Forcing Civility

Today as I approached the entrance to Barnes and Noble, a man approached the door at about the same distance only from another angle. I could tell that we would arrive at about the same time and that can always be a bit awkward. I considered speeding up or slowing down my pace, but I guess I could not figure out a way to alter my gait in a natural way because I ended up at the door a split second before he—not the result I would have decided upon. “Why would there even be a decision to make here?” you may be wondering and, fortunately for you, here I will offer an explanation:

I did not like the idea of speeding up because it seemed sort of rude, unfriendly, I’m-an-independent-American-woman-and-I-don’t-need-interaction-with-other-humans-ish, or something like that. Rather, I would have preferred to arrive behind him at such a point that he would have the freedom to wait and hold the door for me or to go in on his own without appearing uncivil.

So speeding up was not an option, but for some reason I did not have presence of mind to fain searching in my purse or some distraction of that sort to slow my approach, and not only that, I decided--despite my early arrival to the entrance--that I wanted him to open the door for me. So there I was at the door before him and yet I just stood there when a normal person would have reached out her hand to grab the handle. He did open the door for me, and I smiled and said thank-you very politely and proceeded to open the second door myself, but I can’t help wondering what this man thought of my insistence of gentility.

So, what do you think? Was it rude of me to not only expect but almost force this stranger to open the door for me? Or did I do the world a service by not allowing an opportunity for civility to pass by? Men, what would you have thought of such a girl? Ladies, can you relate?

PS
I wonder if this entry sheds light on why I'm so indecisive?