24 years ago, gas station/diner/store in rural Alaska. My parents and my older sister and I were traveling back from the Kenai peninsula to Anchorage.

BOS* and I had to go. We stood, waiting patiently, in front of the door to the women’s which was occupied.

Another woman walked up, looked at us, looked at the door, leaned back, kicked the door to the men’s room open, and said, “Men’s is empty,” and went in.

Alaska is a different world.

(Yes, we waited for the little girls’ room. We have brothers, and wanted to use the “cleaner” bathroom.

*Bossy older sister, also known as Alpha-female-to-end-all-alpha-females