Things That Exist But Shouldn't - Part 7

7) Unnecessary Rudeness

I've had a weekend to process this, but even writing about it now makes me angry.

Friday afternoon, I left work early to make it home in time to eat as much as possible before sundown. Rush hour starts on Fridays in NYC around 2 PM, so as I ran through the 50th St subway station at 3:30 PM to transfer to the E train, I was not alone in my sprint home. 

That is, until I met THE woman.

I reached the top of the escalator of a mile-long descent. I knew my best path was to speed down the escalator, allowing me to catch the train that I could already hear approaching the station.

I made it halfway down the escalator swiftly, easing my way past a flock of commuters all flanking courteously to the right side.

All of the sudden, I see a blockage in the way.
A woman is standing on the LEFT side of the escalator, with her suitcase in the middle. With people both in front of and behind her on the RIGHT, it is impossible to circumvent her.

A representative diagram:

_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
XX_
_ _ x
_ _ x
ME

x = courteous commuter
X = woman + suitcase

Our interaction was as follows:

Me: Excuse me, would you mind moving over?
Woman: I have a suitcase!!
Me: I am trying to get by. Can you please move over?
Woman: Well, where do you want me to go?!
Me: To the right.

[[she struggles to move her carry on-sized suitcase over a few inches]]

Woman: You should have taken the stairs!
Me: (getting frustrated that this is taking so long) It's basic escalator etiquette to stand to the right.

Finally the obstacle is removed and I make my way past her. I get down 6 steps when I hear behind me a resounding...

FUCK YOU! 

I turn back and see this woman screaming expletives at me because I forced her to move over a few inches so that I could make it home in time to celebrate my holiday.

I was very close to shouting something equally explicit back at her, but then I remembered the spirit of the holiday that I was about to observe, and chose to ignore her. 

However, it did make me feel better that the rest of my descent was as follows:

_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x
_ _ x

And, I made my train in time.