Sometimes the work day is just too much. Sometimes I just need to escape for a little while, collect my Thoughts and take a breather. It’s hard, though, because you can never really escape inside an office. Someone can find you wherever you hide. Except, of course, in the bathroom. And, I’ve found, you can’t just stare at yourself contemplatively in the mirror, or even just hang by the urinal. You really need to lock yourself in a stall.
So I sit, just for a few minutes each day. I sit and think. I listen to the guy in the next stall click his pen. At least I hope he’s clicking his pen. And I don’t go either. I mean, I leave eventually, but I don’t go. I have to keep up the illusion, though. But I’m somewhat of an environmentalist, so I won’t needlessly waste the paper or water. Usually I take the toilet paper and save it for use at home. I learned that one from my grandparents. Faking the flush is more difficult, but I find if I make flushing sounds and make sure that only the elderly employees are in the room, I can get by. More often than not, though, I like to make sure no one is around when I emerge from my “sanity closet”. Because faking the hand washing can get embarrassing when others are watching.