GRAFITTI

I find toilet graffiti fascinating. Ok, before you label me a pervert, let me qualify my statement. I I admit that much of the graffiti that adorn the walls/ceiling/toilet cistern/door of the public toilets in Malaysia are pretty distasteful, ranging from works of unknown porn artists to open slander and phones numbers either soliciting services or offering them. I must say they make for an interesting read, especially when you have 'big business' to do but forgot the newspaper or magazine. Ladies, don't gloat; I heard it's just as bad in the ladies.

But, sometimes you come across a gem or two; like the one in the picture which I recently found scribbled behind the door of the toilet in our postgraduate department. It speaks volume doesn't it?

It tells me 2 things:

1. There is a very frustrated and hygiene conscious guy (it's the male toilet) who probably encountered an unflushed toilet complete with organic waste product more than once in that toilet.

2. There are one or more guys (postgrad fellas mind you) who can't be bothered to clean up after they are done. Or, he doesn't close the toilet door when he does his business (I mean, you can't see the message if the door's not closed right?)

I use that toilet all the time and I can tell you that the message has fallen on deaf ears. I can't begin to tell you how many times I had to clean up after some idiot who thinks the world owes him a favour by flushing for him after he is done. (I hope he gets hemorrhoids or something)

Frankly, we are not known for our excellent habits in the toilet department. Walk into any public toilet and you will know what I mean. But for this to happen in a prestigious (or assumed to be) institution of higher learning and in the postgrad department is well...sad.

If we who are educated behave like this, what hope is there for those who are less fortunate?

PS: I don't think any mother would want to clean up her child's waste products, particularly if the child is a postgrad student! Shame on us.