The Train Seat Switch

We didn’t have seats together. The ticket machine had been merciless, and the train was full. I ended up between two strangers; you were two rows back.

Ten minutes in, a woman in her 60s tapped my shoulder. “You’re together?” she asked. When I nodded, she smiled and slid out of her seat without another word, switching with you.

We thanked her more than necessary, and she waved it off, saying, “I’ve been in love before.”

The ride wasn’t long, but we spent it side by side, sharing snacks and pointing out sheep in the fields. I kept thinking about her — and how kindness like that might be the best ticket upgrade of all.