Post-Its Should Not Be Allowed in Bathrooms
In my office building bathroom we have those automatic stop faucets. You know, the ones where you push the knob down and after about five seconds the water stops, leaving your hands still soapy and you have to repeat the process about five more times before you actually get your hands clean? Man, I love 'em!
But early on I discovered a bathroom miracle. The hot water knob on one of the sinks gets stuck when you push it and stays on until you actually pull up on the knob to turn it off. It's a blessing from the heavens.
Yes, technically the faucet is "broken." And the other building residents seem to be focused on this fact, rather than what this broken faucet can offer us. One day I walked in to the bathroom and saw a note scrawled on a paper towel and stuck over the "broken" faucet stating that the knob was out of order. I threw the paper towel away and took my time washing my hands. Another day I was...uh...sitting down in the bathroom, and I heard two people walk in and carry on a conversation about how maintenance really needed to be notified about this broken faucet.
Those fools! Ask not what you can do for the broken faucet, but what the broken faucet can do for you!
Well, Friday afternoon this reached the breaking point. I walked into the bathroom and found a post-it note stuck on the mirror just above the infamous sink (what is it with Post-its in bathrooms anyway?):
"Note: This hot water push button sticks. Please pull up to shut off (can someone notify maint?)"
Yes, everyone must know about this faucet. I'm with ya man! Let everyone enjoy the good fortunes the bathroom gods have brought us. But wait, did you say something about notifying maintenance? What's that all about? They'll take the faucet away from us all in the name of "fixing" it. No, I couldn't let that happen.
I almost threw the note away. And then I realized that this was my chance to have my voice heard! So I left a note of my own in response
"No! Don't fix it. Don't you see that this broken faucet is a blessing? Who wants to use the automatic stop ones anyway?!"
I walked away beaming with pride. I will be heard. People will read my note and minds will be changed. Who does want to use the automatic stop ones? What an excellent question.
And then the greatest thing in the history of the world happened: I got a response. A third note appeared on the mirror above the sink.
"Yeah, and why should we, who are disciplined enough to shut faucets after use, be inconvenienced by those who do not shut off faucets."
Yeah! Hit 'em below the belt. Those "undisciplined" idiots! It seems we have you outnumbered! Victory will be ours.
And that seems to remain the case now. As of today (Monday), the notes are all gone and the sink is still "broken." My people have won the first battle. But will we win the war? Only time will tell.
But early on I discovered a bathroom miracle. The hot water knob on one of the sinks gets stuck when you push it and stays on until you actually pull up on the knob to turn it off. It's a blessing from the heavens.
Yes, technically the faucet is "broken." And the other building residents seem to be focused on this fact, rather than what this broken faucet can offer us. One day I walked in to the bathroom and saw a note scrawled on a paper towel and stuck over the "broken" faucet stating that the knob was out of order. I threw the paper towel away and took my time washing my hands. Another day I was...uh...sitting down in the bathroom, and I heard two people walk in and carry on a conversation about how maintenance really needed to be notified about this broken faucet.
Those fools! Ask not what you can do for the broken faucet, but what the broken faucet can do for you!
Well, Friday afternoon this reached the breaking point. I walked into the bathroom and found a post-it note stuck on the mirror just above the infamous sink (what is it with Post-its in bathrooms anyway?):
"Note: This hot water push button sticks. Please pull up to shut off (can someone notify maint?)"
Yes, everyone must know about this faucet. I'm with ya man! Let everyone enjoy the good fortunes the bathroom gods have brought us. But wait, did you say something about notifying maintenance? What's that all about? They'll take the faucet away from us all in the name of "fixing" it. No, I couldn't let that happen.
I almost threw the note away. And then I realized that this was my chance to have my voice heard! So I left a note of my own in response
"No! Don't fix it. Don't you see that this broken faucet is a blessing? Who wants to use the automatic stop ones anyway?!"
I walked away beaming with pride. I will be heard. People will read my note and minds will be changed. Who does want to use the automatic stop ones? What an excellent question.
And then the greatest thing in the history of the world happened: I got a response. A third note appeared on the mirror above the sink.
"Yeah, and why should we, who are disciplined enough to shut faucets after use, be inconvenienced by those who do not shut off faucets."
Yeah! Hit 'em below the belt. Those "undisciplined" idiots! It seems we have you outnumbered! Victory will be ours.
And that seems to remain the case now. As of today (Monday), the notes are all gone and the sink is still "broken." My people have won the first battle. But will we win the war? Only time will tell.
