Popeye’s store manager got mad at me

I came from an hour-and-a-half-long meeting beginning at 10:10 am. My next appointment would be at 12 noon.  I looked at my watch and I had 30 minutes to grab some quick food.  I was craving for newly cooked fried chicken and the closest restaurant to where I was going next was Popeye’s. I love Popeye’s.

Prior to the start of my meeting, I shook hands with the company’s female officer. I also touched several things, doors, handles, pens, table, chair, etc. so my first order was to wash my hands.

When I walked into the Popeye’s restaurant, I thought it would be best to wash my hands first. I always eat chicken with my bare hands,  so clean hands must be.
I got surprised when a guy came out of what used to be designated as the female toilet. I’ve been coming to this Popeye branch for several years now and I knew exactly where the female toilet was. Not anymore, they changed the door signs from Male or Female to All Gender Restroom.

Both toilets have now been designated as all gender toilets.
It’s their corporate response to becoming LGBT friendly.

The female manager who was sitting in the dining area got mad at me.
She said taking pictures without permission is not allowed in the state of California. I told her I took a photo of the door. She said it’s not allowed. But so as not to aggravate her anger, I just said okay.
Then I went inside the toilet that I’ve used a couple of times before. I washed my hands.

She was so upset and wouldn’t stop ranting. She called someone on the phone complaining that a customer took a picture of the door. She went on and on the whole time I was eating. I thought I heard her calling the police. Oh great. Fine, I will be handcuffed for taking a picture of a door.

I took photos again, this time of the parts of a dead chicken, the window and the plastic cup I brought with me.

After I ordered 3 pieces chicken with a biscuit plus one order of coleslaw, the cashier reminded me that I cannot get a soda, I can only get water. I told her “Why, do you think I will get soda? If I want to drink soda I will order and pay. I thought I was doing you a favor by bringing my own cup for water.”

Bringing this used plastic cup was a bad idea. It screwed their first impression of me (LOL). When I entered their restaurant, they saw me holding this cup and then I was going to use their toilet. One plus one equals two. They probably concluded that I was not going to eat, I would just refill my cup with FREE soda and use the toilet for FREE. The minute I walked in, they already have a negative impression of me.

I sat by the window and took my time eating while the female store manager was still venting over the phone. She kept repeating that someone took pictures. I should have taken her picture instead of the door.  I thought I heard her saying that some customer took pictures earlier that morning. That means I was not the only one. Maybe that was the reason why she was already in a bad mood when I arrived. I waited for the cops to arrive and maybe they would scold me for taking pictures of the restaurant’s damn doors.

I was also hoping to see homeless people outside. I would really invite them to come over and I will buy them all the fried chicken they want. I am not boasting. This is the same restaurant where I’ve seen one employee dumping one big tray of fried chicken in the garbage bin because they were already cold. I was shocked. I know chickens are best eaten while hot and juicy pero sayang talaga basta na lang ibinuhos sa bin.

There is no signage inside their restaurant that taking pictures is not allowed. All establishments who do not want Facebook crazy and bloggers to take photos of anything and everything inside their store, please for your own sanity, put a huge poster at the door, inside the establishment and even inside the toilets. You should see women taking selfies and twosomies inside the toilets.

Related toilet stories:
One time I was at the airport toilet with many stalls when I heard a male croaky voice coming from the other stall. Medyo nagulat ako talaga. I thought I was in the male toilet.

I was washing my hands and there was a pretty woman with long hair and pink blouse washing her hands too. Then I heard a very hoarse voice. I looked around to see if there was a man but I didn’t see any. I continued washing my hands, second time, when I heard

One time naman I was in a shopping area’s toilet when I heard someone said: “can you hand me over that toilet paper?” I thought the lady was talking to her companion. I didn’t respond. Then she put her hand under the toilet divider and wiggled it. Ako pala ang kinakausap. Sa akin pala humihingi ng toilet paper. Sobrang gulat ko dun sa kamay nya muntik na akong napalukso. At naman, mag-u-oo-oo pala eh hindi sinigurado na meron syang pamunas. Kunsumisyon.

And by the way, according to a lawyer friend of mine practicing in California, there is currently no law specifically saying that taking pictures inside restaurants without permission is not allowed.

In my personal opinion,  The Male or Female signs were sufficient.  You don’t offend the LGBT  by having a male or female distinction. It’s up to the individual to choose whether he / she wants to use which toilet based on the gender they were born with.   I don’t know, I am beginning to get confused.

I personally would need a lot of adjusting and getting used to sharing a toilet with men around.  I don’t like them in my toilet.  They spray.  They also don’t zip up fast enough.  I see a lot of them zipping up at the door not when they’re still inside.  Men would also need a lot of adjusting.  I am already seeing myself as using public toilets less and less.  Adult diapers for me.   Starbucks cups for dear husband.