“Every girl carries them and nobody thinks anything about it,” said Pat.

“I don’t,” said Sin.

“I carry extras,” said Laurette, getting two tampons out of her purse.

“Then I am using my condom,” said Wheeler, reaching into his pocket.

“I don’t carry a purse,” said Sin. “What am I supposed to do, tuck it behind my ear?” She handed the tampon back to Laurette.

“You don’t carry a spare just in case?” asked Laurette.

“I’m never early and I’m not afraid of a little blood anyway,” said Sin.

“Are you afraid of a little vomit?” asked Hal. “Because this is making me sick.”

“Welcome to girlville,” said Pat. “But since you’re never going to have a girlfriend or a wife, it won’t matter if you’re squeamish.”

“What if I’m rummaging in my purse for something else and I brush against it?” asked Xena, looking doubtfully at the tampon she was holding. “And should I unwrap it?”

Danny took it out of her hand.

“He’s touching one,” said Hal.

“Girl cooties,” said Wheeler.

Danny studied the thing. Squeezed it. Pushed his finger against the end. “Just give me a second,” he said.

He made a really tiny gate completely inside the end of the tampon. He tossed the tampon around on his hand and nothing happened. But when he pushed his finger into the end, he jumped through the gate—this time only a few inches away. But it still made him lose his balance.

“Oh, a three-inch gate,” said Pat. “That’ll show ’em. ‘Better be nice to me or I’ll move another three inches!’”

“I’m just testing,” said Danny. “You have to push your finger into the end before the gate will work.”

“What happens if you forget which one is the gate and you use it?” asked Hal.

“I thought you didn’t like talking about messy girl stuff,” said Laurette.

“I can’t help what pops into my head,” said Hal.

“Please tell me you’re not picturing me using it,” said Pat.

“Well now I am and thanks so much,” said Hal.

“I don’t have anything that isn’t hard and shiny,” said Sin.

“Your lip gloss,” said Pat.

Sin pulled a tiny canister out of her pocket. “It’s hard and shiny,” she said.

“The stuff inside is black and squishy,” said Pat.

“I can put the gate down inside,” said Danny.

“If you hide a gate in here I can’t use it and my lips will get pink,” said Sin.

Laurette pulled a stub of black licorice out of her purse. “Here, it’s black. And it’s squishy.”

Sin took the licorice and studied it. “What century was this made in?”

“It’s old, it’s black, and it’s gross,” said Laurette. “Nobody will be surprised that you have it in your pocket. Or does your mother wash your jeans?”