No one else stood up when the two elderly ladies got on the bus, so Bear had to provide the example and offered them his seat. He stood up as they approached and made the giving up my seat gesture with his arm. The one lady smiled and him. He watched the smile curdle into an expression of confusion and followed her sightline to see some teenager had taken his seat.

"Hey," Bear said, trying to sound tough and imposing. "You think I stood up for you? I was letting these ladies have those seats."

The teenager ignored him, scrolled through the music on his ipod. Bear could hear the tinny beats and auto-tuned singing through the small earbuds.

The sun broke from behind the clouds and slashed in the windows. Blinded. Bear blinked and saw the old ladies hanging to the pole, worried, biting their lips.

He turned and yanked the buds out of the teens ears.

"Get up," he said, "Show some respect and let these ladies sit down."

The teen did nothing. Bear grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up