Older Isn’t Wiser

(Our tram can no longer continue its way, because another tram was in an accident with a car. We have the option to stay in the tram for an unknown period, or walk to the next bus stop, which is about ten minutes away. I go to the bus stop, and halfway along the route I pass an older lady who is hiking at an impressive speed. We almost have the same pace — I’m in my 30s and able-bodied. When I reach the bus stop, a blind person exits another bus. I see him walking to the tram platform, so I inform him the tram was in an accident and won’t drive.)

Blind Person: “What happened?”

Me: “Some car thought he was faster than the tram. It just happened, so we don’t know how long it will take.”

Blind Person: “Oh, then I’ll take bus number [number].”

(It’s the same bus I need and I see it coming. We warn the blind person, but he almost walks in front of that bus, so a guy pulls him out of the way. Both the guy and I decide to let the blind person get in first. The blind person enters the bus and checks the number, and I feel myself being pushed aside; it’s the older lady I passed before. She obviously really wants to enter the bus — like everyone else — and uses everything but her elbows to get in front.)

Me: “All right, you can go first if you need to.”

(The lady shoots me a glare and hurries inside, almost pushing the blind person out of her way, hissing “insolent monkey!” That means “insolent youth” in Dutch. She might have aimed for the disabled people-seat, but guess who got that seat? She may be older than me, but she did nothing to earn my respect, and I’m glad we let the blind person go in first, so he could get that seat.)