It was a rainy day before the pandemic and social distancing and a Friday the 13th when it happened. I was “legally” walking down the escalator, passing on the left as is the unwritten rule, just trying to make it to my next train, when my lunch bag brushed against the hip of a woman riding the escalator down. “Excuse you,” she said.

Indeed. Excuse you, I thought, not very kindly. After some reflection, I thought I should write a formal apology:

To the woman with the puffy vest and striped shirt on the escalator,

Excuse me for bumping into you without realizing it. If I would have felt it, I would have certainly acknowledged it.

Excuse me for hurrying when I probably didn’t need to rush.

Excuse me for not responding to your snide reminder of my inadvertent invasion of your space.

Excuse me for taking offense at your tone that seemed a little too much given the situation at hand.

Excuse me for feeling embarrassed, like I did something wrong, simply by brushing against you unintentionally.

Excuse me for the times I have been in your shoes and taken offense at someone who accidentally bumped into me.

Excuse me for expecting grace and space while I’m reluctant to offer them to someone else.

Excuse me, please.

Photo courtesy of ThePhotoQueue