One thing that I hate about working in a female-dominated office is that you rarely have the ladies room all for yourself.
Not that I am so hi-maintenance that I don't want to share the bathroom with others. But there are things you do in the bathroom that feel natural when you are alone, but a horror when there are people witnessing it in some ways, be it through hearing, smelling, or worse, sight (i.e. they see who's doing it).
Well, most girls in the office don’t seem to have the problem that I have. But again, they are all pretty. Actions committed by beautiful people are always forgiven. Sometimes they are justified or even glorified. Say a pretty girl accidentally farts when she is laughing, most people would just think it’s cute. Or depending on how she reacts, people may even start thinking that farting in public is HOT. But the same action committed by a fat ugly girl? Nuh oh! That’s your own private dooms day buddy!
Going back to the bathroom quandary, sometimes if I’m lucky, the other occupant(s) are already about to leave when I enter the bathroom. When that happens, I would wait til they leave while pretending to wipe the toilet seat, then once they leave I rush to finish my business quickly before anyone else comes in.
On not so lucky days, another person enters the bathroom the same time I do or just right before I get there. When that happens, I cross my fingers hoping that they will get out quickly so that I can do my business privately afterwards. But unfortunately, it’s rarely the case. There’s the girl who washes her hands for a good two minutes (citing the therapeutic effects of soaking in hot water). There’s the girl who always fixes her make-up. And of course, the friendly new girl who talks to whoever else is in the bathroom. You are already on the edge, and these people are still outside.
There’s also the situation when I think I am lucky but really am not. I get the entire restroom all for myself and do my business in peace. But as I wash my hands, somebody comes in, says hi to me, and goes straight to the stall that I’ve just used. Ugh, is it just me who can smell it? Or other people can too?
But nothing beats the two times when I enter the bathroom, it is already stinky like bathrooms in China, but when I am about to leave, somebody enters the bathroom and sees that I am the last person to use it. It really wasn't me, but how would I explain this? Tell her "umm, that wasn't me btw, I swear"? Some people get the benefits of the doubt, but I wouldn't be so confident that I am one of those people. Within seconds, all the sacrifice that I made, including pausing all activities when people come in, is nullified by the hard proof that I am there, leaving behind a gas chamber. All the work that I've done to manage my reputation is destroyed by a mistake that I did not even commit.
But oh well, life is never fair and life goes on. Back at my desk, my boss is already there waiting to grill me on why the client only got 7 copies of the new brochure sample instead of 8. Obviously, there are other things to worry about than your bathroom reputation.
Not that I am so hi-maintenance that I don't want to share the bathroom with others. But there are things you do in the bathroom that feel natural when you are alone, but a horror when there are people witnessing it in some ways, be it through hearing, smelling, or worse, sight (i.e. they see who's doing it).
Well, most girls in the office don’t seem to have the problem that I have. But again, they are all pretty. Actions committed by beautiful people are always forgiven. Sometimes they are justified or even glorified. Say a pretty girl accidentally farts when she is laughing, most people would just think it’s cute. Or depending on how she reacts, people may even start thinking that farting in public is HOT. But the same action committed by a fat ugly girl? Nuh oh! That’s your own private dooms day buddy!
Going back to the bathroom quandary, sometimes if I’m lucky, the other occupant(s) are already about to leave when I enter the bathroom. When that happens, I would wait til they leave while pretending to wipe the toilet seat, then once they leave I rush to finish my business quickly before anyone else comes in.
On not so lucky days, another person enters the bathroom the same time I do or just right before I get there. When that happens, I cross my fingers hoping that they will get out quickly so that I can do my business privately afterwards. But unfortunately, it’s rarely the case. There’s the girl who washes her hands for a good two minutes (citing the therapeutic effects of soaking in hot water). There’s the girl who always fixes her make-up. And of course, the friendly new girl who talks to whoever else is in the bathroom. You are already on the edge, and these people are still outside.
There’s also the situation when I think I am lucky but really am not. I get the entire restroom all for myself and do my business in peace. But as I wash my hands, somebody comes in, says hi to me, and goes straight to the stall that I’ve just used. Ugh, is it just me who can smell it? Or other people can too?
But nothing beats the two times when I enter the bathroom, it is already stinky like bathrooms in China, but when I am about to leave, somebody enters the bathroom and sees that I am the last person to use it. It really wasn't me, but how would I explain this? Tell her "umm, that wasn't me btw, I swear"? Some people get the benefits of the doubt, but I wouldn't be so confident that I am one of those people. Within seconds, all the sacrifice that I made, including pausing all activities when people come in, is nullified by the hard proof that I am there, leaving behind a gas chamber. All the work that I've done to manage my reputation is destroyed by a mistake that I did not even commit.
But oh well, life is never fair and life goes on. Back at my desk, my boss is already there waiting to grill me on why the client only got 7 copies of the new brochure sample instead of 8. Obviously, there are other things to worry about than your bathroom reputation.
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