude saleswomen who turned her away when she came in to shop to the kind yet direct hotel manager who took her under his wing and groomed her. The tactful store clerk she was referred to who treated her well and the same hotel manager who taught her how to navigate a formal dining table setting. The businessman who reassured her when she was confused about which fork to use when a new one that she hadn’t been trained on was introduced.
Vivian, the female lead played by Julia Roberts, was honest and real – 100% likable despite the fact that she was a street-walking prostitute and out of her element in much of the film. A wealthy businessman appreciated her for who she was, hired her for the week, and ultimately supported her in becoming who she was meant to be.
The movie highlighted the best and worse of manners and etiquette – those who shunned her and made her feel terrible about herself and those who treated her with kindness and care, supporting her in growing into the best version of herself.
What a fabulous movie, a timeless classic! And what incredibly slippery little suckers we savored today with our friends! I’m grateful for the thoughts our lunch evoked and the pleasure of revisiting Pretty Woman this evening.
Treat everyone with kindness, care, and compassion. To treat others well speaks loudly about who you are as a person.
