The $25 Bathroom Visit

June 28, 2011

The other day, I was at #e2conf having a great time. They (I think it was Cisco) had essentially created an open-bar atmosphere at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston and folks were having a grand time drinking beer and talking tech.

So, it was no surprise when while strolling to my car (no, I didn’t have too much to drink) I had to stop at the bathroom. This is where it gets ugly. First, let’s stop for a minute before we go into the bathroom. Do you remember when you used to have to pay a dime to use a public toilet? How about the $1 or Euro it now costs? I remember.

So, when you have a readily accessible bathroom and a free one at that, I make it a practice to use it. This was the case at the Hynes. But before I dashed in to do my business, I ran to the window to look at the windshield of my car. As with most days, I had rock-star parking and could see my car – and ticket-free windshield – from the second floor of the convention center. PERFECT!

Continuing…

I then dash into the bathroom, do my business and then dash out to the car where I find A $25 TICKET!!!

In the mere three minutes it took me to relieve myself, wash my hands and stroll outside, the city of Boston had decided it would also relieve me of $25. So much for a dime. So much for a Euro.

Therefore I ask you, “What’s the most expensive bathroom break you’ve ever taken?”

*Some folks will recall when Christine Major lost an iPhone in a toilet at SXSW – forever known as the iPhlush incident – so that could have been a $300 toilet visit. I’m sure there are others. Please share.