Tracy Tynan: Wear and Tear (2016)
When she was fifteen, she "went all the way" with her boyfriend. She told me he had promised that he would "pull out in time", but he didn't, and a few weeks later, just before bedtime, she pulled me aside and whispered, "Tracy, my period's late." I knew this was serious. In those days, since there were no over-the counter pregnancy tests, the only way we could find out was by going to a doctor.
I promised I would help her find one. We scoured the Yellow Pages and, by lying about her age, managed to find a doctor in nearby Torquay who agreed to do a pregnancy test after school and a half-day Tuesday. After we deposited Lizzy's urine at the doctor's office, we walked outside..... There was no question of her having the baby; if she were pregnant, Lizzy said, she would have an abortion. Although abortions were not legal at the time, Lizzy was convinced her parents would support that decision if necessary. I couldn't imagine telling my parents that I was pregnant. ....
After an hour, I stood waiting outside the red phone booth while Lizzy called the doctor.... The minute Lizzy opened the glass-paned door and I saw the stunned look on her face, I knew the news was bad. I had no idea what to say or how to comfort her. My stomach churned, and with a sickening feeling, I realized that there had been a seismic shift in my worldview.... In the blink of an eye, Lizzy had been transformed from a teenager to a woman. My dearest friend was pregnant....
Everything was managed with the utmost discretion. Lizzy's father arranged for her to visit a private clinic, and since her parents were good friends of the headmaster's, she avoided expulsion....
But the whole experience put the fear of God in me, and as soon as I had a boyfriend, even though we weren't having sex, I found a doctor who would prescribe the pill - the father of a friend of mine - and I took it diligently as a precautionary measure.