Put Her In The Hot Seat

(I’m American. I have a fairly significant [but not readily visible] physical disability and so I always take an ADA seat on public transportation when the other seats are full. I have just taken one of the ‘disabled, elderly, and mothers’ seats on the train. The other three such seats are open. I am 30 but seem to look much younger. A middle-aged lady in a regular seat next to me starts talking:)

Lady: “You know, people need that seat.”

Me: *politely* “Um, there are three others.” *looking around and realizing the only people standing in our car are a group of young men* “There doesn’t seem to be anyone in need of any of them.”

Lady: *haughtily* “I’m sure you don’t realize this since you’re…” *sneers* “American, but those seats are for elderly passengers only!”

Me: “Actually, ma’am, they’re for elderly passengers, pregnant mothers or mothers with young children and/or prams, and the disabled. As I’ve had a grade-nine spinal fusion and stabilization and suffer from brittle skeleton, the latter applies to me. I am not supposed to stand in a moving vehicle because a fall poses much more danger to me than the average person.”

Lady: *speechless*

Me: “For the record, my deceased grandfather was an English titleholder and my uncle currently sits in Parliament.” *train arrives at the concourse* “Have a lovely day!”