To the loo

Last sunday I had to go to the public toilet. I looked for the usual symbols of a puppet with a very stiff-looking skirt on and another one with pants on which were drawn with mathematical precision. None of that was anywhere to be found, though. Instead, there were symbols that gave you an indication of the devices you were likely to expect in the room. I noticed a symbol that seemed to represent an urinoir, and feeling an urgent need to use such a device, I went in there. It was a pleasantly empty room, with the promised devices hanging invitingly against the wall. With the satisfying feeling that I still could find my way in modern society, I took my proverbial leak, zipped away the fragile instrument and turned around to wash my hands, only to be confronted by three mothers, fully equipped with huge bags and their offspring, clearly filled with an urgency that I had just got rid of. The ones looking less urgent had an alarming odour coming out of their diapers, though. '...