The bus was packed during rush hour, every jolt and turn pressing passengers closer together. I had managed to slip into a seat between a school kid with a backpack twice his size and a man scrolling through his phone. It wasn’t comfortable, but at least I wasn’t standing. Minutes later, the doors opened again, and a visibly pregnant woman stepped in. She scanned the rows of faces, searching for an available space. When her eyes landed on me, she walked over and stopped right in front of my knees.
“Can’t you see I need that seat more than you?” she said, her voice strained—not just with frustration, but exhaustion.
