‘I didn’t move seats for two women elderly – their demand baffled me’

Seat disputes can occur anywhere.

When we imagine people squabbling over seats, it’s typically in places where seating is assigned such as on trains, planes, or at the theatre. However, one woman reported being confronted by two elderly ladies at a cafe, who insisted she relocate to another table so they could sit down.

The cafe operates like most others, with seating allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The cafe does not accept reservations and there were numerous free tables both inside and outside the cafe. Nevertheless, the women argued they had a valid reason for wanting her to move.

In a Reddit post, the woman – who is a university student – explained she was studying for an exam at the cafe, which is conveniently located across from her campus. The cafe is primarily frequented by other students, and it’s rare to see older individuals there as it’s recognised as a student hotspot.

On this particular day, the woman chose to study outdoors at a shaded table that still allowed her to enjoy the sunny weather.

However, 45 minutes into her study session, she was approached by two elderly women who bluntly asked if they could take her table – because they didn’t want to sit in the sun.

She penned: “I noticed two older women (probably around 75-78 years old) looking at me and glancing around the coffee shop. It was a bit odd, but I didn’t think much of it at first. They sat down at a table but then got up and started walking toward me, which felt even weirder.

“I figured maybe they wanted an extra chair from my table. Nope. They came up to me and asked if they could sit at my table. I was confused and told them there were plenty of empty tables around, including one right next to mine. But they said, ‘No, we want to sit at this table because the other tables are in the sun, and we don’t want to sit there’.

It took me a second to process this. Were they really expecting me to move so they could have my table while I was clearly studying?”

The woman alleged that the two seniors even roped in a staff member, but the barista sided with her, leading to the disgruntled pair exiting the cafe “clearly annoyed”.

Social media users who read the post were just as perplexed by the elderly duo’s behaviour, with many pointing out that they weren’t obliged to sit outside if they disliked the sunshine.

One commenter remarked: “I would have asked them why they were sitting outside if they didn’t like the sun, and reminded them that there is the whole concept of ‘indoors’ that protects you from the angry hot ball in the sky. My god the nerve of some people just baffles me!”

Another chimed in: “I am old. Manners have no age. They were simply rude. They were rude to disturb you while you were studying. They were kinda crazy to think you should move! I am willing to bet these two ladies thought they were ‘special’ all their lives. Manners are the glue that makes life easier.”