Monday, June 16, 2008

Poor Layout

I'll apologize in advance for posting another restroom-related entry:
"Sorry about that."
In our new space on the seventh floor, we've had to adjust to a new restroom design. In this building, the restrooms are located off the side hallway which leads to the stairwell. The rooms are shaped oddly, but this has little impact on the functionality of the space.
To gain entry to the seventh floor men's room, one must make a left turn into the side hallway, then enter the doorway on the left at the end. Once inside, a "modesty partition" forces a right turn followed by a hard left turn for the urinals.
When completing this left turn, the first obstacle is a wall-mounted aerosol deodorizer on the left. These devices are timed to spray at intervals depending on unknown parameters. I'm not sure if the standard time for them is mandated by the state or if Texaco has published a white paper on it. A few times I've entered and started the turn in time to hear the "pfsssst" noise and pass through the cool mist of perceived cleanliness.
Today, I made the corner too fast and caught the whole "pfsssst" right in my left eye.
To anyone who has ever been sprayed in the eye with an aerosol, it is no surprise that the appropriate response is to grab one's face, fall to the floor and shriek "HOLY CRAP MY FREAKING EYE!"
I was wearing my reading glasses and (when my vision returned) I noticed that the left lens was coated, front and back, in a semi-transparent waxy material. If that much was blocked by glass, I can only imagine what a full-dose shot would have been like.
There are certain situations where one would expect to be blasted in the eye by various substances. Were I to attempt to snatch a purse, I would expect a shot of pepper spray in the face. Except in Denver, where I would expect an eye-full of "Bear Mace". If I were to peacefully protest something Republicans like, I'd expect to have tear gas swabbed into place on my eyeballs because the GOP likes to appear environmentally conscious in certain circumstances and aerosol is bad for the planet.
Walking to the urinal, I have no reason to expect anything to be sprayed into my eye, so I was caught off guard.
After about an hour, the burning subsided to a mild tingle and my vision began to return to the effected orb, but I doubt the guy who was in the last stall has recovered from my screaming and flailing around on the tile while he was taking care of business.
In all, it was the most time I've spent on the floor of a men's room in some time and probably the most ever on a Monday morning when I hadn't even been drinking.
There are two things I've taken away from the incident.
The first is that I should "Tokyo Drift" around that last left turn, hug the outside wall, or listen from the safety of the doorway for the "pfsssst" and time my turn to happen before the next burst.
The second is that I probably have the best smelling eyeball in South Carolina right now, even if no one will take me up on my offer to smell it.

I saw the Edward Norton Hulk movie on Friday night with a coworker.
Everyone knows that Bruce Banner was given the Hulk powers through an experiment with gamma radiation. One of the coolest things about this Hulk movie is that the whole origin thing is covered behind the opening credits so no movie time is wasted on it and they can get right to the smashy parts.
Smashy parts are why people go to see a movie like this. I'm glad someone picked up on that.

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