Everyone knows what serendipity is. A pleasant surprise, an invention that comes out of the blue (ostensibly, at least). 

The word is attributed to Horace Walpole on Wikipedia, and hails from the ancient Persian tale of the three sage Princes of Seredip. So far, so good. 

And then, of course, the word pee (urinate, wee, number one, etc.). That is more difficult to explain. 

Does it come from the word piss (an ancient word on its own merit)? Or from the expression “To spend a penny” (coming from the money extracted from users of public toilets back when a penny was a penny). After all, a penny is also called “p”, at least while pennies still exist. 

Who cares? As long as pee and wee are not confused with poo and woo. 

On the flight here to Rhodes, as soon as the captain switches off the seat belt signs, I am up and on my way. Alas, the bathroom at the front of the plane is being used. By the captain. The stewardess sends me to the very back of the aircraft. 

I am told that walking up and down the aisles of an airplane is good for the circulation. So I am not upset. 

However, a surprise awaits me at the back of the plane. 

Both seats are occupied. I’m referring here to the toilet seats. 

We wait and wait and wait. 

I strike up conversation with the delightful Michal, a stewardess who left graphic design for this luftgesheft. 

The minutes pass. The bathroom is still occupied. 

Finally, Michal peers inside (Did you know that they have a secret little window to see what is going on inside the bathroom?).

Surprise! The bathroom is empty and the occupied sign has remained on. But on the other hand, this unanticipated delay helped me get to know Michal. 

What did I tell you? 

Serendipippee.

But there is the other side of the coin –  when you are abroad in a foreign city and need to pee. Desperately. And as we males know, in most cities, peeing against a wall is against the law. 

Yesterday, I had that old feeling. Deep in the downtown of the city of Rhodes. I had to go. Pee. Wee. Urinate. Spend a penny. 

Desperately (you know what I mean). 

And then, in my hour of deepest anguish, it appeared. An oasis. A watering hole. 

An establishment with a bathroom. 

I said, “May I?”.  He answered, “Upstairs to the Left”. 

My feet were wings. 

Only afterwards did I have the chance to look around. A very nice place to have a drink, indeed. 

With a special way to treat “hangovers”. 

The least I could do was spread the word. A new word (I checked on Google). It’s 

Serendipippee. 

And it means the happy, pleasurable, chance joy of finding a place to pee precisely when you need it most. 

So if you are new in the city of Rhodes (a wonderful island, I might add), and you are in the need, this is the place to go (literally speaking). Tell them that Mel sent you (or perhaps better not). 

And have a drink or two as a small token of appreciation for the great serendipippee that has come your way. 

And of course, if you have a serendipippee story of your own, please feel free to share it on ourboox. We love good stories. 

Here is their address, just in case:

D. Therodoraki 5-11

85100 Rhodes

Telephone 22241075897 (but would you have time to call?). And just to repay them for their small act of kindness, here is link!