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George O'Malley was a man. He was a man and a doctor, and he was not buying tampons for girls, no matter how hot they were. Not even for friends. Not even for roommates.
He knew he was probably overreacting to the whole situation, but Meredith and Izzie asking him so blatantly took him back to when he was in high school.
It had been a great many years since his high school relationship, but he kept her with him in his mind sometimes. Her name was Harmony Connors. They'd been close, but she was sometimes aloof and could be cruel to him. One day she'd mentioned cramps, being on her period, and it wasn't like he didn't know what that meant. So, he asked if she needed anything: something sweet? Painkillers? Pads? And, maybe out of her own embarrassment, she had declared him not-very-masculine for even bringing up the subject.
She went on about finding a real man who might respect her better, one who respected her enough not to acknowledge being on her period, he guessed. Not that it made much logical sense. They were maybe 15.
And even now, being a doctor, George knew that periods were normal, and most women received them monthly. But he couldn't push down the embarrassment of even discussing the topic. So he let his friends think whatever they liked, and he pushed it off as not being treated like a man. This, of course, led to other worries, of being seen like a brother to Meredith, not that she cared about that herself.
It was altogether unexpected when his dad called that night, just checking in. He had few updates to give on his internship, but his dad could tell that something was on his mind.
"Come on, tell me what's bugging ya, Georgie," he said sternly.
George knew better than to refuse his father, so he explained the situation a little. He expected to be chastised, maybe, or laughed at, but his father had a surprisingly genuine reaction.
"You know, I felt the same way in my youth. Embarrassed by just the idea of a woman getting all bloody like that. But your Ma set me straight. Besides that, living with the woman you love for that many years, you start to realize it's nothing to be shy about. And you'll find out that the women in your life will appreciate you for it."
George's father rarely talked like this, let alone to his youngest son Georgie. It meant a lot, and he smiled, then told him so.
"Thanks Dad, I think I needed to hear that."
"Anytime, Georgie. And don't forget to call your ol' parents more often. Love ya, son."
The click of the phone echoed in the empty on-call room. But George's heart was a bit fuller, and Harmony was the farthest from his mind she'd ever been.
Besides that, he didn't get off too late and probably had time to stop by the convenience store on the way home from the hospital. Maybe the smile on his friends' faces would be worth it.