INTERACT What do you think the place described by the narrator represents and why? Contact Us

A Seat of Reflection | by Peter Kang With the unbelievable rate of metabolism as a teenager, my visits to the bathroom are as frequent as my three daily meals with optional snack time. My favorite seat, in the eyes of others, is probably as mundane and common as anyone can get, but its contributions to my daily life has made it incomparable to any other structure. Besides transporting my wastes out of sight, the toilet, wherever it may be found, has become a place of thought and reflection for me. Like the circular room Uncle Scrooge used in Ducktales to ponder, my area of deep thought is a circular seat located in any bathroom I use. I first got the idea to write this story while I was using the toilet in the men's locker room at Columbia University. The middle stall was equipped with a laser sensor that caused automatic flushes when the person moved away from the seat. The stall also came with dual rolls, just in case one ran out. Amazed at the technology and comfort of this public seat, I recollected memories of other toilets I had used. One of my favorite toilet seats is located in the boy's team room at my high school. I used these seats everyday because they were the cleanest ones in school. Besides being clean, the seat was a site for pleasant conversation if a friend happened to be sitting in the next stall. A glance at the shoes would be enough to identify the friend, and it was even better if the friend did not exude any extreme odor. We would usually find ourselves discussing the school day and sharing jokes and stories. It was surprising how much useful information could be exchanged in five minutes' time. The team room toilet was also a site of relief after four periods of "holding the load." Sounds disgusting? Try gulfing down cafeteria food in less than fifteen minutes everyday and the urge will strike at the most unwanted time. Another site is the toilet at my parents' store. The bathroom is very small, as in most New York stores, and its walls painted bright blue with an incandescent light bulb hanging from the top. It is here where I plan my day in New York, thinking of possible places I may want to go or what subways to take in order to reach a destination. The plain blue walls block out any distractions and make thinking easy while I'm seated. One of the places I do not enjoy using the toilet is at my friend's house. He has a nice big house, but his bathrooms have something that irks me very much - mirrors that reflect the image of myself sitting on the toilet. He has a black floored bathroom downstairs that has mirrors for walls. I had never seen so many angles of myself on the toilet until I used his bathroom, but it was nothing to remember. To picture the scene better, imagine yourself taking a dump in a fun-house. I hope he knows that he's getting the best type of bathroom arrangement when he uses the toilet at my house, where the only thing that reflects while on the seat goes on inside the head. At home, using the toilet has also means a few other things - it is time to read a book or magazine, it is time to make an important decision, or it is time to think creatively. With the maximum privacy awarded every time the toilet is occupied at home, I'm able to think best while on the John. The toilet is almost a self-counseling area where I can review decisions or actions before carrying them out. An argument with my parents, a possible confrontation with a kid at school, and whether or not I should risk the trouble to do something are some examples I reflect on from time to time. The toilet is very effective because it creates a moment when I want to forget what is really going on (elimination of waste) and focus on something to keep my mind busy. Reciting song lyrics occur often, but deep thought and reflection happen the most. I've tackled some serious issues, no matter how funny it may sound, while sitting on the toilet, and I don't see why the trend should stop anytime soon. While many kids can pick their favorite bean bag or some secluded bench in the park, I believe the toilet is a wonderful seat. It is hard to agree with me and my views may seem absurd, but that's probably because everyone else takes the toilet for granted. I have chosen another route and that is to exploit the luxury we have made available to us either in public or at home. The toilet is definitely the king of all seats. What other seat never causes discomfort and cleans itself with a flush?