Paula had her transistor radio and switched it on. In no time, we were laughing shouting and stomping to ‘Bits and Pieces’ someone said that the Dave Clark Five were splitting up and that was sad cos they used to make good songs.

After all the excitement, I found myself with the other girls, outside sitting on the lawn. It was a lovely day, the sun was shining and the flowers over in the borders were bright and gay with colour. There was a slight breeze and I could feel it on my legs as my skirt moved slightly. I would like to say that it was unpleasant, it wasn’t — just a bit strange. Here I was sitting among girls and being accepted as one. Who would have thought, just a few days ago that I would be here, dressed like this?

Paula had her transistor radio and switched it on. In no time, we were laughing shouting and stomping to ‘Bits and Pieces’ someone said that the Dave Clark Five were splitting up and that was sad cos they used to make good songs.

Eventually, we all sat down, breathing heavily after our dancing. It was funny, sometimes I forgot I was a boy and acted and behaved just like one of the girls.

Anyway, after getting our breath back, Tracy was telling us in detail how she had been thrown out of her last attempt at fostering.

‘Well, they wanted to treat me like a kid — you know go to bed at nine, brush your teeth and behind your ears, stuff like that. Well I wasn’t having that nonsense. They wanted to dress me all girly and frilly. I mean to say, pig tails at my age.’

‘Hang on,’ said Tina, ‘why would you want to brush behind your ears with a toothbrush?’

There was a general groan and a ‘SHUT UP TINA!’ from all of us and Tracy carried on with her tale.

She was just getting to a juicy bit, where she was going to put something nasty in her foster parents’ bed when I felt a tap on the shoulder.

I looked up, squinting in the sunshine, to find a woman looking down at me smiling.

Tracy stopped what she was saying.

‘Hello Sheila; what’s up?’

Sorry to disturb your fantasy, Tracy but I need to talk to Stephanie.’

‘Fantasy! It’s the God’s honest truth.’

‘Hmm, anyway, Stephanie, have you got a minute?’

‘That’s OK Steph; I’ll tell you all the nasty details later, K?

‘OK.’ I said, getting up and brushing the grass off my dress.

I followed Sheila into the building. It seemed quite dark after the sunshine outside.

She went into a room that I had never been to before. Following on, I could see that it was some sort of medical room. She motioned me to sit down and then went over to the door. She shut it and turned the key in the lock.

‘That will give us a bit of privacy, we don’t want anyone barging in do we? Right Stephanie or do you prefer Steph?’

‘I really prefer Mark,’

I looked at her as she sort of gave me a strange smile. She was quite tall, thin, with long blond hair. She was wearing a brown skirt and jumper and looked fit and healthy. She was quite young, perhaps early 20’s and seemed OK.

‘I know what you mean, but we have to call you by your girls name for obvious reasons.’

‘I suppose Steph will be OK than.’

‘That’s what I like to see — enthusiasm!’

I smiled at that — I suppose calling me Mark while wearing a dress would be a bit strange and I wouldn’t last two minutes here if I did.

‘Now Steph; sorry I wasn’t here yesterday. How have you found it so far?

‘OK I guess.’

‘Do you want to tell me about it?’

‘OK, if you like.’

I told her all about what had happened since I came to the home; how I found it sometimes good, sometimes bad and quite a lot downright weird.

‘Well you certainly have had a busy time. Are you getting more used to wearing girls clothes?’

‘Yes, I suppose so.’

‘You look very nice; I wouldn’t have known that you are a boy if I hadn’t been told. Mind you, when I heard about this, I couldn’t believe that the council would sanction it. I know that things are bad at the moment, what with the closure of one of the homes but still, it smacks of desperation. Why didn’t they just transfer your case to another district?’

‘That was probably my fault, I didn’t want to move out of the area.’

‘Because of your mum and dad?’

I just nodded.

‘I can understand that. Ah well, we’ll just have to make the most of it. Have you made any friends?

‘Yes, all the girls in the dormitory are nice.’

‘Yes they are, but you have to watch Tracy, she can be a bit wild sometimes. I saw that Rachel was smiling outside. She has been a bit quiet and sad lately. Do you know why?’

‘No, but she’s OK now.’

‘That’s good. Anyway, back to you. I’ve had a chat with Matron and she has asked me to look after you, so to speak and help you adjust. Is that OK with you?’

‘Yes; thanks for helping me.’

‘No problem. Want a rolo?’

‘Not if it’s your last one.’

She laughed and said, ‘no there’s plenty left, mind you I prefer munchies they don’t stick to the teeth so much.’

‘I love mintolas, do you?’

She laughed, ‘yes, I can see you have sweet tooth, like me. Anyway, back to business. How are you managing with the dressing and stuff?’

‘OK, I have problems with dresses with zips up the back though and I thought that I was being strangled by my nightie when I woke up.’

‘Tell me about it. I bet they were all designed by men. What about washing and dressing in private?’

‘I pulled the curtains around my bed this morning and got dressed OK, but I nearly got caught by Tracy when I struggled with my zip.’

‘Well, be careful, wont you. Luckily, you can wash and bathe in private but try not to put yourself in situations where you might be embarrassed. OK, lecture over. Tomorrow is Monday and a school day. All the other kids will go to school and until we can sort things out, you will stay here. It will give me a chance to teach you about being a girl. Just wearing the clothes is not enough, you have to talk, think, breathe and BE a girl while you are here. Probably, from next week, you will have to go to school if you are still here, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it; OK?’

The thought of going to a girls school full of — um girls, filled me with fright and I hoped and prayed that this would end before then.

‘Is there any chance of me going anywhere else before then?’

‘To be honest, I don’t know. All I do know is that things are getting worse rather than better. There is some talk of kids being shipped to Australia to ease the congestion, but that’s just a rumour.’

‘Australia!’

‘Yes, it’s been done before by other authorities but not this one. We will just have to wait and see. Maybe you could go. Would you want that?’

‘No I don’t want to leave my mum and dad.’

‘I know honey, it’s all a bit nasty for you at the moment, but some time, you are going to have to move on.’

‘I know but not yet, please.’

‘Mind you, I think the first one to be shipped out would be Tracy,’ she laughed.

‘I like Tracy, but she’s a bit much!’

‘Yes, but her hearts in the right place. Somewhere in there, there’s a lovely sweet girl trying to come out. Anyway, I shouldn’t be talking to you about this. Off you trot and I’ll see you tomorrow when everyone has gone off to school.’

‘OK,’ I said getting up, ‘bye.’

‘Bye; and Steph?’

‘Yes?’

‘Don’t forget, I’m here if you need any help or just a hug.’

With that, I just went over and did just that. Perhaps things wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

As I went outside, I could see Tracy coming over to me, she had a small smile on her lips, the sort that cats have when they are just about to have some cream.

‘Hi Steph, got a minute I want to show you something?’

Puzzled, I went with her to the rear of the large garden and over to the bushes where she had hidden the box with the cigarettes.

She motioned me to sit down and I waited with eager anticipation for her to say what she was up to now.

‘Erm, I was just passing the door where you and Sheila were and, by accident, I put my ear against it. I could hear quite clearly what you were saying. I must say I was a bit surprised. Anyway, what’s it like to be a boy wearing a dress and pretending to be a girl?’

To be continued...

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