Privvy to my thoughts

It's late so maybe that will explain the turn my mind took tonight (or failed to take, whichever you decide). For some reason, I found myself mentally reviewing the staff bathrooms (washrooms, restrooms or WCs depending where you reside) I've seen lately.

I have to say, they are always pretty interesting. Maybe just because they reveal so clearly the humanness of teachers. I suppose like most kids, if I had thought about it at all, I would have said teachers just sprang to life at their desks each morning, and deflated into the same chair at the end of the day. But seeing a collection of hand lotions, makeup bags and toothbrushes (obviously I go to the ladies version) proves beyond a doubt that simply isn't the case.

Some of the funniest posters and some of the worst poetry I've seen have been in a staff washroom. ("Using that spray/Makes the stinky smell go away.") I learned about the "courtesy flush" thanks to a handwritten note in one. And I've been baffled by an older-school's fountain-style washing station where you had to step in just the right spot to get the water to shoot at your soapy hands (and the dodge required to keep it from spraying all over the front of my shirt and/or jacket will be a valuable skill should I ever take up paintballing. )

From there, my thoughts wandered on to a trip that's coming up. One of my offspring is terrified of automatic flushing toilets and I've been trying to think of ways to get around that. Most airports do not trust their patrons to have to stoop to such measures on their own so I know it will be an issue once or twice. I was even in one airport where the little seat cover automatically rolled around the rim as soon as you stepped into the stall. I must confess I stared at that one awhile thinking, "Now there's something that could really go wrong."

Which raises another problem.

Have you every tried to trick an automatic toilet into flushing? Maybe its timing was off. Or maybe it scared the living daylights out of you by flushing too soon. Or maybe that ___! paper cover didn't completely disappear. I'm sure there are several scenarios you can imagine that might mean you want to try again so the next person doesn't think you're a uncouth slob just in from the hills. And there you are - waving fingers, looking for the self-help button and generally aware that the toes of your shoes are pointed in the wrong direction for the ladies room.

I guess you have two choices. One is to laugh.

The other is to just go with the flow.