Dear Guys - The World is Your Oyster, Not Your Bathroom

In the course of my daily commute, I sometimes need to traverse some close quarters.  When it is freezing, the train platform waiting room; on my walks, makeshift sidewalk hallways thanks to construction sites; and of course the staircase up to the train platform.  And each and every time I walk through, all I can think is "seriously guys, can't you just hold it till you get home?"

I'm not talking about forests here - I've been camping and I understand that if there is no bathroom for 6 miles sometimes you need to make do.  Even us ladies have had to cop a squat in those situations.  I am talking about smack dab in the middle of civilization.  Where people walk every day. 

It's a simple concept.  Just because something has walls doesn't mean you should pee on it.  And I know you know it's wrong because you only do it in the places where no one can see you.  But the rest of us have to walk there.

My god - the stairs up to the train on a Monday morning.  I understand that many of you arrived home after a night out on the town, blowing off the stresses of the work week.  But I assume that you are heading to a car that will have you home shortly.  Just wait till you get there!

And the construction sites.  As soon as I spot one of those enclosed walkways I know what I'm in for.  And I can't always avoid it.  So I take a deep breath, plunge on in and move through as quickly as possible.  I should not have to do this.  A person should be able to walk free from the smell of pee.

I am assuming that if you are in a meeting at work that goes a little longer than you expected you manage.  I am assuming you were successfully toilet trained as a child.  There are not parades of men in and out of the theatre while the movie is on, so the majority of you know how to hold off for a couple of hours. 

Do not try to blame it on the homeless.  I've worked in the city too long and have had too many inadvertant spottings of non-homeless men taking care of business when they thought no one was around.  Do not try to say that women do it too.  I've worked in the city too long and have never, ever seen a single woman taking care of business when they thought no one was around.  Do not try to blame it on dogs.  They do it way out in the open where things can dissipate.  They're not hovering behind a wall grabbing a furtive pee.

Learn from us women.  We know how to hold it.  Have you ever seen the line to the ladies room at a public venue?  We get on line desperate, yet knowing we have a good 10 minutes before relief is in sight.  And we manage.

You can too.