The subway was crowded as usual when a sharply dressed woman in her 50s boarded the train. Irritated and impatient, she bumped a young man sitting by the window. Without apologizing, she suddenly turned and scolded him loudly.
— “Didn’t your parents teach you to respect others? Give up your seat!”
All eyes turned toward them. People expected a fight.
But instead, the young man calmly took out one earbud and simply said:
— “Sorry.”
He stood up.
That’s when everyone saw it—the seat was broken. The cushion had sunk in, the back tilted dangerously, barely hanging on. It was clear he hadn’t been sitting there for comfort.
The woman froze. Then softly said:
— “I… didn’t know. Sorry.”
He nodded, put his earbud back in, and faced the door.
A powerful reminder: sometimes, the story isn’t what it seems.
