Been on a train lately?

I have been real busy lately... and so I thought I should take a break by posting a commentary on behaviours in the train.

The train's my main transport daily to and from work and every morning, I wonder if it's the day I'm gonna get lucky and someone will offer Lucas and I a seat. But I have come to realise and accept that graciousness is pretty dead and chivalry is definitely extinct. On a count of 10 rides weekly(2 rides per working day), I'm offered a seat maybe twice a week. 20% is not too bad I supposed. On some weeks, I stand throughout. Never mind that I'm big-bellied, lugging a big backpac and a squirming 3-year-old, who laments incessantly through the ride that he is tired. No one takes notice of him, or me. They are either too busy reading the papers, playing PSP, pretending to sleep or *gasp* studying the bible. To these pious few, I had to bite my tongue and refrain from saying something ungodly.

One of my colleagues commented that no-one owes me a seat and they are not obliged to give me one. Absolutely true. I do not expect nor do I demand for one. But it would be a nice start to a day to know that there's still some graciousness left (even if it's with stickers on the train walls reminding us). I remembered people giving up their seats willingly and with a smile in the past. What happened from then to now that made people not only less friendly, but less kind too? It's a multi-billion dollar campaign question I supposed,... wonder which Ministry looks into this now... hmmm...

And that's not all the ugly behaviour I see. Just 2 evenings ago, Lucas and I were standing in front of this well-heeled executive (he was wearing a nice watch, crisp shirt and a carrying a really branded bag) and he was busy picking his nose! Not only that, he was happily flicking, yup, flicking his precious digs into space! I promptly pulled clueless Lucas aside, lest we get some unwanted 'blessings'. After he was done with ravaging the right pit, he proceeded to the left... totally disregarding the people about! Incredible! No wonder there was this huge gap in front of him. This lady standing nearby, muttered to me, "Disgusting!" and gave a shudder. Disgusting is an understatement. I can think of nauseating, abominable, vile, sickening, revolting, , abhorrent, which would give more credit to his act.

Then there was this lady who gave me a lashing on how I should 'handle' Lucas. Lucas was in one of his tantrums and I refused to give in to his demands just becos he thought whining and crying in public would get him his way. This particular lady was upset that I had, and I quote, "intruded on (her) audio space" while she was trying to read. She also shared, in a less than poilte way, that her 2 daughters are impeccably well-behaved in public, unlike my unruly little brat. Of course, I acknowledged my imperfection, thanked her for her wisdom and congratulated her on being a wonderful mother... No seriously, I did.

I only hope I'm bringing Lucas up well enough that he retains the sense of chivalry that he now has and that he would continue to give up his seat to pregnant ladies, old people and people with babies in arms. Right now, he is charming my young, pretty colleagues by offering to take their bags for them.