don't go in there

OK, ladies, this one's for you. I would like to pose the following question: Why are we afraid to walk out of the bathroom stall in a public restroom when another person is in the bathroom with us.

Case in point: For the past week, I have used the restroom in the office where I work, and it seems that each time I use it, there is another woman in the stall that will not come out until I leave the bathroom. I am not making this up.

Let's see. Isn't a bathroom the last place you would want to spend more time than you have to? Millions of germs, cheap, thin toilet paper, paper towels stuck to the floor - not my idea of a good time. When I go into a bathroom, I quickly get in and get out as soon as possible. I don't pay attention to the other people in there. I'm there for a purpose.

Maybe we're embarrassed to have other women see us in a bathroom, but why, I don't know. Maybe we're uncomfortable with the fact that we see each other at the workplace but rarely in such a private place.

Whatever the reason, I still find it odd that I could sit in the stall for fifteen minutes and still not have the woman next door venture out to the sink.

All I can say is, it's a good thing I don't have any qualms about walking out of my stall, or we'd both be in there a really long time.