MY MONTHLY VISITOR

It was during a long vacation holiday after my thirteenth birthday at my Uncle's place. I woke up and noticed the whole bed was soaked with blood. Oh God! could it be my period I shouted. I was so scared at the amount of blood stain on the bedspread. I had to start washing the stains off before my Uncle's wife wakes up. I threw away my pant and use the tissue paper throughout the four days it lasted.

When I traveled back home, I told my Mother, she was happy but left me scared with her advice " Chioma she called me; NEVER ALLOW A MAN TOUCH OR NEAR YOU WHEN YOU ARE ON! You are now a full grown woman who can get pregnant when touched by a man. Is this what I got myself into, I exclaimed. My mother gave me napkins cut into two and instructed me to use it whenever I see it again. Did I forget to mention that I was NEVER told it can come at the beginning, middle orend of the month depending on your cycle. Innocent me kept on waiting for the end of next month to welcome my visitor with my new napkins. I was embarrassed when it came out on the eight day of the next month.

I started avoiding men like a plague especially when my visitor is around I remembered shouting atthe young man who sat next to me in the bus not to near me because am not ready to welcome a baby. This went on till my Aunt was embarrassed the day I refused to sit in the middle of two men in a commercial bus. My Auntwas the one who taught me I can't get pregnant by a mere touch of a man.

I advocate mothers should teach their daughters all they need to know about their body and our monthly visitor.