"The surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools" - Doug Larson
I like when people give up their seats to the elderly or ill on trains. Often I'll see an old and obviously distressed person who is clearly struggling to reach and hold onto the bars while the train careens through the tunnels. At the same time, I'll typically find a row of mostly young men and women, seated, ignoring the situation. I can never tell if this is a situation of people being selfish and rude, or being truly aloof. It's hard to tell, without asking I guess...maybe next time I'll decide to delve into their douchebaggery and conduct citizen surveys while riding.
I know some people feel too bad for themselves to pry their asses off the seats. They had a long day of work, and were fortunate enough to snag a place to sit, especially on the commuter trains. I can sympathize, many times I've felt the sweet relief in my knees and feet after a long day trudging around the city. This is when the act of kindness is done begrudgingly, but it is still necessary for a general working order or human beings to exist. Old people sit, young people stand...it's easy. If my knees hurt now, I can easily find the compassion to put myself in their shoes, and sincerely hope when I'm at that advanced age a younger person would help me out.
To the aloof section of the population. The ones who stay seated due to social parities based on where they're from, or a general lack of knowledge in concepts of social graces. I give slightly more of a free pass to these people, you can't blame ignorance. But, if you ride the train more than 3 times and see what's happening around you and can't adapt, then you should be brought behind the barn and wacked with a shovel. Like a groundhog making holes in a farmers field.
It's a small thing, I know. But a microcosm of some of the selfishness and self-absorption that's rampant these days.
Sometimes I like to wear a fake mustache on the train. Just to assess peoples' reactions, and give myself a comically imposed superiority to the other riders. It's good fun, and one time Alex R. walked by me in the tunnel and didn't recognize me. Mission accomplished.
Love,
The eggplant shaped man who occasionally updates this blog.
