Homecoming. The most miserably cold and wet game yet. The sidelines churned to a sea of mud, and I had to go and slip.

Waving goodbye to the rest of the cheer squad, I snuck into the girls showers. I unpinned my muddy wig, and ran a hot shower.

Sudsing my sweaty, flattened hair, I heard a scream. Clearing my eyes, I saw that Brittany had come back, for some reason.

"I just ducked in here to grab a shower," I claimed, "I didn't think any girls were here."

Confidence Trick

(A Fitness Class short)

by Lynda Shermer

Sarah's Stiletto fitness class at the center ended. I was awarded certificates, one for Tim, and one for Karen. Somewhere on YouTube is a recording of our final recital. Of course, in it, I'm almost unrecognizable. It garnered some nice comments and likes at the time, and then pretty much dropped from sight.

There have been some changes since then; I moved in with Julie (she had the better furniture and view of the two of us).

A Field trip

By Lynda Shermer

Chapter 5 - Summer Break With the Past

School being out, the world should have slowed down, it seemed to me. In actual fact, of course, it did no such thing.

A Field trip

Chapter 3 -

By Lynda Shermer

Saturday, we had some shopping to do, but mom was home, so I couldn't change at home. It was getting annoying, but I changed in the laundry room again. I could catch the bus route a block or so away, and with a transfer, get off near Sally's apartment building; She wanted us to go to Andersonville again. She explained to her mother that I'd asked for her help dress shopping.

Saying goodbye, we walked back to the bus stop.

A Field trip

By Lynda Shermer

Chapter 1 - A certain magical railtrip

In a way, it all started when I ran across a school uniform in a thrift shop.

I'd recently moved to Chicago from my original home in Minneapolis, with my mother, after the breakup with my father.

The answer

By Lynda Shermer

Chapter 5 - Carol in the city

It turned out, Alice's errands were to get me some jewelry, a purse, and some things related to that, and generally accessorize. I put my spare glasses, in a case, into the purse. Alice added a key ring with copies of my keys (and, it was to turn out, some of hers), some make up, a pen, a pad, a pay-as-you-go cellphone. And a rectangular pouch, with something in it. They were cylinders, too big for pencils. What was it? Then I realized.

The answer

By Lynda Shermer

Chapter 4 - Game Over?

We got me naked except for her bra, for some reason, and got to know each others body. She insinuated her hands under the cups, rubbing my nipples, as I repeated the notion on her. Her breasts were small, but proud, a handful, maybe a little more. Cute. In fact, the whole package, in contrast to her office demeanor said cute. Keeping herself aloof at the office must have been a strain, and now, all at once, she was unwinding.

The answer

By Lynda Shermer

Chapter 2 - Desperately Avoiding Susan

My jaw dropped. I was still talking like Susan?

Alice walked around the end of the desk, "Look at how you are sitting. Normally, you sprawl in that chair. But you are sitting upright, straight spine, feet together, no! Now, legs crossed at the ankles!"

The Answer - Chapter 1

By Lynda Shermer

Chapter 1 - The Abominable Dr. Willis

One of the more unusual jobs I've held was for an answering service. I am Paul Burrows, although as you'll see, that can be optional.

Located in a small room upstairs in a building in Chicago's "Loop" that also housed a hotel, it offered a human touch to business and professional people seeking a more personal approach than voice mail or recording systems, which some customers highly valued.

Sitting Pretty
Lynda Shermer

I was earning a little extra pocket money by babysitting. These particular fraternal twins responded best, it seems, to the supposed extra authority of a male.

Beth and Sam were fraternal, but still quite similar.

The second time I sat, they had been messing about in the kitchen, and had two glasses. One held grape juice, the other pink lemonade.

Beth drank the grape juice, and Sam the pink lemonade, and for the rest of the evening, they pretended to be each other.