A Whole Day
The title is a bit of an exaggeration. I have no ambition to become a “restroom chief,” nor have I ever been locked inside a public restroom. I only want to use it as a way into an observation: at least at home, I would often rather stay in the bathroom.
The bathroom is a relatively private space. Close the door, and it seems possible to leave the noise of the world behind for a while. No matter how chaotic things are outside, “I’m in the bathroom” is usually enough to send everything away and buy a moment of quiet.
At home, my sister and I spend significantly longer in the bathroom than our parents do. I think the reason may also be a reflection of our standing in the family. Ours is certainly an equal household, but for all sorts of reasons, my sister and I are still the ones more likely to be assigned something to do. There is nothing wrong with those tasks. It is only that when someone can call on you at any moment, the time you have cannot entirely be called your own.
The bathroom happens to provide just such a place: once the door is closed, we are briefly put into a relatively autonomous space. We can stare into space, look at our phones, or do nothing at all. It is not that the bathroom is especially comfortable. Those few minutes simply belong to us.
This is much the same reason I like the night. It is precious because no one interrupts me; and because it is precious, I cannot bear to go to bed early.
I have seen people online call the toilet a mobile-gaming chair. I think that is another portrait of the bathroom: a boring environment. People scroll videos in the bathroom, play games, even read books—all ways to kill time, or to make themselves a little more comfortable in a situation where there is nothing else to do.
None of the bathrooms in our home have air conditioning, though. In the heat of summer, staying inside for a little too long feels like taking a sauna along the way. Perhaps this is another advantage of having the toilet and shower in the same room: if I am already that hot, could taking a shower straight afterwards actually be a sensible choice?
At least I have not tried it yet.
If I ever renovate a house in the future, I will make sure the bathroom has air conditioning.