Bathroom Etiquette

You know, I am glad I created a blog over my furlough earlier this year. It is giving me something to do on these Wednesday nights when I don't have anything else to do.

How about another funny engineering story? Well, maybe this happens not just with engineers but it makes sense since engineers are focused on efficiency and time management. And oh yeah, a complete disregard of social etiquette rules.

What rule in particular you may ask? The rule which clearly states "Thou shalt not use a public restroom stall as thine office for either personal or private voice communications."

So I was in the middle of completing my "daily download" (if you don't know what that is don't ask), and I heard the voice in the stall next to mine gruffly say "Hello?" At first I thought maybe he was talking to me (for what purpose I had no idea), but the one-sided conversation that followed took care of that question.

"What do you want?"

"What? Just take him to school!"

* more animated *

"Just take him to school!!"

Keep in mind that this is a busy morning, all stalls are full, and yet you could hear a pin drop. The only sound was this voice steadily growing louder and more impatient.

"Well, give him the phone."

The man now begins shouting into his phone.

"BOBBY, GO TO SCHOOL!!!"

"BOBBY, GO TO SCHOOL!!"

"BOBBY, IF YOU DON'T GO TO SCHOOL I AM GOING TO HAVE TO COME HOME AND TAKE CARE OF YOU MYSELF!!"

"JUST GO TO SCHOOL!!!"

"BOBBY, GO TO SCHOOL!!!"

Now, if you have ever found yourself in the position where the person next to you is talking on the phone, and you had tacos the night before, you understand the predicament I was in. It would be rude to just "let 'er rip!" when this guy is talking on his phone, wouldn't it? But what are you supposed to do? Isn't the bathroom the ONE place where it is acceptable to let all of that out? And sometimes...you just can't help it...

Somehow, myself and the other 3 dudes trapped in their stalls formed a silent coalition to take the high road and keep completely quiet until he finished his yelling match with his son, finish, and leave.

Awkward.