Have you ever played this game? I have. Few people admit to it, but I think most people do on the inside!
Apparently it’s pretty embarrasing when you get it wrong and you offer your seat to a fat lady on the train, as this report from the BBC Website suggests.
If I do get a seat on the train, which is rare if travelling from New Malden, but common from Portslade, then my trick is to sit with head in hands, sleep or pretend to sleep… that way if someone who may be pregnant joins the train then it’s easy to pretend I haven’t seen them… no awkwardness, no need to move, and I don’t look like an awful man for not giving up my seat – does this make me a bad person?
Get a window seat, and it becomes highly impractical to give your seat up anyway.
I hate this dilemma. One solution is never to sit down unless there are other empty seats, or there are only men standing up. Unfortunately, this often leads to a lot of standing. But you can also be self-righteous about it all, so that’s a plus.
Hugh – if you pretend to be pregnant yourself then no one will expect you to give up your seat.
Play that game all the time
I have come to the conclusion that I’d rather see a pregnant woman standing than a fat woman sitting down and crying.
John. You’re a very harsh man. But quite funny!
I’ve found that if you play this in an antenatal clinic, they are generally pregnant… but there is the occasional surprise, like when you think the accompanying friend is actually the patient – that is quite an awkward conversation to have!