Huffing and puffing she grabs her soapbox, drags it center stage, climbs up and begins her rant. Toilet paper dispensers are not complicated, nor does their design vastly differ from one toilet to the next. So, please, please, help me understand why it is that soooo many of them sit empty? We aren’t talking about a lack of actual toilet paper here, more like a lack of human effort. We also are not talking about private toilets AKA the ones in your home; I’m referring to public restrooms, and particularly the ones shared with co-workers.
I cannot begin to count how many toilet paper dispensers I reload on a daily basis and trust me when I say; I’m NOT the one emptying them all by myself! The super fancy dispenser begins each day with two loaded rolls and three or four reloads on the very convenient shelf right above the dispenser. Nice, right? One never has to worry about running out of paper. Sadly, what often happens as the day progresses is the loaded rolls get used and the sad empty cardboard tubes remain hanging in place, while the reload rolls sit exposed on the cold shelf. No doubt if they were able, those old rolls would disconnect themselves, march to the trash and the new ones would jump in to take their place, but alas they cannot do anything without human intervention.
Why is this a big deal you ask? It boils down to simple common courtesy. You empty it, you replace it, plus, loaded dispensers keep the paper from making a rolling getaway. This means everyone gets the opportunity for a clean and dry bathroom experience. Sadly, toilet paper dispensers are not the only ones suffering from this form of neglect. I have also heard the pitiful cries from their brothers, the paper towel holders, echoing in the halls. An empty paper towel holder is unfulfilled; it cannot do what it was created to do without help. Granted, refilling the paper towel holder might take a bit more effort because, GASP, one has to open the cabinet just below it, reach in and grab a new roll. I’m not suggesting hunting paper towels when there are none, although that would be nice, but there really is no reason for a holder to stand empty when reloads are nearby.
One last paper rant; whose job is it to unload the boxes of copy paper anyway? Probably no one is specifically assigned this duty, but come on; virtually everyone in an office uses copy paper. It takes maybe five minutes to empty the box and stack the reams in their respective storage place. There have been times I’ve seen the paper boxes sit unloaded for days. Usually I am the one who unpacks them just because Mickey the magical maestro isn’t around to recreate Fantasia, but that can be particularly challenging if I happen to be wearing a dress and heels. The boxes are not in a super secret place; they are out in the open where many sets of eyes, hands and feet quickly pass them by on a regular basis.
Remember learning the golden rule, “Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You?” If we all lived by this mantra, then maybe, just maybe we would see the eradication of empty toilet paper dispensers, empty paper towel holders and boxes of paper would no longer suffer homelessness. Are you willing to step up be part of the solution? Pete and my soapbox would be eternally grateful.
Until Next Time,
Becky J Miller
Warrior Princess
*Additionally, you can read my “Living Outside The Lines” post on San Marcos Corridor News.