Do's and Don'ts of Door-Opening

There are few situations more awkward than being faced with deciding between holding a door for someone and letting it close on their outstretched arm. If you're leaving a department store, it's not as terrible since you're likely never to see this person again. But if you're unfortunate enough to work in an office building, the face you crush could potentially be approving your time off someday! So, let's get into some guidance on opening a door for someone else...and how to react when it's done for you.

 This guy surely had ulterior motives, but at least he was polite.

Mouthing "thank you" is not cool

Why do people think that silently moving their lips to the words "thank you" qualifies as gratitude. It doesn't. You have a tongue for a reason (well, for multiple reasons). Use it. Don't be afraid to be polite. Be afraid to be an asshole.

Don't make me run

If I'm three steps behind you, holding the door for me is a no-brainer. But if I'm across the street, on my phone, looking at my feet, please don't hold the door. It's like when my doctor tells me to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Your friend's "thanks" doesn't cover you

We've all been there. You try holding the door for one person, then their buddy follows closely behind. Then, it's as if all of Osama Bin Laden's siblings got let out of a station wagon. You find yourself collecting tips, playing a role you didn't sign up for. And only the first one through so much as thanked you. Unacceptable. We're all responsible for expressing gratitude. This goes triple for the jerks walking through the open door while on their cell phone.

Make eye contact

I've been guilty of not following my own advice on this one, but it's basic human decency to look someone in the eye when they're doing you a favor (or when you're doing them a favor). And if they happen to be cross-eyed or have one eye that's looking somewhere over your left shoulder, pick the eye that's most centered and stare lovingly. It makes a difference.

Thanks for reading.

-Joe DeProspero
jdeprospero@gmail.com
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