Yesterday at church my pastor talked about public bathrooms in Greece during the time of Paul. Jimmy said that public restrooms were elaborate affairs, many providing entertainment by way of musicians who played from a stage in the center while being surrounded by patrons sitting on toilets. One could imagine a higher rate of constipation when trying to do your business with someone looking on - especially if there's a stand-up comedian on stage that day. And it must truly suck to only be able to book public toilets to showcase your talent.
Today we've got security auditors in the office. Totally by chance, our fire alarms went off as soon as the auditors arrived. The fire marshals donned their red baseball caps and herded people downstairs even though it was raining outside and employees were reluctant to leave their desks. My job is to check the men's room on the way out to make sure no one is trapped in there in the event of a fire. Sure enough, someone had decided to use the bathroom while we were supposed to be exiting the building. I stood in the hallway outside the restroom waiting for the jerk to finish and vacate my area of responsibility. It sucks to have to check bathrooms for malingerers. Nevertheless I put in my after-action report a note to tell employees that when the fire alarm goes off, you don't stop at the bathroom on the way downstairs.
One more thought on bathrooms. Yesterday after church I went to the mall to play video games and had to use the bathroom. Normally I like to take a book with me so that I can exercise both mind and bowels at the same time; but this wasn't a planned trip so I was empty-handed. However, the mall was playing some pretty good music so I sat there enjoying the music, adding my own percussions and laughing when I was off the beat. I sat there so long my legs fell asleep, which is what happens when I take a book to the bathroom. Once I can't feel my legs any longer I know when it's time to stop reading.
Bathrooms can be wonderful places, unless you have to clean the women's restrooms at the theater I work at. Our female customers have yet to learn to sit all the way down so they don't soil the toilet seats and the floor. Then then come to me to complain about how filthy the women's bathrooms are - as though I'm responsible for making them that way. What a load of crap!
4 comments:
Hey, Larry, Bathrooms...what a dissertation....but, the gentleman using the bathroom when the fire alarm went off--hope you never have prostrate trouble so you won't have to endure those problems!!!
As far as ladies in restrooms, yep, we are messy--it would be helpful if each and every one cleaned up after themselves. Myself, I always wipe down the seat first and after...sit on a toilette???? ICK...do you have showers handy in the theatre for us to use with clean linens. ICK!!! What a thought...ask ladies what they think of sitting??? Not in the MIDWEST...
The information on Greece toilets is incorrect. Only the modern buildings have toilets you sit on. The old buildings, including monasteries, have a hole in the floor that you squat over. The oldest ones are surrounded by a wood frame, then they moved to porcelin around the hole. I doubt anyone was watching them since the "WC" (water closet) is inside a wooden building. If there was music, it was in a court yard, not in an open air community toilet. For germaphobic Americans these toilets present a big problem.
If you get a chance, go to Greece. The history is great! Besides the monasteries, there are ancient churches and catacombs.
Back in 1971 I spent a day in Athens on the way to Asmara, Ethiopia. Athens is a beautiful city and Greece would be a wonderful place to live if I had to live in Europe.
Monasteries in Ethiopia also had the hole in the floor.
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