I caved

I had noticed construction work last week near the bathroom that we were told was going to be shut off, but no one had been to talk to me and I saw no evidence that they were going to build a wall between me and the bathroom.

I asked my boss if he had heard anything, and he said no. Let's wait until we see a wall, he suggested.

Later that day, the wall began going up. I felt like Berliners must have felt in 1961. (Actually, it wasn't very dramatic, especially because they just used those carpet-covered cubicle walls.)

Now I just have one bathroom on my floor that has an automatic door on it. I can ride an elevator two floors to the fifth floor and two bathrooms up there have automatic doors.

My boss said to talk to so-and-so and then offered to do it himself. I talked to so-and-so who said she'd talk to the facilities manager.

The facilities manager found me the next day. The wall is temporary, he said, three or four months and then it comes down. He told me why, and then said, "You need to tell me: Do we need to put an automatic door on the other bathroom?" It costs about $5,000, but just tell me what I need to do.

Anyone who knows me knows what I said.

Sure, the money played a part. The company has put in five automatic doors, $25,000, and there was the elevator incident, $10,000. I did not want to cost it more money.

Mostly, though, I don't mind being inconvenienced. Everyone else lost a bathroom, too. Their option is to walk a ways to the other side of the building. I just have to take an elevator.

Plus, if there is some accident, maybe I'll get my own bathroom.