So I moved a little closer to the window.
A moment later, his knee followed.
I shifted again.
He moved farther into my space.
Finally, I spoke.
“Excuse me, Josh. Would you mind moving your knee over a little?”
He glanced down.
Then he laughed.
“Lady, look at you. You’re tiny. You don’t need all that space.”
I stared at him.
For a second, I thought he was joking.
But he seemed completely serious.
“Well,” I said politely, “I did pay for the entire seat.”
He moved his leg perhaps an inch.
“Better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Thirty seconds later, his knee was touching mine again.
I opened my book and tried to ignore it.
But Josh apparently considered my silence permission to
become even more comfortable.
He claimed the shared armrest.
Then he draped his jacket across the divider.
A few minutes later, one of his feet appeared in my legroom.
Every time he shifted, his thigh pressed harder against mine.
I tried moving my legs closer together.
But that left me sitting at an awkward angle.
My hip soon began to ache.
I gently tapped his arm.
“Josh, could you move your foot back, please?”
He pulled one earbud out.
“What?”
“Your foot is in front of my seat.”
He sighed.
“I’m six-foot-three. Where exactly am I supposed to put my legs?”
I looked at him.
“Preferably in the space you paid for.”
He smirked.
“If you’re not using that room, why does it matter?”
I took a breath.
“Because I am using it.”
He shook his head and put his earbud back in.
Apparently, as far as he was concerned,
the conversation was over.
I tried crossing my ankles.
His shoe blocked me.
I attempted to rest one leg at an angle.
That made my hip hurt worse.
Finally, I folded my sweater and tucked it beside me for support.
For a few minutes, that helped.
Then Josh shifted again.
I closed my eyes.
“Lord, give me patience,” I whispered.
Henry glanced over the top of his paperback.
“Everything all right over there?”
I forced a smile.
“Just trying to get comfortable.”
His eyes moved toward Josh’s legs.
I could tell he’d noticed.
Part of me was relieved.
Another part felt embarrassed.
I didn’t want to become the center of attention.
I didn’t want an argument.
All I wanted was to sit in the seat I’d purchased and arrive in one piece.
