ladylike dress, not a ladylike morning
It’s really hot out today — we’re expecting a heat index of 104 — so I’m wearing possibly the most ladylike dress I own. It’s blue and white silk, sleeveless, v-neck, full skirt, with blue shoes to match. One step from 50’s Dior New Look, but without all the boning. :D It’s just too hot to wear anything else!
Unfortunately, the ladylike exterior doesn’t match the interior, as I got in a shouting match on the subway this morning. We were pulling into Times Square, and the person who was sitting next to me (as I was standing) stood up and said, “excuse me” — but there was nowhere for me to go. I said, “I’m getting off too, just one second” — nicely! — but instead of waiting, he took me by the arm and shoved me out of the way while yelling, “I said I’m getting off bitch, now move!”
Um…NO.
I can handle being called a bitch. I will not tolerate being called a bitch while being touched or shoved in any way, shape, or form. So I called him on it; started with, “You do NOT touch me, asshole,” and when he turned to yell at me some more, I yelled back. He tried to get in my face and intimidate, I got in his instead. Arms were thrown up between us — I’m not sure who they were trying to protect. The best part was the look of surprise on his face — a part of me, I must confess, relished that; that this guy simply could not believe I was talking back and unafraid of him. It only lasted for a minute; as soon as the doors opened, he was out of there. Folks around us made some comments; I’ve no idea what they were, I was too pissed off.
I’m sure my husband’s having a cow right now, as the safer, less foolhardy, more intelligent thing to do would have been to let him shove me aside and not fight back. He could have pulled a knife or gun on me, after all, and would getting stabbed or shot have been worth getting in that argument? No. Most emphatically not. But on the other hand, is it okay to let jerks be jerks? Not really, not in my book. Who’s he going to push around next, someone older or someone with a cane or crutches? I’d rather go crazy lady on him; maybe it’ll make him think.
Ultimately, I don’t know what the right thing to do is…if I were pregnant or a parent, I would probably have not reacted the way I did. For right now, though, I’m just me…I might think about it next time, but I can’t make promises.
Categorized as New York, New York, new york city transit, true life
This just goes to promve my theory that escalating heat escalates tempers in New York….you have to let off steam literally somehow! And you can’t always be afraid to stand up for yourself because people are crazy. Discretion is generally a good idea but sometimes….not. We need a pic of the ladylike Dior!
You definitely reacted correctly. Verbal assaults are one thing, but by putting his hands on you he committed simple battery. Statistics abound that prove that when you fight back against an attacker they’re much more likely to move on to a more passive victim.