My last train experience was a week ago going from Zurich to Geneva: a group of 80 year olds were heading home after a day outing with a 60 year old lady as a chaperon. The group was sitting a couple of compartments away, so I could observe and hear what was going on.
As usual, when the announcement came on that the next stop was Geneva everyone started to get up and queue in the corridor, although there was still five minutes left. Fearing what I had already anticipated would happen: I watched as the elderly group also got up and queued next to where I was sitting.
Predictably, the train jolted to a stop forcing the oldest of them (also the one holding on to nothing) to sway slightly. The train started up and halted several times, each time causing the elderly man to lose his balance a little further. Until the last blissful jolt came and sent the old man rotating around the seat, causing him to swing butt first directly at me.
Knowing this might happen, I was ready, arms extended head down, ready to steady him on his feet. There was a shocked silence as the others looked at me, surprised that I had caught him. Concern was expressed in regard to me. Then someone from the group pipes up and says laughing ‘well young lady it’s not everyday that men fall in your lap’ I smile sheepishly and he corrects himself ‘well at least not old men’.