When travelling anywhere these days my walking stick helps me get a seat on crowded trains. Most people will offer me their seat. Sometimes I accept but at other times, if I’m feeling well, I will decline. I was on the Underground the other day waiting at Southwark station. A train pulled in, the doors opened and, as I stepped aboard, a young man started to get to his feet and gestured to his seat. I felt okay and shook my head in polite refusal. Again he gestured to the seat. It was very kind of him but I made my point by gently pushing him back down and thanking him. I vaguely heard him say something as the train doors closed.
“I’m sorry,” I said as the train moved.
“I didn’t catch that.”
“That was my stop,” he said.
Jon Stamford
Neuroscientist
Illustration by Shotopop