The green T-shirt men

Yesterday I went to PP (Plan Parenthood) for my first time. We had to be there by 7:30 am as the clinic opens really early to do abortions. When I arrived at Bleecker Street I was surprised as the clinic was a whole building of around 7 to 10 floors. Although the clinic does not only make abortions, most of the profits of the business come due to them

But the subject of today’s post is the man of the green T-shirt. He arrived at 9:15 am on a 4x4 Ford with a woman. She went in and he stayed out as PP’s policy does not allow partners to come in. He was wandering around his car and PP’s door; it seemed that he could barely conceal his nerves. From time to time I met his eyes, which only transmitted sadness. I decided to walk towards him with decision and I gave him one of the newspapers I was giving out. I took advantage of the moment to start a conversation about abortion.

On the one hand he was against abortion and he told me that any women should have one as it is really hard. On the other hand her girlfriend was inside. I told him that he was acting in an incoherent way an assertion that he did not reject. He was then conscious that he was not acting the way he thought but he was justifying himself that abortion was the best decision for him and her girlfriend. I tried to explain him that abortion is never a good alternative and that we could help them with whatever they needed. The longer I spoke to him the quicker his arguments were losing weight.

Although he did not go inside the building and take his girlfriend out, I am sure he went home and thought about everything we had talked about in our conversation, which included many issues as we had been talking almost for an hour. I finally had to leave and he was still standing next to his car waiting for her girlfriend to go out.  I said goodbye to him and he told me: “you guys are doing a great job”. Hope he changes his mind for a future!