We took the dc to an adventure playground this week. When we got there it started throwing it down so everyone ran fi cover. There was a wooden shelter with some benches around the edges. Obviously there were no seats do people were standing, leaning against the bench etc.
We were eating a picnic lunch so we did the best we could standing up
When the rain cleared and the kids went off to play I became aware that one of the benches had become free but there were bags on it and underneath it. The bench next to it had a woman sitting on one half and bags on the other half. Another woman was perched on the arm of the "empty" bench as she couldn't sit down.
After about 10 mins i saw that some of the bags had been moved slightly, the woman sitting had been visited by her friend and child who had taken something out of the bag and then gone off again without sitting down so I made my way to the empty bench and squished on the corner. There were bags at my feet which I didn't touch so it was a squash. I managed to squish up enough to let the woman perched on the arm sit down
Well I got daggers glared at me from the woman taking up two seats on the bench next to me. When her friend came back again about 10-15 mins later she said to me "I was sitting there". The first woman said I tried to tell her. All our stuff is on and underneath that bench
I was calm I didn't rise to the bait just said calmly you cannot expect to save two benches )4 seats) for all that time when people are standing. Originally there had been mums trying to feed babies/more elderly/infirm looking grandparents etc none of them able to sit down.
AIBU as she they obviously thought I was. I just ignored her and carried on reading my paper only standing up when someone who I felt needed a seat more than me came along. Can you save seats in that way ( though why they needed 4 seats for 2 people us beyond me as the kids did nothing more than pop back for the odd drink etc