Here is my little story: Jason and I often ride the train to work together. It's about an hour to work and most of the ride we are on the same train. This morning, as with many mornings, there was only one seat when we got on the train, so I took it. When this happens, we usually just wait for a person on either side of me to get up so that Jason can sit down. Depending on where Jason is standing in relation to the open seat, sometimes I scoot over into the unoccupied seat and Jason takes my seat.
So this morning, we were in this exact situation. We had been on the train for about 20 minutes when the girl sitting next to me stood up to get off at 125th street. Because of where Jason was standing, I scooted over into her seat. Now, there was another guy standing in front of where she was sitting. He was just an average guy, though on the big and burly side, probably in his 30s and apparently in good health. I honestly thought nothing of him until I had scooted over and Jason had taken my seat and this guy became obviously angry. He gave me kind of a dirty look, huffed a little and took off for the other side of the train. Ok, whatever, I didn't think it was that big of a deal.
Three stops later, I hear a knock on the window behind me, turn around that this guy is giving me the finger and a very dirty look! Seriously??? He was so angry that someone else got "his" seat that he bottled that anger up, located where I was sitting on the train, and then took the energy to knock on my window and give me a mean gesture! I don't get it.
Of course, being the sensitive soul that I am, I was instantly upset by this and even got a few little tears in my eyes. I started second-guessing myself, trying to figure out if there is some subway etiquette of which, in my five plus years riding the subway, I am still unaware. But no, there isn't. And, I'm pretty sure that any other person travelling with a companion would do the same thing - in fact, I have seen many others do the same thing and I don't fault them. Unless there is a person standing around who obviously needs a seat (ie pregnant woman, elderly, sickly, or injured person), why shouldn't the seated person's friend get the seat?
So, after my moment of sensitivity, I have come to the conclusion that many people in NYC have a lot of anger and sometimes they take it out on other unnecessarily. However, I am officially done bearing the brunt of this anger and am ready to be in the amenable, hospitable environment of the great Northwest! Just a few more weeks to go...
