Karma versus courtesy

Is a little courtesy too much to ask for? Although I pretty much resort to autopilot when it comes to navigating a well worn route, I'm never completely oblivious to those around me. I may consider crowds a nuisance and I might not be able to describe a single telling feature about the strangers I skirt around on the street, but I recognise their presence and try not to inconvenience them. I queue politely and patiently. I don't shove past people, even when in a hurry. I step aside to allow others to disembark from the tube before attempting to board it. In short I behave as I believe others should.

Today, as the train pulled into the station, a woman standing by exit pressed the button to open the train doors. A rational person might press the button and wait for something to happen, but this woman kept repeatedly jabbing her finger on the button, and, when nothing appeared to happen, jabbed even harder and started to swear loudly at the door. Someone else moved forward to have a look, and she rudely manoeuvred to block them, all the while continuing to curse and prod the the button. I considered her behaviour rather discourteous and mentally prepared a small list of things I would like to say to her. In the end though, I settled for just one.

"Excuse me," I said, "you're pressing the close button."