Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Gotta Go!

One of the challenges of stroller walking is the inevitable human urge to go to the bathroom. Today I was headed home (with my son in his stroller) from a marathon playdate with my friend Gry and her son Luka. All of a sudden, I had to use the bathroom so badly that I thought I was going to explode.

I mean, I was literally sweating, I had to go so badly. I was walking at a furious pace, hoping to find a restaurant that I could manipulate into letting me use their facilities. Unfortunately, I was in an exclusively residential neighborhood with no bathrooms in sight, only brownstones.

Insanity took over. I saw a young woman standing in the doorway of the basement part of a brownstone. She was engaged in conversation with a slightly older woman. All at once I involuntarily blurted out:

"Excuse me, I am so sorry, but I really need to use the bathroom. Can I please use your bathroom before I explode?"

They were both stunned.

The older woman spoke first:
"Umm....I'll let you handle this one." She said to the younger woman. And with that she disappeared into the residential neighborhood.

The younger woman was so thrown off by my inappropriate request that she ushered me into the brownstone and let me use her restroom while she watched my son who was sitting in the stroller just outside the building.

When I entered the building, I discovered that this was not someone's house, but rather a daycare facility! I didn't feel as badly for barging in when I found out that it wasn't a home.

There were toddlers running about joyfully playing with one another.

I finished up in the restroom and profusely thanked the staff of the daycare center for letting me relieve myself and went on my merry way home.

13 comments:

  1. This happened to me at school last week. I had to go so badly that I seriously started thinking of excuses I'd use for WHY I peed my pants, or good answers for "hey whats that big wet spot on your skirt?" I have no ability to "hold it" anymore after having a baby. Kegels, shmegals.

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  2. HA HA HA! That's hysterical! I'm so glad I am not alone. Man, ever since birth my bathroom habits have not been the same either!

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  3. I know, it sucks. I can't laugh at my mom anymore for peeing her pants when she sneezes...I guess delivering 3, 10lb babies will do that to you!

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  4. Totally LOL for me. I can definitely identify with that one. Sometimes I also am so in my head I don't notice I have to go until it is an emergency.

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  5. I know!! And then it's so overwhelming that you feel like you will explode!

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  6. I’m on the street. Have a need to go. Can’t find a place to go. Look for a restaurant. So annoying, No decent public rest rooms. What’s up with that? And you had to contend with this situation with a toddler in tow!
    It’s not right!

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  7. Donna was telling me that they are going to start creating pay toilets throughout the city. I'm afraid of that.

    And you're right. There are NO decent public restrooms. The ones in the park are scary!

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  8. When you gotta go, you gotta go! I'm glad that you found someplace, and that it ended up being less awkward than it seemed.

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  9. Thanks Amber! It's true, when you gotta go, there's no stopping it. I don't know how it is in Vancouver, but the public bathroom situation here in New York City is miserable!

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  10. But did she let you see her bird? ;-)

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  11. I'm telling you! They know what's up!

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