it's all subjective

I walk into the bathroom at work. I turn on the light because even though it is sunny outside, the frosted glass on the windows obscures some of the natural light. Coworker A is washing her hands and asks why I always turn on the light. Turns out their family has a running joke that implies that they are all vampires because they hate the light (her words, not mine). This tradition even extends to her 17-year old son, his wife, and their 3 year old baby.

My mind is quick, so I am able to instantly calculate the boy’s age when he had a son of his own (14). I stop myself just before saying “Sounds like there is more wrong with your family than being afraid of the light.” Which would have led to me saying “Maybe if your family spent less time in the dark, your almost-pre-teens wouldn’t be having sex.”

But I tell her that as long as I am in the bathroom, the light will be on, regardless of anyone else that may be in there as well. I will turn it off when I leave. As I say this, Coworker B walks in and instinctively goes to flip on the light. It is of course, already on. Coworker A gives us both looks like we were freaks and leaves. I explain it all to Coworker B and we decid that we are not the freaks after all.