I'm not quite sure when this experience happened. After much discussion, my mom and I decided that I must have been around 4 years old. So, sometime around the year 1987, my family and I were visiting my Grandma and Grandpa McGrath. There was a lot of family around, and a lot of us were sharing the same bathroom(s).
I remember one night, before bed, my mom and dad were helping me get ready to take a bath, and before I got in I used the bathroom. Now this is where the traumatic part starts. At least it was traumatic to me, a 4 year-old.
I flushed the toilet and the water started swirling upwards. Normally, that wouldn't have been so bad, but it just kept going up. Little did I know that my then Uncle Verl had previously used the toilet. This had never happened to me before so I was watching it to see what would happen.
My dad quickly darted over and started to unclog the toilet. For all you readers who don' t know my dad, he is a Dahle's Big-and-Tall man. Not so much overweight as just large in stature. Like Nephi. So when he darts, it's noticeable, especially to a 4 year old (I hope that's not insulting. I did compare him to Nephi!).
That was the first thing that startled me. In that process, the silk flowers on the back of the toilet were knocked into the swirling water. I tried to get them out, but my mom who was on the other side of the bathroom started yelling... At least I remember it being yelling, but my mom never yells, so this must be one of those warped traumatic memories. And you have to imagine this next quote in a loud, panicky mother voice because that's how I remember it. It's not nearly as funny if you don't.
She yelled, "GET BACK! GET BACK FROM THE WATER! DON'T TOUCH IT! DON'T GET YOUR FEET IN IT! IT'S DIRTY!" And I specifically remember her holding me in her lap with my knees up so my feet wouldn't get wet.
Well, for a long time after that, I was deathly afraid of flushing the toilet because, for all I knew, toilets could overflow at any moment regardless of what you put in there! For many years after that, I would use the toilet, wash my hands, flush the toilet with my foot, and then RUN out of the bathroom.
This photo is in no way, related to this story. I am obviously not flushing a toilet
back in 1987 in this picture. But it is a picture of me from around the right time
period and after seeing my expression, I couldn't resist posting it. Is that vain?
back in 1987 in this picture. But it is a picture of me from around the right time
period and after seeing my expression, I couldn't resist posting it. Is that vain?
How cute! Do you think this type of thing has happened to everyone? When ever I see the water starting to rise on a toilet there is a part of me that gets scared too! Cute photo of you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment you left on my blog a few weeks ago. I feel bad I'm just getting around to coming to yours....
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm laughing at this story, because my almost 8 year old had that experience a few years back and for at least two years she REFUSED to flush a toilet for fear it would overflow. She'd put her toilet paper in the garbage (gross) if we insisted she flush, and then she'd get out of there so fast.