Is there a “correct” etiquette for toilet seats? Do you leave it up or down? Does it bug you if the seat is left up when you want it down or down when you want it up?
An episode of How I Met Your Mother had Casanova Barney showing off his bachelor pad with a toilet seat that had an auto spring making it impossible for woman to use, to send them the message “don’t even think about getting comfortable around here”.
At my house we don’t have this problem because we each have our own bathrooms. Besides, I live with my sister and I’m pretty sure we use the toilet the same way – we sit on the seat. When I was living under the same roof as my brother, the toilet could mess up but I don’t remember having an issue with the seat.
At Eli’s house, the toilet seat is always up because he never uses the seat, and most importantly because I am a good woman who lifts up the seat after use so that it will be convenient for my man. It is after all his house. And I would very much appreciate if he replaced the seat once he is done at my place. When we marry and live together, I think I might continue to leave (lift) the seat up for him just because I love him.
How does it work in your home? I’ve never had much of a problem with toilet seats but found it interesting enough to dedicate an entire column to it because:
- It is an aged old topic when it comes to men vs women.
- Precisely because it is an aged old topic yet I’ve never had a personal encounter with it that I find it intriguing!
- Also because at my male dominated workplace with a male to female ratio of 9:1, and one bathroom, the toilet seat was still always down.
So you see my interest in toilet seats? Particularly when it relates to relationships?
The phenomenon at the office really got me thinking. All the men at my office live with women, except for this French guy who is well, a good French man. Either they have been well trained into always replacing the seat once done their business (or trained to sit and do their business?), or they love their woman so much that they too are happy to replace the seat after use so that it would be convenient for the love of their life. Reason number 2 is after all my reason for always lifting the seat once done my business. I am thinking about the love of my life and his welfare.
Barney’s woman-deterrent toilet seat was a messenger sent to inform women they shouldn’t be looking for love from him. If you think about it, then taking that having the toilet seat the way your partner would like it, is a symbol of love.
It is in the little everyday things that count. And yes, you can find love everywhere even in the bathroom.