I’m not pissed off enough to pit this, but this co-worker really annoyed me.
I’m female, and there was a giant tree roach (or palmetto bug) in the women’s restroom at work. I’m not scared of much, but these bugs completely freak me out. They are over 3 inches long and can fly! So I stepped out (squealed and ran out;)) and grabbed the nearest guy to come in and squish it. I even said I’d clean it up, just step on it! (I am wearing sandals today.)
He said no! “I’m not going in the women’s restroom!” What a dick. So I found another man to do it. He was reluctant also, but jeez. Don’t ya want to “save the fair maiden” from getting attacked?
I admit I’m a silly little girl when it comes to this particular bug, but he was afraid to go in the ladies’ bathroom!!!
So what do you think? Was the first guy an ass or not?
No, the first guy was not an ass. I think it was inappropriate for you to assume that some guy you work with would be willing to go into the women’s bathroom and kill a bug for you. It’s not his job, and just because he’s a guy doesn’t mean he’s on bug duty any more than it means that it’s the women in the office’s duty to keep the kitchen clean.
I say “ass.” I’d help someone kill a bug if I wasn’t afraid of it, man or woman, work or anywhere. It may not be his job, but since when does it have to be in the job description to be nice and helpful to others?
Also, I have no qualms about going into men’s restrooms. I just holler and if no one’s there, I go in (to put up posters or notices).
Is the bathroom large enough to accomodate multiple patrons (ie is it possible that he thought there might be someone else in there)? That would make both of them “not asses.”
I don’t work in a corporate enviroment, but I’d imagine there’s a big difference between a women in a mens bathroom and a man in a womens bathroom.
Sorry, I wouldn’t have done it either.
Call the maintenence guy, it’s their job to go in their to do things in there (like cleaning up bugs). I’d be worried about getting in trouble for being in there (legal or otherwise).
I’ve got a problem with bugs, especially big ones, so if it had been me, I probably would have run away screaming like a big girlie man. So I’m reluctant to say the dude was definitely an ass for not helping. But the statement that he didn’t want to go into the women’s bathroom implies that he’s not afraid of the bug, he just didn’t want to help. In that case it’s a pretty lame excuse.
I wouldn’t do it. What if someone menstruated all over me?
Actually, I wouldn’t have a problem at all - I’d just want to be assured that there was nobody left in there upon whose privacy I might be impinging and that nobody would walk in while I was in there and misunderstand my presence - both of these things are trivial to organise.
Heck yeah. Maybe a little cautious, but certainly not an “ass”. It really depends on the environment.
I think I would have no problems with this and just do it without thinking, but actually thinking about it I’d be hesitant to enter a ladies room where I work unless it was a clear emergency. I’d probably call maintenance. People be sue-happy 'round here.
it’s OK for YOU to perpetuate the stereotype of “helpless woman afraid of bugs,” yet it’s not OK for him to perpetuate the stereotype of “a man doesn’t go into a woman’s bathroom?”
You can’t have it both ways.
Not to mention, if someone shrill and oversensitive comes along and doesn’t like your fear of the bug, they don’t have the basis for an EEOC claim.
He was not an ass.
You… I wouldn’t go as far as to say “ass,” but you do seem a little spoiled.
What’s wrong with asking another woman or the appropriate cleaning staff to take care of it?
I really get sick of the assumption that simply because one is male they are ‘supposed’ to do certain things. I get this at work all the time…You’re a guy, crawl under that desk and plug this in. You’re a guy, get up on that chair and attatch this to the ceiling. You’re a guy, move this heavy box for me. It really gets old.
I opened the door first and called out, “Is anybody in here?” It’s a very large corporate 4-stall restroom, and there was a woman in there (she was in there when I ran out) but she was on her cell phone and not “using” the restroom. She also had open toed shoes on. She obviously wasn’t scared of the bug, and I guess I could have got her to kill it for me, but she was on the phone and wearing open toed shoes!
I held the door open while the second guy squished the bug. It only took about 15 seconds, fer cryin’ out loud.
It seemed to me the first guy just didn’t want to go in the ladies’ room, which seems juvenile to me.
Whereas running from the ladies’ room screaming because of a bug *doesn’t * seem juvenile to you?
Actually, I probably would have done the same. But why is HE an ass for not wanting to deal with the exact same thing YOU don’t want to deal with? Especially when he has the added disincentive of possibly getting in trouble for being in the ladies’ room?
I would say he’s an ass as in jackass (silly), not as in asshole (rotten bastard). Assuming you would have verified that no one else was in there, and would have stood guard at the door, I don’t understand why a man would refuse to enter the women’s restroom.
Ok - in reponse to the “spoiled” thing - it’s a phobia. I’ll kill wasps, I’ll kill snakes, I’ll kill little bugs - just not big tree roaches. So maybe I shouldn’t be the helpless female - but…
Maintenance is far away on another floor, and by the time they get here the bug will be gone. To come out another day. While I’m sitting on the john! :eek:
I did a request for an exterminator.
But what’s the big deal about going in the ladies’ room?
So I’m reluctant to say the dude was definitely an ass for not helping. But the statement that he didn’t want to go into the women’s bathroom implies that he’s not afraid of the bug, he just didn’t want to help. In that case it’s a pretty lame excuse.