When you have to go, you have to go. People these days are so busy that public bathroom use is more common than home bathroom use. Depending where you are, public bathrooms can range from the terribly disgusting — use your foot to flush — all the way up to the couch filled, tip the doorman on the way out type.
Temple’s campus definitely covers the range. There are the Curtis Hall bathrooms that look like they have not been cleaned since Aaron McKie graduated, and then there are the Tuttleman bathrooms used for new student tour purposes. Every time I use the Tuttleman bathrooms, there are these prospective students in there with a parent. I think it is in the tour guide manual: IF PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS/FAMILY MUST USE THE FACILITIES — ONLY USE TUTTLEMAN! TUTTLEMAN ONLY!
Anyway, neither of these bathrooms have my favorite bathroom quality, automatic flush toilets. These things put the L in lazy. They should just start handing out remote controls for toilets to make the flushing process less stressful than it already is. But these little sensors that can tell when you are ‘done’ are not always right.
I was changing in a bathroom stall the other day and the automatic flush kept on flushing. I wasn’t even going to the bathroom, but the girl next to me thought I was either nuts or just had a really bad stomachache. I mean, soon enough they are going to have devices that roll the paper and wipe for you too. It’s getting out of hand (no pun intended).
But until then, people must do the duty of wiping themselves, and they also must continue to wash their hands afterwards. I don’t know how many times I see people just walk right out, no stopping at the sink to even pretend to wash the hands, nothing. Not even at restaurants. You are eating. For God’s sake, wash your hands! I know the sign only instructs employees to wash their hands, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else is exempt. “Oh, I’m not an employee, so I can walk out and contaminate everything I touch because I don’t work here. RIGHT?!?”
I am also confused about other bathroom rules besides washing the hands, for example the handicap bathroom stall. Now, does this stall carry the same rules as a parking lot? Do you have to be handicapped to use it, or is it open to the rest of the public? And if you have to be handicapped, is there somewhere to get a tag saying that you are allowed to use it? As you know there are those people who are not really handicapped, but somehow get the tag to put on their BMW so they can park in the close spots. Is there a rulebook I can get somewhere or what?
And why do girls have to go to the bathroom in pairs or groups? No wonder there is always a line to get into the women’s room. I mean, only five out of the 14 people in line really have to go; the other nine are just there to keep their bathroomie company.
So next time you are in a public bathroom, watch out for the automatic flush, don’t bring a friend along, and PLEASE, wash up.
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