Mighty sweet tomatoes

Living in Vegas was a hard thing to do, with all the constant action and strangeness to be had at any moment. Finding good places to hang out with friends, low key, and healthy places to eat far from the strip can be even harder to come by.
Be that as it may I was lucky in that I bought a condo right on the edge of the good part of town. That meant I didn't have to pay the terribly high taxes but still roll in the heavenly trough of the rich and famous.
Enter Sweet Tomatoes, an all-you-can-eat salad bar in the "good part of town". This place was so fantastic that we (me, ex, friends, etc) went there all the time. I would use this spot especially when guests would come to visit from out of town. Going there would be my version of patronizing a four star restaurant. Obviously, I held this eatery in high regard, but I digress.
This story really starts when my friend from Japan moved back to the states and stayed with me on her way to Arizona.
It was another sunny day in fabulous Las Vegas and we went out to ST for an early dinner. There was much planned for the evening so we had to get eating out of the way. Having already picked our selections of salads, soups, baked goods, pasta, and desserts we seated ourselves and got to work eating. Laughing, sharing stories and munching away the time passed rather quickly. We had been eating and enjoying ourselves for an hour or so when the urge to hit the boy's room came upon me. Casually, I excused myself and meandered through the establishment to the cubby nestled in the back where restrooms are normally hidden.
Pushing open the door I immediately encountered a middle-aged man dressed casually standing by the sink almost blocking the entrance. The bathroom wasn't a tight fit but the entrance and egress was a close shave if anyone was washing their hands or standing by the door, like this gentlemen. I excused myself squeezing by him trying not to make eye contact on my way to the urinal, as is the male custom. The sink was close enough for me to kick my leg backwards and touch it while standing at the sole urinal. The walled-in toilet stall was in arm's reach from where I stood as well, and this guy was quietly standing not two and a half feet behind me. Standing at the sink, looking in to the mirror. Not fixing his shirt or messing with his hair. Just standing there with hands down at his sides.
As I got my feet positioned for the proper peeing distance and distanced from the porcelain to avoid splash I started to unzip my pants when, from behind me I heard the man speak up.
"You need any help?"
I froze.
I was already looking straightforward in the traditional manly position with my one hand holding the side of my jean opening and the other forming a claw clinched on the zipper itself. As he uttered those words.
My mind started racing through the aisles and aisles of responses: No thank you, Shut the Fuck Up!, I will kill you!, Ahh, it's not that heavy..., etc.
Nothing seemed to match my situation. He didn't seem like the laughing sort of guy. This didn't seem like the confrontation kind of place.
A battle didn't seem appropriate in this holy place (to me) and my reactions seemed far to crazy for what was asked of me.
I'm not attracted to men...wait, I do find a lot of men attractive but I don't want to have intercourse with them is what I should say...so why am I starting to freak out right now?!
Just stay silent should be what I do. It wasn't a pushy question. Just a question. I can't be rude and not answer. What should I say? (all of this took place in the silence after he uttered those words...about two-three seconds)
My mouth started to open to utter a response that I wasn't even sure of, and for a second the thought of just whipping around and doing some Kung-fu kicking shit might be the solution to the problem that I was facing...when...

A tiny, little voice came from the toilet
"no dad, i got it."

I shut my eyes in shame and relief.
I hadn't see anyone in the stall when I first walked in because the boy was so short his legs didn't touch the floor.
This was his dad, standing there waiting for him.
I was just an intruder in this small moment. Their dinner out and his requirement to use the bathroom and have help.
I was able to actually finish what I went in there to do and then got the hell out of there. I wanted to wash my hands but I couldn't look at the guy in the face after all I put him through, in my mind. I was embarrassed to have accused him silently.
I just walked out.
Thank goodness my friends were already standing by the door and ready to leave.
I walked out of that place a battle weary solider having fought a war against fear...in a bathroom stall.