Bathroom Mirrors

A bathroom without a mirror is unsettling. There is already a strange, concomitant embarrassment that one feels when being seen exiting a bathroom. An absence of a mirror only heightens the anxiety. While what happens behind those doors, with their condescending "Ladies" and "Gentlemen" signs, is shameful, there is also the chance for the reevaluation of one's appearance, an opportunity to mend or mold whatever has fallen apart during the day's tests. Without a mirror we wear a look of diffidence upon our return. We push open the door and leave with our heads down, feeling like we ought to apologize to those who see us. A mirror tells us when we're ready.