For the second time in a month, a young woman has offered me her seat on the bus.

[Withywindle]

It's one thing when men do it. It just means they were raised with old-fashioned manners and I'm fine with that.

It's another thing when WOMEN do it. Either the sweaters layered under my coat make me look pregnant or else I'm starting to look old. :(

[Kali]

1. take the seat

always sit if you can!

sorry if it makes you feel old - it isn't all bad - people give you their seats!:P

[Withywindle]

2. Oh, I did.

Maybe I just looked tired. Which I was. I'll go with that. :)

(Actually I think that girl tonight was about 16, which means that everyone over 30 has one foot in the grave to her.)

[auntAgonist]

3. Her Mom raised her right.

She was being respectful.

I'm glad.

aA

[Withywindle]

4. I get that, and I thanked her profusely.

But I always have a mental question in mind about offering a seat.

If it's an obviously MUCH older person (that is, a senior citizen), or someone visibly disabled in some way, or visibly pregnant, I always do.

But I always worry about offending someone only slightly older than me, with the implication that 'wow you're OLD'. It doesn't help that I am generally terrible at estimating people's ages.

She was definitely a well-raised young lady who meant well, regardless of my angst about it.

[Taitertots]

5. Good, finally the sexist "Old fashioned manners" are being replaced

It is good that they are being replaced with kindness and unbiased gender roles.

[MorningGlow]

6. That's nice...and better than my experience

I was about to faint on the T in Boston and had to ASK someone if I could have their seat. Luckily one look at my gray? green? totally white? face, and they scrambled to get out of the seat.
:rofl:

[PaddyBlueEyes]

7. shoulda barfed in their lap

bwaahahahahaha:evilgrin:

[MorningGlow]

9. Apparently my blood sugar had plummeted

so I most likely only would have done a faceplant in the aisle, sans bodily fluids. That would have made its own special brand of fun--stopping the B line on Comm Ave during evening rush hour? RIGHTEOUS! }(

[dawg]

8. My guess is that it's the sweaters.

They could be just enough to make it look like you *might* be pregnant, which would be enough reason for any young man or woman of good manners to offer you their seat.

I'm 43 - and no one is offering *me* a seat.

So its probably the sweaters.

[david13]

10. Maybe it wasn't that you looked old, but that you looked out of

shape. Get out there and get some exercise.
I'm an old man and a few have offered a seat to me, but I usually don't take it. I'm out to get some exercise (even if I am on the subway.)
dc

[tigereye]

11. sounds nice, but I can understand the "be nice to the older

lady thing" can be a bit disconcerting. Being called "hon," young women smiling at you a bit too much, people offering to carry things for you...

I still haven't gotten used to those. I usually say, thanks, but I can carry it myself.