His words seemed to hang in the air, with the carriage filled with an awkward silence. The older woman, taken aback by the unexpected defense from a fellow passenger, faltered for a moment. She opened her mouth to argue but found herself hesitating.

Another passenger, a young woman with a toddler on her lap, chimed in, her voice steady and supportive, “We all have different experiences and views, but surely we can agree that a baby’s needs come first.”