Page 41 of Written By a Woman

I was on the verge of boiling over with female rage.

I stomped my way towards the bathroom door, throwing it open, ready to tear the office apart for a fucking quarter when Zaid suddenly appeared in front of me.

I was momentarily surprised to see him, but not enough to cool my temper.

“Are you alright?” Zaid asked, shoving his hands in the pocket of his slacks and glancing nervously over my shoulder towards the women’s restroom, where I had just stormed out. I couldn’t even take the time to admire how the man made a polo shirt look attractive and athletic because I was so stressed out over my situation.

“Do you have a quarter?” I asked, holding my palm out.

Zaid’s dark eyebrows jumped as he glanced at my outreached hand and gave me a confused expression, “A quarter?” I had to give the man credit because he immediately started patting his pants with his hands, before pulling his wallet out of his back pocket.

“Yes,” I had no idea what facial expression I was making, but I was positive I was weirding Zaid out. At the same time, I continued, “Because, for some reason, Sun Steer thinks it’s appropriate tochargetheir employees who own uteruses for feminine hygiene products.”

Zaid froze as he opened his wallet, and his lips parted the slightest bit before he pressed them together again and cleared his throat, “Oh. Um—”

“Which is insane to me, considering Sun Steer has an entire mother’s lounge in case anyone is breastfeeding and needs a place to nurse or pump. Italmostfeels like women aren’t worth supporting untilafterwe pop a baby out.” I interrupted him, stepping forward and eyeballing his open wallet. He took the hint and continued to pull out three quarters, before dropping them in the palm of my hand, “Tell me, Mr. Ansara,” I glared up at the CTO of Sun Steer, the rage of all my female ancestors filling my veins, “Does Sun Steer make you pay for toilet paper so that you can wipe your own ass?”

Zaid was silent, and visibly stunned at my abrupt and crude question.

“N-no,” He managed to choke out, shaking his head once in the negative.

“So why the hell am I expected to insert a quarter into a dispensing machine to get a tampon?”

“Signe!” I heard Jacqueline’s voice down the hall, which made both Zaid and I turn our heads to see her stalking towards us, “This isn’t appropriate—”

“No,” I shook my head in agreement, “It isn’t. I shouldn’t have to ask someone for a quarter so that I can avoid bleeding through my pants at work.”

“Signe!” Jacqueline gasped as she finally reached us, sending an apologetic look to Zaid.

“It’s okay,” Zaid stepped towards me, his large hand resting on my shoulder as he addressed the head of HR, “She’s allowed to be upset.”

“Damn straight.” I nodded.

“Go,” Zaid used his warm grip on my shoulder to turn me back towards the restrooms, “I’ll make sure to disengage the coin mechanism later.”

Jacqueline and I both hesitated our steps to stare at Zaid for a moment, who in response simply pushed me toward the bathroom again.

“Go ahead, Signe,” Zaid encouraged, before turning to Jacqueline, “Can you help me find who installed those dispensers?”

“Y-yeah,” Jacqueline nodded, pulling her phone out of the pocket of her jeans, and tapping away. I left them in my dust as I ran back into the bathroom. My simmering rage was starting to die down at the relief of inserting the quarter into the machine and having a tampon fall into my hand.

I then decided to use the two extra quarters Zaid gave me to grab two more. I probably wouldn’t need these two tampons for the rest of the workday, so I set them on top of the stupid coin-operated dispenser in case one of the other people who had periods in the office ended up in the same pickle I was.

I was still grumpy the rest of the day.

Maybe it was because I was on my period, (but I was the only one allowed to say such a thing) or maybe I was stressed about all the work ahead of me now that I received edits back.

I decided to send Eloise a text about it after work, knowing she would validate my anger.

Me: I had to pay 25 cents to use a tampon at work today.

Eloise: Pardon my French, but what the fuck? Did you ask your job to comp you for that?

Me: Actually, I yelled at someone from upper management to give me a quarter. So, technically, I guess Sun Steer did comp me for it.

Eloise: Good for you. Fucking men. Fucking patriarchy. Fucking fuck.

Me: PREACH.

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