Dressing room disasters

[CurlyLocks]

These are a couple of incidents that happened to me probably 10-12 years ago, but I will never forget them. I really hate going into dressing rooms in a store but sometimes you have no choice. You can always just buy something, try it on at home to see if you like it, and return it if you don't, but if you live in the country like I do and can't spend all that time or a fortune on gas, it's more practical to try clothes on before buying them.

Anyway, one time I was in a major department store trying on bras. Now, call me crazy, but I find that be a personal matter. So of course, in the cubicle next to me is a lady with a small child, whose head I keep seeing as she's trying to peek under to my side. I don't blame the kid for this as I know she's probably antsy being in there and just naturally curious. However, I firmly believe that it's a parent's responsibility to monitor children's actions and correct when necessary. I am not a prude; however, I don't have any children of my own (except for my furchildren ), and I didn't grow up with sisters, so I'm not really comfortable with having others (besides hubby ) see me when I'm changing. And since I was trying on bras, there was obviously more on display. So after this continued for a couple minutes I became very uncomfortable and said, in a very sweet tone (because I wasn't actually angry with the little girl) "Honey, could you please stay over on your own side?" The little girl immediately complied but her mother pitched a fit. She starts screaming at me, saying things like "Who do you think you are? What, do you think you have something that's no one's ever seen before?" (well, yes in fact except my husband), etc. etc., ad nauseum. She had left her cubicle at this point and stood in front of mine, continuing to yell at me, calling me a b*tch and then assured her daughter "you didn't do anything wrong, honey", and then she finally left. I was so shocked by this, and much more naive at that time, that I simply couldn't utter a word. I just waited until she was gone a few minutes and then left.

Then, I think maybe within a year or two of that experience, I was in a different store trying on some clothes and was in changing room that had doors for each cubicle. I'm in there trying on some pants when someone comes in and grabs the doorknob and starts to open my door. I got so upset and I saw that this was a teenager, and presumably old enough to know better, that I snapped "Did you ever think of knocking?" To her credit the girl did apologize. Once again enter outraged mother, who obviously hadn't had the common sense, consideration, decency and manners to teach her kids that one should not open a door in a dressing room without knocking. Again, I was subjected to screamed abuse from this woman about what a horrible person I was. After she left I was shaking with rage and found my husband and we had to go sit in a back corner of the store so I could calm down.

At this stage in my life I would never allow anyone to treat me like that but as I say, back then I was younger and more naive.

It still never ceases to amaze me how often people will try to open bathroom doors or dressing room doors without knocking first. Were these people raised by wolves, or what? I think it's just symptomatic of people's selfishness and refusal to accept that there is a universe outside of themselves.

[It's me]

One thing to keep in mind: People will never admit they are wrong. Even to themselves. They cannot. And THAT is why if someone cuts you off in traffic and you honk your horn.. they give you the bird.

Once you realize this dealing with idiots is so much easier.

BTW: My favourite person for dealing with twits: Miss Manners.

[CurlyLocks]

Yes, Miss Manners always has just the right thing to say! I am much better at dealing with idiots now than I used to be, but I know I would still get rather upset if someone were to invade my space in such a personal manner again. Of course, now I wouldn't let them get away with it unscathed. (Come to think of it, this actually might make an interesting letter to Miss Manners to see how she would suggest dealing with this type of situation)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I dont' think Miss Manners would approve of what I would have done to these two idiots.

How sad that in both cases, the kids had enough class to at least be contrite after being called down. Wonder where they got that, it sure wasn't from Mom.

[KamenRiderOsaka]

oh, I seriously hate it when kids do that. I understand that they are curious, but...keep a leash on your kids or something. This usually happens to me in the bathroom, and its always some little boy who just a little too old to be in the womens and too old to be looking under the wall or door...and theyre on all fours too!

[CurlyLocks]

Arrgghh! Boys in the ladies dressing room or bathroom! I'm not talking two year olds, I'm talking boys waaayyy too old for that. Once I was in a dressing room and this woman came in with her two boys that had to be maybe 8 and 10! That is just beyond unacceptable. I was so furious. I spoke to an employee and raised a big stink but she didn't seem too concerned about it.

[Kiwi]

I remember being fitted for my first bra when I was a young teenager, the sales woman whips open the curtain and steps inside and starts touching me, adjusting the straps and such

that lasted all of about 2 seconds before I regain my composure and order her out of the dressing room, I dont care if shes seen everything before.... I havent seen anyone seeing what I have before!

She was a little shellshocked that someone so "prudish" could be so... vocal. I know there was no malicious intent on her behalf, but still, respect someones privacy lady! It would have taken her half a second to ask or at least WARN me that she was coming in. Im not having half the bloody world see me with my tits out!!

and no one, including my boyfriend touches me without asking first!!!

[hecubus]

This kinda reminds me of something that my dad told me about a couple years ago. He was sitting on a bench at the supermarket, waiting for my mom to get done shopping. The bench happened to be right near the entrance to the ladies' restroom. My dad said he saw a woman take her 7(!) year old son into the ladies' room with her. They were in there for a few minutes, and I guess the kid was doing a little "exploring" under the partitions, because, as they exited the restroom, my dad heard the kid ask his mother the classic question:

"But Mom! Why does that lady have a beard down there?"

[SuperDan]

"But Mom! Why does that lady have a beard down there?"

It's a damn good thing I was following rule 1 today

[iradney]

I've never really had a problem like that. I normally get a dressing room with a lockable door on it, but there are some places that use curtains. But generally, if I see feet stop in front of the curtain, I grab hold of it so it can't open.
I don't do communal change rooms. Sorry, but I get to choose who sees my wobbly bits, thank you very much, if you can't fork out extra money for partitions, then I ain't buying your clothes.
Kiwi: Good on you for kicking that woman out. What she did was very rude, and I suspect I would probably have physically pushed her out. Shoot, not even my MOM got to come into the dressing room with me when I got my first bra!

[greensinestro]

When I was a boy, my mom or dad always went into the dressing rooms with us for this very reason. They were the only people who were allowed to see me naked, or at least see me in my underwear. As I got older though, it got to where my parents would wait outside the door, making sure nobody would try getting in, but it still was up to me to be sure someone wasn't trying to peek underneath.

As for children going into the restrooms, I cannot recall a moment when I went into the ladies restroom, at least not at the ages mentioned in the other posts. I think even 5 or 6 is too old for that. When I was in kindergarten, I had a female teacher who would stand outside the door, and make sure all the students were accounted for. When my mom took us shopping, she always had us go before leaving the house, but if we had to go, she would have us go in, give us explicit instructions (like not touch anything or talk to anyone strange), and stand guard outside the door.

And yuck! Children getting on all fours to peek under the stall? Don't parents have any common sense to know how disgustingly dirty those floors are?

[ShortTemperHatesStupidity]

"But Mom! Why does that lady have a beard down there?"

Oh. My. God.

Unbelievable...

I gotta tell ya, if I ever decided to have kids I'd never let them do anything like that (but that's a big if, cuz I think my time working in a daycare may have taken care of all the birth control I'll ever need).

[MadMike]

My job has a fitness center, which any employee can join, for the low, low price of $60/year. Not bad, since a lot of places charge more than that a month.

They also have locker rooms with showers, as well as toilets. At first, they were completely unlocked, just like the regular bathrooms, which caused problems, as I'm about to point out.

One time, I had just finished showering, and was starting to get dressed, when some idiot brought his young daughter in to use the bathroom. I barely managed to get my pants pulled up in time.

I understand the whole dilemma involving opposite-sex parents and kids and having to use the bathroom, and I wouldn't have cared if it had been in the regular bathrooms. If I was in a stall, the door would have been shut and locked, and if I was at a urinal, my back would have been turned, and no one would have been able to see anything. But to bring a kid into a room where people could have been completely naked and in full view at any given time? And there was a regular bathroom just around the corner. I didn't say anything, but I wasn't too happy.

Thankfully, shortly after that, they put card readers on the locker room doors. Now the only ones who can get in are fitness center members, security, and the cleaning staff.

[greensinestro]

Great post there, Mad Mike! I have the dilemma of taking my children to the restroom being I have twins, one of each. If I am by myself with them, I have no choice but take my daughter with me into the men's room, if my son has to go (or, if she has to go as well). But, if I am at a place like, say, a water park where the men and boys have to undress and change into their swimsuits and vice versa, my wife will accompany me on the trip, and she will be in charge of taking my daughter to the ladies room. Otherwise, I won't go on the trip unless it's just the boys going.

[irateguy]

Back in my Thriftway days I had to clean restrooms ( against my will btw) towards the end of my time there. When I had to clean the public ladies room sometimes thered be this old lady w her about 8 year old grandson that would come in there whilst I was trying to clean. The old lady Never had to go either. I have them both some dirty looks. Hes old enough to pee by himself JEEZ lady. If she was worried about him getting kidnapped the restrooms were only a couple feet away from a dead end hallway all she had to do was stand by the door and any potential kidnapper wouldve had to walk right past her