I planned a trip from Taipei down to central Taiwan.
“You are taking the train?” Dad asked.
“Yes.”
“Don’t eat or drink anything for several hours before.”
“Why?”
“You don’t want to use the bathroom on the train.”
“Ok.”
“Make sure not to eat or drink anything for several hours,” he repeated.
Later, Mom took me aside.
“Emmie,” she said. “You don’t want to use the bathroom on the train.”
“Yeah, Dad told me.”
“Emmie. It is important. Make sure you don’t eat or drink anything before you get on. If you do, you’ll be sorry.”
"I guess the bathrooms are disgusting?"
"It was so terrible," she said.