Monday, June 11, 2007
And they all lived happily ever after...
As a follow-up to the last post, I guess I'll have to tell you the story of how I met Mrs. Mentok. She hinted at it in her comment to the last piece but I couldn't do the anecdote justice in a reply comment.
Once upon a time, when we were both in our early college years, the future Mrs. M and I belonged to Youth Parliament, which was basically a debate club that used full parliamentary format, like a mock session of the House of Commons. (After hours, the place was party central, so not as nerdy as it sounds.)
Our annual week-long session was held in the chambers of the provincial Legislature. For that week, the Legislative staff winkingly treated us like honourary elected Members. We were even allowed to use the elected Members exclusive private washrooms.
As an inexperienced small-town boy, I was dazzled by these facilities: Toilets made of marble, with elevated water tanks made of oak and flushed by pulling a long brass cord. Elaborate decorated mirrors above the sinks. Oak vanities stocked with cologne and mouthwash, etc. Paper towels? No way - strictly cloth hand towels that you tossed into a big laundry bin.
[I should interject at this point that this describes only the men's Members washroom. The women Members washroom, I'm told, is a converted storage closet. When the building was designed a century ago, no one dreamed people in the future would be so foolish as to elect female politicians ;- ) ]
I have since seen many washrooms the equal of this one, but at the time it was the most marvelous crapping facility my young eyes had ever seen. I wanted to get a picture of it, but had no camera. Someone pointed out a girl with a camera; I sent her a note and asked her to meet me out in the lobby.
When she arrived, I said:
"Got your camera? Good. Come with me into the men's washroom. There's something I want to show you, and you'll want to get a picture of it."
Honest to god.
Of course, it took several more days before we actually connected, and five tumultuous, Sid-n-Nancy-ish years of dating before we were happily married, but those were in fact the first words I ever said to the luv-o-me-life.
Pretty smooth, eh?
posted by Mentok @ 4:16 p.m.,
7 Comments:
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At 7:34 p.m.,
Bathroom Hippo said...
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Mrs. Mentok was in a debate club?!?!?
That's so unlike her! And I think I would know her a little better than you.
How ya been buddy? -
At 11:47 p.m.,
FiL said...
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Sid & Nancy?? Yesh, just stay away from drug pushers named Rockets Redglare. And don't leave any hunting knives lying around...
Dearest Wife & I once went to a Halloween party as Sid & Nancy. It was such a square affair that no-one could tell who we were, nor did they know who S&N were when we told them -
At 2:15 a.m.,
adam said...
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In one big fat glorious metaphor I know exactly when I first met my wife and she knows that I'm wrong.
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At 3:39 p.m.,
Mentok said...
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Hippo - yes, perhaps your right that debate isn't up Mrs. Mentok's alley. If there was an "icy, fearsome stare of death" club, that might be more her speed ;-) On the other hand, she now also coaches debate in school.
I'm doing just fine, very busy. Et toi?
Fil - that is a very sad story about the squares not getting your costume. I had a vaguely similar experience one Halloween. The boys and I went out as the Marx Brothers: Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Karl. We wore name tags just so everyone would get the gag. To no avail. I wish I had a dollar for every person (older people, too) who said "Oh, look, a clown and, uh, three hobos."
crash - A metaphor? Don't you mean an irony? ;-) -
At 10:24 a.m.,
cchang said...
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Your description of the facilities really reminds me of the engineering building on the campus I work at---no women's restrooms except on the 1st floor (the one I'm thinking of has 5 floors). In the math building the restroom entrances are actually in the stairwells if that makes any sense (at ever landing there's either a men's restroom or a woman's restroom). Quite a mind-fsck for a visiting scholar who needs to get up and pee in the middle of some long boring talk or what not. They do not exist in the main floors above level 7. It's as if the architect thought he was making another Enterprise or something.
I met my husband during a research excursion. So, I'm all for nerdy meet ups. :) -
At 3:12 p.m.,
Grumps said...
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Re pick-up line: Sounds like a lot of effort on your part. All I said to Grumpspouse was "Good morning!" It's true, you can ask her.
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At 10:09 a.m.,
said...
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if i remember correctly, i think what my husband said to me was, hey, you wanna party?
those were the days . . .
