It’s April 23rd, 2002, and almost noon as the train pulls into La Spezia Centrale train station. I have been in one spot since I left Marseille at 5am. My friends and I have about a half hour until our train leaves for the Cinque Terre and I have to pee. But, not just have to…REALLY have to. Ugh, a train station…not my first choice of locations, but you can’t be picky when you’re traveling, right? With trepidation, I follow the signs to the restroom. Low and behold, I walk into a brand new, sparkling train station bathroom with new tile walls, white marble counters and everything is clean. How fantastic! Who would have guessed? I am filled with relief and confidently approach an empty stall-- but I am stopped dead in my tracks. Inside this sparkling new restroom with the top of the line everything, is a new, shiny and sparkling porcelain foot grate. What? I couldn’t believe my eyes—a three-foot square, porcelain squat pad, complete with grated foot holders and a spiffy drain in the center. I did not know that companies made top of line porcelain squatting pads.
