“Ugh.”

I slowly took off one headphone.

“Excuse me, are you talking to me?”

She didn’t answer — just looked at me like I was a stain on an otherwise spotless surface.

“I’m not sitting next to you.”

I took a deep breath.

“You don’t have to. These are my seats — both of them. Here are the tickets.”

“How can someone let themselves go like this? Have you seen yourself in a mirror?”

For a second, everything went dark. I’d heard this before — on the street, in stores, online. But never like this — in person, face to face, trapped in a closed space.

“I have health issues,” I said calmly. “And I don’t owe you any explanation.”

I turned to the window, hoping she’d leave. But she didn’t stop. Her voice grew louder. Passengers began turning around.