May I Offer You A Seat?

This past week I had to go to the courthouse to renew my driver's license. Yippee skippy, another great way to spend a morning. I got there and there was already a line waiting. Oh goody, I thought. For a split second I thought I about leaving and then coming back. I thought better of it. I just needed to suck it up and wait in line. I had to get a number for the little number machine and fill out the paperwork.

Now, I am not upset about having to wait in line. Part of the reason for the line, I figured was the fact the previous week had been the Fourth of July holiday and there would naturally be more people this particular morning.

There were only seven chairs set out in the hallway outside the DMV. No biggie, I would just stand. I really didn't give it a second thought until the oldest and I mean the oldest man waiting, stood up and offered me his chair. I politely declined saying I was fine. I said he was fine also. He just needed to walk some as he was stiffening up. He did walk about and then eventually sat down again.

I thought about the fact that no one else younger (male or female) offered their chair. They stayed put until their number was called. Before I did eventually sit down when those whose numbers were called left, I made certain there wasn't anyone older who needed a seat.

This wasn't the only seating issue of the same sort I had experienced lately. We were waiting our turn to in the lobby area of a nice restaurant. All the waiting area seating was taken. There was a bench seat of young, and I mean teens or early twenties, that had laid claim to the bench right by the hostess booth. One young couple was being seated and before anyone could bat and eye or even move, this other young couple planted their fannies down on the bench. I just shook my head and we even commented about it when we sat down to eat. There were older couples that should have been offered the seat.

But what troubles me more, is I didn't say anything. I just let it go. It is may be one of those things about knowing which battles to pick, perhaps. Or perhaps, even if I had said anything, would it have made a difference in the scope of things?