The breakfast buffet is the best part of my hotel stay, well at least in my case. The spread and variety of dishes available make me drool. Not to mention I love the bathroom shower as well. If I had my way I would stand under it for at least an hour.
So, coming back to the breakfast part, kids these days aren’t usually very happy to eat their breakfast. Especially my kiddo. She is one moody toddler. For some odd reason, we are a family of paratha lovers. Surprisingly, she doesn’t care much about them.
Well, long story short, we recently went for hotel check-in and it turned out my daughter Reya was super excited to go for breakfast. I served her assorted items on her plate from the breakfast buffet. I served her whatever I felt she would be happy to eat. She obediently followed me around the buffet holding on to the pocket of my track pants.
I was hoping to myself that she would eat herself so I could hog mine as I was ravenous.
Halfway through breakfast, she gave me the 'potty look.’
I looked at my husband, he was too engrossed in his plate.
And it so happened that simultaneously my masala omelet had just arrived at the table served by the hostess. In my mind, I told myself, ‘Motherhood’! Either your kid needs to pee or poop while you're eating. This happens to every mother.
I inquisitively asked Reya, “do you need to poop?
“Yes!!” she said, sitting on her chair raising half her butt in the air looking extremely uncomfortable.
I immediately jumped out of my chair and picked her up and headed towards the door.
The waiter looked so disgruntled wondering what the hell was happening but he was kind enough to help me with the door. Thanking him on my way out I headed towards the never-ending stairs and I told Reya, “hold on to Mumma” trotting my way through.
For us to head back all the way to our room was pointless as it was much further away. So I charged to the washroom in the lobby. As I entered the washroom, my eyes popped out. It was packed.
There were only two bathrooms, both occupied and four ladies waiting in line for their turn. All heads turned as I entered the loo. All eyes on me and then they all looked at Reya. She froze and wondered who all these people were.
I put Reya down and made her stand hoping she wouldn’t have soiled herself as yet. I requested the lady ahead of me, “if you don’t mind can my daughter go first. She needs to do potty.”
Lady 1: “OH!! Yes of course!” These days potty is so important” she started talking to me and then looked over to her colleague for more input.
Me: “Yes yes!” I said nodding my head and smiling politely.
Lady 2: “ I know! It’s very hard to manage kids these days. Especially when they need to use the bathroom when we are not at home. First of all, some of them don’t say anything and they just dirty their pants, bahut mushkil hai yaar”.
Lady 3: Touching up her lipstick and looking in the mirror says “My son poops first thing in the morning” I’ve made it a habit for him since the beginning. But this age can be really hard. I can understand what you're going through!”
Me: “Yes yes!” I said again nodding my head and smiling politely. Agreeing to whatever they all had to say but all I could think about was ‘when the hell is the bathroom going to get free so my kid can poop?’ I even thought of visiting the men’s washroom which was a few steps away. I could feel Reya squeezing my hand and looking at all of them.
Lady 4: She was patiently waiting to wash her hands after touching up her make-up, brushing her hair said, “I’m wise! Neither do I have children nor did I get married. I live for myself and my parents!”
All the ladies gawked at her. I could make out they wanted to say something but they preferred to stay quiet.
After so much chatty banter, my brains were already fried. I thought to myself, I just said one-word ‘potty’ and boom, these women had so much to say about it. And from one topic it leads to a huge discussion and then they jumped to another topic. It seemed to be never-ending.
Finally, we got our turn. I was so happy to see the lady exit the loo. We got lucky! My daughter didn’t poop herself! It was such a relief.
We then made our way back to the restaurant and finished off the breakfast in peace.
