staring contest

I fought my way onto a crowded train this morning, with just enough room so I could wedge in and stand in front of a row of seats. I am starting to get huge and unwieldy, and it normally takes about one second for someone to get up for me. Today, though, I was in front of two young professional men, about 30 years old, one wearing a wedding band and one not. They wore dress pants and some form of blue/white patterned dress shirts, both sitting down. Neither was reading or listening to headphones, and both sat there and watched me approach, remaining firmly in their seats. I looked at them, and they looked at me, and as we entered into this staring contest, they each had about five more seconds before I started giving them hell about not bothering to get up.

I was so busy being annoyed at them, it took me a second to notice the guy down the row from them. He was about 50 years old, no wedding band, dressed in a very nice suit, carrying a briefcase, listening to headphones and reading a paper. Even through the headphones and the newspaper, he had noticed the other two guys keeping their seats. He went out of his way to get up for me and clear a path so that I could get over and sit down.

With a final glare at the two guys sitting down, I made my way over, grinned at the guy who got up, and started to thank him. He didn't even wait for thanks -- he nodded, smiled kindly and moved away to a place where he had room enough to stand.

I held back from hollering at the other two that they should pay attention and learn a thing or two. I really wanted to, but somehow I managed to keep my trap shut for once.