The Urinal
Sally has asked about The Urinal, and I am happy to share with the rest of the world. After the competition, we all ended up in this little bar called Bertha's Mussles. Our crew was a little later than the first arrivals, so they were already sitting around, beers in hand. We were absolutely starving, having not eaten since a half a bagel at 8:00 (at least Jennie and I were; the guys snuck some French fries while we were busy interviewing.) They all ordered big ol' crab cake sandwiches and I ordered a veggie burger, much to the amusement of the bar owner. ("Lessee, four crab cake sandwiches and a hockey puck coming up.") The place was tiny and we were situated near the bathroom doors. Eventually, it became clear that something Very Exciting was happening behind in the men's room. A little ripple of exhilaration ran through the room. Tim said, "If you want an angle for your story, this is it right here."
Apparently, this is the biggest urinal ever to have graced a ratty men's bathroom. One by one, guys would use The Urinal and then rush out to tell the others about his experience. "It's incredible! You could climb right inside it if you wanted!" This lead to talks about whether splash back was a problem, ("No, although any splash back happening would have been at my shoe level, so maybe I just didn't feel it.") and to the feasibility of getting The Urinal a Myspace account ("I want to be friends with The Urinal!")
People, CAMERAS were pulled out. And there we were not ten feet away. With a camera. It was decided that I definitely had to get a picture of The Urinal. I peeked in the door and attempted to angle a picture from halfway outside, but this was roundly rejected and I was all but shoved into the bathroom. The door swung shut behind me and I was alone. With The Urinal. And it was, uh, a urinal. Like, I've seen a few of these before. This one certainly was large, but abnormally large? I had to take it on the word of the men who faced them each day. I took the picture and emerged, facing a group of excited faces. I gave a little shrug, "Um, it's okay." All their faces fell.
"'Okay?!' Didn't you SEE how big it was! I mean, that's not just big, that's HUGE!"
This went on for a while, until another female got curious and had to see it. She peeked in and came out with a look of disappointment. "It's just a urinal! I thought with all the fuss you guys were making it'd be shaped like a mermaid or something."
The ladies decided it had to be a guy thing to appreciate, but the guys were adamant that no one should be underwhelmed by such a grandiose structure. What do you think?
Isn't it kind of long? Kind of akin to just peeing on the floor? That might have been the allure.
I have, till date, refrained from commenting on what I still call the 'number 1' and 'number 2' business. Many men falsely claim the lack splash back on urinals. With these 'to the floor' models there really isnt any and it also gets rid of the 'proper height' issues, even if you go sitting down (ewwwwwww!).
If anyone wants to see a bunch of these models visit McSorley's in the East Village. Just dont ask them any questions.
This urinal rather reminds me, in size, of the one in the backyard of Hemingway's house in Key West. It was made into a mosaic fountain, where the 6-toed kitties frolic. Story goes that Hemingway bought it from his favorite bar beause that's where he pissed all his money away, so he pretty much paid for it already. Or something. So maybe there is historical claim to large urinals?
There was some comparison at the bar between the McSorley's and Bertha's urinals, which led to a discussion of a themed coffee table book. I think we're off to a good start here, with Hemingway...Liz get to work on the book.
What's wrong with a man sitting? Is there a splashback issue there? Now my interest is peaked.
Hee. You get one image when you type in "Hemingway house urinal fountain" (without the quotes) in google images. Imagine the bottom part of the fountain upright and without the mosaics...Bertha's Muscles male patrons indeed pee Hemingway style.
Urinal Fountain
And of course now I just want to google "urinal fountain" and see what other images I find...
Well Corie, I think your question deserves an answer. A man isnt going to sit butt first in the urinal (no matter how drunk). If a man were to sit down and pee at the full length urinal it would mean squatting which would involve balancing and, if not that limber, would also involve one hand holding onto to something. I meant the other hand. Nothing close by other than the urinal wall.
Is everyone just being nice and not commenting on the grunge issue?
For the very first time (in pee-related comparison, anyway) I am so glad I'm female.
God, let's HOPE no one was thinking about sitting on that thing.
having lived in baltimore for a number of years, and consuming a few mussles at Bertha's, i'll let you in on a little secret about charm city. it took moving to japan for someplace to finally out do baltimore in the out-of-place, the oddly sized, or the just strange elements that make up an urban environment. fells point is also home to the baltimore tattoo museum ("best souvenirs in town") and enough public urination to make a frat boy blush. maybe that is the reason for The Urinal, so nobody misses it.
WONDERFUL URINAL!
There's an old restaurant in Atlantic City that has a (now non-functioning) pee troth built into the floor on the customer side of the bar.
Angelo's Fairmount Tavern
(not Angelino's, thats one street over)
GREAT food, and lots of Italian Home-made red wine to stain your lips and teeth the next day. (it's also a legendary Gangster hang-out)
ha! kedar, i so meant sit on the toilet and pee, not in the urinal.
http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/worldsbest/slideshows/bathrooms/bathrooms_03.html
Local urinal to end all
Actually, older buildings often have urinals like that, though they're dying out. Very practical; actually minimizes splashback. And missing.
urinal