Connected in the Crapper

I walked into a public bathroom in our building yesterday with the usual single-focus intent you’d expect in there. I’m sure you know the routine: no talking, no side glances, get in, get out.

Only this time, I heard a voice from one of the stalls. It wasn’t a crazy person, either. It was, from the look of his shoes, a well-dressed man TALKING ON HIS BLACKBERRY!! WHILE SITTING ON THE TOILET!!!

I was taken aback. I’m not familiar with the protocol for this situation. Do I avoid flushing so I don’t blow the guy’s cover? Or am I allowed to do the full sink routine, thereby forcing the guy to make up a story about calling from a nearby waterfall? As I stood there, trying not to eavesdrop, I was joined by a colleague, who caught on right away, and within moments we were convulsed with repressed, stifled laughter. The weezing, snorting kind. I’m sure the guy’s phonemate now thought the call was coming from a barnyard of some sort, or maybe a petting zoo. We collected ourselves and made a hasty retreat, while Bathroom Man happily and un-self-conciously chatted on, blissfully multitasking his afternoon away. So I have to ask: Is this the inevitable result of being tethered to our PDAs? And does anyone else ever touch his blackberry????