A veritable cornucopia of kvetching

One of the things I've noticed about commuting is that there is an inexhaustible supply of things to complain about. It goes way beyond cell phone chatter. For example, one of my favorites is the COFFEE CUP SEAT HOG. This is the commuter who feels so attached to his cup of steaming hot coffee that he insists on placing it next to him in the empty seat, as if the cup is just a hard-working cup o' Joe trying to make an honest living. Like it's freaking Juan Valdez himself or something. In any event, the Coffee Cup Seat Hog does two things: he makes it harder for someone to claim the seat (a situation he may or may not be aware of) and he puts a hot cup of coffee in a precarious spot between two people. I often wonder exactly what would happen if the train lurched and the cup spilled? What would he say? Sorry? Exactly how do you "fix" something like this after it happens and why is this adult willing to take that risk with a complete stranger? These are the things that keep me and others on the train on edge. What happens is you end up staring at that ridiculous cup of coffee out of the corner of your eye just to make sure you can jump away from it if it topples over. It's outrageous and these people must be stopped and promptly decaffeinated.