I Bought A Pregnancy Test

I Bought A Pregnancy Test

A few years back a friend of mine wanted to buy a pregnancy test, she hadn't got her period in sometime and wanted to confirm it first before she told anyone. I never actually thought of this. I always wondered about buying condoms or birth control pills but never about a pregnancy test.

A pregnancy scare is something most girls face who are sexually active (I thought of saying most married women face but then I thought what the hell, why play it  safe). So a pregnancy scare comes with many nuances. First, do I tell my partner now? what would be his reaction? What do I want? ...and so on.

Apparently these are not questions that only an "unmarried women" woman asks herself but even married women face similar questions in present day situations. They have a similar set of apprehensions like would he be happy with this new situation? his reaction? or the worst would he blame me for"letting" this happen?

My friend belonged to the second category. She was worried if her husband would welcome this new development if it materialized. I kept asking her what did she want, but from the upset state of her mind, I knew she wouldn't be able to even entertain the question of WHAT DO I WANT?

This brings us to the task in question. How do we confirm this? How does she get hold of the test? ...We thought lets go to one of those Apollo Pharmacies that are commercial and professional. That didn't seem like such a big deal.

But the crux of the situation was that "though she was married" the fear of being judged still loomed over her head and by extension mine too. We both didn't look like the married type, we would pass off as reckless independent women living away from family. So the hesitation was high but the need to get it done, even more.

She first suggested we try health & glow cause they sell condoms so openly so she made the argument that probably they would have pregnancy tests as well. Honestly I considered that for a few seconds but to check out the possibility would mean a 5km ride in traffic opposed to the 5 steps away pharmacy that we were standing in front of.

This ridiculous hesitation reached such a level that I lost my cool and decided even if she would not come I was going in. We both were great crusaders of women's equality and the works and it definitely seemed like a great defeat if we shied away from getting what we wanted because of the fear of being judged. So we cross the street and walk in (entering only when the one other customer had made his purchase and left).

She silently stands as the guy looks at us and then I in a loud voice not even ask, but shout out the words "Anna onne Prega Sure (Brother, one prega sure- test)" . I feel the world suddenly coming to a stand still, I look around my friend suddenly has an interest in shampoos lying on the counter and the pharmacist is just giving me this look, I can see he is struggling not to give any reaction. I think okay this is a good start. Then I realize my friend needs this so I can't be the only one "being judged" so I ask her do you want one test or two. At this point, I am starting to enjoy the scene. She is caught off-guard but I think again 'what the hell' which has suddenly become my motto, and I say let's buy three just in case for next time.

Just then a customer walks in, so the pharmacist demeanor changes. I can see he has the box in his hand but just to get a kick out of it asks me again, what did I want. I knew just then he is trying to get something out of this, I repeat even louder "3 packs of Prega Sure". Now I have 3 sets of eyes on me. Including my friend's who told me later that she was wondering where the hell did I get the guts for this from? Since I am anyway being judged I wondered whether I should try what I always wanted to buy, a pack of condoms.

Then mother nature thought I was having too much fun and so she put an end to it with a sudden outburst from the skies. I refrained myself picked up the tests, all of three of them, and walked out into the rain, giggling and laughing at our small victory.

Two years after that night, today when I got the news that my friend was pregnant with her first kid I still wonder whether she now knew what she wanted or whether her desires are still clouded by those of her husband and family.

But that night in the rain was her only moment of true independence and clarity when we as friends decided to take on the world in our own silly way.