Yes, indeed. I was embarrassed yesterday.

Let me set the scene for you. Last night, I was at a restaurant/bar in a local hotel. The reason?  My favorite three-person band was playing some fantastic dance music.

At one point, nature called, and I needed to visit the men’s room. With purpose and determination, I strode towards the “Restrooms” sign.

As I approached, I spotted an image on one of the doors. Clearly, I told myself, that’s not the men’s room. Confident in my deduction, I turned towards the other door, knowing—just knowing—it had to be the men’s room.

I pushed the door open with conviction and…

Holy cow!

A woman stood there, looking straight at me. Her wide eyes met mine. My brain short-circuited. What the hell is going on? I thought. Oh no. No, no, no. I’ve walked into the women’s room!

My stomach sank. My face burned. I stammered out an apology, dropped my head in shame, and made the fastest U-turn of my life back into the hallway.

Outside, I examined the door I had entered. Sure enough, there was a very clear image of a woman on it. But in my rush, I hadn’t even glanced at it. I’d been so sure the other door was the women’s room that I never gave the correct door a second look.

Lessons Learned

1. When you need to relieve yourself, approach restrooms casually. Rushing can lead to poor decision-making.
2. Take a moment. Look at both doors. Really look at them.
3. In this modern world of quirky restroom signage, don’t rely solely on stick-figure drawings. Look for an actual sign that says MEN or

But as cringeworthy as this moment was, it somehow got worse.

The Aftermath

The woman wasn’t shocked, upset, or annoyed. Quite the opposite. Her face lit up with a huge, genuine smile—one of those smiles that crinkles the corners of your eyes. She was delighted by the encounter, practically glowing with amusement.

And the story doesn’t end there.

After successfully navigating the correct men’s restroom, I returned to the bar. As I walked in, I spotted a table of six people. There she was, seated among them, still wearing that radiant smile.

And oh, it was clear. She had told the story. The entire table was grinning, their eyes locked on me as if I were the evening’s headline act.

Oh my God.

As I walked past, I locked eyes with her. With as much charm and dignity as I could muster, I raised my index finger to my lips in a universal “Shhh.”

And then, I faced a choice:

• Turn right and rejoin the music and dancing, holding my head high.
• Turn left and make a discreet exit into the cool night air.

Reader, I turned left.

Bottom Line

When it comes to restrooms, choose wisely. And if you do make a mistake, pray—pray—that it’s empty when you walk in.