Public Indecency

In my 24 years I have observed different habits after coming off of the toilet.

The person who:
- uses soap, scrubs for the full 30 seconds and rinses
- uses soap, scrubs for about 5 seconds and rinses
- rinses
- does nothing at all

The person who does nothing at all, just flat out irks me. No matter how I try to rationalize their behavior I can't think of what compels someone to not at least rinse. The people who rinse at least fake it for other bathroom patrons. I hate it when I'm in the stall doing my business and I hear the person coming out of another stall and just walks out the door. Well now all the people after that person are left in a funk. Unless you carry around a travel sized Lysol, you're going to have to think of something fancy to not come into contact with germs.

I have become quite paranoid when using public bathrooms, I have a way I go about these things and I always wonder if I'm a bit crazy. I never touch the flushing handle thing (don't know the correct term), I use my foot. This is very selfish on my part because I probably make it ten times dirtier. Sorry to all girls in advance. Then I wash my hands, I don't do the whole sing happy birthday twice because I don't believe anyone does. I use two paper towels (sorry trees) and if there's a door, I use the paper towels as the protective cover for my hands when I open the door and either stash it in my purse or throw it away. Typing it all out makes me feel a little OCD. Hmp.

Confession: So I was not always miss perfect bathroom etiquette, far from it. I guess, since my parents grew up in Asia, washing hands after going number one or two was a luxury. (This makes sense, we use water, soap and trees when we wash our hands in public restrooms.) Therefore, my mom never thought to teach me the importance of washing hands since all of Asia probably does not do so. They probably have bigger problems like surviving. (I'm not soul-less, I will probably blog about more important smatterings as this relationship progresses.) I was taught by a dear little friend. On the first day of first grade my little friend Jillian looked at me in disgust as I began to pass the sinks in the bathroom and accusingly asked "You're not going to wash your hands??!" reflexively I said, "of course I am!' and copied everything she did. And that set this habit into motion. Then in college I had to take several Molecular and Cellular Biology classes and let me just say, if you're a germaphob, please do the world a favor and do not major in MCB. After some of the lectures, I devised plans to become the bubble girl. 


Please note, I do not judge you if you do not wash your hands, just please don't tell me.