So, you know how people always go on about how young folks these days have no mannershow were lazy, disrespectful, and only care about ourselves? Well, I had this moment recently that made me realise sometimes, youve got to respect *yourself* instead of bending over backwards for people who just take advantage of kindness.
I was on my way back home after a brutal exam season at uni. Id barely slept for days, and all I wanted was to crash on the train. Id even paid extra for a lower berth so I could stretch out properlynone of that climbing ladders to the top bunk nonsense. I got settled, started dozing off and then this woman, probably in her forties, came in with her kid, a boy who couldnt have been more than seven.
She looked exhausted but dead set on something. Turned out, their tickets were for the top bunk. She plonked herself down opposite me and launched into this whole spiel about how her back was killing her, how her son was a handful, and how impossible itd be up there with him. Then she straight-up asked if Id swap with her.
I felt bad, you know? Single mum, bad back, little kidfigured Id do the decent thing. So I hauled myself up to the top bunk and tried to sleep. Yeah no chance.
The kid sprawled out on *my* lower berth like he owned the placekicking the mattress, thumping the metal frame, making the whole thing shake. Then he started humming some annoying tune from a video game and yammering nonstop. I tried to ignore it at first, but eventually, I leaned down and asked the mum if she could keep him quiet.
Oh, dont be so dramatic, she huffed, sounding more irritated than tired. Hes just a child!
Of course, the kid only got worse after thatrunning up and down the aisle, blasting cartoons on his phone, laughing, jumping. Any hope of sleep was long gone.
Thats when I decided enough was enough. I climbed down and went straight to the train attendant. Calmly explained that the lower berth was *mine*, Id given it up willingly, but now I couldnt rest because the mum wasnt keeping her kid in check.
The attendant came over, checked the tickets, gave the woman a firm look, and said, Maam, your tickets are for the upper berth. Please move to your assigned seats.
She tried arguing, but he wasnt having it. Eventually, with a sigh, she hauled herself and the kid up to the top bunk, and I finally got my proper bed back.
First proper sleep Id had in daysno guilt, no regrets.
Lesson learned: never sacrifice your own peace for people who dont respect it in the first place.
