seats

i don't love travelling by bus. its often awkward with people getting up and down - and when the driver slams on the brakes you sometimes fly forward into the person near you, or at least have your shoulder yanked on pretty good.

the metro is the same way (often worse). its faster cause you don't have traffic jams - but if its a peak travel time, you better brace yourself for total lack of personal space (and lack of respect as well).

i'm okay with people being close to me when its crowded - but recently i've had very little tollerance for the lack of a personal bubble. i mean, if there's empty space 2 feet from you, why do you need to stand right next to me?!?!

sound reducing head-phones help (just block it all out)
and so do books (if there's room - at rush times its too hard to try to read).

the other day was on the metro. there is a ladies section in each car on the metro. men can sit there if there are no women standing (which is almost never). it happens to be a huge pet peeve of mine when men stand in the ladies section (unless they are with someone, and even then, i don't love it). i could go on and on about the things that annoy me on the metro (like when someone sits down when there really isn't room - there's like 6 inches of space on the bench, they tell you to "shift" and then sit on your lap...but that's a story for another day).

the car wasn't very crowded, and both sheila and i got seats. a few stops later a man got on who was clearly ill. and squated down near the door. the lady next to me got up, and gave her seat to the man. i couldn't believe it. i mean, people fight for seats on the metro. if a seat opens up its like a mad rush to be the first one to sit down. don't be surprised if you get pushed out of the way for a seat. people are always jockying for the best place to stand so they can squeeze in and get a seat. its like survival mode...for seats on the metro. no one offers seats to anyone. people fight to get seats for themselves. i was amazed that this woman gave up her seat. for a man no less...in the ladies section.

i was worried that other ladies would make him get up - but there was this sense of respect. "the guy is sick. let him sit" it may sound really harsh, but i am not used to seeing people care about others here.

and then today, i was riding the bus home from church. it was crowded. i didn't love it. travelling by bus costs about 1/1o of what a cab ride would cost, but you do sacrifice comfort and personal space...(and the state of your heart/peace of mind on a bad day) a seat opened up near me, but there was a man standing in front of it. i just figured he'd sit down. but he didn't. he motioned to the seat, and indicated that he wanted me to sit. seriously, i couldn't believe it...but i was so thankful.

it's the little things. a seat on a bus. someone giving up their seat on the metro.

thanks sir - whoever you are, for that seat on the bus today. it made my day!