what'll you have done?

Yesterday in the metro
on my way to work
there was a man in his 40s
taking the seat near the exit
I was sitting diagonally away from him
half way through my ride
the man put up his leg against the beam
hmm beam is not a good word
but im refering to those vertical bars
for people to hold on in metros
basically he was like stretching his leg
while seated and shoe on the beam
hard to describe it exactly

but it wasnt a nice gesture
as we know paris is full of dog poo,
who knows what the man stepped on
secondly, he blocks the way
I was surprised when he did it
and I was waiting for the other passages
to give him the famous french stare.
a few french noticed and startes the
"i disapprove" look

While I was thinking if in singapore,
we will probably give the look too
and complain after we exit the mrt
or secretly take photo to stomp it
maybe some extremists will shout at him

Then suddenly a lady standing near the door
maybe about her late 30s
approached the man politely
I mean polite because she started with
the usual "hello" and "excuse me"
her voice was calm and gentle
she asked the man 
whether he can put his leg down
as kids are very likely to hold the beam
even when the man refused 
and started saying back some stuff rudely
was too noisy for me to listen
the lady replied its not nice 
and goodbye as she left the train.

Sadly, I dont think ill do as well as the lady
polite yet straightforward 
I guess it takes less courage 
to be one of the staring crowd