Chirky

Um. NO. I am shocked and appalled. I died for you. This is so wrong!

Dear all men of the universe: Never, under any circumstances, stick your head into the ladies' room and YELL SOMETHING OUT TO THE PERSON OR PERSONS INSIDE. Even if the building is on fire! It can wait ten seconds until they come out.

Sheesh.

Wait a second: that is wrong. So very, very wrong, on every level. Did you say anything to him, even kindly? That's WRONG. I mean, he needs you in a meeting, fine. FINE, but does he have to INTERRUPT you in the ladies' room?

No. Just no. That is wrong, Jes. WRONG.

According to my husband, it is an absolute universal rule that men NEVER talk to each other in the bathroom. So what makes this guy think it's okay?

Did I tell you that at BlogHer, a woman going into a stall as I was coming out asked me what my blog was called? As she was sitting down to pee? And then kept chatting so I didn't feel like I could leave? And then came out, washed her hands (thank god), and handed me her business card? While we were still in the bathroom? No, no no!

He chased you down in the stall. That is wrong on so many levels. He could at least have stood outside the door hovering in the crazy stalkerish way and made you jump when you opened the door, but to interrupt you in the midst of your "business" is just wrong.

and yet it serves the purpose of amusing me at this moment so that can be your silver lining of it all

This is a true, horrible story about my horrible ex-boss:

My friend G. was in the bathroom (one stall) on her birthday. For a long time. My horrible boss had decided that we would have the cake at 2 pm and when 2 pm rolled around and G. was in the bathroom, horrible boss gathered the whole staff around the bathroom door with the cake candles blazing and POUNDED on the door, demanding G. come out.

What a great way to ruin someone's bday. But my boss was like that.

I'm glad you mentioned you washed your hands. Your mother would be so proud.

~Jef

I feel sorry for the guy who had to open the Ladies' Room door to call for you! Men already have all these horrible visions of women's bathrooms anyway! I doubt he WANTED that task but was told to get you pronto.

Wait till you have a two year old child and he/she tries peeking under stalls to see who's next to you. That's fun.

At a recent football game, my wife used the women's restroom at my office. No one was here, so it was a nice place to stop by before and after the game. While waiting for her at the entrance I noticed a large silver candy machine outside the stalls. I didn't know women had a candy machine in their restrooms. I'm going to HR about this.

~Jef

That is so wrong! I can't believe he actually came in there looking for you. You're right. That was gross.

Let us be clear: he stood in the hallway, with the door open, calling for me. He didn't actually walk into the women's room and hover outside my stall. If he did, I think I would have unleashed my fury through flailing arms and legs.

Also, Jef: I always wash my hands. It bothers me that people don't to such a degree that when I see women leaving a restroom without washing their hands, I give them dirty looks. People are so gross. AS IF I want to touch a door handle after they've touched it.

That is why I use either (a) my shirt or (b) a paper towel. Or I time it just right so I can slip out the open door when someone else enters/exits. Yes, I'm THAT anal.

It's OK. He went back to the meeting and told everyone that you were found in the bathroom and 'just about finished" from the sound of things.

ps. I'm a paper towel/door handle grabber too. I get some weird looks but I'm cool with it.

Did he at least apologize for it? Or did he not even realize that there was any wrong doing on his part?

Joe: I think you hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't be surprised if such an announcement was made.

Heather B.: No apology. Where he is from, apparently this is acceptable behavior. Also, he was born in a barn.

OH MY WORD!!!!

There are very, very few people who ought to bother you while in the bathroom (e.g., your own child, possibly your husband if he's experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, Ed McMahon with a check for $10 million...) but a COWORKER??? Nein.

That is WRONG! (but oh, so funny)

I'm almost speechless. ALMOST... they/he couldn't have waited politely until you were back at your desk? the meeting is that important? It is beyond rude... it is completely inappropriate behavior. No wonder you feel violated. I feel violated for you.

Ohmygod, I would DIE. Just DIE. That is way out of line.

My dad and husband were watching football together this weekend and one of the coaches ran off the field in the middle of the game. For the rest of the night, the announcers were talking about, "What happened to Joe Paterno? Why did he run off the field?" "Oh, apparently he's experiencing flu-like symptoms."

Yup. Poor guy has announcers on national TV telling the world that he's got the trots.

I completely agree with you about peeing in public places. I mean it's necessary and you have to do it- but I do not like to hear others or worse- have them hear me. My big fear at my one workplace is that the bathroom is small and next door to a classroom- so others can hear everything basically. Everyone meaning children. Hello.

I think he actually saved you a lot of embarrasment. Everyone would have been waiting in the IT meeting for Jes, who - the girls would share - won't pee or talk while anyone is in the bathroom with her so we may be here a while.

One time one of my friends whos-a-girl saw the air-freshening/sanitizing globes in the urinals and she was like, "What are those? Toys?"

Gah! How obnoxious!

The wrongness of what he did cannot even be expressed. I am the same way. We have two stalls and I won't even go in the room unless both are empty. I need my privacy. And men, STAY OUT OF THE ROOM. Do not even THINK of opening the door. Want me to come in and talk to you at the urinal? I didn't THINK so.

Why didn't they send another woman after you? Why did the guy feel it was so important he had to tell you right then to come back to the meeting? I was expecting you to say that they were all gathered in there with a cake and streamers and balloons, and that they'd tricked you first by saying you were the only one who didn't have to go to the meeting.

In fact, think that guy should have to buy you cake for what he did. Chocolate.

(P.S. I'm totally with you on the paper towel door handle thing.)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly!!!!!!

hahhhaaa! that is horrific!

I have been so bad at calling back lately... thanks SO MUCH for the game night invites (last minute though they were) last weekend I was in WACO and for the last 3 days i have been in a conference in Ft. Worth.