excess verbiage

A few weeks ago, I was at a restaurant (can't remember which one) and I went to use the bathroom. It was one of those where you had the whole little room to yourself. However, when I closed the door and turned around, I noticed that they had a floor-to-ceiling mirror on the wall opposite the toilet. In other words, as you're sitting on the toilet, you see nothing but yourself sitting on the toilet!

I was like, ew. I know it's, you know, me - but I don't want to look at myself while I'm peeing. Just like I don't want to see myself eating. I dunno why, but I just don't want to watch myself stuffing my face for some reason. And you know, there's other stuff I wouldn't want to watch myself doing either. Maybe I have issues or something, but I honestly don't want to be in a bathroom looking at my reflection while I pee. Who's with me on this?!

Also, it reminded me of another odd toilet at a restaurant that used to be in Yaletown some years ago. It was some sort of tea place, with the word "elephant" in the name. Does anyone remember what it was called?? Anyway, in that place, they didn't have a mirror, but it was almost even worse. The bathroom door was glass. If unlocked, then you could see through it - you could see the whole bathroom. However, if you locked the door, then the glass turned into frosted opaque glass, changing it into a solid door.

The thing is, when you were sitting on the toilet, you were facing the door. It was a very self-conscious thing to sit there, worried that whatever mechanism was making the door frost over might malfunction, leaving you sitting there with your pants down, and everyone outside the door seeing you in all your glory. It was crazy. There was a guy who went in there and didn't lock the door so it didn't frost over. Luckily for him though, he was only peeing so his back was to the door. But we all saw it. And no, I couldn't look him in the eye when he came out.

I know that people like to get creative and everything, but sometimes, let's just keep thing simple. No fancy shmancy stuff in places like bathrooms, please!