Culture Shock ...

Hey, I'm working, here!

I have been around the block a few times, and I have witnessed many cultures. I have lived in Europe; I have traveled to the Middle East; and I have forgotten more quirkiness than I can remember. In some cases, I even have the T-shirt to prove the experience. However, today was a shocker.

I entered the men's room at my office building-- a last bastion of male privacy. As I approached the porcelain fixture, there was a guy, a stranger to me, having a conversation on his high-end cell phone, and the phone was in loudspeaker mode. There in one hand was his phone and in the other, something else. He was carrying on a conversation with a female voice on the far end of the call. I knew the phone was in speaker mode, because I could clearly hear both sides of the conversation. There the guy was carrying on business, as the both of us were carrying on our business. I felt as though my privacy was truly being invaded. I only hoped that the camera in the shiny phone was not voice activated.

So, I did the only thing that I could do. I flushed the urinal. It made a pleasantly loud gurgling whoosh. The guy on the cell phone seemed unperturbed. So, I flushed, again. I should have said something, like "excuse me" or "sorry," or … but no, I relished in the gurgle and flushed a third time.

Because of this new bathroom etiquette, I promise to do a better job next time. I now have a personal windmill to joust. All you bathroom cell phone users be warned. I may break wind loudly, or join your conversation. One way or another, I will stop this invasion.

PFFFFFFFFT, guilty dogs bark first!