2002-11-08 - 2:09 p.m.
I remembered today as I asked my friend H. for a tampon, ...my first period. My mother was fairly overprotective of me as a child, and would rarely let me travel out of town when invited by friends on out of town excursions. It was the summer after my 8th grade year, and my friend, (same friend from before) H. was moving away from our little town in North Alabama. She invited our friend, M.B. (whom we always called M.B. because there was another M. in our class who is permanently M.G.) and me on a trip to Port St. Joe, Florida. Fun times. My Mom was going to let me GO! So, I was obviously overjoyed. Ironically, two days before we rolled out of town, I'm playing outside, at the private Catholic school's summer day camp I attended (yes..remember OVERPROTECTIVE..and she weasled me into it, b/c I was officially a "junior counselor"). I ran inside to hit the bathroom and wiped and there was BLOOD. Oh my God..I was dying. I seriously thought I was dying. I had prayed for this moment for years; funny I didn't realize that it was only my period. FUCK. I was supposed to go out of town with H. & M.B! This would ruin it...was my first thought. I then, remembered that the only 2 people I had to go tell at this point were the two camp leaders who were both men and one was a guy I'd gone to my little school with, S.S.,..and the other was my childhood crush, J.S.!! What in the world was I going to do?! Out of the 2, I chose, S.S., and stared at the floor the entire time, as I stumbled through, "Um..I think I need to call my Mom". His reply was, "why"? I couldn't fight the tears and..I ended up crying..and saying.."um, S., I started my period, okay..I really need to go home". Just my luck that my Mom is out of town, in a conference all day,..and I had to call my Dad. No daughter ever wants to discuss any kind of vaginal issue with their Dad. It's just not natural. But, that is the way things went, so, he came to get me and gave me a hug in my Dad's sweet understanding way..and we went to Food World for some tampons. Shopping for tampons with my Dad..whew..don't think I'll ever recover from that embarrassment. Logically, my mother used Tampax..and so, that's the only brand he knew and they were bought with the blushing daddy/daughter duo. I got home and read the instructions very carefully. After three attempts,..I just didn't think it was going to work. It was scratchy, and hurt..and just GROSS. And, how do you really ask your Dad..YOU DON'T, BY THE WAY..how to put a tampon in. Ugh..I finally got it figured out, and could walk straight. My Mom got home, and I got a huge hug, and welcomed into womanhood, with my favorite dinner..(and some laughs about me complaining about what I thought were my first cramps). So, after some negotiating (pleading)..I get to go to Port St. Joe! I'm going to finish this on Monday..b/c I'm gonna head to go get some beer now and play with my puppy.
