Monday, March 11, 2019

Privacy Invaded

    I have a decided aversion to public restrooms, and try to avoid them as much as possible. Every once in a while though I have no choice, but to use one.
    Yesterday, at church, I was faced with no other choice. I bravely opened the door and immediately went to the far end of the row of stalls and crept into the door closing it behind me.
     The stall door gives about the same amount of privacy as a hospital gown. I didn't have any scotch tape in my purse to fasten some toilet paper over the gaping crack at the right side of the door so I tried my best to simply ignore it.
     A little later the door opened and I could hear the sound of little feet approaching. They entered the stall right next to me and after some considerable grunting I heard the lock on the door slide shut. A little later the toilet flushed and some more grunting ensued, and finally the little girl simply scooted out under the door leaving it locked.
     Vigorous hand washing followed and then it was time for primping in front of the mirror that was hanging on the wall directly outside my door. I had full view of the goings on from where I was sitting.
     I was surprised that this little girl was in here by herself. She appeared to be around three years old. I watched in consternation as she grabbed both sides of the mirror and yanked at it. I was sure the whole thing would come crashing down on top of her.
    A few seconds later the door opened. "Barbara Grace!" said a no nonsense voice that belonged to a man. "Get over here right now!"
     Little Miss Barbara Grace ignored him and yanked at the mirror again.
     He marched in swiftly and grabbed her up in his arms, but not before our eyes met through that awful crack at the side of the door.
     I think I may need therapy.

22 comments:

  1. Just try and imagine how embarrassed he was too, LOL. I went into a men's restroom one time, did my business, and was washing my hands when a man came out of the stall. I commented that one of us is in the wrong bathroom (I was thinking he was) he smiled and said "yes ma am" I walk out and as the door shut I saw MENS. I scurried away before he came out, LOL

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    1. That's hilarious!!! Bless your heart.

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    2. I too have an aversion to public washrooms and ONLY use them if I am traveling outside of my city. Otherwise I plan so that I am at home when I have to go. But to have a man walk into a public washroom to get his little girl and then to have our eyes meet through the crack in the door, well I would die of mortification. And I would pray I would never see him again. ha ha

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  2. Oh my! I feel the same way about public restrooms, but often find myself in situations that leave me no choice. I can only imagine how you must have felt when your eyes met. And reading the comment above, I can only imagine how embarrassed she was. I think my phobia about public restrooms may now be even even worse than before. Blessings, Betsy

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  3. He was probably just as embarrassed as you.

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  4. Oh, my goodness!!! I'm so sorry, but I did laugh out loud! Oh my... sooooo sorry!!

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  5. Oh my! I am not a fan of public restrooms either. I'm glad Barbara Grace was scooped up before she became the recipient of seven years bad luck!

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  6. Yep..I would be searching the internet for a new church if that'd happened to me. But like the rest who've commented, I laughed out loud!😂😂 Sorry you had to go through that though.😬

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  7. OMGOSH, See that is why I do not go into Public restrooms if all possible

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  8. I'm wondering who's going to crawl under and unlock that door! LOL
    I was in our lady's bathroom at church one day, and I was washing my hands when a man flung open the door. He apologized, and it knew it was a mistake. I swear I don't think he's been back to church since then.
    I read somewhere that the first toilet is the least used because everyone skips to the back. LOL

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  9. What a story ...I must admit to laughing (alittle) since I am not a fan of public washrooms either... Nowadays, it's a darn uncomfortable situation, especially with co-ed washrooms... Good for you for making light of an embarassing situation...and having the good humor to share it ......Hugs

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  10. My goodness, how funny and awkward at the same time! Life throws embarrassing situations all the time. You handled it with grace and humor.

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  11. Is it bad if I laughed? Is it bad if I'm still laughing? What a great story!
    :0)

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  12. Tooooo funny! I remember needing to go to the restroom at an airport one time. I was talking to my daughter on my phone when I entered, and since I had just read how annoying it is when people are talking on their phones in the next stall, I decided to stand at the sinks until we had finished our conversation. Imagine my surprise when a man walked out of a stall! There I was having a phone conversation in a men's bathroom!

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  13. Oh my...what an adventure. Poor you and poor Barbara Grace...and poor who ever needs to use that locked stall!!

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  14. Some janitor is going to have to crawl under that door to unlock it... :-(

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  15. I am laughing, too....sorry. I have a story that I don't want to share publicly...but it is kind of from the other side of the story...

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  16. I'm sorry I had to laugh out loud. Oh my goodness!

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment and give me an opportunity to visit you in return.

    I'll be back... wishing you glimpses of heaven in unexpected places.

    Brenda

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  17. I was standing outside the LADIES room at Wal Mart when I noticed a man went in. In a few seconds a little girl started walking into the bthrm looking nervous but desperate to go potty. I stopped her. (No mom, adult with her.) I asked, “Where is your Mom?” She just said, “out there.” So I told her I would walk in w her bc “I just saw a man go in there.” We walked in and THERE HE WAS standing in the stall WITH THE DOOR OPENED! I could not believe what I was seeing!! I ushered her out and asked again, “Where is your mom?” Then she pointed to her. I went to the mom and told her I had walked w her daughter into the bthrm bc there was a man in there. She thanked me. PARENTS, NEVER PERMIT YOUR CHILDREN TO GO IN TO PUBLIC RESTROOMS “ALONE.” PLEASE!!’

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  18. I hope you go to a large church. Lol. Then maybe both of you didn't recognize each other. How awkward but still a great story. Could happen to anyone. Public restrooms are awful. The trauma.

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