Bathroom Surprise

I had an odd bathroom experience last weekend.

I stopped for breakfast at the McDonalds in Cedar City. As I opened the bathroom door I hear two men having an intense discussion. As I entered I noticed they weren't at the sink to my left, nor at the urinal to my right. Could they be in the stall?

I sensed awkwardness. Not hair standing up, but suspicion and a touch of creepiness. And not enough to make me retreat, although I wasn't discarding that option.

I took a step or two toward the stall and was becoming aware that the voices didn't sound right, even with the echo-y acoustics of the tiled bathroom. One more step and I figured it out.

The video below attempts to recreate the event.



Yes, there's a flat panel television above the urinal. And it was tuned to a sports show with two guys energetically recapping the recent college football games. It startled me to hear this in a bathroom, and that's not a place for startling. Imagine if it had been females talking on the TV.

I'm all for nice bathrooms, and I was impressed that a McDonalds would have such a well-appointed facility, but the TV is too much. There are no TVs blaring at the library, the same should be for bathrooms. A little music to distract from any unfortunate noises, but no TV.

6 comments:

dug said...

i'm pro-tv in the bathroom, as long as it's set to something i like, and i don't have to touch it.

for example i love when restaurants have the usa today on panels above the urinals. this is the evolution of that.

Anonymous said...

I have seen tvs in sports bars, always set to the "biggest" game/event so you don't have to miss anything. Of course, if you wait until commercials, then you wouldn't miss anything but that is besides the point. I am all in favor of that. That's why flat screens were invented, right? To fit in the small space above urinals!

However, it does seem odd to have a tv in a restaurant. Restaurants are quieter than bars and how do you choose a channel?

mtb w

KanyonKris said...

The sports bar TV in the bathroom is a good idea so you don't miss any of the game if you have to pee.

But otherwise I don't like a blaring TV in bathrooms. A TV playing music videos or silently showing news headlines (ie the USA Today dug mentioned) sounds good. But not just tuned to "talking" programs.

CB said...

i love the TV in the bathroom. it's so "Jetson-like"

Anonymous said...

There I was standing waiting for the 2 guys to finish at their respective urinals,4 eyes glued to the flat screen. Hummm this is taking a long time, a long pass to the goal line, the ball is tipped, caught, fumbled, recovered...touchdown ! One guy was pissed, the other was pissed on.
ps; I thought of some very punny lines but I would rather be heading home on the bike.

KanyonKris said...

Anonymous - love the story.