Hey Guys!!! I’m talking to you!!!!
Don’t listen to the deli counter guy! 
During a lull between blizzards here in New England, it is spring right? I found myself once again in the grocery store, which seemed quieter even though it was a vacation week.
Waiting in line at the deli, number in hand; I began chatting away with the woman who works behind the counter.
As she sliced the pound of American cheese, our chit-chat conversation consists of the needed to stock up again because yet another storm was coming!
She shared a few anecdotes about her family and children and I responded in kind.
Then the younger deli guy behind the counter chimed in:
“I can’t talk about my children because they’re not here yet”.
He went on stating: “Yah, I’m waiting to have children at 40 or 45 and will marry a younger woman because she can get pregnant and I don’t have to do anything or worry about it.”
I was stunned and thought, “AHHH… simply naive or perhaps simply not aware”??!!!
Inhaling and exhaling deeply, I took a moment and launched into him:
“Hey, you don’t really know much about me, probably just that I like my Vermont cheddar cheese cut very thin, but I work with women, men and couples going through infertility and the women’s fertility isn’t the whole equation you know. You need to be mindful of your own male fertility even though you’re only 31 and planning to wait until your 40-45! Your fertility matters!”
He paused cutting the cold cuts and spoke again as if it was gospel.
“No, no, you didn’t hear me, that’s why I am gonna marry a younger woman, it will be all her responsibility.”
1, 2, 3, 4, breathing and counting, exhaling and counting some more 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10.!!!
I couldn’t hold it in!
“Really honey?!!!!!!”
“Listen, the statistical data for fertility issues are pretty darn even, honey… it’s 40% women and 40% men and 20% unexplained.
You might want to re-think your plan and perhaps get a physical and medical exam for a base line and look into life style issues; even at 31 years old you should “know your body”.
The line at the deli counter grew to a hush… it was like a tennis match, the line glancing at me and glancing back at the deli man/boy who was cutting ham.
He looked at me and laughed in my direction!!!!
Then I smiled!
That ended our verbal volley.
I’m not sure he listened or processed what I say, but I am hoping it fell into his consciousness somewhere!
He handed me my deli meat and I check the amount and off I went pushing my cart all the while muttering under my breath…”I hope he gets his meat checked too!”
Please don’t listen to the deli guy!!
Instead listen to the recordings of many experts from the inaugural first 2014 “It’s A Guy’s Thing” Summit. Men’s health and Male fertility. Men’s health needs to be a priority for discussion and care.
If you’re a women reading this please share this with the men in your life, husbands, brothers, uncles and friends.
Let’s bring awareness to the manly parts and spread awareness!
Get started by sharing and taking my co-host’s for the 2015 Making Dads Summit, Sara Naab, founder of “Don’t Cook Your Balls” fun tool that helps men figure out what they can do to improve their fertility.
Sara writes: This 10 minute questionnaire will provide you with a comprehensive assessment of your reproductive health and provide personalized recommendations for how to optimize your fertility. http://www.dontcookyourballs.com/risk/
