The woman had already boarded the bus in a bad mood. As a mother with two young children, the stickers clearly showed she had a right to the seat where the teenager was sitting. Exasperated, she yelled at the teenager, loudly enough for everyone else on the bus to hear. “I have two young children!” she shouted unnecessarily loudly. “You should’ve offered me that seat when you saw me get on the bus, young man!” She shouted so angrily that all heads turned to look at her and the teenager.
A Mistake
The teenager said nothing. Silently, he got up without hesitation but very awkwardly. He stared at the woman straight in the eyes as he did. Only when he stood upright, shaky and swaying, did he look down. His jeans had risen as he stood up. Low murmurs were now heard everywhere as the bus passengers saw what had been revealed by the pulled-up trousers. The woman fell silent. She wished she could sink into the ground now. Thomas Scott was a hardworking clerk at a general store in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Minutes Before the Argument
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Today was no different than usual, eager to return home after a long 10-hour shift. He tried to put out of his mind the hassle of dealing with unfriendly customers as he made the familiar route to the bus station. He got there just in time and greeted the bus driver as he boarded. The bus was more crowded than usual at this time of day. He had to go to the back to find one of the last free seats.