A Magical Pop-up Shop

There's a writer's group I like to go to every other week at the public library. We're given prompts and allotted 15 minutes to write before we read our pieces aloud to each other. At the end of our two-hour session this last week, we were given the prompt: Write about a magical shop that pops up. I was embarrassed to read this one out loud to the group, especially with a couple of men writers present. 

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Throughout my life, I have been fortunate. At least ever since I reached puberty and in the sense that I never have to fear being out and about when it starts. You know, ladies, that time of the month when emotions turn high, every piece of chocolate needs to be devoured in sight, and Midol is carried in every bag you own. 

The worst part about this time of the month is when it starts and you aren’t armed with all of your tampons and pads. You’re at the movies and when you’re going to get the popcorn refilled you realize it has started. You hurry back into the theatre to see if one of your girlfriends can help you out, but their hands come up empty from their purses as you expectantly watch. This exact thing happened to me my first time, in a movie theatre, no less. 

I walked back out of the theatre, terrified of the repercussions of not finding supplies, hoping I could find someone in the bathroom who could help me out. There is a certain camaraderie women have when it comes to needing supplies in a dire situation. It’s really a great way to make new friends. 

However, when I walked into the bathroom, not a soul was in there. There were no dispensaries on the wall, not that I had any quarters to put in even if there was. At the end of the stalls, a neon light lit up. It read, “Ladies Best Friend,” all in pink. I pushed open the cracked door, to find a well lit, fully stocked store of every tampon, pad and liner a girl could ask for. At the back of the store a woman with bleach blonde hair that twisted around on the top of her head like a beehive, stood behind the counter with a beaming smile. 

“Oh, Welcome to Ladies Best Friend! You must be new - I’ve never seen you before. Name?”

“Uh, Kaitlin Willard,” I stammer.  

“Well, welcome, Kaitlin.”

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I for one wish a magical shop like this would pop up when I needed it. If you could choose, what kind of shop would you have magically appear?