It seemed that every generation thought that they had good manners. They paid attention to better music, wore more relaxed clothes, and, in every way, we’re better than today’s entitled, spoiled children. So, what do you think? Well, that is entirely accurate. There are a few unspoken rules, as we all know, that most people should follow while on the subway. Some children, however, are careless, rude, and disrespectful. That’s how entitled these children have been. So, after he refused to obey those rules, a stranger decided to teach this youngster a lesson.
Someone Should Teach Him A Lesson
Being a passenger on the subway was uncomfortable. It can also be challenging to try to find a seat, but once you do, you should only take one seat at a time. One young man thought he was entitled to sit over three seats on the subway and prevent others from getting a seat. But this behavior won’t be tolerated by one passenger.
Someone Should Teach Him A Lesson
Insensitive Passengers
Most people don’t have the privilege of driving by car every single day to and from work. Public transport makes it much easier for most of us. Although this gives us a chance to interact with people who may not feel that there is a need to pay a lot of respect.
Insensitive Passengers
An Eye For An Eye
For some inexplicable reason, public transport seems to have a way of getting the worst out of people. Trains and buses are becoming a world of dog-eat-dog, and so this article is only one of many that have shown how insensitive passengers can sometimes be.
An Eye For An Eye
Rudeness 101
Whenever you’re sitting on a train or bus, there are many different situations where you can see someone doing something that can be considered offensive. You’re in an enclosed space over time, so it makes complete sense for some to do things you don’t agree with.
Rudeness 101
Disrespectful
For example, a few other passengers refuse to give up their seats, while others place their belongings next to their seats. Some would have a 30-minute loud phone call or even play music out loud.
Disrespectful
Selfish Passengers
As previously noted, some utterly selfish passengers may feel the need to put their bags on the seat next to them, keeping at some point everyone else from sitting down. But you know which one is worse? Indeed, everyone: putting your legs on the other seat. Taking up more than one seat is bad enough, but when someone kindly asks you to make more room for them, and you still refuse? That is simply unacceptable. What else would you do when that bad-mannered passenger clearly says “no?”
Selfish Passengers
Stay Peaceful
This bizarre problem will be dealt with by many people in various ways. While some may peacefully make a deal for the person to move, at this time, others may be more argumentative and continue to fiercely demand their seat.
Stay Peaceful
Looking For Trouble
Of course, you wouldn’t know what that rude passenger might be doing. If that person stands up and tries to pick a fight with you, what do you do now? Well, was it even worth getting into a violent fight for the sake of having space to sit? The victim, in this story, did something out of the realm of possibility.
Looking For Trouble
A Viral Tweet Post
At the heart of that story is a tweet posted by a Twitter user @da_drought 3. Surprisingly, overnight, the source of the story became a viral hit. As of May 2019, the Twitter post had received around 137,000 likes, 47,000 retweets, and thousands of comments.
A Viral Tweet Post
Faith In Humanity
“As a new yorker, this GIVES ME LIFE,” “My faith in humanity has been restored,” and “it’s the only way children will learn!” are all the other comments in the post. What was it about the tweet that made it sound right to so many people?
Faith In Humanity
Capturing Unforgettable Moments
The person who was able to capture the entire incredible moment on Twitter was a young woman named Isabel Kim. As she is widely recognized on Twitter, @da_drought_3 is an active individual in social media, and she just likes to capture moments and share them with the virtual audience.
Capturing Unforgettable Moments
Just An Average Day
So then she found something unusual going on right in front of her own eyes when she took the subway to the place where she was working on that relatively normal day. And that was when she started taking photos.
Just An Average Day
He Has Another Plan
To understand what happened in Isabel’s tweet, we need to put things into perspective. Those commonly associated with the subway understand that some trains are not sectioned separately. They could have long benches, if anything, to accommodate more than one passenger.
He Has Another Plan
A Young, Annoying Boy
This is exactly what happened in this situation. Although three people could fit very well on that bench, the main annoyance of this story was a young boy who actually had other thoughts.
A Young, Annoying Boy
Strange Passenger
In the world of public transport, there will be a particular kind of person, informally referred to as the “lay downer,” which in itself is quite self-explanatory. The young boy represented this kind of passenger well in Isabel’s Twitter post and took it upon himself to lie down on one of the subway benches while leaning up against his mother.
Strange Passenger
Too Self-Absorbed
And as a result, he took up two seats and put his feet on the bench. He seems to be somewhat oblivious of the damage he caused as he was playing on his mobile device. Was he that so self-involved?
Too Self-Absorbed
Ignoring People’s Request
It is widely acknowledged that you should give up your seat on public transport to individual members of society, such as the older people, people with disabilities, and pregnant women, as well as to a number of others.
Ignoring People’s Request
Parenting Skills Gone Wrong
And even after three people asked the kid to sit in one of the two spaces where his legs were, he dismissed them and continued to play on his mobile device. The fact that his mother did not do anything about it was what made the situation even worse.
Parenting Skills Gone Wrong
The Mother Refused As Well
Not only did the child completely ignore the demands of people, but his mother also refused to show any form of notice or respect. She was just as ignorant as her son had been about it, after all! Just like the “lay downer,” she was entranced with her phone and was eerily lost in whatever she was listening to. The people standing described the situation as highly unsettling.
The Mother Refused As Well
They Got Frustrated
However since, with every passing moment, the people who were waiting in front of him became more upset, the kid soon noticed the tension he managed to create on the subway. He tried to crouch up to allow others to sit down for some more space, just to avoid irking them more.
They Got Frustrated
Unsung Hero
As his legs were still occupying the two spaces on the bench, his attempts were utterly pointless. Although the people on the subway didn’t do anything, an unsung hero came out of nowhere. Who was it, and what did that person do?
Unsung Hero
Mysterious Man
A little while later, as he continued to play on his mobile device, a mysterious man came and looked at the insensitive child. Covered in black, wearing sunglasses and wearing a strangely similar hairstyle to Elton John’s, many even posted a comment on the tweet that they were convinced that this was the British pop star.
Mysterious Man
Uncover
Of course, it wasn’t him, but that didn’t take anything away from the effect this stranger had on the plot. What exactly has he done to make this tweet extremely popular? Was it really just his looks?
Uncover
Elton John Look A Like
Like the people who came before him, the Elton John looked like he was standing there, hoping that the kid would notice and free up space for him to sit down. Thus, when the young boy refused to acknowledge his existence, all he did was make the stranger grow fed up even more.
Elton John Look A Like
Taking Matters Into His Own Hands
It had become clear that the insensitivity of the young boy had offended him. At this point, he took matters into his own hands and did something the child would never forget about. That’s what you get, kiddo!
Taking Matters Into His Own Hands
Moment Of Bravery
Just like that, the man wanted to do something bold to sit on the legs of the child. Before that moment of courage, he asked the kid to move for him. Even so, after the kid refused to acknowledge his wishes, the man had lost all his patience and made the most of a bad situation. Space, after all, ought to be vacant. The kid’s initial response was to get away from the big guy, but the look on his face summed it up perfectly.
Moment Of Bravery
A Truly Remarkable Moment
After the stranger sat on the boy, Isabel Kim managed to capture the exact moment when the kid was taken aback, which became a truly remarkable moment. For a good minute, the kid was speechless, and all he could do was sit there with his mouth wide open. It seemed that this was one of the rare times that the boy didn’t get his way, and based on these images, he found it difficult to come to terms with it.
A Truly Remarkable Moment
He Has The Rights
As for the man, he had more right than the legs of the child to sit in that space and justifiably. He decided to teach him a lesson, knowing that the kid whose name was Joe wasn’t taught how to act on the subway at home. So there’s no doubt, though, that he’s learned his lesson in a forceful situation. It was already too late when the mother began to notice what had happened.
He Has The Rights
Blocking Out The Seats
Even after the man sat down on the kid, the woman still failed to pay any attention to the incident throughout the actual situation. However, the woman realized by the time he managed to make himself comfortable that she hadn’t noticed her stop and tried to blame her son for it.
Blocking Out The Seats
Definitely A Crazy Moment
If anything, she obviously has to blame herself for blocking the world with music and YouTube. Isabel recorded the aftermath of the crazy moment on her phone and also posted it on Twitter.
Definitely A Crazy Moment
The Mother Made A Scene
Inside the subway, the boy’s mother made a scene and made it uncomfortable for everyone on the subway. Not only did the random man teach him a valuable life lesson about the etiquette of public transport, but his mother yelled at him in front of everyone who was also on the subway at that time. It wasn’t caught on video, but soon after Isabel pressed “stop” on her phone, the mother and son got off the subway. That wasn’t all, though.
The Mother Made A Scene
He Cursed At The Man
Soon after the video came to an end, before they got off the train, the kid went to say something. However, these were not the kind of words that a stranger might want to hear. According to Isabel, he cursed at the stranger before leaving. Somehow, the story has trickled down into unpredictable places.
He Cursed At The Man
Subway Folklore
It’s reasonable to conclude that up until the end of time, Joe as well as the stranger will go down in subway folklore. There were those out there, even then, who just wasn’t that fascinated by the incident and this is why. In fact, they had plenty to say on the matter, and they didn’t hold back at all.
Subway Folklore
Subway Incident
As most people saw the humorous side of the subway incident on social media and were glad that some kind of justice had been dealt with, there were some who expressed their concern about whether or not the man was right to sit on Joe at all. Did he really do the right thing in this case? Let’s see what people have said.
Subway Incident
Subway Etiquette
One might even question whether or not that was legally acceptable, classifying the incident as a form of “assault.” Although this was the opinion of the minority, the stranger’s action seemed to be favored by a large percentage. If you think this is a remarkable story, wait until you read the next one where a dad teaches a lesson to a group of strangers …
Subway Etiquette
He’s Just A Kid
“Pulling someone down will never help you reach the top,” as what the saying goes. Bullying has increased extensively across the world and may just be a global problem that needs to be urgently addressed. Most of the factors that cause bullying stem from personal issues belonging to the offender. Needless to say, bullying is never okay and gives people no reason to bully others. Take a look at this father who refuses to let his child to endure further torment. Thanks to him and his coat, as well, things turned around …..
He’s Just A Kid
He Was Bullied
The victim was Joey Mason, who often enjoyed hanging out and playing ball in the park. Joey was just one of many school bullying victims, but he found happiness and comfort when playing in the park. It seemed, however, that he would be bullied regardless of where he is, anytime! A group of teenagers appeared at the park on the day he usually played. Knowing that most people don’t know how to handle bullying is disheartening, but something had to be done.
He Was Bullied
A Happy Day Turned Into Nightmare
When the bullying started, Joey Mason was in fourth grade, although it was very subtle. Therefore, he chose to play with his dog and cat. He lived in a residential community in Toronto, Canada, and was a beautiful park nearby where kids enjoyed playing. He frequently visited the park after school to play with his ball. Once after school, he went to his favorite outdoor park, which turned out to be a nightmare for him. Obviously, he could see that the older boys at the park were up to no good!
A Happy Day Turned Into Nightmare
I Am A Victim of Bullying
Joey Mason thought that sharing it on social media was one of the best ways to express how he felt about being bullied. He posted, “My name is Joey and I’m 10 years old. I am a victim of bullying. It hurts me very much. Please, stop bullying.” His message attracted the attention of many Internet users. Many people saw his message, but the person who was most important did not take note of it. His dad was unaware of what was going on in his son’s life, and that he had taken to social media.
I Am A Victim of Bullying
He Felt Uneasy And Alarmed
It’s natural for a parent to worry when their child doesn’t feel well. Every parent always wants the very best for their children. Joey’s dad was just like any other parent out there, and he immediately saw that his son was not happy every day, and he was immediately alarmed. He made the decision to investigate what was going on and take action in Joey’s life. He tried to speak to his son first, but Joey refused to provide any answers.
He Felt Uneasy And Alarmed
Emotionally Despair
From the day he switched schools, Joey Mason’s father slowly began to see the small differences in his son. He knew his cheerful son was beginning to turn into an emotional mess from the moment he moved to the school. He couldn’t put his finger on what troubled him exactly, but he knew he was going to figure it out! He thought it might have been the new school environment, or the teachers, or maybe the other students.
Emotionally Despair
Something’s Not Right
Every time his son got home from school, Joey’s father would see his son come back crying. This was a sign that something was wrong. He didn’t have enough proof that his son was being bullied. He decided to get to the root of the problem, and he couldn’t believe it was happening once he found out. Whether his solution was sneaky or underhanded, he didn’t care. He knew he had to do something for his son, and that action had to be carried out immediately.
Something’s Not Right
He Came Up With The Best Plan
He was extremely worried about his son, and, as time went by, he didn’t really want him to continue to be sad. It hurt him to see what it was like to hurt his son. Soon after that, he decided to do something about it immediately. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was going to be, though. He had to come up with an action plan and follow it through. It took him a while, but his plan was set.
He Came Up With The Best Plan
What Was The Cause Of Bullying?
Joey Mason’s father thought through it all and spent hours putting his plan into action. It wasn’t too long after he started figuring out that his classmates were actually bullying Joey. But he couldn’t help but wonder if his son’s teacher was involved, too. Their family and home life were going really well, so he was 100% certain that the problem wasn’t coming from their home. He needed the truth but wasn’t sure how he was going to get it out of Joey. Part of his plan was to follow his son to the local park unknowingly once school was over. And that was when he discovered …
What Was The Cause Of Bullying?
His World Turned Upside Down
It was really upsetting to see that the place Joey enjoyed most was turning his world upside down and making him no longer feel safe … just because of the bullies. Joey had already started to play with his ball when the teenagers came to him. They did not know, though, that someone else was watching them …
His World Turned Upside Down
He’s The Target
Regardless of their goal, that spring, they soon started targeting Joey Mason. The incidents went on for several weeks, and it seemed as if the bullies were doing so wherever Joey went. Fortunately, Joey was a strong and brave young man, so he tried his best to ignore the name-calling. It seemed that the group of teenagers didn’t give up and actually upgraded their bullying game.
He’s The Target
Joey Was In Trouble
Joey Mason was a boy who was harmless and never troubled anyone at all. So, the teenagers might have seen him as a good target because of this. It seemed as if all was okay for the people around him, but little did they know that there would be a huge turn of events very soon. Shortly Joey was in a lot of trouble, and the uproar began to draw everyone’s attention in the park.
Joey Was In Trouble
Someone’s Watching
Joey was not confident enough to defend himself at school, and he was too afraid of the other students who were aware of the bullying to stand up on his behalf. Most of the teachers thought they were messing around. Not only was Joey relentlessly bullied, but they were also pushing the boundaries and even began to torment him in the park. Luckily, someone was watching everything that was going on in the park. Let’s hope whoever the person was would step in from this mess and help Joey out.
Someone’s Watching
It Escalated Quickly
The group of teenagers thought it was funny to steal Joey’s ball without any intention of giving it back. Things began to escalate very quickly, and yet no one offered to intervene on behalf of Joey. It seemed as if things were so normal for outsiders to look at because the kids were playing with each other. But, in reality, things were much worse than they seemed to be. The teenagers had selfish motives.
It Escalated Quickly
It’s Not Getting Any Good
One of the kids in the group shouted, “Hey kid, a nice ball you got there. Can I see it?” And the teenager took the ball away from Joey before he knew it. Joey tried to fight back, yelling, “It’s mine!” However, the teenager continued his harassment and said, “Come on, give it to me, man. It’s just a ball.” None of them knew that they were being watched all this time.
It’s Not Getting Any Good
It’s Time To Step Up
The observing man remained hidden from the eyeline of the children. However, the bullying only got worse. The older teen kicked the ball away from Joey, to the other end of the park. It was at this point that the man decided it was time to intervene. What the mean kids didn’t know however, is that the man was Joey’s father.
It’s Time To Step Up
A Man Approached The Boys
Joey’s Dad came over, and the teenagers suddenly seemed sheepish. The man demanded to know what was happening, and the teens were stunned by the aggressive tone. They remained silent, not knowing how to respond. Eventually, the boys decided to respond, but were unaware of Joey’s Dad’s plan.
A Man Approached The Boys
“Just Playing Ball, Sir”
The boys pleaded ignorance. “What are you talking about? We’re just playing with the ball.”, they offered. They hoped this would be sufficient enough for the man to leave. Not knowing he had been observing for some time, the man didn’t let up. He was fully aware of what was really going on in the park.
“Just Playing Ball, Sir”
Another Lesson To Learn
The story we are about to reveal to you concerns a teacher, who found himself having to teach an extremely rude man a lesson for the way he spoke to his daughter. This story is so heartwarming and will have you in tears; it really goes to show that not everything is as it seems. Life can surprise you and you are never too old to learn something. The story features a brave father and his strong daughter.
Another Lesson To Learn
January 2, 2013
The story revolves around Brent Gathering and his family. What happened to Brent would forever change their lives, and we still can’t believe the series of events! Brent was Nebraska-born, and learnt a thing or two growing up. The lesson he taught this horrid man will certainly change the man’s perspective, but also could change our own. The story begins on January 2, 2013. A day that changed everything for everyone involved.
The Day
Learning The Sad News
It was this sad day, January 2, 2013, where Brent’s 1-year old daughter, Emma, was diagnosed with brain cancer. When receiving the results, the family instantly took a day off to sit and process what was happening. Brent returned to work the following day, to his job as a marketing teacher, and told his class about his daughter. He softly said, “It was obviously one of the more emotional days of my life”.
Learning The Sad News
Seeking Support
His student were full of support and reassurance for him however. A student said to him, “Don’t worry, Mr. Gehring. She’s Emma Strong! She’ll be fine.” He was feeling very hopeful and was touched by her words. ‘Emma Strong’ was a phrase that really stuck with him though. He decided that this would be the name of the campaign. He would be able to raise money for his daughter, but also for other children suffering with brain cancer.
Seeking Support
“Emma Strong”
Likewise the campaign name, Emma only went on to prove over the years how strong she was, as well as her bravery. Having gone through multiple chemotherapy sessions, scans, shunts and surgeries; she has shown no signs of giving up. Her story has inspired many. Not only her parents, siblings and family, but also anyone who has read about her story. A girl of her age showing such strength and determination to overcome significant obstacles can surely inspire anyone.
Emma Strong
Some People Don’t Understand
Despite the campaign, it was not a guarantee that everyone would be aware of Emma’s situation. Some people when seeing Emma on the street wondered why she acted the way she did. Also, why her parents spoke to her and treated her as they did. People would stare at the family wondering, not necessarily in a mean way, but curiously. One day however, a man made a comment that Brent couldn’t ignore and decided to teach him a lesson.
Some People Don’t Understand
Going Viral
Brent, his wife and their daughter Emma were leaving a restaurant. It was here that a man, with such rudeness and ignorance made the dreaded remark that quite frankly disappointed Brent. It was here that he decided that rather than losing his temper, he would teach him a lesson. The story was posted on the online campaign Facebook page, and immediately it went viral.
Going Viral
The Incident
Brent is not originally from Boston, but he considers it as a second home since he has to bring his daughter for treatment pretty often. The incident occurred right outside of Union Oyster House in Boston, just as Brent and his daughter were leaving a restaurant after enjoying a meal together. This day the doctors had told Brent that Emma would soon begin her seventh round of chemotherapy.
Despite not being originally from Boston, he comes so often to bring his daughter for treatment that he is very familiar with the city, and likes it. The incident in question happened just outside of Union Oyster House, Boston. Brent, with his wife and daughter, were leaving a restaurant after just enjoying a meal together. It was this day that they had all learned that Emma was due to begin her seventh round of chemotherapy.
The Incident
The Comment
It occurred when they were on their way back to the car. At this moment, Emma couldn’t walk without a walker, so he was carrying her. Nearing the car, a man came about, unprompted, and told Brent: “Make her walk. That’s what is wrong with kids today.” Brent was stunned, and wasn’t even sure that the man was talking to him! He went on to ask if he was indeed speaking to him, and when the stranger confirmed; he marched over to confront this thoughtless man.
The Comment
Holding Himself
After hearing that comment, Brent headed to confront this stranger. Naturally, it was very hard to keep his cool and not start screaming at him. But he stayed calm and told him” “I’m not going to lie to you and say that I didn’t go across the street with other intentions but, as you get into the moment and as I’m holding my daughter in my arms, you just hope you’re going to make the right choice,”
Brent was angry and as he marched over, he struggled to keep his cool. Luckily, he managed to keep calm, telling the stranger, “I’m not going to lie to you and say that I didn’t go across the street with other intentions but, as you get into the moment and as I’m holding my daughter in my arms, you just hope you’re going to make the right choice.”
Holding Himself
Telling Him The Story
It was at this moment, Brent decided to tell the man the story of Emma’s battle. Straight afterwards, the man realized his mistake and felt guilty as sin. “My daughter has been carrying my faith and my strength for the past 5 years since she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She can’t walk but I am happy to carry her because of all the amazing things she has taught me through the years. So I would advise you not to address my daughter in any way other than respectful.”
Telling Him The Story
His Reaction
After telling the stranger Emma’s story, Brent revealed: “It wasn’t a real long encounter, he talked about [a relative of his] whose name was Emma before she passed away and how she had some kind of cancer … he told the story and he talked about the importance of religion and faith.” At the end of Brent’s reveal, both men were in tears. It didn’t lead to an unlikely friendship however, rather a lesson learned to think before you speak in a situation.
His Reaction