Eccentric Care

I was on my way to UNI the other day. (After a month off, it was time to go back to that Ancient Institution of great thought and learning, and i'm not complaining!). On the train, reading my newest book, occasionally looking up at the remaining few souls left in the up- stairs part of the carriage i was sitting in, i noticed a pair of middle- aged ladies sitting in front of me, (they were actually two seats in front, but had the seat facing me), and another young man roughly 23 years old. He sat to my left in a two- seater. He was also reading a book, and like me wore his glasses. It wasn't so much his reading that seemed to annoy the women. Of course they didn't express this when he was there, typically, they waited till he was off the train. Cowardice if you ask me.

When the young man got on the train and seated himself. He took out his book and begun to wipe his glasses clean. I saw nothing wrong with this. I am guilty of the same crime: taking care of my glasses, in fact, all my belongings. I couldn't help but notice the particular facial exchange the women made when the young man was cleaning his glasses, particularly, carefully and thoroughly. I thought this exchange very weird, but resumed my reading.

When the young man did get off the verbal exchange begun. The one thing they both agreed on was: "If he's that careful with his glasses you can only hope he's not that careful with life or women...I'd hate to see him in bed if he's that careful." I couldn't help but look up at them with disgust. I didn't bother hiding it either. In fact, i admit i was happy they noticed it. They both saw me, and made another facial exchange. They tried to soften the moment by smiling, and chuckling, but i didn't falter. I continued to look, stare at them. My heart pounded. I was disgusted, and slightly enraged, but held it.

One of the ladies looked at me with a smile and said: "Problem love?" In a way, being thus provoked into conversation burst out into a verbal assault to match the storming of the Bastile. Although, i didn't shout or raise my voice.

"You think that talking about someone like that, anyone, is necessary, or appropriate in a public venue?" was the first question i asked, venomously.
"There's no- one here love, except you." The answer.
"So the guy takes care of his belongings, what you should hope for is that he will take that much care of his wife, or girlfriend, or family...why the hell would you even think about how he'd act in bed?" No answer. So i continued.
"Not only is that sick, in my opinion because he's well younger than both of you, but it's very disrespectful, and only shows me how much you disrespect the act of sex and what it can stand for in a relationship..and then you will go home, hear on the news about teens having sex at young ages and think, or say, "How disgusting the kids of today are!", and yet you can't help yourselves when you're out and about!"
They looked at each other. I don't think they cared so much. However, i think the point about teens and their responses hit somewhere close to home. I didn't continue. I calmed my nerves, and resumed to read. I didn't look up again.

When the train stopped again at Kingsgrove i saw movement from the top of my peripheral vision. I knew it was their stop. I kept reading, determined not to make eye contact again. They tried to linger as much as possible, as much as time would allow safely. I didn't look up. Maybe this stubbornness was wrong. Maybe i should have looked up, it may have been another chance for me to look at them dissapprovingly! Nonetheless, i didn't. I don't know what would have happened if i did. Maybe they would have retaliated, maybe they would have apologised, (though i highly doubt that), then again, i don't know.

Perhaps what i did was wrong. I didn't do it for the young man. I did it for me. I didn't like the way they had spoken about the guy acting, if he was in bed with a women. I may be behind the times here, but the last time i checked, talking about someone and what they did in their bedroom with their partner was personal. In fact, in my culture, the bedroom of a couple is somewhat sacred. If one wants to talk about what happens in their bedroom then they can, but to talk about others, in such a way, that disrespects them and the act of sex and what i believe it stands for, is dead wrong. It was this that angered me. They were middle- aged ladies, supposed to have some self- respect and dignity, and yet displayed nothing but a detesteable character.

Maybe it was wrong of me to speak to them the way i did. Do i regret it now? No. Did i immediately after they got off the train? In a way, yes. I wasn't trying to be noble. I merely stated what i thought was the appropriate way that they, firstly as ladies, and secondly because of their age, should have behaved in public; Regardless of how many, or how few, people there were aboard. Perhaps i am living in a different world and time. However, if i overtly behaved badly, i should like to know.