Hold It!

With the vast, intricate highway system in the United States, chances are you have probably been on at least one road trip. Whether it was from Denver, CO to the border of Wyoming to pick up some fireworks, or from Los Angeles, CA to New York City just to say you did it, you have definitely spent at least a few extended periods of time in the car. When you drive long distances, not only are you bound to get bored of the playlist, possibly enjoy some of the scenery, have some interesting conversations if you are with company, or thoughts if you are alone, eat a lot of food, or be especially hungry if none is available, but at some point, you are also going to have to use the restroom. Generally, your body doesn't agree with your location, that is, it's urgent either in the middle of nowhere, or if you are lucky, in somewhere random like Summertown, GA. Fortunately for you, if you are in the population 400 town, there is at least the possibility of some type of business with a public restroom, unfortunately, this breed of bathroom usually follows a very uncivilized pattern. One may notice bizarre decorations, including wallpaper, most likely peeling, odd paintings of cowboys, animals, and foliage that look as if they were purchased at Goodwill, or a variety of fake plants. The floor could be a variety of materials ranging from cracked tile to the cheapest grade of linoleum available at the local Ace hardware. Please don't even get me started on the state of the toilet itself, because there isn't a chance that it's even remotely sanitary. The availability of toilet paper, soap, and paper towels is always seriously lacking. In fact, you may have to search for evidence of a dispenser for any of these items. Simply put, the state of the restroom is clearly not the top priority for this establishment. However, after you use the facilities, you realize that you are in fact starving. You pick up your Pringles, Diet Coke, and Sprees, only to find the rest of the store in equally as pathetic shape as the restroom. This sparks your curiosity, what on earth is this Quickmark spending their funds on? Real estate is clearly not at a prime out here in the middle of nowhere, there is no competition for them to blow their advertising budget, in fact, they have a monopoly on nearly every junk food product within a 100 mile radius. Why is it that they cannot afford to clean their bathroom, stock their toilet paper, glue their wallpaper back onto the walls, and appear at least half presentable? This question is far too much of a mystery for solving at a quick rest stop when you need to get down to Miami, so you march yourself back to the less-than-impressive supply section, pick up a bottle of knock off Windex and leave it in the bathroom after buying your merchandise, in hopes that your gesture will at least give the high schooler behind the counter the idea that you don't like living in barn-like conditions and it concerns you that they don't mind it. And while you feel accomplished for that small act, thus begins the cycle until you hit Lawtey, Florida.