Yesterday was my day off, so I escaped the Utah backcountry and headed for the comparative metropolis  of Cortez, Colorado.

There is no Target in Cortez, but I planned to do some shopping anyway. Some of my friends may be aghast that I mention shopping at Target, but that’s the way it is. I’ve never been adept at boycotting. I shop at Wal Mart when my limited paycheck determines I need something cheap for cheap. I eat at Chik -Fil -A when I fancy a chicken sandwich. I continue to shop at Target for some items I value.

I will admit to thinking twice about using the restroom at Target these days. But, in truth I really don’t like to use public restrooms in general. I have long been under the impression you could just go in whichever restroom you identified with. If you were wearing a skirt, you went to the women’s restroom. If you were wearing pants, well, do you need to sit down?

After arriving in Cortez – 105 miles as the car drives – and negotiating the somewhat confusing road construction signs -I stopped into the Cortez Welcome Center. Newly remodeled with Kiva décor, the bookstore operated by MVA (Mesa Verde Association) was nicely appointed.

“Where are you headed?” asked the welcome center representative.

“I’m just wandering, today, “ I replied.

Turns out wandering was an understatement.

I enjoyed the well-stocked gift shop. Chatted with the MVA bookstore staff. Something fell in my road weary eye and irritated a contact. Blinking and in pain, I asked for the restroom which I had not yet located. She pointed, directed me right around the adobe plastered curve in the hall. No doors. Open. Outfitted in cheery coral and white. I wandered right in, past the baby-changing table and to the sink, eye smarting, blinking all the way. The sink was brand new. Sparkling clean. I washed off my contact and replaced it. Not good. Still gritty. Now my face was wet and the lens would not pop back out. I reached for a paper towel. Motion operated hand dryer. I stepped toward the stall for tissue paper. Beyond the coral dividers, out of my good eye, I saw….urinals! What? Oh. Maybe they are outfitting all restrooms with urinals these days. This is Colorado. Maybe you can use whichever restroom you want.  Hurriedly, I backed around the corner and took the right berm of the hallway which emptied into… teal stall dividers. Baby-changing table. No urinals.

Today I will wander some more – with a map. I’ll take a pretty normal back-country hike where I can squat behind any tree I choose. Yesterday I was a trend-setter. I identified with coral.

I do have some new contacts waiting for me when I get back to civilization. But what to do about perceiving coral as pink and teal as blue? Which color do you identify with?