Thursday, September 13, 2007

Germs and public toilets

I'm the antithesis of a germophobe. I think that my immune system deserves to work out just like I do.
Besides, I was involved in Emergency Services for six years. Once you've had perfect strangers bleed or toss chunks on you, you get past the germ thing.
And then there was the pigsty house I grew up in. The dust bunnies had pet dust bunnies.
Not that I don't diligently wash my hands, all the time, I just don't worry about what's out in public.
So I went to Wegman's today and lo and behold in the stall was a toilet seat sanitizer. You put a little on the toilet paper and wipe down the seat. Now this makes way more sense to me than putting toilet paper down on the seat. I never understood that. Do you really think that thin tissue will protect you from Ebola? Yes, the latest report from the Hazardous Materials Response Team is that they are throwing out their expensive suits and instead wrapping themselves in toilet paper.
Now I understand we all have quirks that are hard-wired into us. I eat one food off my plate at a time. Meat, veggy, starch depending on what taste I want to end with in my mouth. See, even I can be nutty.
Just not about germs.
So here is some etiquette. If you have to hover over the toilet because you are sure the last person who sat there had some strange wasting disease, then put the seat up. Nothing worse than sitting down to take care of business and having your thighs be wet.
And if you're going to wipe off the cart in the supermarket, remember to wipe off all the cans you touch. The freezer doors. The knobs on the bathroom stall, because we've all touched those things and left germs.
And remember that if you live in too sterile and environment you will not be immune to anything.

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