# A tampon question. For the ladies.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 15, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685 "2005-07-15T18:24:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/1 "2005-07-15T18:24:22Z")
So there’s this tampon commercial that shows the Cute Young Thing and her man in the boat. The boat springs a leak, and voila, CYT comes to the rescue.
Seen it?
Ok, so bus wife and I are having one of those silly, rambling conversations the other day and I laughingly said how at the end, the couple is lovey and I can’t help but hear this voice in the back of my head (he sounds like Gilbert Gottfried, if that helps you imagine it…) saying “oh yeah kiss her loser, because you ain’t getting much else from sweeite today!!”
BW told me I was full of it, because I shouldn’t assume that just because CYT was packing, meant she was in need - as it were. I thought that was silly, because why carry them otherwise. I get the long story about “oh you never really know…” and the one I found incredible “well, maybe to help a friend who might be unprepared”
Aside from the obvious - “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” responses -am I right? Or is she, and you-all really do just have the little guys at the ready for whatever, whoever might need them?
I’m guessing that her being a chick for more of her life than I have, she knows whereof she speaks here, in fact she offered to produce proof for me right there while I was driving up 290 to Ikea an offer I refused rather stridently, but I insist on numerical proof, so here I am.
You packin’?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/2 "2005-07-15T18:27:13Z")
Heh. ‘Her man in a boat’. 😃
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### Author:  [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/3 "2005-07-15T18:29:27Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#):
>
> Heh. ‘Her man in a boat’. 😃
Geh…AND, it sprung a leak, to boot.
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/4 "2005-07-15T18:30:26Z")
What am I supposed to do, pack them and un-pack them? I carry supplies all the time.
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### Author:  [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/5 "2005-07-15T18:33:09Z")
I carry them too. Pretty much the same reason as **Dung Beetle**. It’s just much easier to have them all the time than to have to remember “do I need them this week or next?”
And I have had friends who’ve been unprepared so that’s a good reason too.
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### Author:  [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/6 "2005-07-15T18:34:03Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#):
>
> What am I supposed to do, pack them and un-pack them? I carry supplies all the time.
Ditto.
It’s not so much that I’m afraid I’ll need them mid-month, more that I’ll skip merrily out of the house the day I get my period, then notice once I’m out and about that I’ve forgotten to pack bullets.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/7 "2005-07-15T18:35:59Z")
Menstruation is a harsh mistress. It can show up when least expected, reappear after seemingly having ended, or go from light to heavy to light to heavy all within a day. Keeping an extra on hand is a very good idea. It’s very normal and acceptable to ask your ladyfriends to borrow (with no intent to return) when in need. Actually, it’s usually seen as acceptable to ask a perfect stranger in the loo to borrow—no one wants to use the ancient relics in the dispensers.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/8 "2005-07-15T18:38:44Z")
Of course I carry them all the time. It’s not like they’re horrendously heavy – they’re, what, an ounce or so each? Why would I go to the extra effort of remembering when they’re in my purse or not on any given day?
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### Author:  [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/9 "2005-07-15T18:38:49Z")
I’m never without at least 1.
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### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/10 "2005-07-15T18:40:03Z")
I am postmenopausal, but when I was young and still in the flow of things, I always carried at least one tampon in my purse. There may be women who never have unexpected “visits,” but I never met such a woman.
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### Author:  [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/11 "2005-07-15T18:41:28Z")
I always have tampons in my backpack and purse. It’s not that things sneak up unexpectedly, but tampons are light and small, and I’m likely to forget to pack them when I do need them–so why not just leave them there? And as others have said, sometimes a friend has an emergency.
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### Author:  [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/12 "2005-07-15T18:42:03Z")
Some in my purse all the time, unless my daughter steals my supplies when I’m not looking. I also have a couple extras in a desk drawer at work.
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### Author:  [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/13 "2005-07-15T18:43:29Z")
Ok, ok…I get it.
I see the logic, and can now imagine a happier ending for the happy boating couple.
Maybe he asked her the same question I did, and got the same response…
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### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/14 "2005-07-15T18:44:46Z")
I am very, very regular (I always start the same day…and within the same hour) so I only carry them when I am in need.
Now, I change purses every day to match my outfit, some people carry the same purse for years. Maybe that’s why I don’t have one just laying around the bottom of my purse?
What gets me about that commercial: she doesn’t pull one out of her purse, oh no. She pulls A BRAND NEW BOX out of her purse, opens it beautifully, and goes to work. Now ladies, you may have a spare or two laying around, but an entire box?
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### Author:  [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/15 "2005-07-15T18:47:20Z")
I keep a couple in my desk at work, but otherwise no way am I going to cart them around at all times. Especially in a purse where they get jostled and squished and the wrapper tears and then they’re tooling around loose in the bottom so when you pull out your checkbook at the bank you’ve got a little cotton friend dangling from it. No thanks.
And if a stranger asked me for a tampon while we were standing next to a machine I’d think she was goofy. It’s not like they expire or anything.
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### Author:  [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/16 "2005-07-15T18:51:06Z")
I am a carrier and a tucker. They are in my purse (4 currently), my backpack (2 currently), my desk (3 currently), my car (1 currently). The only change in habit when their use is impending is the one in my pocket (0 currently). You should note that at most times I have my purse in my backpack and my backpack in my car. I also keep them in my first aid kit, my bathroom at home (the main storehouse), and other surprising places. I found one in my kitchen one time…not sure about that one. I do not, however, carry an unopened box on boating trips.
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### Author:  [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/17 "2005-07-15T18:54:13Z")
I don’t carry them around with me. If I notice that I’m coming up on “my time” I’ll throw a couple into the backpack that I bring with me to work, but as soon as I don’t need them anymore they’re outta there. Sure, I’ve been caught out once or twice because I’ve forgotten to check the calendar, but mostly this works for me.
(On preview: thanks to **DiosaBellissima** and **belladonna** for not making me feel like a freak in this thread! ;))
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/18 "2005-07-15T18:58:12Z")
Backpack, purse, work, car. I’ve been like clockwork for years now but I had 2 accidents in my teen years that have traumatized me forever. I’m rarely without these days.
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### Author:  [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/19 "2005-07-15T19:06:36Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#):
>
> I carry them too. Pretty much the same reason as **Dung Beetle**. It’s just much easier to have them all the time than to have to remember “do I need them this week or next?”
>
> And I have had friends who’ve been unprepared so that’s a good reason too.
Exactly. But I just got my DivaCup, so things are gonna change…
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tampon-question-for-the-ladies/312685/20 "2005-07-15T19:08:04Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **RICK:** Oh what a great bag! _[Grabs her hand bag]_ Oh, it’s really great, isn’t it? In here, are they? Oh, it’s tinted - amazing! You’ve bought me a present. _[Brings out an applicator tampon]_ What is it? What do you do with it? No, don’t tell me, don’t tell me. I’ll guess. _[Opens it]_ It’s a telescope - a telescope with a mouse in it - brilliant! Bouncy bouncy bouncy bounce! Hello Rhiannon. Are you glad you could come to the party? Here, have a drink, mousy. Bouncy bouncy bounce! _Dips it in Rhiannon’s drink]_ Oh, it’s gone all big. I’ll get a tissue, it’s all right. Oh, you’ve got a whole box of them in here! They’re called… _[Look of realisation and horror_I think I’d better go to the lavatory. _[Rick rushes off upstairs.]_
😃
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