Luxury?

Do you consider using the restroom a luxury? I know that must seem like a supremely odd question. This is not going to be a post about the blessings of indoor plumbing and how third world countries do not enjoy the same "potty facilities" we do. This post is about how some people enjoy the "luxury" of being able to use the restroom whenever they need to (especially at work). The idea behind this post occurred to me today in my classroom. It was about 9:15 and I'd had a few cups of coffee by then. As an old guy, a few cups of coffee can run through my system with lightning speed. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that caffeine is a diuretic. Needless to say, nature's call was becoming fairly urgent by about 9:30 and I do not get a break until lunch at 12:15. In most jobs, people would just mosey to the restroom, take care of business and go back to work. Things are not quite so easy for teachers. I can't exactly leave 20+ sixth graders alone in a classroom just because I have to tinkle. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if 6th graders were left unsupervised for more than five seconds? It would get ugly in a hurry! Needless to say, as a teacher, I was forced to hold it. Things were okay... for a while. By about 10:30 I was really starting feel uncomfortable (and I still had nearly two hours before I had any chance of a break). The more the morning went along, the more I thought about how nice it must be to work in a job where I could use the restroom anytime I wanted. But alas, I don't. I'm in a classroom with a job to do. So what did I do? I did exactly what you think I'd do. I literally held my water and did my job. Time passed and learning went on as planned. By now it was about 11:00 or 11:15 and the situation escalated (if you know what I mean). It was really difficult to concentrate and my thoughts kept wandering to the millions of people in the American work force who have the freedom to use the restroom any time they wish. Think about that for a minute. Something as basic as the need to use the restroom is a daily and very real challenge for me. Anyway, by about 11:45 my eyeballs were floating and I was beginning to question if I could last another 30 minutes. By now I was really beginning to envy those folks who can potty at will. Now it's noon and I have legitimate pain in my abdomen. Fifteen minutes until lunch (and the desperately needed restroom break) and the countdown is on! I'm not sure how I made it, but I did. I took my students to the cafeteria for lunch and I walked briskly to the faculty restroom. Whew! Just in the nick of time!

Please understand I am not whining or complaining. I am merely shedding some light on the life of a teacher. These are the parts of the job most people have no idea about. Teaching is more than books, pencils and glorified babysitting. All I ask is the next time you're at work and nature calls, think of how fortunate you are to enjoy the luxury of something so seemingly mundane and simple as a restroom break. Teachers would love to be afforded such a luxury.

I'm having a bit of fun with this topic and I'm sure you would all laugh picturing me doing the "pee pee dance" in front of a bunch of 12 year olds. But in all seriousness I must question if it may be detrimental to my urinary system (and ultimately my overall health) to be deprived of timely restroom breaks. I've had some problems in the past and I can't help but wonder if those problems may be related to the events related above.