“Walking down from a cafe to parking lot, I saw a girl sitting on a bike that was next to mine. The owner of that bike came there and asked her to get up. She asked me very humbly if she can sit there for a while. He asked her the reason. The girl could not say anything and started looking around. I could see the nervousness and the feeling to cry on her face. I wanted to talk to that girl but something stopped me. Somewhere inside me someone was saying to keep quite unless you are not called for help. The owner started to raise his voice. And finally the girl started crying. I found this situation getting worse so I went to ask the matter. While I was halfway, another friend of the owner came and asked the matter. She started murmuring something. Something like blood, dates, sorry. Nothing was clear to me for the first time. The boy immediately asked her to keep quite and not to worry and took his friend away. They started talking. Moreover I could sense it that the boy was trying to explain something to his friend. We met in the middle and that was the time when the boy asked for my help.
He- hey! Can you please help us out. Maybe the girl got her first periods today and she is alone. Can you please take care of her meanwhile we’ll manage for the napkins.
I- (stunned) yes sure. Don’t worry.
I was really surprised to get such a positive reaction towards this whole scene form that boy. I was stunned for a while. I went to the girl, calm her down, and explained her the whole scene that happened and also that there is nothing to worry about. After sometime the guys came, gave us the sanitary napkins and also have their number and asked us to call them when it was all fine. I took the girl to the washroom and cleared all the mess.
That day I realised that it is all about your perception. Sometimes we females make this ‘menstruation’ thing so unusual that for males also it becomes hard to digest. It is not something that is bad and is some kind of taboo. It is simply a natural process that goes on every month and no one should make any issue out of it. It is okay for any boy to go and ask for sanitary pads. It is okay to carry those packets openly. It is okay to talk about it in public. That boy made me realise that I should not get shocked by this fact that he went to get those pads. Indeed the first step should be taken by us. Be normal. You are not doing something wrong.”
Submitted By – Monika
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