Fantasy sighting?

[Wombat48]

Hey
If you could witness and Desperation sighting in a public place what would it be??

[Brian]

Music concert of the classical variety with everyone sitting in rows of cinema-style seats, unable to leave without causing severe disruption to all the music-lovers concentrating on the orchestra. That's one of my favourites. I explored it in one scene in the story "A legal matter" here in Open Stories.

[Wombat48]

That’s an interesting one! Never thought of that as a scenario

[googlism2008]

Music concert of the classical variety with everyone sitting in rows of cinema-style seats, unable to leave without causing severe disruption to all the music-lovers concentrating on the orchestra. That's one of my favourites. I explored it in one scene in the story "A legal matter" here in Open Stories.

This reminds me that during my undergraduate days, I took a course in a particular lecture theater with a capacity of over 100, and its rows were particularly cramped. Each row was equipped with a table that stretches the full length of the row, which further restricts movement within the row. So whenever someone in the middle of the row wants to get out in a fully packed class, half the row would need move out to the staircase, making it very inconvenient.

In a two-hour class, we typically have a five to ten minute break in between, but I observed that during the break time, many people seating at the sides have no desire to get out. There were a few times where I had the desire to use the toilet during the break, but decided not to until the end of the class... I also observed a couple of instances where one or more people would climb over the table to the row above or below, explicitly stating the need to use the toilet.

Thankfully, I only need to use this lecture theater for one course.

[Brian]

This reminds me that during my undergraduate days, I took a course in a particular lecture theater with a capacity of over 100, and its rows were particularly cramped. Each row was equipped with a table that stretches the full length of the row, which further restricts movement within the row. So whenever someone in the middle of the row wants to get out in a fully packed class, half the row would need move out to the staircase, making it very inconvenient.

In a two-hour class, we typically have a five to ten minute break in between, but I observed that during the break time, many people seating at the sides have no desire to get out. There were a few times where I had the desire to use the toilet during the break, but decided not to until the end of the class... I also observed a couple of instances where one or more people would climb over the table to the row above or below, explicitly stating the need to use the toilet.

Thankfully, I only need to use this lecture theater for one course.

Yes, I sat in undergraduate lectures in such a large lecture theater with long rows of students too. I spotted various obviously desperate male students during that time, and I'm sure they hadn't felt able to leave in between lectures for just the same logistical reasons which you describe.

One particular incident sticks in my memory. A student right in front of me called Richard, in normal street wear including blue jeans, was sitting among his friends during the first one-hour lecture and I got the strong impression that he wanted to pee. I expected he would go out in the five or ten minutes between that lecture and the next one, but he didn't. I think he could reasonably have done so actually, even though it would have meant his friends moving to let him out, so I was a bit surprised. During the next lecture he was displaying much more obvious signs of real desperation, culminating in a moment towards the end of that lecture in which he appeared to be almost in panic, one hand holding himself between his legs. I could pretty much see him thinking "oh no, I've really got to push my way out past my friends and leave the theater in front of a hundred students and the lecturer or otherwise wet myself". He held on till the end though. I bet he was more careful in future classes after that experience!

[Fred]

Lecture hall desperation is not uncommon because (1) college students often use coffee as a substitute for sleep; (2) they are inclined to test their newly-acquired adult capabilities; (3) their ability to plan - and take a precautionary pee - is not yet fully developed; and (4) they have the confidence of youth. They are also conscious of what others think of them. So they hold their bursting bladders rather than ask others to let them out of a crowded row.

I think that somewhere I have posted one of my most exciting desperation memories: The landscaper for my new house was a hunky redhead, and he spent a week moving rocks, planting shrubs and creating level lawn areas. The weather was hot, and on his last full day of work he wore only a pair of light grey shorts. I'm sure he knew I enjoyed watching him!

While working he drank liberally from a gallon jug of spring water, but at 4:00 I brought out beer to celebrate the completion of the job. He was just finishing his second one when an elderly neighbor drove in and admired the work, and he politely showed her around. He was proud of what he had accomplished, and I suspect she liked the attention from a shirtless hunk!

She stayed about half an hour, and the instant her car left the driveway he put down his can saying, "I've been holding it too long," and sprinted across the newly-graded lawn area toward the trees. He stopped halfway across and proceeded to pee for quite a long time, making a crater in the soil. He looked embarrassed and told me he'd be back the next day to repair the damage. He'd hidden his desperation well, but he couldn't hold it long enough to reach the trees fifty feet away!

I've fantasized about subsequent activities with this guy many times.

[greatwater]

I agree with Lecture Hall, because I used to study with a lecturer, who won't let anyone go to toilet in his three-hour lecture session.
I used to see a friend posting on facebook how desperate he was as he was in the class of this lecturer.He regretted drinking too much coffee before class. His pants were dry at the end, but it was such an agony.

My fantasy would be a theatre. People often drink a lot, and the show, or the movie, could be very long. In spite of their capacity to hold a great number of audience, some theatres have small toilets. I don't know why, but you will always hear a story about desperation at the theatre.

Well, a sports stadium would work too. I'm sure there are always queues at the toilet, though they have a lot of urinals and cubicles.

[Wombat48]

Sports stadiums really work for me! Something about the very masculine culture combined with hundreds of bladder full of beer that really does it for me!!!

[Brian]

Oh yes, sports stadiums must be ripe for guys who've been drinking cans of beer and are holding it to bursting point! It's not done to slip out before half time or the the final whistle, after all!

[Fred]

Oh yes, sports stadiums must be ripe for guys who've been drinking cans of beer and are holding it to bursting point! It's not done to slip out before half time or the the final whistle, after all!

At sports bars there are doubtless guys who have been holding their bladders until a break in the game, and then they all rush for the one or two urinals in the men's room.