Article: The Mezzanine
Author: Nicholson Baker
No article i’ve ever read made me think about public bathroom habits more than this one. Baker dives deeply in to every minute detail about local Men’s room rituals. Senator Larry Craig could even learn a thing or two from this article.
Baker writes the thoughts everyone has in a public bathroom but never bothers to take the time to pick up a pen. He compares corporate bathrooms to fast food bathrooms and all the pros and cons in between.
His commentary about the other uses of paper towels beside drying hands was pure genius. everyone has found themselves in a dirty gas station bathroom looking for a paper towel and seeing that there is only a malfunctioning blower reaching for the giant roll of TP only to make even a greater mess. you are left gazing into the dented scratched piece of shinny metal excuse for a mirror trying to make sense of it all.
Baker writes in such an easy to understand and matter-of-fact way. I plan to read more of his work. Look on the links bar to the right to find a link to his Internet fan page.
…and yes, paper towels always trump blowers.
