Center Story

This is a picture of the moon near the north pole (via Marge Boyd). It has nothing to do with the following story.
It wednesday afternoon about 1:45 pm. We have been have the usual good time in creative writing class. Several people have shared their stories and they are wonderful. But I have, as is my habit, just drank my second cup of coffee and now the urges of nature (you only rent coffee it seems) are calling forth. I excuse myself knowing that the class will get ample time to talk about me when I am gone. I enter the main lodge and head briskly toward the gentlemen's relief station.
Suddenly, I am halted by a no nonsense woman who asks me bluntly 'who are you ?' I tell her that there is nothing to worry about and that I am 'teaching' creative writing right now in Cabin A.
She tells me some horrible news - the men's room is off limits. Because they are doing something with the plumbing for the new cabin. About 25 minutes to go before they can be used
.' 25 MINUTES', I think, 'can I last ?' Luckily, I do not have to go that bad. I return to the class, tell them the news about the plumbing and quickly regret doing so.
'Just use a tree' 'DO you hear the water flowing ? drip, trickle' HA HA
I am tough, I can handle this. Judy gets up to read. It is a wonderful piece of writing, the best she has done, full of emotional tugs and heart-wrenching situations. I love it. But something is distracting me. I fight it. I start standing, then walking back and forth, then pacing back in forth.
Time is my enemy. 20 minutes has passed. I am trying not to walk so much but everytime I stop, I realize I have to keep moving. 22 minutes pass. My hands are twitching. I can no longer look at anyone's cup, or my thermos. I begin standing in the doorway and glancing at the exit. I can do this ! 24 minutes pass and Judy stops overcome by the emotional impact of her powerful story. I want to comfort her and say great story but I have something that stops me - the signal - warning from internal plumbing central - something must be done ! or override signals will be enacted - I don't think - I leave and go to the lodge declaring nothing will stop me, not even a no nonsense woman!
Happy ending : there is nobody there and I reach the men's depository in time without incident.
Back in the cabin and all is well that ends well.