Monday, July 13, 2009

I'm Just Glad It Wasn't Me (TAT #5)

Time for Tova Darling's Tuesday Awkwardness Festival, better known as "Totally Awkward Tuesdays." It's fun to play. Just write about an awkward moment experienced by you or someone close to you, link to Tova's Totally Awkward Tuesday post, and put a link to your blog on her blog. Then go to Tova's blog and read everyone else's awkward stories. It's loads of fun!

Today's story isn't really about me, although it was sort of my fault...

A long time ago, I worked for a judge at the Courthouse. A friend of mine worked for a different judge down the hall.

Each judge's "chambers" included a reception area, offices for the law clerks, and - behind another door - an office for the judge, with a private dressing and toilet room. The secretaries and law clerks were not supposed to enter the judge's private space to use the judge's bathroom, but were required to use the "public" restrooms down the hall. (I put "public" in quote marks because although they were shared bathrooms, they mostly were used by employees, not the general public. So they were usually quite clean and not crowded, but they did require a little walk down the hall.)

I used to work on the weekends occasionally, and since the judge wasn't there, out of laziness I would use the private restroom in the judge's chambers, rather than walking all the way down the hall. I mentioned this to my friend once, and she was shocked - truly shocked!! She had never done that! I was embarassed to be seen as some awful rule-breaker, but as I explained to my friend, they clean the restrooms on Sunday night, so it's not like the judge ever had to be exposed to any of my germs or anything, or ever even knew I was in there. So what's the harm?

And then a few weeks later, I came in on a Monday morning to find the carpet torn out of my friend's judge's chambers, furniture all over the hallway, and people frantically running back and forth with cleaning supplies and measuring tapes and fans and boxes and Lord knows what else.

Turns out my friend had decided I was right, there was no reason to use the public restroom all the way down the hall when the judge's bathroom was right there, and so she had used it.

And then the toilet overflowed....

And continued overflowing....

And then it overflowed some more....


And she had to call security to assist her in turning off the water and calling the plumbers.


The carpet was a soggy, ruined mess.

And on that Monday morning, everyone in the building was talking about just how it happened.


* * * * *

I never used the judge's bathroom again.



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Note: Tova published her post early this week, so I followed suit. That way I won't have to deal with it in the morning.

17 comments:

Rachel said...

Oh. My. Gosh. LOL. That is hilarious!

Judi said...

Oh. My. Gosh. Holy Cow. That is hilarious and horrible all at the same time. Is that woman still your friend? I would've been MORTIFIED!!!!

Introvert said...

Ged. That was so embarrassing for your friend. It would've felt bad to be the reason for such a torrid mess :)

*LOL* You should be glad it didn't happen to you.

thepinkrigmaroles.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

LOL. Kismet, I guess, that it wasn't you. She should have just said she heard water running so she checked and the toilet was doing it on it's own. But I'm kind of crafty like that.

Winna said...

Oh my! I would have laughed so hard at her luck, then taken her for a drink later! Good story

Diane J. said...

Oh my, that poor gal. Does she still talk to you? =)

Fancy Schmancy said...

Oh, no! Your poor friend!

Gertrude Groggins - said...

Oh my goodness! I am caught between deer in the headlights shock and hysterical laughter!

Ebony said...

Lol. Amazing how it takes just one person to ruin everything! Funny story!

Raine said...

OMG! How terrible for your friend. What are the odds? Did she ever speak to you again? :D

miSz tUna said...

Whoa. What was wrong with the plumbing? Your poor friend.

Anonymous said...

lol I'm new to your blog!
Hilarious!!

Judi said...

I just had to come back and tell you that I am STILL thinking about this and how funny it is. So much so, I had to go BACK to Tova's site to find your blog since I couldn't remember who had posted this particular story. Now I'm following so I shouldn't have the problem in the future! :)

Vodka Mom said...

oh SNAP!!!!!!!

that was funny........

Christine said...

Ha ha ha ha! That is a great story! Aren't you glad it didn't happen to you?!? :)

Thanks for the comment on my post, btw!

Candy's daily Dandy said...

Oh nooooo.

There is nothing worse than toilet malfunctions.

Judi said...

I left you an award on my blog, please check it out!