It was a rainy day in 1982. : 4
By Barbara Lynn Terry in collaboration
with Dawn_Smith (Original Author)

When we got to my classroom, Nicole said she would see me at lunch. Patti and I went in the classroom. We gave our excuses to Mrs. Wells, and took our seats.

"Terry, Patti, we have been doing division numbers." She walked over to each of us and gave us a paper that had division problem on it. We were dividing two numbers in to three numbers. I took the paper from Mrs. Wells, and began my work. I had a little difficulty on some of them, but I remembered what Mrs. Wells said when we first started doing division. Division, she said, was checked by multiplication. I knew how to multiply, so I took out a sheet of paper from my tablet, and did my problem solving on that before putting the answer on the printed paper.

When Mrs. Wells said time, we handed our papers to the one in front of us, and the person in the front desk gave all the papers for that row to Mrs. Wells.

"Students, please read chapter seven in your reading books."

We opened our reading books to chapter seven and began reading. Mrs. Wells was busy correcting the division we just finished doing. Chapter seven was about a dog who wanted so much to have a good home, that he went in search of it. As I read the story, I was hoping the dog got his wish and would find a good home. This dog was smart, though, because he hid from police cars, and the animal control people. This dog's name was Blue, and there were restaurant and shop owners that would give Blue a treat whenever Blue came around. A little girl, ten years old, came by one day, and Blue followed her home. When the girl went in her house, Blue followed her in. He laid on the floor by her feet as she sat at the kitchen table.

Her mother wanted to know whose dog Blue was and the girl said he followed her home, and could she keep him. Her mother sighed, and said he could stay at their home, but they had to try and find Blue's owner. The story ended with a pet store owner coming to the little girl's house, and identified Blue as one of the dogs that got away from the store. The little girl told the man that Blue would have a good home here, if only he would let Blue stay with her. The man smiled and said that he should charge for the dog, but since the girl found the dog, she could keep him as her pet, free of charge. The end of the story showed a drawing of the girl giving the pet store owner a hug.

When I closed my reading book, Mrs. Wells looked at me.

"All done, Terry?"

"Yes, Mrs. Wells."

"What was the story about?"

I told her what the story was about and that I was really hoping that Blue, that was the dog's name would find a good home, which he did. I also told Mrs. Wells that when the pet store owner showed up and recognized Blue, he said the girl could keep him free of charge since she found him.

"Well, Terry, that is correct. You do retain what you read."

"Yes, Mrs. Wells."

"Well, the bell is going to ring for ending the morning class. I will see you all after lunch."

The bell rang, and we put our books and tablets in our book bags, and went to the cafeteria as a class. We could sit any where, but we had to go as a class to the cafeteria. I got my lunch, paid my thirty five cents and went to a table. Nicole and Patti soon joined me.

"Hey faggot, where's your dress?"

"Mr. Roberts, that is enough," Mrs. Henderson, the cafeteria teacher/monitor.

I whispered to her that he was one of Duane Hartley's friends that are always bullying others. I also told Mrs. Henderson that I thought he would know what happened to my clothes he and Duane took out of my gym locker.

"Mr. Roberts, when you are finished with your lunch, come and see me at my desk."

There was a desk for the cafeteria teacher/monitor, so she could watch the entire cafeteria.

"Why? I haven't done nothing."

"I haven't done anything. Use proper English."

Every student knew you didn't argue with Mrs. Henderson. She was a female bull and she knew how to charge at a student without hurting him or her verbally or physically. There was a phone on her desk, too, and she was calling someone. A few minutes later, Mr. Sharpe showed up at Mrs. Henderson's desk. They were talking, and then Mr. Sharpe looked in my direction, and he could see Billy Roberts making faces at me behind my back. When Billy was through with his lunch, he went by Mrs. Henderson's desk.

"Young man, I want you to come to my office with me."

"Why? I haven't done nothing."

"We will see. Come on."

Mr. Sharpe left with Billy and Nicole and Patti looked at me.

"He might know how Duane got your clothes that he put in my locker."

"I hope so. My mom bought me that skirt because it goes with just about every top that I have. Those shoes were brand new, also. Terry, I want you to be honest with us. When you were forced to wear my clothes, what were you feeling? What were your thoughts?"

"I just wanted to get home and change before I got beat up."

"Is that all?"

"Will you come by my house tonight after dinner? Then we can actually talk. There are a few things I need to say about this whole incident. But, not here, there are way too many ears."

"Will you be serving wine at this party, sir?"

"Sorry, all I have is grape juice."

"Well, that will have to do, I guess."

Patti was always trying to lighten the mood, because I could feel tears trickling from my eyes.

"Terry, listen, I know that we said you were cute and that, but we were just trying to make you smile."

"I know, Patti, but there really isn't anything to smile about. If I had worn my own skirt and things, if I had had them, it would be different. But, being forced like I was, made me look foolish. Besides, everybody who saw me, and even those two police officers, want to know how your clothes got in my locker. Duane didn't tell us, instead he threatened his mother. What kind of a monster is he?"

"I don't know, Terry," Nicole answered back. "But, he is in the detention center."

Just then the intercom came on.

"Will Julie Myers, please come to the office. Julie Myers to the office, please."

"That was Mr. Sharpe's voice. I wonder what Julie did now."

"I don't know, Terry," Patti answered, with a bewildered look. "I know she is one of Duane and Billy's friends. She may have something to do with this. If she does have something to do with this, then I know who took my clothes."

"Who? You don't mean Julie?! But how would she get your clothes?"

"I forgot and had those here as a spare set just in case. They were in my locker. I had forgotten all about it. If she took my clothes and helped Duane and Billy put them in your locker, Terry, then the mystery as to how Duane got them is answered. I will tell Mr. Sharpe about this, too."

"I think you need your mom to get you a good lock for your locker."

In this school, we had lockers for physical education.

"I mean, Julie is in the sixth grade. I wonder. Did she, or was it her idea to, switch clothes?

Nicole Sanger just shook her head.

"I don't know, Terry, but she did know I kept a spare set of clothes in my locker. We were talking about having to change clothes during school things like recitals. If I had to change clothes, because I had to go to a recital, or be a part of a spelling bee, I had a decent set of clothes here that I could change in to. But, with what happened yesterday, I am not even leaving my gym clothes in my locker. At least not until I can get a good lock."

The bell ending lunch, rang. We headed back to Mrs. Wells classroom for the second half of the school day. We had until three fifteen, and it was only twelve thirty now. When we got outside her door, Nicole gave me a hug, and then went to her own class. Patti and I went in to the classroom.

"Well, I hope you are all refreshed enough to take your English books out, and look at chapter six. Today, we are going to study adverbs. Does anybody know what an adverb is?" Nobody raised their hand. "An adverb modifies a verb. To give an example; the jogger ran slowly. How did the jogger run? Slowly. Slowly is the adverb because it modifies the verb 'ran'. How many understood what I just said?" Some of the boys raised their hands, but all the girls raised theirs. I raised my hand. "Terry, can you use an example of an adverb?" I stood up, and gave my example.

"When I read, I read slowly."

"Very good, Terry. Now what is the adverb in that sentence?"

"Slowly, because it modifies the verb 'read'."

"That is correct. Thank you, Terry."

As I sat down, I made a motion like I had seen the girls do, like I was smoothing out a skirt while sitting down. I don't know why I did it, but Patti saw me and asked me why I did that. I just said I didn't know. I will have to talk to Nicole and Patti, if they come over to my house tonight after dinner.

"Does anybody else have an example of an adverb?" Judy Adams raised her hand. "Yes, Judy."

"I heard my mother say this once. 'I sew diligently'."

"What is the adverb in that sentence, Judy?"

"Diligently because it modifies the verb sew."

"That is correct. Class, I want you to write a few sentences for home work tonight, using different ways an adverb modifies the verb in the sentences. Now, how about we talk about geography. Does anybody know what geography is?" I raised my hand. "Terry."

"Geography is about the land and how it is laid out. for instance, the geography of the Grand Canyon is in Arizona."

"Thank you, Terry. Anybody else want to tell us about what geography is?" Nobody raised their hand. "I want you all to write about a geographical location, and how it is laid out." The bell rang for the end of the school day. We all put our books in our book bags, and stood up. We lined up by the door, and Mrs. Wells made sure we were orderly. "Class dismissed."

When Patti and I got in the hallway, we waited for Nicole. As we walked to the bus, Patti told Nicole what she had seen.

"Terry, we will talk about that motion you did in class when you were sitting down."

"Nicole, Patti, can you come by my house tonight after dinner? We can talk about it then."

"Of course, Terry. Does this have anything to do with you wearing my clothes, yesterday?"

"I don't know, Nicole. I'm kind of not sure why I even did it."

Just then, Mr. Sharpe came walking toward us.

"Girls, Terry, I want you to know that we have gotten to the bottom of the switching clothes mystery. Julie Myers took your clothes from your gym locker, Nicole, and gave them to Duane Hartley and told him to switch Nicole's clothes for your own. She said they threw your clothes away, but didn't say where. I just want you to know that when I asked her why she did that, she said it was just an April Fool's Day joke. I told her what could have happened and what Duane had said in my office. Julie Myers and Billy Roberts were suspended until we can have a review at the school board offices. What they did, was not harmless and because they were all in on it, the school board will expel them for stealing."

"Thank you, Mr. Sharpe."

"I also left a message for the two officers that took Duane to the detention center. Have a good night, ladies, Terry. See you tomorrow."

We went out to the bus and got on. When I sat down, I moved in to the seat with my hips, instead of just sitting down like the boys do. I also made the smoothing out the skirt motion. This also did not go unnoticed by Nicole or Patti. I saw them look at each other.

"What has gotten in to you, Terry?" Patti whispered, so only Nicole and I could hear.

"What do you mean, Patti?"

"We will talk about this tonight. There is something going on with you. It is like your whole attitude has changed from a guy to that of a girl."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Well, me and Nicole are girls, and we sit the way you have been doing all day. Terry, what were you thinking when you were sitting down in Mrs. Wells classroom and just now on the bus?"

"What?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I was just sitting down."

"Like a girl would sit down," they both said together.

Terry," Patti added. "We will talk about this tonight. There is definitely something going on. Maybe we should talk about this with our mothers. We need to know what kind of feelings you are having."

"I don't know, Patti. I...I'm kind of...mixed up about how I have been...feeling...all day."

"Are these feelings because you were wearing my clothes?"

"I...I don't...know, Nicole. Maybe, but I really don't...know."

"All right, then, we will wait until tonight. We will bring our mother along, too. Maybe she can gives us her thinking about this."

"All right, Nicole."

The bus stopped and we got off. My house was first on the way, so we stopped.

"I think I will talk to my mom, too. Maybe she can tell me what is happening."

"Maybe, we will see tonight."

They went to their house. I hesitated a little before going in the house. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hello, sweetie. How was school?"

"It was...fine...mom," I said, in a halting voice.

"Honey, is there something wrong?"

"Mom, when I was in school today, I was called on to give an example of an adverb. When I sat down, I made a motion like I was smoothing out a skirt. Then when I was on the bus, I stepped sideways in to the seat space, and sat down using my hips. Nicole and Patti wanted to know why I was acting like a girl. Another thing, too, is Mr. Sharpe found out who took Nicole's clothes and gave them to Duane to switch with mine. Her and another friend of Duane's were suspended and Mr. Sharpe said they would have a review before the school board. He said what they did was stealing, and students are expelled for stealing."

"Well, I am glad they got to the bottom of it. Now, about this other thing. Can you tell me what you were thinking when you the sweeping motion and sitting with your hips?"

"I don't think I was thinking anything. I did those motions without thinking about them."

"Well, honey, would you like to see a doctor or a therapist that you can talk to freely about this?"

"Mom, I am talking freely. I really wasn't thinking anything. Let me put my book bag in my room, and I will be right back."

Terry went to his room and placed his book bag on the chair by his dresser. As he was walking back, his mother noticed a pronounced girlish walk and his body moving side to side as he placed one foot in front of the other, like he was on a fashion designer's runway. As he went in the kitchen, he stooped down to get an apple from the bottom drawer of the refrigerator, and then sat down using his hips to sway in to the chair.

Terry's mother noticed something was different about her son. Usually, he just bent over and got whatever from the fridge and the plopped down in a chair. She also noticed, too, that he had laid the apple on the table, before sitting down, and made a smoothing out of a skirt motion as he swayed in to the chair.

"Honey, why did you stoop down to get the apple? Usually you just bend over, get whatever, then plop down in a chair. You also made a smoothing a skirt motion as you just swayed in to the seat. Is there something you would like to tell me?"

"Mom, I know I'm a boy, but ever since I was forced to wear Nicole's clothes, something inside of me kind of clicked. Like I should be dressed like this all the time. It was embarrassing to be forced to wear her clothes, but at the same time, they felt nice, and kind of natural. I have mixed feelings, mom. On the one hand I feel like I should be dressed like a girl all the time, and on the other hand, I feel it is dirty and I shouldn't be doing it."

"Well, sweetie, I will tell you what we will do. I will make an appointment with a therapist and we will see what she says. I think you should see a woman therapist, because women are more understanding. We need to see where your feelings are. Would that be okay with you?"

"Yes, mom. Nicole and Patti are coming over tonight after dinner, so we can talk about what they saw me doing today in school and on the bus."

"Why don't you call them, and tell them that they and their parents are invited for dinner, then we can all talk."

"Mom, what will dad think about all of this?"

"Well, from what I heard, your father may have some say in this. We will see at dinner."