Monday, December 8, 2008

It's a restroom, not a phone booth.

I have been so freak-out busy that I haven't had time to read blogs let alone write them, and I had such hopes of sharing a daily dose of Christmas joy each and every day with you. Since that plan is already shot to h***, I thought that I instead I would share a dose of rudeness in the extreme...

We were on our way home from a weekend in Boston (more on that soon) and made a stop at Burlington Mall. When travelling anywhere with a six year old, every stop becomes an attempt to pee. Otherwise, you'll be back on the road, and fifteen minutes later the urge to pee will hit which will require a pull-off the highway and the possibility of less than sanitary surroundings. So Pipsqueak and I found a restroom at the mall and walked in to find a line of four women and two working stalls. The third has an "out of order" sign on it. We waited and waited, and nothing seemed to be happening. I asked Pipsqueak, "Do you really think you can go?" I was hoping to abandon the line that didn't move, but she assured me that there would be results, so we continued to queue.

Finally, a stall dweller departed, but the #2 stall dweller (no pun intended) had yet to make an appearance. The women in front of me started grumbling and comparing how long they've been standing there. Suddenly there was a voice from within #2, "Hi, it's me. I'm sorry to bother you, but I just really miss you so much." We queuers looked at each other in disbelief; she was talking on her cell phone. At this point, a women left stall #1 and said, "Is she talking on her cell phone?" Unable to speak from the shock, we all nodded our heads. #1 banged on the door of #2 stall and said, "Excuse me; there are people waiting out here." The response was a non-concerned, "okay." She continued to talk for a minute of two while the grumbling in the line escalated. I was waiting for some sort of uprising or coup. Finally, she came out with her pants undone and the phone up to her ear. She talked for another couple of minutes by the door before hanging up and leaving the restroom (without washing her hands, I must add).

I've seen some major cell phone rudeness, but that one takes the cake.

I will not lose the joy. I will not lose the joy.

6 comments:

Vicki said...

I hate that! The least she could've done is multitask efficiently and not kept everybody waiting.

Anonymous said...

How lucky must be the one on the other end of the phone to have such a thoughtful person calling them. I'm sure THEY are feeling the joy!

Aunt Becky said...

Sorry we had to meet that way, I had an important call, man. And you know, sometimes you just gotta do it while you can.

Kitt said...

Wow, that's amazing. I hope someone pulls that on her someday when she's about to bust a kidney.

Aristarkhos said...

hey. i am visiting after a looong time.
I love rude cell phone stories. :)
I have a bunch to tell too. Yours was super. It must have been so freaking frustrating!!
Darn phones bring out the best in us. I have to put up with guys in the train blaring their music on speakerphone & women ambling on a busy road/sidewalk (it is the same thing in india) with their handsfree...and mind you, their hands are not free...one hand has the mic and the other has the phone. :o/

Mama Bee said...

OMG, I had almost the same thing happen to me at Nordstrom a while back! I was shopping with Baby Bee in tow (in the stroller) and desperately had to pee. Of course, since I had the stroller, I had to use the handicap stall.

With NO OTHER STALLS IN USE, I had to wait for what seemed like days for a woman who was in the handicap stall on her cell phone! She finally emerged (still on the phone) and I did my best to not (intentionally) smash her ankles in with the stroller. What a cow!

I'm so passed not losing the joy... ;)

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