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Oct. 5th, 2002 01:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bluebeardWhile living in southeast Portland, and working at Western Bank in Beaverton, my usual route was to ride the 4-Division bus downtown, and from there, catch the train to the Beaverton Central stop. Being that there's various clinics, "homes" and whatnot on Division, it was common for there to be a lot of elderly women getting on and off the bus at any given stop.
One day, I was sitting in the 2nd row back, on the right. The bus came to a stop at one of it's usual places, lowered itself, and one such elderly lady got on. I'd seen her before; she always wore knee-length skirts, jackets worthy of any local Baptist church, white hose, and flats. She was also particularly nice, and would always at least smile and nod to everyone on board. She was feeling chatty that day I suppose. She made casual conversation, laughed, and it was all very pleasant. She had someone pull the cord for her, the bus stopped again, and she made her way down the steps.
One thing wasn't right, however, and judging from the direction of others' stares, I wasn't the only one who noticed that she had completely emptied her bladder. The back of her skirt, and the seat she was sitting in, were both soaked. If she noticed herself, she gave no indication, and as she got off alone, noone else from the bus informed her, either.
Several stops passed, and no mention was made of the lady's innocent incontinence that I heard. Not among the existing passengers, and not to the next, much younger, lady who failed to remember a rule of public transit: always look before you sit.
I wonder if I should feel guilty. I was closest, so should the responsibility have fallen on me to let the woman know? She must have noticed the seat was warmer than it should have been, if it had merely been another bum resting there before hers. I assume it would be, anyway. Having always made certain to not sit in wet seats before, I wouldn't know through experience.
One day, I was sitting in the 2nd row back, on the right. The bus came to a stop at one of it's usual places, lowered itself, and one such elderly lady got on. I'd seen her before; she always wore knee-length skirts, jackets worthy of any local Baptist church, white hose, and flats. She was also particularly nice, and would always at least smile and nod to everyone on board. She was feeling chatty that day I suppose. She made casual conversation, laughed, and it was all very pleasant. She had someone pull the cord for her, the bus stopped again, and she made her way down the steps.
One thing wasn't right, however, and judging from the direction of others' stares, I wasn't the only one who noticed that she had completely emptied her bladder. The back of her skirt, and the seat she was sitting in, were both soaked. If she noticed herself, she gave no indication, and as she got off alone, noone else from the bus informed her, either.
Several stops passed, and no mention was made of the lady's innocent incontinence that I heard. Not among the existing passengers, and not to the next, much younger, lady who failed to remember a rule of public transit: always look before you sit.
I wonder if I should feel guilty. I was closest, so should the responsibility have fallen on me to let the woman know? She must have noticed the seat was warmer than it should have been, if it had merely been another bum resting there before hers. I assume it would be, anyway. Having always made certain to not sit in wet seats before, I wouldn't know through experience.
