Trains and British people.
It's Friday, people should usually be more happy than usual so you would think slightly more forgiving on public transport.
However, as I travel into work this morning there is a packed train- not a seat in site BUT then I spot it.
You know what I mean, right?
A real champion amongst numpties has decided to sit on the outside seat (aisle seat)- reserving the other seat for his bag. I immediately decide I'm going to ask for that seat. After all, logic dictates that on a busy train with people having to stand, you don't give a seat to your bag if you remotely resemble a decent human being?
I get closer- I say "excuse me am I okay to use that seat"- but we've got a clever one here.
He's got his ****ing headphones in, reading the paper.
I've got that awkward two-second decision to make now. Do I tap him when he is 'mid-newspaper read'?
There's also half of the coach now looking at me like I'm some sort of Spartan of the early morn commute, all fully intrigued by what the outcome will be for this brave man who has dared to challenge the bag w-anker.
I go ahead, he gets the shoulder tap. There are eyes lit up across the carriage.
He begrudgingly stands up, moves the bag, and I can sit down. Begrudgingly! As if I'M the mental one! I'm in, and the relief is huge.
However, I'm getting looks from passengers like I have just stolen the mans dinner money. I'm getting the "have I just actually seen that?" eyes from the dated suit and tired eyes of your Monday-Friday IT-maintenance worker (**** it- we are stereotyping now it's too late)
What have we become? No one speaks to one another. Everyone's on phones or wearing headphones. And we're so ****ing insular that we even sit on the outside seat o a packed train to ignorantly put our bags on the inner to prevent the possibility of even having to entertain a human to human communication.
Welcome to Britain- at times the most bizarre country on Earth.
