Picture this, if you will: You find yourself far from home and in need of using the restroom. Your only option is at a convenience store gas station. The bathroom is a one-seater, and you carefully lock the door behind you before placing at least three layers of tissue on the well worn public toilet seat. Even with the toilet thus protected you still hover slightly above the seat, anxious to keep a distance twixt your pristine nether cheeks and the oft used porcelain. Whew!
Then, someone turns the knob, or gives a polite knock. What is your response?
“Just a minute!”
“Someone’s in here!”
“Hold your horses!”
“Ocupado!”
My personal favorite is, “Hey, don’t get your panties in a wad!”
I heard this question posed on NPR’s “A Way With Words,” last week. Surprisingly, a good many English speakers admit to saying “Ocupado” (Spanish for “Occupied”) in this situation. The hosts of the show thought perhaps this response could be traced to the bilingual labeling on restroom door locks on airplanes. It also could reflect Americans’ love of foreign phrases: ciao and adios for goodbye, for example.
I’m curious. What do you say in this bathroom scenario?
(Program plug: I highly recommend the program, “A Way With Words.” They can be found at http://www.waywordradio.org and on Facebook, as well. If you love words, like I love words, check them out.)
Just in case you need a bathroom etiquette guide, I found this one on Pinterest:
Peace, people!
Praying for Eyebrowz 