I had a lunch meeting in DC today. The meeting was at Noon. Because you never know what traffic will be like, I decided to leave at 10:30AM.
The decision to leave at 10:30AM set in motion a very important component of the meeting preparation process. That preparation had nothing to do with researching my lunch companion's customers or preparing for the key topics I wanted to discuss with him. I was all set on those fronts. Instead, I needed to get ready for something much more important -- planning my bathroom breaks.
From experience, I know that, if I'm leaving at 10:30AM for a noon meeting, I should empty my bladder at least twice in the hour before I leave. I never used to have to think about this sort of thing but it's now my reality. Just before 9:30AM, as I finished up a conference call, I went to the executive washroom in my basement office. Then, it was back to work for another hour before making a final pit stop and heading down to DC. After taking care of business, I figured I was all set.
Luckily for me, the traffic on the way down to DC was light. But, as I headed down the BW Parkway just after 11AM, I knew that I had a slight problem. Despite my planning, I needed to go to the bathroom again. No need to panic, though. In the last few years, I've learned how to handle just this sort of occasion.
At about 11:30AM, I found a parking spot on the street about 3 blocks from my lunch meeting. I'd purposely driven a bit beyond the restaurant so that I could visit one of my favorite spots in DC -- the Embassy Suites on 21st Street. I've never stayed there overnight but their bathroom has become one of my primary go-to spots in the past few years. I'd just been there the week before, in fact.
It was a couple of years ago that I came to the realization that anyone in business attire can walk into any hotel and use their bathrooms. This came as a great relief to me as my need for public bathrooms has grown substantially. I guess it's just part of growing older.
After visiting the bathroom, I headed off to my lunch appointment. The discussion over lunch was good. I must have been talking a lot because my first Arnold Palmer disappeared pretty quickly. Before I knew it, the waitress had brought me a fresh glass. I drank that one, too. Of course, that meant that -- once again -- I needed to go to the bathroom. When it's just you and one other person at lunch, though, you can't get up and go to the bathroom. So, I sat there. I think it's also bad form to say your good-bye's at the table and have your guest leave on their own while you visit the restroom before heading home. Instead, I paid the bill and we walked out together. Then, we parted ways on the sidewalk.
There I stood, an hour from home with yet another full bladder. No worries. The St. Gregory Hotel was just 2 blocks away. It's a nice hotel. They have a doorman. And, I know where the bathroom is there, too.