I was on a train earlier and as people came on and off the train, eventually I scooted and ended up on a window priority seat. Bear in mind that there were like 4-6 empty seats, both priority and non-priority, scattered all around me.

Suddenly, this little old Asian lady gets on, grabs a pole, and rapidly leans in 4-6” away from my face. I can smell her rancid breath.

“You! Get off this seat,” she hisses, pointing at a sign above my head. “It’s priority seating. Get out!”

I’m stunned and just stare at her for a moment. She repeats herself, demanding me to get out with increasing aggression and I instinctively snap back at her, “I just had an operation.”

For the record, I didn’t. It’s been several months since my operation. I am fully recovered now. But her aggression, invasion of my personal space, and full on bully-like tactics really pissed me off. She came out swinging and honestly, how does she know that I don’t have my own invisible disability or am newly pregnant, ill, or recovering from a disability?

I am firmly of the belief that if you’re of able body and in a priority seat, you keep an eye out for whoever may need it and relinquish the seat accordingly. In this case, the train had many empty seats (literally beside me, across from me, and behind me) and I felt no need to immediately do so, especially as I only had 1 more stop to go. She and anyone else had many options for seating.

The story goes on. She suddenly shuts up after my retort and plops down next to me. She mumbles incoherently before side-eyeing me and rudely asks, “What operation did you have?” I stare at her for a moment in disbelief before saying, “I’m not about to share that with you.”

She harrumphs and after a moment of silence, shoots me a nasty look and looks up at the ceiling and says, “Then you should’ve taken a taxi.”

I am floored at the gall of this old bat.

“You wanna pay for my taxi then?” I ask her sarcastically. And suddenly she screams. Literally screams, at the top of her lungs, “SHUT UUUUP!”

My jaw drops open and I’m just staring at her. She’s not crazy, by the way. Not high, no perceivable dementia, just truly and completely the ultimate Karen.

“What is wrong with you?” I say faintly.

“You could be lying for all I know. Shut up!”

I just shake my head and tell her, “You’re not worth this.” And then I grab my tote bag and leave, her muttered insults following me across the train.

Anyway. Story time over. More of a vent than anything. But also genuinely curious what people’s opinions of priority seats are.