When I left Calvin College and started working for the State Of Michigan, I realized that I was moving from a conservative environment to one that was, well, not as conservative. In looking back on it now, it wasn’t so much that I had left conservative Calvin, rather that I had left conservative West Michigan. I hate to say that I left Calvin and joined the normal world as I hardly consider the state to be normal in any sense of the word. But, working for the state did get me out of West Michigan and a chance to see a less conservative life style.

I had only worked a few months for the state when I found myself alone in the elevator with an attractive woman about my age. When we made eye contact and I saw her smiling face, I felt obligated to say “Good morning”. She responded with “Good morning”. Since she was still smiling at me, I thought that I needed to take the next step in social engagement. I said “How are you?” And she responded by saying “Terrible! I just started my period.” Alllrighty then. This social engagement has just taken a strange twist.

Keying in on the fact that she had used the word “terrible”, I had reason to believe that she was not happy about this event. So I responded with “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Now at this point in time, the social engagement is about to come to an end. Short of inquiring about pads or plugs, I had no other response. Fortunately, the elevator arrived at my floor. With a smile and a nod, I stepped out.

This was only the first of what turned out to be a very strange aspect of my life; women, both known and total strangers seem to feel the need to tell me about their gynecological problems.

Once, I was seated next to a women on a flight back from Texas. Generally when I am seated next to a woman on a flight, I do not initiate conversation as I do not want to appear that I am hitting on her. In this particular case, she struck a conversation with me as soon as I sat down.

She told me details of her life and I of mine. Hobbies, interests, family, etc. Finally, as we landed in Chicago, she told me that her uterus was sagging.

Now, I didn’t even know the woman’s last name but she did have a sagging uterus, I guess. Did she think that I could prop it up for her? Perhaps I should have suggested Kegels. Instead, I told her that I was sorry. I will never forget Cindy with the sagging uterus.

Over the years I have heard about hysterectomies, both total and ovary sparing, HRT, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome aka POS. What’s more, I know the gynecological state of every woman in my office area. And it is not that I have particularly asked about them as I have been told about them. I am now at the point in time where I can render opinions and make recommendations.

Did I ever tell you that I lead a strange life?