Worlds Collide on BART


Photo by rosebennet

We’ve all been on BART at Civic Center when the train is suddenly overcome with hordes of pushing, squiggling symphony-, ballet-, and opera-goers. Hell, many of us have been the ones dressed to the nines, squeezing our way into crowded BART cars.

Alan over at SF Weekly was on such a BART ride recently, and retells the following story of mounting tension:

Ranters: Retiree clutching a theater program and wearing a denim dress; her gentleman companion; a guy sitting nearby reading Mother Jones.

Location: BART train leaving Civic Center Station

The Rant:
[Denim-Dress Woman and her gentleman companion press into a train that’s busier than you would expect at this hour. They look for a place to sit but find nothing.]

Denim-Dress Woman: Not even one person offers a seat. That’s the modern world, I guess.

Gentleman Companion: What about that one?

[He points to the rear of the train, where a young man is sprawled out across two seats.]

Denim-Dress Woman: [Whispering] Isn’t it awful?

Gentleman Companion: [Also whispering] If he’s okay, it’s awful.

Denim-Dress Woman: He is okay, right?

Gentleman Companion: If he is, he should scoot over.

Denim-Dress Woman: He’s fine. Some of them just do that, that’s all. It shows the world they’re important. [The doors open. More people pack in.] Someone really should offer a seat, though.

Yeah, us too. Click over to SF Weekly to read the conclusion to this gripping story.

2 comments

  • BBnet3000

    Agreed about the people who take up two seats, but why did they expect someone to offer one? Were they senior age?

  • Heather

    The link takes you to the whole story, at the top it does mention that the women is a retiree.

    When I was a kid I would have people ask me for my seat when I was NOT in the front of the bus. Often these people were older but did not look like a senior citizen. I would give in but be irritated that this person was picking on me because I was a kid. I do hate it when I see people give their kid (lets say 5 and under) their own seat while sitting at the front of the bus. WHY NOT PUT THE KID ON YOUR LAP?

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