"You Bet Your Ass They're Dry..."
So, I wrote a few weeks ago about my job and how there's this girl I run into while in the bathroom who washes her hands obsessively for like 10 minutes. Well, I saw her again today.
At first, when I walked into the bathroom, I was relieved to see her. It confirmed for me that I did not imagine her from last time. But then, I was a little anxious... Because I knew I would need to wash my hands in about 30 seconds... And we are down to only one sink in the ladies room.
So, as soon as I needed to use the sink, I just stood there. And she kept swishing her hands under the stream of hot water in the sink. She looked up and smiled at me.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I have very dry hands."
"Um, yeah," I thought to myself. "You wash them for minutes on-end multiple times a day. You bet your ass they're dry."
I smiled and asked her if she needed hand lotion. She declined my offer, even though I have really kick-ass stuff.
About minute later, she finally finished her scrubbing and left the water on so I could easily hop into the stream. Twenty-seconds later,I was done washing my hands. She had decided to leave, though I suspect she may have been considering staying and popping back under the water after I left.
Comments
HOWEVER...
When there is only one sink to use on the entire floor for women to wash their hands after they use the bathroom (we don't even have a kitchen sink), you should still use your common courtesy skills and realize that when someone finishes pee-ing, they are gonna need to wash their hands too.
It's not like I touched her or anything. I realize that could have set her off. But if she is that protective against germs on her own hands... Does she not think about the germs on other people's hands? Does she really want me to potentially leave the bathroom without washing my hands?
Not that I would. But I will continue to give her and anybody else who sits there and washed them for more than a minute a dirty look.
I'm sure that if she has OCD it affects her life negatively in other, more severe ways than receiving a dirty look, and yet she continues to be compelled by it.
If only 'common courtesy' were enough to cure a serious mental disorder!