Can you relate? Or is this just me?
Here's one of those things that occurred to me yesterday probably occurs to others as well. It's just one of those.... things. Kind of a strange one... but go with it.
We have public-style restrooms at work. You know, the ones with the row of stalls across from the row of sinks. I'm not sure what the men's room looks like but I'm sure it's similar only with urinals too. At any rate, when I have to do my business I usually hoof it down to the end of the hallway straight into the ladies' room and enter the first stall in the row. I have a tendency to do this on a sort of auto pilot where I walk in the bathroom, the "loo", and just go straight into the stall. This usually isn't an issue because the male/female ratio here at AMETEK is mostly male, and most of the people who use the same ladies' room tend to use the stalls at the end of the row.
(On a side note... I saw an episode of Penn & Teller's "Bullshit" where they talked about which stalls people used and which in the public bathrooms are the cleanest. The cleanest stall/toilet is usually the one closest to the door because most people just automatically go to the end. Since those get more use, they get dirtier. This is why I use the first stall. I digress.)
On occasion, someone else is in that stall. As soon as I walk in and am met with a closed, locked, stainless steel stall door I immediately find myself confused. Where do I go? Do I go in the next immediate stall in line and use that one? Or do I go two down and leave a "buffer" stall between me and the person who is in the stall I usually use?
Typically, I kind of stand there and think - in my head, because if I said it outloud I'd sound like an idiot - "uuuuuuuuh......" and just go in a stall. Not that I didn't look like an idiot almost walking into a closed door in the first place, but still. Sometimes, I think... "Why is someone in my stall?" Then I remember it's not MY stall, and it's a public bathroom.
The whole thing is silly really. But I take some solace in the fact that maybe, out there somewhere, other people experience this feeling too.
Or I'm crazy. Which is probably more likely.
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11 comments:
did you take a picture of your bathroom at work? lol
No. That's an internet steal. :) That would just really prove me crazy if I did. :)
D-I'm with you on this. We only have 3 stalls in our bathroom, and I use a specific one. When it's being used, I almost get pissed.
Then I remember, Hey, it's not my bathroom...just like you.
I do leave a buffer though-and I hate doing that b/c it's the handicap stall I end up in. I only mind that b/c the toilet is wicked high and my feel almost dangle off of it-and I'm tall!
Buffers are how I manage everything. Restrooms, movie theaters, etc... Unless there is no choice, you leave a space.
I dunno what that says about me and intimacy issues. :P
I totally agree with Laura. You got to have a buffer. I do that too - everywhere I go.
I just go into any stall, I never really considered a specific one...we have a "public potty" @ work too....I just go into a random one every time...I do however wipe it with an antibacterial wipe...so I guess that's why I don't think about a specific "clean" stall. I also have a bladder of steel....so I rarely even pee at work. So, I'm prolly weirder than you! :)
buffer stall.... every time.
I had a conversation about toilet etiquette with my boyfriend recently. He told me that they ALWAYS leave a buffer urinal. If it is a trough system it leaves them in somewhat of a quandry as to how far is an appropriate distance from the next man.
The other thing he said is that it is common for men to chat whilst peeing - it seems this is to distract from the noise, and the fact that they can see each other's privates.
Stall etiquette is the same as urinal etiquette. (Did I spell etiquette right? Anyway...). You may have seen it already, but this quiz spells it out.
http://www.drinknation.com/urinaltest.php
And thanks for visiting my (mostly about the baby) blog. New update and pics are up, so feel free to visit again.
-T
I use the first stall too. I never even thought about it until i read something about people not usually using that first stall.
I totally understand where you are coming from. Back in college, I had a shower stall that was "mine". I would stalk the stall and as soon as it was free, I would put my stuff in it. Now I'm like that with my seat in class. If someone is in it, I give them the evil eye and sit right next to them.
This is probably TMI but oh well. Just thought I would share.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzO1mCAVyMw
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