The Pharmacy Incident

Recently I walked into a pharmacy for feminine hygiene products. Oh all right, no need to skirt around a delicate issue. I bought some pads. Come on boys, say it out loud - PADS. They're a girl's best friend once a month, well at least the ultra thin types with wings. Or tampons if you prefer. I personally don't use tampons, I'm quite satisfied with pads and don't have to worry that something will get stuck up there contaminating my insides with my own blood. I know, quite kolot thinking ;)

So anyway, I saw that my favourite brand was on offer so I bought more than I usually do. It was quiet in the pharmacy, I was the only customer there and as I approached the counter, I saw that the lone cashier was a young guy. "Great," I thought. "Another young, easily embarrassed male who will probably cringe at the sight of all these packs and pick them up as if they're about to explode." I have come across many of these shy young boys who glance awkwardly at me when I place the products on the counter, wishing they were somewhere else at that very moment. I don't blame them. There's just something about these products that turn even the most macho man into a mouse.

I remember being sick one time, and asking my then-boyfriend to run down to the store and buy me some emergency supplies, and he flatly refused. "Anything else, Kucing, and I'll gladly do it ... but I'm not buying THAT," he said apologetically. So I had to drag my sick self out the door amd drive to the nearest shop, sniffling all the way and believing I was going to collapse from exhaustion, just to buy a small pack of pads. From then on I always made sure I have extra supplies just in case.

Anyway, back to the pharmacy. I had nothing else to buy so I just carried the three packs and dumped them on the counter, looking the guy in the eye. He looked down, then looked at me. I thought he would just smile shyly and ring up the purchase. I was wrong.

"Ooi, banyaknya," he grinned at me.

Hmm, not what I had expected. I decided to test his threshold for embarrassment.

"Ya lah, banyak darah," I grinned back, expecting his smile to disappear.

No such thing.

"Ya ke? Kesian ... sakit ke?" he asked, still grinning.

Damn it. Not only was this guy not embarrassed, he looked like he was enjoying the banter!

"Sikit-sikit adalah," I told him, wishing he would just shut up and complete the sale.

"Yang ni bagus ke?" he asked suddenly, holding up one of the packs.

HUH? What kind of a question is that coming from a guy?

"Boleh tahan lah, but sometimes it doesn't really give me that dry feeling," I said, switching to English and hoping the questions would stop.

"Oh. My girlfriend pakai tampon, dia kata selesa, tapi I tak tau lah betul ke tak. Kalau I, I guna yang ni. I tak nak sumbat tampon sini sana," he said. "You tak guna tampon ke?"

OK, enough was enough. This guy had turned the tables on me, and now I just wanted to get out of the store as fast as I could.

"Tak. Eh, cepat sikit dik, suami I tunggu kat luar," I lied, hoping he would just leave me alone.

He stared pointedly at my hand, the fingers devoid of any rings. Shit, he probably knew I was lying. But mercifully, he kept his mouth shut after that and scanned the packs. I paid and left hastily.

"Excuse me," he called after me. Dammit, what did he want now? I turned around, frowning, only to see him holding up the plastic bag. In my haste I had completely forgotten to take it with me.

I had to slink back into the store, get the plastic bag from him, mumble "Thanks" and slink out again. All the while he was still grinning at me.

Cis, bedebah betul! Jantan tak tau malu...

Till next time, this is Kucing Gatal signing out with a padded Meow.