Rant Thursdays: Phones and Follies

Now I have been involved in some awkward situations and complained about some annoying things but I feel as if this week I have something to really rant about. When one takes a journey to the rest room it is always fairly appropriate, especially for men, to just get in, follow the one full urinal stall away man code (ladies if you are confused by this read rule 2.1 at http://guycode.wordpress.com/), take care of business, wash the hands and leave. Now another part of this is that men don't talk to each other while in the bathroom.

So as I was in the bathroom the other day, going to take care of business, I was confronted with a seemingly increasing problem from what I hear. I was one stall away, as dictated, from this other gentle man and there was another gentleman on the porcelain throne. Then the guy on the throne, let us call him Max, gets a call on the phone. Now, social rules would say, let it go to voicemail and call them back when you are in a more appropriate venue. Not Max though, he decided right here and now was appropriate for him.

Now the major problem is that everything echos in the bathroom. Even the quietest sounds are magnified ten-fold in the restroom. So me and the other guy at the urinal both froze up once Max decided to answer. It is awkward to have people hear you relieving yourself especially someone you don't know. So Max is chatting it up enthusiastically with someone who I believe may have been female. Urinal User #2 and I have both at this point given up on finishing do to performance anxiety and so we both have quietly moved to the sinks to wash up before attempting to leave ASAP. Then things get weirder because Max starts taking care of his business in a VERY LOUD fashion while still on the phone with undisclosed female, which of course is magnified. Now I personally would be mortified, but it is just amazing to me that this guy wasn't discussing anything life threatening and felt the need to be one the phone in the bathroom. Completely absurd.

So my advice for the week is please, please, PLEASE do not join this growing trend. Save your cell phone calls for when you are out of the bathroom and not making everyone in there uncomfortable. Plus there is an increased possibility of dropping your phone in the toilet by doing this activity which would just be terrible all around. Be classy!