Chilling down to the toes, in fact, despite the added layer of protection of an optional disposable seat cover.

Just 25 cents (coins only) buys you up to 15 minutes on the self-sanitizing throne at Madison Square Park, plenty of time, I thought, to sit down, flip open the laptop, and compose this blog post.

But be careful not to press the wrong button (specifically, the big shiny red one).

Just as this intrepidly indisposed reporter's laptop was scanning for a wi-fi signal, an ill-fated attempt to flush caused the automatic door to slide open.

Photographers from the Times and AM New York furiously flashed away.

Caught blogging with my pants down! Quelle Horreur!