Stall Peeping

When I was around 10 I went to a restraint with my family where I had an encounter with a boy. I had gone to the bathroom and was sitting on the toilet when I notice a boy around 7 years old peeping in through the crack between the door and bathroom stall. He had a light olive skin tone, dark eyes and black hair in a bowl cut common among younger kids. His mouth was agape as he looked on in what I could only describe as amazed curiosity.

I was making eye contact with him the whole time after I noticed him but my 10 year old gaze didn’t scare him away, he only continued to look on with his mouth open in curiosity and almost seemed to smile, as if he knew that what he was doing was naughty but couldn’t help but take a look. I didn’t know how to react, I just stared at him back throughout the encounter, which was brief because after locking eyes for about 10 seconds an adult man walked in interrupting his peeping adventure.

"What are you doing?" Shouted what I assume to have been the boy’s uncle in an enraged tone. "Nothing!" He quickly responded the guilt and embarrassment evident in his voice. "Get over here come on!" The boy quickly fled the bathroom followed by scolding of the man. I also quickly wrapped up my business in the bathroom and returned to my table, startled by the whole encounter.

Before leaving I caught a glimpse of the boy at his table, looking rather unhappy. To this day I wonder if getting caught and embarrassed (and probably harshly punished) was worth it for this curious boy, and if parents punishments dissuaded him from pursuing his curiosities. I can only hope he's doing fine and is still the adventurous boy he was back then when we met in the bathroom stalls.


Anonymous