by Lane Trawick

Created on: April 21, 2008   Last Updated: February 25, 2011

I know…I’m showing my age…right? But, I can’t help remembering when the Men's Room used to be for men. Apparently, I must have missed it when public restrooms became unisex…

I was at a concert and went to men's room during a break. It's not unusual to see long lines at the ladies' room, and it wasn't surprising to see the same thing at the men's room considering the number of people there consuming beverages. What was surprising was being approached, as I was waiting in line, by a girl who asked if she could cut in front of me. As I considered, momentarily, the reality of what I had just been asked, I noticed that there were already a number of girls already in line ahead of me. Then, I saw the number of girls that were exiting the men's room. Before I could respond, she pleaded further by pointing out how much longer & slower the girl's line was and that she had to go "really bad!" I mean, really…how could I say no? After all, who was I to deny this desperate girl what countless others were obviously already doing? "Sure," I said. "This is a first," (for me, anyway) I thought to myself.

When it was finally my turn, a stall was available. After closing the door behind me, I became aware that there were girls in the stalls on either side of me. The tussling, bumping, giggling gave away that there were two girls in one of the stalls next to me. “Of course,” I thought. Only girls could share a stall….in the Men’s Room, no less. "Ooooo, gross!” they said to each other with disgust. I wanted to second their notion to state for the record that not all guys are pigs; but, I didn’t. After all, it was their decision to enter the inner sanctum of the Men's Room. Far be it from me to squelch their experience.

Of course, the interaction between the sexes was priceless, as one might have guessed. The psychology, alone, of the interactive behavior between the sexes during that experience could provide enough material for a volume of writings. With the boldness in numbers and the beer consumption, there were some displays worthy of an SNL skit. Between the comments, the flushing, the running water, cat-calls, and shrieks, it was difficult to concentrate on taking care of my business chuckling at the crazy scene being played out in front of me.

A girl standing next to me as we dried our hands at the lavatories thanked me for allowing her to use the men's room. Having never been thanked by a girl for using the men's room, I couldn't help but feel like I was some part of a funniest home video. Not wanting to be rude, I said that she was welcome as we exited together passing many girls waiting their turn to use the "men's” room. Call me “old fashioned”…but, it was a new experience – a memorable one for me, anyway.

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