To the list of things you can do in a bathroom stall (and believe me, it’s an extensive and varied list), add: Job interviews.

I kid you not.

This morning at work I headed for the ladies room to do standard bathroom stallish things. I’m sedately ensconced when someone enters the stall next to me and (I presume) sits down. A few seconds later I hear the dink-dink-dink-dah-dink of a phone call being made.

“Hello, it’s XXXXXXXXXXX.” And the woman in the next stall launches into what is clearly a serious job interview on a mobile phone. She sounds like an impressive candidate, except for the problem she seems to have with choosing appropriate interview venues.

Meanwhile, I’m ready to leave and realize that standard bathroom stall exit procedures will likely create an unfavorable and highly audible impression for our job candidate. So I stand there, pondering: What is the correct protocol in such cases?

Should I wait for the interview to be over? Should I clear my throat loudly? (didn’t work) Should I sing something appropriate, like maybe TLC’s “Waterfalls?” (didn’t work) Should I slip a note under the stall suggesting that she put the phone on mute so I can make my escape? (no paper, no pen). Should I knock on the stall and quietly explain that there will shortly be a giant whoooooshing noise…

Forget it. I’ve got stuff to do, and anyone who chooses an interview location without considering potentially negative acoustical qualities… well, deserves what she gets.

I flush.

As I head for the sink, I hear the woman in the stall: “Oh, that’s the TV. Hang on, let me go turn it down…”