Chivalry

I get on a busy train and there are two people sitting in the spot for seniors and people with disabilities: a 23 year old on his phone and a 60+ Asian woman.

He looks up, looks at my cane, looks back at his phone. 

She looks up, looks at me, looks at him, back at me, an pops up spryly and beckons me to her seat. 

I refuse. She has earned it and doesn't know the cane right now is only precautionary in case I tweak it. 

You want to talk about a woman who doesn't take "No" for an answer? Holy crap.. I'm practically shoved into the seat by her all the while I am mumbling, "thank you," in my dazed state.

She says nothing to the young man who is still on his phone beside me. Every now and then I see her look over at the top of his bowed head. I can only see pity for his lack of good raising. She doesn't blame him so much as she does his parents, it seems.

I locked eyes with her and nodded to her and smiled. She smiled broadly back at me.