The etiquette dance

Joining a bus queue this evening, I asked the woman in front of me which bus she was waiting for – she was waiting for the same ones as me. We talked a bit.

The bus drew up and she grabbed my arm to guide me onto it.
I said “it’s OK, you go first.
She said “No you go first”.
I said “no, you were first, I’ll follow you”.

We had a protracted stand-off. She wasn’t going to give up her place in the pecking order… I got on (laughing).