Woman refused to give seat to pensioner but people are on her side
We’re all aware of the unwritten rule that dictates giving up your seat to those in need.
Typically, this involves sprightly individuals standing to offer their spot to the elderly. However, pregnant people or those with disabilities might also require seating.
One woman has sparked online debate after she detailed her refusal to vacate her seat for an older lady in a public setting, citing a compelling justification for her decision. The woman recounted receiving disapproving glares from the senior citizen, but upon revealing her reasons, the elder was left utterly speechless.
Recounting the incident on Reddit, the woman narrated how she and her spouse were at their favourite diner for breakfast when they encountered a packed establishment, forcing them to wait in a small waiting area with only a few chairs.
As they waited, two senior couples entered, finding themselves without a place to sit. The woman’s reluctance to stand for one of them earned her a scornful “nasty side-eye” glare, which led her to assertively explain why she was entitled to remain seated.
The revelation was that the woman had recently undergone a breast reduction surgery due to health concerns, leaving her with a tender chest and making prolonged standing exceedingly painful.
She said: “Myself and the other couples tried to politely explain how the queue worked, but one of the elderly women interrupted us by loudly announcing, ‘Well, you should just let my friend sit because of her age, you know,’ then gave me a nasty side-eye, rolled her eyes and shook her head at her friend as if we should all be ashamed of ourselves.
“I finally said, ‘I’m sorry, I would have given you my seat, but I’m still recovering from surgery and can’t stand for long periods of time. I’m sorry.’
“It got VERY quiet until, finally, the same lady said, ‘Well, do you want to sit here-‘ and I just stopped her and replied, ‘No, I’m fine where I am.’ We all waited in silence until it was our turn to be seated.”
Concluding her tale, the woman appealed for empathy amongst her readers, stressing that while normally she wouldn’t hesitate to offer her place, on this occasion, she felt entitled to remain seated due to her circumstances.
A supportive commenter remarked: “Not every disability is visible; even though yours is only temporary, it doesn’t make you any less valid. Hope your recovery goes well.”
Echoing these sentiments, another shared: “As someone with an invisible illness, I feel you. I just keep sitting. It’s less of an issue when I have my cane. Even then, people look surprised, I do not care.”
