Hold on, I have to flush

I remember when my college friend Jojo got a headpiece for her cell phone. She wore it constantly, leading to much confusion. She'd walk down the hall appearing to talk to herself, and when we asked if she was talking to us, she'd point to it, like, I'm on the phone! Duh! But when we got the hang of it and started ignoring her, it turns out she would be talking to us, just leaving the piece in her ear.

A woman at work, Dallas*, got one a little while ago and I am finally used to seeing her walk down the hall talking to the invisible person inside her earpiece. (Yes, I know perfectly well how technology works- the person on the other line is temporarily transported into the speaker, right? Full teleportation is just down the road!) Conveniently, this means that she can now talk on the phone no matter where she is, hands-free.

Including the multi-stall public bathroom in our building.

It's not uncommon to overhear long conversations from the next stall over. First you wonder if she is talking to you, then realize that there are gaps in the conversation and they must be filled in by whoever it is on the phone. Then you wonder if they know she is in the bathroom, and if it is possible to flush silently (hmm... nope), then you flush anyway and leave.

Apparently this bothers people, because this morning signs mysteriously appeared in each stall:

"Please respect the privacy of others

No cell phone use in the restroom!"

P.S. Many of you know that I am not bothered by talking to people when I pee/poo or when they pee/poo. However, I have only done this once or twice at work, and it was always to say "Hey- I'm in the bathroom, wait a minute" AND no one else was in the bathroom at the time. So this note is not directed at me!! My own bathroom at home is fine, and I was even known to do this in college sometimes, but I do draw the line at work... where I would encounter people I do not live with... some of whom I do not even know.

*to be introduced... sometime.