Sunday, March 03, 2013

Toilet paranoia

Whenever I visit a new toilet I worry about how the door locks. I turn knobs and am not convinced that it's locked - but what if it is and it's like a dead lock so if I try to open it to check it will open anyway? And then, perhaps even worse, what if once in the toilet cubicle I can't get out again?

So I put my bag on the floor near enough to the gap under the door so it can be seen - just - but not so near that it can be stolen! But am I putting on a spot of dried-up wee?

Things weren't helped when we were in the Vatican Museum and I needed the toilet. I joined the queue and waited  Meanwhile the attendant was doing her cleaning rounds. Each time someone came out of a cubicle she rushed in, checked it and mopped the floor.

So one young woman came out and the attendant went in only to emerge a second later. 'Scusi, signorina.'
The young woman turned round and the attendant made it obvious that she hadn't flushed the toilet. The guilty one scurried back in, flushed and rushed out again.

We could give her the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe she had flushed but that not everything had been washed away. On the other hand she didn't wash her hands so I'm disinclined to that viewpoint. 

Anyhow, when one became free, I went into the cubicle with a certain trepidation. I think I would have stayed in there all day if necessary ...

Is it just me?

6 comments:

jams o donnell said...

I now how you feel about public toilets

CalumCarr said...

Sometimes, I worry about you, Liz!

Anonymous said...

In the Vat, the attendant rushes in to see if the priests have forgotten any choirboys in the stalls. Makes a bad impression ;-)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Haha! I never put my bag on the floor but keep it round my neck - which makes things somewhat difficult sometimes....

nick said...

I have no problems with flushing but I always feel self-conscious in public toilets. I don't like being surrounded by other people when I'm doing something that seems very private. I just want to get out again as quickly as possible.

Anonymous said...

You really put your bag on the floor? Yuck!