A Pair of Bright Yellow Rubber Gloves

I was the housekeeping supervisor at a summer camp for kids. Each week different aged children or teens came to enjoy our rustic hospitality for five days. My job included seeing that either my crew or I daily cleaned the public restrooms used by the campers.

Late one afternoon the director of the camp for Middle School aged kids came looking for me. One of the toilets in the large restroom and showerhouse was not working properly. Something was stopping it from flushing. Upon investigation it was found that someone had thought we provided porcelain trash cans for their use. Why they thought they were waterfilled was beyond our comprehension. They had deposited a roll of toilet paper with about one hundred sheets still on it, sticks from the tree outside and a pair of soiled underwear in the toilet.

If we had known who the offender was, we would have allowed them to be the one to empty the toilet of its improper contents. As no one asked for that privilege, it was up to me to do the job. All 75 of the campers were called to witness the removal. As they stood watching in awe, I pulled out a pair of bright yellow rubber gloves. I ceremoniously put them on one hand and then the other. I looked around at them and said, "I'm going in!"

I came back out into the sunlight with the sticks, partially used toilet paper roll and the soiled underwear dripping in my hands. The snickers from the gathered crowd did nothing to bring a smile to my lips or a snicker from my mouth.

If I may, I would like to insert a note at this point. I had several pairs of bright yellow rubber gloves.

When the Middle School aged campers came to the Dining Hall for supper the same night, I was there, wearing a pair of bright yellow rubber gloves. I was putting ears of corn on the cob on their trays. Revenge can be sweet.