Some gas stations have restrooms on the outside of the building, so you need to ask the attendant for the key.

What would you do if someone else was using the bathroom, so when they came out, you asked them for the key, but they got defensive?

That is what happened to the man in this story, so he just let the other person return the key and then asked the attendant for it, but he thinks the whole situation was weird.

AITA for taking a restroom key from someone leaving the restroom rather than waiting for them to deposit the key back inside the store

The scene: a gas station

The characters: person leaving the restroom, person leaving the restroom’s spouse, store employees, me

What happened:

Not too many gas stations have this setup anymore, but it used to be very common.

I went inside the store at a gas station to ask to use their restroom. They told me that someone was using it currently. I went outside to where the restroom was and waited outside the door.

Once the person leaving the restroom came out, I asked them, “can I use the key?”

I’m sure they just didn’t expect this.

It seemed like this person had never seen a person speak to them in public or something, because they froze and looked confused.

I repeated myself, “I was hoping to use the restroom, can I take the key?”

Yes, typically they would take the key back inside.

They replied, “uh, but, I, don’t I need to take it inside?”

I replied, “I don’t think so, can I have the key?”

If they were holding it out, then taking it is no big deal.

Their hand was kind of stretched out, so I took the key from them by the windshield washer handle it was attached to. In hindsight, I feel like this is where this interaction went south.

At this point, the person leaving the restroom’s spouse is walking over.

Woah, things are starting to escalate.

“Hey! What are you doing? What are you saying to to my wife?”

Me: “I just wanted to use the restroom, so I was asking for the key.”

While technically correct, I think this is an overreaction.

Spouse: “She needs to take it inside, she can’t just give it to you, don’t take that from her.”

Me: “Okay. Sorry. I just wanted to use the restroom. Here’s the key.” and I return the key to the person leaving the restroom.

Not the end of the world I suppose.

Spouse looked aggro. I removed myself from the situation and went back inside the store to wait for the person to return the key so I could then take it and use it.

Employees asked me what was going on, I told them, they replied with the classic “full moon, all the crazies come out.”

But now I’m asking myself, who’s the crazy?

AITA?

I can totally see both sides of this. The other people may have been worried that you would steal the key or something and they would be held responsible. But at the same time, why would anyone do that?

Let’s see what the people in the comments think about this situation.

Yup, I agree with this commenter.

This type of situation is not that common anymore.

It really isn’t a big deal.

Here is someone who says he was going around the normal system.

This person says he wasn’t wrong for asking.

Just one of life’s many awkward social interactions.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.