First World problem – Toilet paper crisis

In the midst of a pandemic, the news keeps flashing everywhere and I chuckle.

Being an Indian, we have been taught to use water to wash our bums. You ask me why not paper? Well, how does a piece of paper even clean you? The dried and smelly behinds, left behind after a wipe.

Potty training always meant squatting down. Once you finish your business, wash and come up clean. And a lot of emphasis on washing those hands, super clean.

Urban areas developed and we moved from an Indian WC to an European / English WC; buckets and mugs of water replaced by jet sprays. Most of Asia and Middle East is equipped this way. And I imagined the whole world would too!

But to my dismay (although I had some inkling about this), when I moved to Australia, I realized that not a single house is equipped with a jet spray. I haven’t been interested in finding out why. Not to prove what is right or wrong, but research shows that using water is hygienic than paper. Although now-a-days we have recycled and organic toilet paper, but hey, they still have to go through a process using energy and water albeit lesser than the first hand ones.

Though I have made peace with the toilet paper (Read: No option), I hate using it during the critical 5 days of the month.

So, while everyone has been panicking and rushing in a frenzy, I smile. Because my bestie gifted me a bathing mug. It did seem peculiar and we laughed about it. However, while many were fighting over a bag of rolls, I knew I needn’t worry if I run out of stock!