My last post on loos reminded me of another cherished anecdote about the early 20th Century English barrister, F. E. Smith, whom I mentioned last week.
Public toilets in London are woefully few and far between; and those that there are, are often wretchedly dirty and/or beset by 'cottagers'. Smith, then, if he found himself having to answer the call of nature when he was at large in London (en route between his chambers and the Royal Courts of Justice, I suspect), developed the habit of popping into a conveniently situated gentlemen's club. (I forget which one; a distant, nebulous memory suggests either The Garrick or The Reform. Come to think of it, are any of the great London clubs anywhere near The Strand?? I really wouldn't know.) Smith was not a member; but he was an imposing enough character, and such a regular visitor, that none of the staff thought to challenge him.
That is, until one day a new doorman became suspicious of his hasty visits, and summoned up the courage to ask him, the next time he appeared:
"Excuse me, sir, but are you a member of this Club?"
To which Smith, quite unfazed, and feigning elaborate surprise, replied:
"My God! Do you mean to say it's a Club as well?"
1 comment:
Hah - back in the early days in **** we were so happy that McDonald's had come to town, because the American fast food chain followed American loo standards. We quickly learned the location of each McD's, so that while out and about town, should the need arise, a decent option was always available.
It's hard to imagine the UK or the USA before rest stops became readily available for travelers. Ugh, so easy to take so much for granted.
Post a Comment