It wasn't just the fact that there was an accident at 6 am that shut down the Pennsylvania Turnpike for five hours. Sure, I was stuck in traffic for a LONG time -- a drive that would normally take 40 minutes took 2 1/2 hours -- from my house to the Trenton train station. And it wasn't just that I had to wait an hour for the train then which was 40 minutes late. No, it was the fact that my ETA to my New York office had gone from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, and 1:30 pm was when the meeting with the executives who'd flown in from Texas was set to begin.
I would have no time to pump. And by noon I was sitting on the train and my hands were starting to shake, my head was starting to pound and my breasts themselves were starting to hurt because they were getting really full.
I had the window seat and there was a man about my age (early 40s?) sitting next to me. I'd seen him on the train platform. He had a stack of 3x5 index cards about 2 inches high with French phrases on them. Both on the platform and then in the seat next to me he was studying the cards. My main hope was that he had a wedding ring.
So when I overheard someone say that they train was going to be another hour before it reached New York I turned to my seat mate and said: "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but in this bag here is my breast pump and I need to use it. I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable." He assured me that as a father of four he was fine with it. He asked me if I wanted him to move and I said no. I just wanted to warn him so HE could take action if he was feeling strange about it.
I covered up with my new coat and got down to business, pumping about 8 oz in 15 minutes.
I made it to my meeting just in time, and did not obsess about the need to pump during it. When the meeting ended I shook hands with everyone, ran back to the train station and headed back home. By the time I got there I was ready to EXPLODE again.
Ooh, that sounds really stressful. I know the feeling. Like you really gotta pee and no bathroom in sight, but in your breasts. And (in my case at least) with added supply concerns!
I am just delighted, though, that the guy was appropriately sweet enough about it!
Posted by: Eva | November 29, 2007 at 09:27 AM
That guy sound really really cool. I'm glad you got the chance to relieve yourself!
Posted by: Aurelia | November 29, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Damn. And what Aurelia said.
Posted by: maggie | November 29, 2007 at 06:34 PM