I had no other option except to put an ad on Craigslist to find someone to sit with me in a Chicago Planned Parenthood so I was able to receive the “twilight anesthesia”. They would not give me the anesthesia unless I had someone physically waiting in the waiting room for the entire 6 hours it took to be admitted, prepped, medicated, to have a surgical abortion in the first trimester and, finally, after deemed ‘ready’, to be released.

One stranger responded to my ad. We spoke on the phone once and she met me the morning of my abortion, a Saturday at 7am. She had a bag of knitting materials with her and was maybe 10 years older than me. She never asked me any questions.

She sat in the waiting room and I was released to her still groggy and uncomfortable. She went into the CVS with me while I bought a heating pad. when I left to get on the subway, she insisted I take a cab and sensing I didn’t have the cash, she hailed a cab, prepaid him, and sent me on my way.

I don’t think I ever even got her name.

I think of HER often though.

I never think of the abortion.