Bravo!

There was a family of tourists on the tube today, all sat in a row. The row of seats opposite them was full of their bags. For some reason, every occupant of the extremely crowded carriage (myself included) decided to be enormously British and stand there, tutting and seething, but saying absolutely nothing to them about their rudeness. Then a delightful old man worked his way into the middle of the crowd, started depositing the bags on the floor, and waving one of his fellow travellers into each seat as he emptied it. When the father of the rude family objected, he turned to him and pointed out, with the utmost dignity, that he considered his fellow human beings to be more deserving of rest than a suitcase, that it was a pity the man didn't agree, but perhaps he would learn some manners when he grew up. It was a thing of beauty. I nearly gave him a round of applause.