614. He got on the northbound Q train. It was crowded and noisy. No seats were available. The annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade had just ended. Many happy parade‐goers were heading home. A few stops later, one seat became available. A young lady sat down. Then she noticed him. Standing up, she said, "You can have this seat, sir." He had two choices. He could stand, although he was tired, or he could sit. If he sat, his butt would be sitting on the hard plastic subway seat. Unlike many butts, his had little padding. His was mostly bone. Bone and hard plastic are not exactly made for each other. For him, sitting on a subway seat was like walking with a pebble in each shoe. A subway seat was not smooth colored plastic but a pile of jagged rocks. He smiled at the woman and said, "No, but thank you." 3.0