What was that all about?

Two women fighting like screetching cats on the subway tonight. I went out of my pattern, walking north to Grand Central, then picking up dinner at the market there, then catching the express uptown. As I got on, two women were by the door on the lead end of the train, screaming at the top of their lungs. I couldn't figure out what the problem was, though it seemed like one of the women wanted the other to give up her seat and it escalated. One, a thin, thin Indian woman, ripped off her jacket, throwing it on the ground as though she were about to start a prize fight. The other, a short black woman with tight braids, sitting the whole time, screaming loudly. I moved to the other end of the train, trying to stay out of the fray. Other passengers looked in in glee, a couple of guys egging them on. The conductor came out of his cubby, adding to the chaos and noise, just screaming, not really doing anything useful. And all the while, I sat at the other end of the train. And did nothing.