Monday, May 31, 2010

Bathroom Banter ..........

I have said it before ............. I hate bathroom duty. I really don't mind cleaning up after folks, been doing that most of my life. But, every year I wonder what new and amazing mess will await me when I enter that sanctuary of necessity.

One year it was the mud fight that a couple of boys had that made me crazy. I had to have a ladder to clean the mud off the ceiling. Then there were the two young men who decided the pool was too cold and that it would be fun to commandeer both ladies' and men's' showers. They turned the water on as hot as they could stand it and then would run jump into the pool, then run back to the still running hot showers. According to the camper who finally brought it to my attention this had been going on for a couple of hours. His family had been waiting to get into the showers and were tired of waiting. He didn't tell me earlier because he didn't want to "get in trouble". Yeah, I know, makes no logical sense that a grown man would "get in trouble" for telling on two teens for acting stupid. I don't know which made me madder, the boys in the showers or the man watching it happen. When I approached said young men, one was smart mouthed enough to tell me that his dad paid to be in this campground and that he could do as he pleased. I grabbed him by the ear lobe and drug him out of the ladies shower before I could stop myself. I am fortunate that his dad wasn't one to sue. They haven't ever returned and for that I am thankful.


The dilemma surrounding bathroom problems is that there is no way to know who has broken something. Can't put cameras in there. Yesterday morning I did a quick sweep and mop and fill of paper product and things looked okay. Trashcans were about 3/4 full, but I was running a little behind and had to open the store. A couple hours passed and everyone had their ice and morning necessities, so I locked the door and went to grab the trash and reline the cans. In, then out and back in the store in a matter of minutes. Not really. I entered the men's room after the requisite knock to make sure I didn't walk in on anyone. I had trouble pushing the door all the way open. The lid to the toilet tank was blocking it. Three rolls of tissue were wet on the floor and the tissue holder had been ripped from the wall. To top it all off, someone had apparently stepped in dog poop and had smeared in the floor in an effort to remove it from their foot/shoe. I saw a man and a little boy leaving the bathroom as I rounded the corner of the building. Were they the culprits? Don't know. And, if they weren't, why wouldn't the man want to alert me to the mess he walked in on? So I grab the mop and bucket again with my ever present Lysol and bleach and get to work after I put the toilet back together. As I am cleaning the mess up I am approached countless times to go open the store and I keep saying I will be there as soon as I can. Even if I had work campers this weekend, do you really think they would tackle the mess?


This morning I head to my daily dilemma and think I am prepared for whatever awaits me. I am not. There is someone in the park who is not picking up after their dog(s). Unless I see it happen and know who it is I can't do anything about it. Looked like maybe a small child's footprint on the wall...... the medium used was dog$**!. It was in the shower drain and all over the floor and various places on the walls. The light had no doubt been on all night with the door open and the place is swarming with flies, ants and mosquitoes. It was not fun, I tell you.


On to the ladies room. I smell it, but can't find it as I do my initial sweep. No dog&**! here. No, this is distinctly human in smell. I move the small trash can tucked in the corner, wedged in between the wall and toilet ........... and voila! There it is. Some one relieved themselves behind the trashcan. I am wondering not only why, but how this happened. Makes me want line all the campers up in a long row and question them one by one. I want to know who the dog owner is and who the $**! smearer is. Just a dream, I know.

11 comments:

SkippyMom said...

Being avid campers it is the one thing that has always perplexed Pooldad and I - do these people act like this at home? And if they do what DOES their home look like?

On our vacation last year it was a mess - as hard as the campground worked they couldn't keep up with how piggish the campers were and by the end of the day the bathrooms were trashed - I didn't blame the campground owners - it was the other campers. Sad statement on the make up of America I think.

I wish you could post a sign or something that said, in essence, "You know that nice lady that sells you ice cream? She is also cleaning up YOUR mess - clean up after yourself." Lame I know - but I do feel for you.

Take care - I hope they all check out soon! :D

mamahasspoken said...

My sons worked in retail and tell stories just as gross as your story. I am just amazed that some people think it is ok to be this rude with other people's property! Makes me want to go to their house and do this to their bathroom and see how they like cleaning it up. And if you take your dog camping,walking, or whatever, clean up after them! It's not nice to leave it in my yard, no matter how small your dog s**t is....

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

This is just sickening. People can be real scumbags. We have just bought a caravan and love the camps we are using and respect them too. If I saw someone doing the things they do in your place I'd ram their head down the toilet bowl and flush. God knows how you put up with it. Toerags.

Whitney Lee said...

I don't even know what to say. That is beyond disgusting. This is the kind of behavior I would expect out of toddlers, not adults. You have my sympathy, fat lot of good it does you. What a crummy way to start off the season. Let's hope it improves!

Brian Miller said...

people are just nasty sometimes...seriously, why would you poop behind a garbage can in the bathroom...even if someone was using it, what did you wipe with and what if they walked out on you...just wrong.

ellen abbott said...

I went on a river trip with 8 friends once. the morning after our first night on the river I went to use the latrine. This is a portable toilet that we have to bring with us and save our waste and pack it out with us. Not allowed to go dig a 'cat hole'. One of these people had had diarrhea and totally sprayed all over the toilet seat that we all use and walked off. did not clean up after themselves. And this was not a total stranger but someone we considered a friend! I cleaned it up because I had to use the latrine but I made an announcement after we had the boats loaded about what I saw, that I had cleaned it up, that I didn't know who did it, didn't want to know who did it but if it happened again to act like an adult and clean up after themselves.

Hillbilly Mom said...

I used to work at an insurance salvage store in Springfield, MO. We did a lot of business with carpet and wallpaper, and had a whole store basement devoted to this department.

About once a week, some customer would take a crap in the aisles between the wallpaper bins. How freakin' low-class do you have to be to squat and take a crap in a store with customers and salesmen roaming about? We had a public bathroom. All they had to do was ask.

People are nasty.

luksky said...

I don't even know what to say...I'm speechless.

Rusty & Marcy said...

wow, I saw the dog doing the pooping and we had a problem with them letting their dogs loose to run. I will be more vocal next time and yell at them. I am sorry you had to go through that. As far as the human poop..... well, nothing I can say about that.

The Good Cook said...

Unbelievable. But sadly believable. So far as that cheeky teenager tell you "his dad paid to use the campground" if I EVER heard my child say something like that you would not have to grab him by his earlobe.. I would take him out for you.

The $hit stuff? OMG. I don't know how you do it. Respect for self, respect for others, respect for owners.. where did any of that go? We have camped all over this country and I just don't get it. Why would anyone trash what the public (including ones' self) has to use?

Meggie said...

There is no way in hell I could ever do what you do! I would go stark raving mad. I applaud you, and admire your patience.