Excuse me, no really, me
December 06, 2007
Today while I was at Shin Osaka station, I decided to make a pitstop at the washroom.
Before I further this story, let me digress for a moment and explain something about washrooms in Japan. You will undoubtedly at some point visit a washroom while someone is in there cleaning. More likely than not, it will be an elderly woman cleaning. It took quite awhile to get used to peeing in front of someone who’s possibly my grandmother’s age. Sometimes I deliberately take the stalls just for that hint of privacy. It’s something that I’m sure most male foreigners here will attest to.
Back to the story.
At this washroom at the station, the cleaning lady was not an old woman, but a very young girl, perhaps early twenties, possibly even younger (it’s impossible to tell age in this country). I literally stopped dead in my tracks there and doubted whether or not I could pee, not in front of an old woman, but a rather young lass. I was about to forego this pitstop and maybe try to make it all the way home. Then I noticed other guys by the urinals already and collective agreement that I’ve picked up here kicked in and all inhibitions fell away. If other guys are peeing in front of her, it’s ok if I do it, right?
To top it off, when girl finished her cleaning in the washroom, she walked towards the entrance, stopped, turned back around and faced us and said, “失礼致ã?—ã?¾ã?™” – a very polite way of saying “Excuse me (I’m about to leave)”. No Miss, I am the one who is peeing timidly in your presence, please excuse me.
