Unapologetic Rant

Certain things are a guarantee when you travel with an infant. Some people will open doors; other

will do anything they can to get away from you and the enormous stroller, diaper bag, carry-on luggage and struggling grimace on your face. Older women will smile at you and compliment the baby, and some may relish in an old tale about their first travel experiences with their first babies.

People who don't need certain accommodations, like the handicap stall or family bathroom, will use them anyway. I am certainly guilty of having done this - especially using the handicap stall if I didn't see anyone who needed it. I'm sure I've also used a family bathroom when I didn't need to. I like big bathrooms and I like extra space and privacy. But after this latest incident, which I am about relay, I have resolved to try to never use an accommodation specially designated for someone else (unless it's an emergency). 

Baby girl and I had some time to kill before our flight, and per the usual she needed a diaper change. We headed over to the ladies' and I was surprised for two reasons. First, it wasn't crowded and stalls were open. Second, there wasn't a changing table in any of the open stalls. There wasn't a changing table in the handicap stall or near the door, or any of the usual spots you might find one. Huh? We walked back out and then I saw the designated "family" restrooms. There were 2 situated between the entrances to the men's and ladies' rooms. 

Great, thought I! And we went to the first door, attempted to open it and found it locked. We tried the other, it was also locked. So we waited. 

And waited.

After about 5 minutes, we went back to the first door and knocked. I knew it was occupied but figured the family inside may not know others were waiting. My intention was really a "heads up, someone's out here" knock. I think it was received that way because we didn't hear a gruff "OCCUPIED!" from the other side. We heard a toilet flush and then a couple minutes later the occupant emerged.

It was not a family. It was a beautiful, early 40s-ish, brunette, completely alone. She was dressed in casual clothing, sunglasses and a baseball cap. Her long, straight hair was styled well under that cap. And despite the glasses it was very clear, she had on a full face of makeup. These things aren't even things I usually notice. We live outside of LA - this is what a lot of women look like. 

But I expected to see a mom (or maybe a dad!) with at least one child or more. You know, someone who looked more like I did... Tired, overwhelmed, frazzled and in desperate need of a changing table. By this time, I'm sure anyone within 20 feet of us could smell the baby doody. 

The look on her face when she saw me signified that either she smelled the poop, or she simply thought we didn't belong in that hallway on the other side of the family bathroom door. She looked me up and down, smirked and walked away. I didn't expect her to speak to me or become my new best friend, but I guess I did expect a half-smile or some form of acknowledgment without the 'tude? 

We finally got into the family bathroom and I changed baby girl's diaper. I put her back in her bucket and then got ready to pee. 

I was practically dancing because I had to pee so badly all the while. I probably forgot to mention that detail because I've kind of accepted the pee pee dance as a regular part of my everyday life. Whether or not I have to pee doesn't always register as a thought these days... 

I digress!

I headed over to the big girl toilet and reached for one of those seat covers when I saw it! The woman with the nasty snarl had left her bloody tampon floating in the toilet bowl. Okay. Not the first I've seen that... And even though it's not great for the plumbing, in another case I'd probably just have flushed it and gone about my business. 

But she'd outdone the typical tampon faux pas. She'd also left the plastic applicator floating in the toilet. Apparently, using the trash can directly next to the toilet (and actually fairly empty) was just not her style. 

The way I saw it, my options were to go to the bathroom over her mess and not flush, perhaps making an even bigger mess for the poor person who has to clean up. Or I could stick my hand in the toilet, pull the applicator out myself and then flush someone else's bloody tampon... in the hopes that the toilet wouldn't overflow after. I do some wacky things in the name of emptying my bladder, but I was not about to risk some of the rude stranger's pee or period mess splashing against me when I peed. And I was certainly not about to touch the applicator or the tampon floating in the bowl. 

We walked out. I danced back to the regular ladies' room and pulled baby into the handicap stall with me. Ugh - as I said before, this handicap stall had no changing table. So I felt awkward going in there at all (even though the bathroom was mostly empty), but I needed the space for the baby in her stroller. 

Not only did this woman prevent us from using the designated family room for its intended purpose, she contributed to our need to do the same thing minutes later in the handicap stall. I thought about finishing this post with a big "F*** YOU!" to the brunette who leaves tampon applicators in toilet bowls. 

But I'd prefer not to push more negativity back out into the world. Rather, I'd like to believe that the snotty look she gave me exiting the family bathroom was really a look of embarrassment. Maybe I misinterpreted. Maybe she saw me and the baby, realized what she'd left behind for us and had a moment of regret. I'd like to think she's not all bad, but we caught her on an off day.