Randomly recalls to me a core memory: adolescent me at my buddy's house. Fat nerd, anxious about everything. My buddy's older brother was playing warcraft 3 with us and I thought he was such a cool guy, he wore jean jackets always covered in paint. We finished a match and both said at the same time, "I gotta take a shit!" He said, "race you!" and ran to the closest bathroom, and I was relieved because the lock was broken on that one and I was super anxious to poop when someone might walk in, so I was happy to use the upstairs bathroom instead. I warned him that the lock was broken. "So what?" he said. "Well, what if someone walks in on you while your pooping?" I asked. He replied, "I'll say, 'Get out of here, I'm pooping!'"

I learned to actually think about my worries. My anxiety was ill defined - someone might walk in on me pooping! But in reality, that's just the whole ordeal, someone walks in and then leaves, you won't explode and die about it.

I loved my time in Brussels but it really was gross how often I'd randomly smell piss.

The story on why it is free is quite interesting, as it used to not be this way in America either: https://psmag.com/economics/dont-pay-toilets-america-bathroo...

Many places are now putting codes on the restroom door that you have to ask for. Whether or not they'll give you the code before buying something varies a lot by location and likely by how much the employee gives a shit.