I always make a point to not sit in a seat where it is written that you have to give it up to the elderly or disabled. It has been a practice for long, so I can avoid the effort of giving it up when a need arises. That being said I amhonestly not a person who always gives up a normal seat in the first instance I see someone needy. I always look around slowly to see if someone will give up theirs. And luckily for me, always there has been a good samaritan who comes along before me and I have managed to keep my ass stuck onto the seat I love to rest it on.

Well today was different. I was on my morning trip to San Francisco on the BART, as usual sitting in a normal seat which you need not give up by city law. Two stops into the journey, I could see two women get in and both had a 4 year old each along with them. The moment they came next to me I like a coward hid myself, soul, eyes and head in the book I had open (I hate reading standing up). Then I see that in a near by seat a guy gets up becomes a Good Samaritan and gives up his seat.

I silently say “Yes” One more to go and I can keep my ass on the seat till San Francisco. I wait, and I wait; no one anywhere moves an inch, they don’t even notice, or at least seems so. I sneak my eyes from the book and look at the kid, I did not want to lift my head much so others could see that I have recognized the situation. I look at the kid and go back to my book. One more line and I feel so heavy at heart and can’t bear to concentrate on what I read. I wait for one more minute glaring at the book, while consciously looking for a second Good Samaritan near by. This one minute for me felt like a whole hour. The kid started fidgeting and the mom carries her.

That was it; I stand up unable to bear it any more; There was finally a limit to the selfish ass in me I guess. I nod to the mom and point to the seat with a smile. She thankfully smiles without knowing that I was till a moment ago the last man who would have ever given up his seat. But then that is what life is, it only takes a moment for you to change to what the world wants you to be.