Why Is There Always Water On The Women’s Bathroom Counter?

This past Tuesday while running from one meeting to head to another, I stopped in the woman’s restroom to take care of business and freshen up a bit. Because I was scheduled to present I wanted to appear fresh and polished. I exited the stall and stepped up to the counter. As I washed my hands I felt a spreading dampness against my legs; I looked down at my slacks to find I was soaking wet. It was at this point I screamed those words I have screamed so many times before: “WHY IS THERE ALWAYS WATER ON THE WOMEN’S BATHROOM COUNTER?!” The restroom counter isn’t just wet at work I have found that in virtually every women’s restroom I have visited across America the counter is always wet. Movie theaters, Hotels, restaurants,  and they are even soaking  wet in the porta-potty at the Arts festival. As a matter of fact the only place that I have found a dry counter is in my own home. 

 “Ugh, what am I going to do now?” I have five minutes to get to my next meeting to present an awesome speech to a room full of new hires on why they need to be a part of Toastmasters.

Another woman in the room heard my cries and she proceeded to answer. “The reason why the counter is always wet is that instead of each woman wiping off the counter after they wash their hands they just expect the attendant to do it.” “They expect the attendant to do it”, I parroted back to her, the attendant has other responsibilities they can’t spend all day waiting to wipe down the counter.” If everyone pitched in and did their part the bathroom experience would be a much nicer one. Well, as nice of an experience as a bathroom trip can be.

As I rushed off to my presentation, wet pants and all, I thought about how this whole wet counter business reminded me of a question I am always screaming right before my Toastmasters meeting. “WHY IS THE VPE ALWAYS BEGGING MEMBERS TO SIGN UP FOR ROLES RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING?!” Can it be for the same reason women leave the countertop wet? Are members expecting someone else to fulfill the roles? If this is the case I repeat the statement I said to the lady in the restroom “ The VPE has other responsibilities they can’t just stand around all day asking for members to sign up for roles. Each Toastmaster has volunteered and promised our fellow members we would do EVERYTHING we could to further the goals of self, club, area and district. If everyone pitched in and did their part the Toastmasters meeting experience would be much nicer. And not just nice but unimaginably great!