Woodhall: late-night karaoke hits the bathroom

Bedtime (or waking-up) in Woodhall in normally accompanied by a mad rush for the bathroom. Scrubbing teeth, squeezing pimples, checking yourself out in the mirror; all adds up to me-time, and in a flat without a lounge, you can tell why some of us (not naming any names) are addicted to spending time in there, making ourselves into the good-looking people we aspire (and mostly fail) to be.

Bathroom-time usually means tactical warfare that has seen firearms drawn (but not used) on more than one occasion. However, peace does break out once in a while in the mad-rush for cleanliness. From time to time, people even brush their teeth without locking other people out.

Other times, things get really jolly, and happy singing breaks out... before turning into yet another way of introducing competition to what was a mellow evening.












Zhao started it all with a mad rendition of the polish national anthem. George followed with an impromptu version of our very own God Save the Queen. Things were getting competitive.

Rap, followed by blues and more than a little jazz, then rang out. Vocal acrobatics that flavoured not only the acousitcs of our fair abode, but also that of the other flats connected by the ventilation shaft that allows people to breathe when in the windowless bathroom.

Things came to a head somewhere around the time George followed Zhao's version of Nina Simone's Suzanne with his version of Leonard Cohen's Suzanne. However, after a brief bout of fisticuffs over the sink, they agreed that each version of the classic differed just about sufficiently to be allowed in competition. However, having damaged their instruments, they required new toothbrushes before they were able to continue.

Not sure if the other residents of our block appreciated George and Zhao's efforts considering the concert began at 11.45, and concluded in the small hours - after a small break for mouthwash. Zhao shaded the evening with a tearful examination of Eminem's Stan.

It was 3am. Time to get back to the original reason for being in the bathroom in the first place.












It was back to the pure and simple sound of scrub and brush, scrub and brush. Serious business.

Then all that was left was contemplation of the night of dreams ahead, and the morning light that would surely follow.