WWJD about this dude?
I board the crowded Red Line train at Sheridan after a Cubs game. The clueless suburbanites are clustered near the door in a tight knot, so I slide past them to an empty aisle spot I spy in the middle of the car.
I see why the area is mostly vacant. A guy in his early-30s is taking up two seats, with his back against the train wall, his long legs on the adjacent seat, spilling into the aisle.
He is reading the Bible. New Testament. The Act of the Apostle. He is both highlighting with a yellow marker and circling passages with a pen.
Makes you wonder: What Would Jesus Do about this rude rider?
Ask, "May I sit here, please?" and observe his reaction. It would seem extra difficult for him to justify rude, selfish behavior in that situation.
Posted by: Scott | April 23, 2007 at 09:11 AM
Irony at its finest.
Posted by: T. Taylor | April 23, 2007 at 10:10 AM
How would one rude rider make the whole area "mostly empty?"
Posted by: tom sherman | April 23, 2007 at 10:24 AM
I don't know about Jesus, but His Father would probably smite the dude.
Posted by: Cheryl | April 23, 2007 at 10:37 AM
Same thing happened to me. Red line was crowded. Tall guy was sitting in a set with his leg draped over the seat into the Aisle. I'm lugging my bag and groceries and manage to coax some woman to remove her bag from the seat next to her. On my way to that seat, past tall rude guy, I run into his leg tripping me and (hopefully) hurting him.
Posted by: mat | April 23, 2007 at 11:19 AM
I don't think we really needed God to become incarnate, die on the cross, etc., to teach us basic manners on the train. Social pressures are sufficient for that. This guy is obviously a sociopath who should be hospitalized before he kills someone.
Posted by: Adam Kotsko | April 23, 2007 at 11:57 AM
I'm sure that the guy would react a little better then the ghetto guys I saw on the Red Line this morning. Same situation only two friends sitting in separate seats were waiting for "Hot Bitches" to sit next to them. A man in his 30's ask one if he could sit. The ghetto guy's response was "get the F*** out of here." Then the two proceed to talk about how they would like to beat the guy up right on the train...Nothing like being verbally assaulted on a Monday morning.
Posted by: T-Rent | April 23, 2007 at 12:26 PM
Jesus would tell the dude to move his ass.
Posted by: Krazee Eyez Killa | April 23, 2007 at 03:56 PM
No one has ever asked me if s/he could sit next to me and I have never asked if I could sit next to someone. If someone were blocking an empty seat, I would simply say, "Excuse me" and proceed to sit down.
Posted by: ebob | April 24, 2007 at 10:16 AM
You probably wouldn't have enjoyed sitting next to this guy anyhow. The stench of piety is hard to endure.
Posted by: Davey | April 24, 2007 at 12:58 PM
It's "Acts of the Apostles," not "Act" or "Apostle.
http://www.bartleby.com/108/44/
(KJV)
Posted by: BuenaParker | April 24, 2007 at 10:51 PM
Thor would crack this guy's skull with a war hammer and then throw his lazy, worthless ass right onto the tracks while the train was still moving. And Thor would feel good about it, too.
Posted by: Thomas Westgard | April 25, 2007 at 08:51 AM