Tales from the Subway

[ceebeegee]

So this morning I'm on the 1 train which took forever to come and as a result was very crowded. This happens every so often, the trains just back up or something. We all squeeze in and stand there--one guy gets on at 125th with a HUGE backpack--on his back, which is smacking into people who are giving him glares. Somebody snotted "Why don't you take that off?" and he said (nicely) "well, I would but then it would be on people's feet." I refrained from pointing out, the way to do that is to put it on your OWN feet and hold it with your knees. Because dude, it is hitting people. We suffered until 96th Street, which is when I can usually get a seat because everyone transfers over to the express trains there. I sit down in one of the disabled/elderly seats and start reading. Now last night I was riding home and a young-ish (20s) woman was in one of those seats, and a guy came on with a cane and was leaning against the door at the end of the train (so, right near her, because those seats are at the end of the car). I noticed he was looking at her from time to time, and then he started lifting his cane in what seemed to me a rather pointed manner. She never noticed though, and it wasn't because she was in her own world--she was chatting away gaily with a friend of hers about 2 feet away from the cane guy. Now, I don't know if he was deliberately trying to get her attention--in which case, dude, just say "could I please have that seat?" rather than just hoping she'll notice--but I still thought she was tacky.

Well, this morning I'm in the hot seat, reading, and I look around every now and then to see if there are any disabled/elderly people who need a seat. It's all good until 66th Street--a woman gets on and stands right in front of me, and she looks to be a little pregnant. That is, she appeared to be "sticking out" in front, she had a slight bulge--it was difficult to tell though, because she had on a coat. We look at each other a couple of times (and she was right in front of me) so I start feeling like...am I missing something? Should I offer her a seat? So finally I say "Excuse me, would you like my seat?" She looks down at me for a second. One word. "No." (Not rudely or angrily, but shortly.) Oh man. I guess she wasn't pregnant. Oh MAN. Awkward. I felt my face go red and I just blushed until, mercifully, 50th Street came up. Of course we BOTH got off on that stop.

Comments

[wonderpanther.livejournal.com]

I offered an (obviously) pregnant woman my seat on the bus and she yelled at me.

Also, I regularly ride the train with a huge backpack. I take it off my back and put it between by legs. It is too heavy to hold in the air, but that way, I protect it with my legs and no one gets hit.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

OMG, she yelled? That's inexcusable. I read the Washing Post chats all the time there's always someone on the Roads and Rails chats who says people should offer their seat to pregnant women and others in need. Not just give it up if asked but offered. Poeple need to agree what we al should do!

Yeah, see you know what to do with a big backpack. It's not that hard, guys.