"personal" space

usually, the sandals-with-socks types on the gold line aren't the type to instigate.  of course, they usually don't have a du-rag on nor do they usually sport red with white polka-dot manicures either.  they do usually sit in the handicapped/elderly seats, though, which is where this particular sandals-with-socks was sitting.

since i sit all day at work, sometimes i stand for the trip even though seats are open.  i grab one of them poles you're supposed to grab when you're standing, you know, for the safety of yourself and others.  it happens to be one that sandals-with-socks was sitting next to.  i didn't think anything unusual was going on, just staring out the windows like i usually do.  suddenly, a "PFFFFTTT!!" forceful enough to send spit-icles into the air comes from sandals-with-socks, accompanied by some arm-waving.

"what's the problem?" i ask.

"uuhh!" she exclaims, throwing her arms down in frustration.

"what's the problem?" i ask again, thinking something was genuinely wrong, like something had spilled out of my bag onto her.

"could you BACK UP!?" she tells me.  this was just plain odd to me because with the exception of my arm and hand, the rest of my body was at least half a foot, if not a full foot from the pole i was grabbing.

so, i say, "i gotta hold on to one of these to make sure i don't fall."

"go hold that one over there," she tells me.

"but then i'm in that guy's space," i said, not thinking such a simple statement would actually end the conversation.

she's on her phone with someone and says, "can you see what i'm dealing with?"  up to this point, i couldn't hear a thing she was saying, so i guess she was raising her voice.  she got so frustrated with the fact that i wouldn't move, she said, "fine.  i'll get the next train," which she did.

another gentleman was getting off.  he smiled at me and said, "good luck."

thinking back on it, that was a weird thing to say, but the look on his face and his body language was positive, so i just said, "thanks."

socks-with-sandals said something, emphasizing one of the words with a point directed at me.  i honestly couldn't hear her, so i just smiled, waved and said, "have a nice day," as the doors closed.

i got some congratulations about taking the high road from the guy who was sitting next to the pole that socks-with-sandals would've preferred for me to stand next to.  i'm grateful that people appreciated what i did, but i can't help thinking something went gravely wrong in socks-with-sandals' life and she could use some real help.