I’m talking about men peeing on trees out in public. I don’t mean back in the corner behind a bush. I mean on a tree planted right in the middle of some of the busiest intersections in the city.
The first time I witnessed this was when we were driving home late one night. Three guys had gotten out of their car along the road and were peeing. We were well inside the city, but it was late, they were obviously a bit drunk so we laughed about it and didn’t think of it again.
Then I was walking to the supermarket in the middle of the day and I noticed a man standing up against a tree near the town center. Moto helmet in one hand, relieving himself as cars and pedestrians passed by. Then I was on a walk down to the park and a younger kid stops at a tree planted in the median right at the intersection and proceeds to pee in front of me. It happened again just yesterday.
Funny thing, a few weeks ago I was gazing out our office window and just happen to glance down to the street below. There stood a mom and dad with two toddlers. A parent stood behind each boy and they proceeded to help them pee on a grassy area near the street.
Sorry, but I took this as a photo opportunity to prove that I had seen it.
Yes, of course everyone is thinking – oh how cute, how funny, they are babies. But when the babies grow up to be men and they are still peeing on trees out in the open within the city, well, it’s not so cute and funny anymore. At least not to me.
What is the lesson I have taken from all this?
Never, ever, ever, ever lean on or sit beneath a tree in the city of Maringá.
12 comments:
Or in Chile for that matter. Same thing happens here all the time...and not just on trees, on walls too. Anything public is fair game.
Let me inform you all that happens in New York city as well as Boston...
Kyle - Ha! I will keep that in mind if I make it there.
Ray - Thanks for informing us. I didn't live in NY or Boston. I lived in central KY and IN. Never saw it there. Maybe in the woods on a hike, but never in the city. Here I've seen it on multiple occasions in the very short time I've lived here which is what motivated the post. Not sure what your point is, but I'm assuming it was a "defend Brazil" attempt or raising awareness that the "US is just as bad". Just calling it as I see it. Although, this is something I'd rather not see. :)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAA!!!
YES, this is definitely waaaay too common.
Love the moral of the story ...
Lori,
I didn't mean to imply anything bad about the US, or to defend Brazil. I am with you about being honest and calling it out like we see it, sorry if it came out that way.
It is rather unfortunate but it happens in big cities.
I have seen it in Manhattan, Boston and even in Providence.
Maybe it is a big city thing!
I was sharing that with you so you wouldn't feel so bad about seeing it in Maringa, sharing the idea that this is more common than we think.
Unfortunately.
However I have to say, I never saw children or parents putting their children to pee in public.
Mostly shady looking people, homeless, drunks, tenagers near basketball courts etc...
I have heard this quite often on Brazilian blogs...and I have yet to understand it. EW. It makes me ill to even think about it. Especially since growing up in the country, i love to go out in the backyard and sit against a tree...hahahaha so definitely NONE of that in Brazil...No matter where it happens, its disgusting and I dont understand it. I cant believe those parents would TEACH their children to urinate publicly!! This is something else I need to ask Sidnei about...haha
That Girl - Yeah, I thought it would be a wise decision.
Ray - Thanks, just misunderstood your meaning.
Stephanie - I see people near the Cathedral sitting under trees all the time and I think - that looks like fun, I should do that sometime. Then I think - no, no I shouldn't. Ha, ha!
Although I was kind of used to it when I was living in Brazil (I am from Rio), I always found unbelievable some people's ability to just pee in public.
If those people would consider the streets an extension of their home, they would either change their behavior or start peeing on their gardens and plants. ;)
Some behaviors can be just very culturally shocking. When I was in Beijing for a conference I noticed most of the kids (up to 5-6 years old) had the back of their shorts/pants "opened", as if someone forgot to sew them.
Then a colleague of mine, who is married to a chinese, explained that in the country side (but not so much in larger cities such as Beijing) it is common for parents to allow their kids to poo in public, hence the opening in the back.
As I didn't know if the parents looked for bushes or trees I just stayed away from them and checked where I was walking... ;)
Yes, I must confirm Marcela's comment about the kids in China. Most have split pants, allowing easy peeing & pooping. On one hand this leads to potty training sooner, but on the other hand, little babies and toddlers are allowed to pee & poop anywhere. And I am not joking when I tell you I have seen babies peeing on the supermarket floor. The worst was when a baby was allowed to poop!!! on the floor beside the table at a fairly nice restaurant. The waiter came by, saw the poop and covered it with a napkin. Unbelievable! The bathroom was very close by!! I had to leave.
Not to completely gross you out, but here in my small Chinese city, even adults and young kids regularly pee & poop on the sidewalks, gutters, street, etc. Wherever or whenever they want, without shame. It is truly the most vile thing about living here. You don't see this much in the bigger cities. Ewww. Sorry for sharing.
Public urination is so common that Fantastico or some other similar show did a comical report on it during Carnaval. The reporter would call out to the pee-er with a bullhorn and tell them to go use a bathroom. I think the biggest shock I ever got was after a game in Marcana, when what seemed like hundreds of men paused on the ramps leading out of the stadium to relieve themselves. EEW
About sitting against a tree... well, I guess that even if people dont urinate on them, you run the risk of sitting against dog pee :)
anyway, I know its not the same thing (one thing is a nasty habit, another was a protest) but either way...
Protesters Stage Tax Day Crap Session on the Steps of the IRS Building
http://www.usdebtclock.org/news/debt-news-4.15.08.html
Marcela and GlobalGal -
Wow! So interesting about China. I have heard about the bathrooms being pretty bad. My husband traveled there for business. However, that is interesting about the pants, hadn't heard about that.
The restaurant thing is pretty unbelievable. I would have had to leave as well. What you describe in the streets reminds me of what I have read about India. The world is an interesting place for sure.
corinne - I need a bullhorn! Ha! I could have called a guy out for sure on my walk back from the park the other day. Okay so I can handle one or two, but an entire group. You are right. eewwwww!
Aces - Always there with the interesting links. :) Oh, I definitely think about the dogs too. Thing is, where I lived before there are no stray dogs b/c they pick them up for the dog pound. You only have to worry about the ones right on the walking trail where people walk their pets. Ha!
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