The bus pulls up to the stop and the doors
open. I ascend the stairs, give a polite nod to the driver, and turn to face
the aisle. I pause for a minute to assess my situation. The bus is not overcrowded,
but most of the seats are taken. There is an open seat at the front. You know,
the ones for the elderly, disabled, or otherwise less mobile. I would of course
surrender this seat should a man with no legs get on the bus, but really, isn’t
claiming the seat in the first place just pretentious given the multitude of
other places I could sit with my perfectly functioning legs? I mean sure, I went
for a jog yesterday and my calves are a little sore, but I should be grateful that
I am even able to jog.
It is at this moment that I think I may have
paused for too long and should really
take a seat now. I walk the length of the bus weighing my options. There are
open seats, yes, but only ones directly adjacent another occupied seat.
I have to ride eight stops. I don’t want
to sit anybody in, and they’ll certainly be getting off before me. Perhaps I
will just stand. I don’t mind, what with my perfectly functional, albeit
slightly sore legs. But this man here has an open seat next to him. If I stand
he might think I’m avoiding him.
Am I coming off unwelcoming? He’ll think. I
wouldn’t mind if he sat here. Maybe he doesn’t think there is room. I am a pretty
big guy. Now I’m making him stand for the whole bus ride and his calves are
clearly sore. I could see him limping slightly as he walked down the aisle.
I wanted to assure the man that it was
quite alright, and that I didn’t mind standing, but I knew deep down that he
didn’t actually care or probably even realize I was there. A few stops later
the man got off the bus and I took his empty seat. Another stop, and a new man
gets on. As he approaches I readjust my posture, so he’ll know that it is okay
to take a seat next to me if he so chooses. He did not, but instead elected to
stand.
What a jerk.
-AMS
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