This is a great Dave Barry bit. I'm sorry about the monospace font, but it was the only way I could get the ascii diagrams to line up. Hope it gets a laugh
Code:
Men should ace this test (or suffer the wrath of men everywhere)...
Women are on their own. But, there IS a code of the restroom
that MUST be followed..........
The following is the urinal configuration in a sample men's room.
An X above the number will indicate "in use."
(Sample)
| | | x | | | x | indicates men are at stalls 3
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | and 6.
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You are to identify correctly, based on urinal etiquette, at which
stall you are to correctly stand. Good luck!
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Easy Section
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1)
| | x | | x | | | (Stalls 2 and 4 occupied.)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
-------------------------
Your choice: __
1 (easy): #6 - It's the ONLY one to go to and every guy
instinctively knows this.
2)
| x | | | | | | (1 occupied.)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
-------------------------
Your choice: __
2 (easy): #6 - Stall 5 is acceptable, but you run a greater risk of
being next to someone who arrives later.
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Kind of Tricky Section
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3)
| | | | | | | (empty)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
--------------------------
Your choice: __
3 (kind of tricky): #'s 1 or 6 - You are tacitly saying, "I don't want
anyone next to me."
4)
| | x | | x | | x | (2, 4 and 6 occupied)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
-------------------------
Your choice: ___
4 (kind of tricky): #1 You're stuck being next to at least ONE guy,
so you minimize the impact and get a wall on your left. NEVER go
between TWO guys if you can help it.
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Subtle, Tricky, But Important To Know Section
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5)
| | x | | | x | x | (2, 5 and 6 occupied)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
-------------------------
Your choice: __
5 (HARD!): #4 - Believe it or not, 1 and 3 "couple" you with the
guy in stall 2. This differs from question 4 in such a subtle way
that the nuances cannot be explained. Suffice to say, only we
men would understand!
-----------------------------
VERY Tricky Indeed Section
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6)
| x | x | | | x | x | (1, 2, 5 and 6 occupied)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
-------------------------
Your choice: ___
6 (DAMN HARD!): NONE! You go to the mirror and pretend to
comb your hair or straighten a tie until the urinals "open up"
a bit more. If you have to go REAL, REAL BAD...for God's sake,
man, use a doored stall.
Other parts of the Unwritten Code of the Urinals:
-- NO Talking, unless it's a good friend... but even then, keep it
terse and unemotional. This ain't no clubhouse.
-- Absolutely NO touching of anyone else. Even the slightest
touch of another's elbow is of the highest offense.
-- NO Singing. Period.
-- Glances are for purposes of acknowledgment only..."Yeah, I
see you there. I will not look again."