Thursday, September 10, 2009

Pissing Off

It's a tough world for the females. If we want to relieve ourselves anywhere, can't just stand up and do the act. We need proximity to the ground or appropriate toilet bowl. Being female, I do know that.

At a busy traffic light spot in Adyar, near the Adyar bridge, our car stopped right behind a tourist SUV. Even as the light was going to turn green, I saw a couple of men alight from the car in the MIDDLE of the road next to the median and one of them had a toddler-girl in his arms. he proceeded to remove her panties and got her to squat in between the car and the median (2 feet space perhaps?) for the 'relief' (pee). The light turned green and amidst honking, we did manage to swerve around this vehicle and proceed, but I continue to feel appalled by this. I mean with a toddler and travelling, would you not be prepared with a diaper or two?Or at least a nappy pad? If you can afford to hire a tourist car surely you can afford a nappy pad? Not that I have anything against them, but this was clearly a North Indian family -- er, to clarify, not that I think a South Indian family would not do this...

Then this morning, outside a school, JUST outside the school gate on the platform mind you, and not even at the corner near the wall as many men are wont to peeing(UGH), this was right as you step up on to the platform... I saw a mother with a 3 year old setting her daughter with underwear down for a quick pee on the edge of the platform, before entering the school!

Um, hallo? Is it me? Am I fussing for nothing? Is this normal behaviour?

It's not as if I am talking unsympathetically. I have been there. And have always been prepared...with a child, you need to plan, anticipate, prepare and stay prepared. Not bring out the junglee in you for the poor kid to imitate.

'Pisses' me off, really.

10 comments:

Sivabalan said...

I wonder when this attitude will change...

Deepa said...

I am guilty of doing it too :-(
There is a time between the diapers and underpants that the kid finds it hard to hold, refuses to wear diapers that makes it hard for parents.
Initially I used to be very surprised when my son would feel the need to go just ten minutes after he had pee-d and eventually they learn to hold better.
Of course I never do it when I have a rest-room nearby and am pretty planned in taking them but there comes a time once or twice in the life of every toddler that this happens !
And I guess you caught just that.

Am sure once you have kids, you may not be this appalled ;-)

Teesu (very very Indian, very very good) said...

I do have one, Deepa. That's why I daresay that this is not acceptable. The parents in these two cases did not SEEM to think anything was seriously amiss.

Shammi said...

They probably didnt think anything was amiss, Teesu... that's the problem. It's a mindset change that I dont see happening - not even with people who really should know better about hygiene and decorum and all that!

குப்பன்.யாஹூ said...

One of the reason is in Chennai the Public toilets are not maintained properly.

Lavanya Seetharaman said...

Totally agree...Wish there were more public toilets in Chennai..

frissko said...

My initial reactions have been, they're turning the kid into a happy road-side pee-er...But sometimes i also wonder, if it is ok for dogs and cows, it should be ok for kids too no...and that we're conditioned to be disgusted by the sight a lil more than necassary (not to defend the act)...

Ashwin said...

As much as pee-ing in public is a "freedom gone wrong" incident, I think its a barometer of how free our citizens are (though they express it by peeing, of all ways).

But I bet there is nothing like taking a leak on a long winding highway that doubles as a break to stretch the knees ..lol

Ashwin said...

As much as pee-ing in public is a "freedom gone wrong" incident, I think its a barometer of how free our citizens are (though they express it by peeing, of all ways).

But I bet there is nothing like taking a leak on a long winding highway that doubles as a break to stretch the knees ..lol

கபிலன் said...

I dont think this will create a peeing habit for the kids in public. Moreover excessive use of diapers for kids can produce scars and unnecessary irritation.

I personally feel, there is nothing wrong for kids doing it in public.