After waiting on the platform for what seems like ages, watching half-a-dozen trains go by, finally squeezing on to a packed car, enduring the dead eyes and hopeless faces of my fellow commuters, and witnessing two women nearly get into a fight over a child's restless acting out, I am almost desperate to just be nice to someone, if only to make myself feel better about the world, humanity, and my life.
An older woman trying very hard not to bump into anyone or get in anyone's way by contorting herself to take up as little space as possible offers me my perfect opportunity, and I say, "Come on over, plenty of room here," motioning her towards me with a smile. "We'll all get through this together."
She takes me up on my offer to ride more comfortably and, as she's getting off, favors me with a smile of her own, saying, "Now, you make sure to tell your mother she raised you right."
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