Chivalry: a lost art!

Okay, will anyone tell me whether there is a Kinyarwanda word for gentleman? Goodness! I am totally in shock at the number of rude and rough men in the country! Chivalry is as foreign to them as a Ugandan rolex (chapatti and eggs)! Before you think I complain a lot, I will tell you that I have experienced this first hand. Yes, I am a victim of ungentlemanly behavior.First, there is the case of the taxis. It is apparent that some areas in Kigali get more public transport than others. That should not be a problem as life goes on. However, the situation deteriorates when men (and I mean men) start fighting with ladies to get a seat. Of course we all need to get to our places of work on time but can’t we do it civilly? Today I witnessed a man shoving his elbow in a woman’s face because she was getting in the way! That is so wrong, at least to well bred members of society.Again, there is the case of men in cars. For Pete’s sake, it is late and he does society a favour by offering a lift to a scantily clad young woman. Of course the men with her want to get in the car too. It’s like being a philanthropist! If that is too much, he doesn’t have to be so nasty about it! I was on my way home at 10:00pm - well dressed. I got a lift as soon as I got to the main road, and sighed in relief! I was with male workmates, and they made an attempt to get into the Pajero on my invitation as I thought the man had room to take two more.The guy became a curse-mobile! I swear the string of epithets from his mouth could have made a dozen necklaces! I managed to hear “dogs” and that was the most decent insult. Of course we all got out but I was scarred for life!Yesterday I witnessed an act that would make the gods of gentility cringe in despair! Two young schoolboys passed an old lady, and not only did they NOT greet her (I greet senior citizens), they simply were not aware of her existence. The bigger one knocked her with his gigantic shoulder and she stumbled and almost fell! They finally saw that and instead of apologizing they took off. Thanks to Ivan and Zoe (the couple! Yes, I’m still hating) the old lady did not fall but she said something that left me worried for the next generation.“Abagabo barashize!” which loosely translated means “All the men are finished!” I wondered, if people say that the “beautiful ones are not yet born” and this lady says that all men are done, what are we left with? Beautiful caricatures of humanity?