... cuz when I do, I get in trouble for it...

I delivered some letters to the local high school today. It was a letter of introduction, just saying what I could offer the teachers in terms of presentations, etc.

After about five minutes after arriving to work, Ms. Principal calls my boss and demands to know what it is in the letters. P.P. was the return address, so I guess she must of thought that I was writing some malicious like "kill babies!" or "tell your students to have lots of sex!". So, my boss tells me all this, and I feel sort of bad to have caused all this grief. But, geez, does the principal go through all the mail that comes into the school? Or just the ones from P.P.? Anyway, my boss talked to her, faxed her a copy of my letter, and everything is okay now, but.. Geez.

In other work related news, I was asked by PPFC (the national branch of the organization) to get a list of hospitals and clinics who will perform abortions. I am fortunate enough to never have gone through the process of seeking an abortion, and to my knowledge, I don't know of anyone who did. But, wow. I'll tell ya, it's damn near impossible to find anyone willing to do it, especially anyone local. Many doctors won't even refer you to one who will perform it. I never realize what a sticky issue this is. It was impossible to get a list of hospitals who will perform them, because it definitely just depends on the doctor. The only thing I found was the TPU (Termination of Pregnancy Unit) at the QEII hospital, and a sprinkling of a few other hospitals in other locations. If you're in NB, I think the situation is even worse. There's the Morgantaler clinic in Freddy, but I think that's it. This all just made me think of what would happen if I was in this situation. What if I went to my doctor and he outright refused to treat me? What if I was 16 or 17 and he told my parents (apparently, if a woman is not yet 19, she must have consent of a parent)? What if I couldn't affort to travel to Hali or Freddy? What would I do?

I don't know.. and I hope I don't ever have to find out. And on that note, April 25th is the National Day of Action for Choice. Y'all know this is about as political and 'activist' as I get, but if there is even a chance you could get pregnant, even if you wouldn't have an abortion, I encourage you to think about what it would mean not to be able to make that choice.

This is American, but funny, and poignant.

...getting off my soapbox now....

All this research has opened my mind to the fact that a lot of people here, a lot of vocal, powerful people don't like having a PP here, and don't like what it stands for. Being naive, I thought that most people here were open to what I'm doing, and what PP does. However, the events of the last few weeks have led me to believe otherwise. I don't think I need to worry about anything too extreme, but I'm now more conscious about my place in this small, rural community. I lock my doors at night now, just in case. Better safe than sorry, right?