Seated But Not Defeated

(I’m hobbling around on crutches after surgery, and my foot is in a plaster cast nearly to my knee. Naturally I tend to plop myself down on the first available seat on the bus — the seats reserved for the handicapped that face outward instead of forward — and tuck my crutches to my side. A woman gets on the bus at the next stop, spots me, and sighs.)

Woman: *very loudly* “WELL, D***, NOW SOMEONE’S GOT MY SEAT.”

Me: *startled, slightly confused, I offer a small smile and go back to my book*

Woman: *even louder* “HEY. YOU. GET UP. THAT’S MY SEAT!”

(I realize she’s talking to me and glance up again. She stomps on my good foot, knocks into my crutches, and kicks my cast. I yelp in pain.)

Person Next To Me: “Lady, knock it off! She has every right to sit here.”

Me: “What the hell is wrong with you?! You kicked my bad leg because you want to sit here?!”

Woman: “THAT’S. MY. SEAT.”

Me: “Seats are not assigned on a PUBLIC BUS. Go sit somewhere else. There are plenty of seats open.”

Driver: “What’s going on?”

Woman: *shrieking* “SHE HAS MY SPOT! THAT’S MY SPOT! MAKE HER MOVE!”

Person Next To Me: “This crazy b**** kicked this young lady and started yelling!”

Driver: “Lady, if you don’t leave her alone I’ll kick you off. Either sit down somewhere else and shut up, or I call the cops and have them haul you off. Your choice.”

Woman: “I can’t BELIEVE THIS! I’m just trying to RIDE THIS BUS AND YOU ARE ALL BULLYING ME!”

(She tried to grab me, but I grabbed one of my crutches and whacked her arm before she could, which made her start shrieking again. In the end the cops were called, and I had to get off the bus to file a report. To top it off, the bus was practically empty and she could have sat in the other seats across from me. I started taking the train after that.)