OK guys, in the continuing series of "Mr. C's Helpful Hints for Men" I have stumbled upon an explanation and answer to two of man's most enduring questions, "Why does it take women so damned long to go to the bathroom?" and "Why does it take two of them to do it?"
Here's your answer, from a woman's perspective:
Ladies, you know when you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving as you do.
You get in to find the door won't latch.. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty.
You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one,but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume " The Stance."
In this position your aging, toneless(God I should have gone to the gym!!!)thigh muscles begin to shake.. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance".
To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more..
You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday -the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That will have to do. You crumple it in the puffiestway possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail.
Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious,tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course.
You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try.
By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes.
The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.
At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.
You're e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d.
You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, .....so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.
You are no longer able to smile politely to them.
As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"
This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse, and hand you Kleenex under the door!
I absolutely despise public bathrooms and try to avoid them if at all possible for ALL of the reasons you took the trouble to outline. So icky. Completely unbearable!
ReplyDeleteI won't pee for a week.
ReplyDeleteMr C I am laughing so hard...I'm literally wiping the tears and doing that laugh where no sound comes out? Just a wide open mouth? Yep, that's me. I LOVE THIS.
ReplyDeleteI am going to link this at my blog somehow for the weekend. I LOVE THIS.
ReplyDeleteyep I bloglifted this. Go see. If you don't approve, tell me asap and I'll remove it.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate knowing a woman's view point & plight.
ReplyDeleteI am horribly pee shy... public loos are always agony for me.
Glad to be of public service folks. Mr. C is always on the lookout for helpful information. JenJen you can bloglift from me anytime.
ReplyDeleteWhenever my wife and I are traveling and we pull up at a "rest" stop, countless times I have heard, "that was the worst bathroom I have ever been in."
ReplyDeleteMy old lady assumes "the stance" in every washroom she hasn't personally de-grunged. Her thighs show the benefit of the years long practice.
ReplyDeleteOh, I remember this one, but I can't remember who first wrote it. My favorite part is "and why is your purse hanging around your neck?".
ReplyDeleteThanks for your supportive note. Not having medical insurance really isn't good. CH is feeling better and the "funny" pain never came back. Maybe it was gas, but we don't think so.
How is this helpful? I am still tying to grasp the concept of lowering the seat, and now you want me to feel sorry for them? You eat the apple, you pay the price.
ReplyDeleteJJ, as usual, you miss the point. No one's asking for your sympathy. Primer. Question 1: Why does it take women so long to go to the bathroom? Question 2: Why does it always take two of them to do it? Answer: Reread the post.
ReplyDeleteIn a pissy mood, aren't we?
ReplyDelete