Steve’s story

"Incontinent? No way! That’s just for old women and ill people. I had to be more patient, that was all. Denial? Isn’t that a river in Egypt?

I remember the first time it happened: a bathroom break during a boozy publisher’s lunch. Thought I’d given the old chap a decent enough shake and zipped up my trousers. Felt a cold wetness all down my leg. Nice.

A one-off, I thought. No panic. But it happened again… and again and... I tried stuffing tissue down my pants, but it escaped from my trouser leg once at a taxi rank. Let’s not go there. I nearly didn’t. But still I wouldn’t concede.

Until one day I was playing a board game with my daughter, Katie. We were laughing and enjoying ourselves. Then I felt something odd.

“What’s that smell?”  Katie screamed. I nearly died. After all, she’d just come out of nappies herself.

“The rabbit did it.” I said, improvising brilliantly. “Look – it’s run out into the garden!”

Off she went, while I rose up from the sofa to reveal a large, dark stain. I was done with denial. Well, except about the rabbit.

Carla, my wife, was fine about it. Apparently our friends had a similar experience recently. I thought of Henry and Jane sitting on our sofa the previous week.

Carla said I should call Henry, so I did. After what I’d been through, nothing could embarrass me. He mentioned these pads designed especially for men. Told me they were proven to keep things under control.

I’ve worn one ever since – and you know what? Sometimes I forget it’s there.  Shame I can’t say the same about Katie’s new rabbit!"