Potty Humor

Not long after K-girl was born, my step-father-in-law informed me that I would soon become intimate with every public restroom in the city. I don’t think this is a universal girl thing. I think it has to do with the powerful genes handed down from my mother-in-law. I remember looking at him with disgust. That will never happen because I absolutely detest public restrooms. At the time, I was not yet aware of the full power of the “Luther gene”.

Needless to say, I know where the little girls’ room is in every Austin store and restaurant I’ve been in. I guess it’s been about 7 years since my first encounter and I’ve become accustomed to it. I still hate it but when faced with the options of your child peeing in the store or using the public restroom, I’ll take the restroom.

These days K-girl is old enough to go by herself but I still have to take L-girl. When I take L-girl to the bathroom, we have a regular, predictable conversation. It goes something like this:

L: Mom, does this toilet flush by itself?

Me: No, it doesn’t. (or Yes, it does.)

L: Good, because it has a handle, right? (or Oh, I’m scared.)

Me: That’s right. (or It’s ok, I’ll help you.)

It is the same conversation every time, depending on whether it’s an automatic toilet or not. I have learned how to cover the sensor on those automatic toilets so it doesn’t get set off by a little girl wiggling on the potty. It’s just another trick of the trade.

BTW, the bathroom at Terra Toys has stickers on the stall doors with pictures of animal butts and a little kid sitting on a toilet. It says, Everyone poops.