The “Butt Towel” Incident
Newlywed glamour meets the harsh reality of gym laundry. Discover the hilarious, toe-curling "butt towel" misadventure and why every messy marriage moment is worth a laugh.
OCTOBER 2026SOUND MIND LIVING
Newlywed Bliss
[Adapted from the Upcoming book release The Compass]
Newlywed life is full of romantic milestones: candlelit dinners, sweet morning notes, and discovering that your husband has a completely different definition of the word "clean."
Early in our marriage, Jeff and I were staying over at a family member’s home. I hopped in the shower, feeling fresh and relaxed, and called out a simple request: "Babe, can you grab me a towel?"
Jeff tossed one over. Stepping out of the steam, I went to vigorously dry my face—only to be instantly assaulted by an olfactory experience so horrific my soul nearly left my body.
I froze, wiping my eyes. I stared at the fabric, completely horrified, and announced with absolute certainty: "This is not clean."
From the other side of the bathroom door, Jeff immediately defended his retrieval skills. "Of course it’s clean!"
"No," I gagged, holding the towel at arm’s length. "This smells like butt."
Insisting it was just fresh laundry smell, Jeff decided to investigate and went straight to the host to ask about the towel's pedigree. The answer he brought back is a quote that haunts my marriage to this day.
With cheerful nonchalance, the host replied: "Oh, no, definitely not! We’ve been using that towel for months to cover a chair we sit in to get undressed after we’ve been working out. We were just throwing that in the laundry today. Don’t use that one."
I stood there in a cloud of post-workout gym residue, newlywed glamour officially flashing before my eyes.
"Oh, no, definitely not! We’ve been using that towel for months to cover a chair we sit in to get undressed after we’ve been working out...Don’t use that one."
Life has a way of handing us ridiculous stories when we are trying hardest to feel composed. Not every embarrassing moment needs a profound lesson. Sometimes you survive the mess, find a clean towel, and laugh about it later. I have certainly laughed about this one for years, and I hope it gave you a laugh too.
The Compass Prompt
The Domestic Plot Twist:
What is the absolute funniest, most mortifying "early-relationship reality check" you and your partner (or family) have ever had to survive? (Bonus points if it involved laundry or home decor gone wrong.)
Finding the Silver Lining:
When a totally gross, absurd, or high-mortification moment catches you completely off guard, what is your go-to trick for breaking the tension and finding the humor?
About the Author
For more reflections on quiet resilience and everyday grace, visit JanetGriggs.com. To explore her powerful personal journey of overcoming hardship, navigating public life, and finding freedom from fear, read her memoir, A Sound Mind.
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