It was a rainy day in 1982. :10
Written and posted by
Barbara Lynn Terry for Dawn Smith

Chapter 1 - That night at home.

The bus pulled up to where Dawn, Nicole and Patti got off. They walked the short distance to Dawn's house, and they all hugged and said they

would see each other in the morning. Dawn went in the house.

"Mom, I'm home."

"I'm in the kitchen, sweetie."

Dawn went in the kitchen, poured herself a glass of grape juice and sat down.

"How was school, dear?"

"It was good mom. We finished our year end quizzes, and Mrs. Wells said we are just going to talk for the rest of the semester. We turn all of

our books in tomorrow."

"So, that means you will be bringing your report card home. How do you think you did on your quizzes?"

"I did fine, mom. Mom, Billy Roberts was suspended today for starting trouble with me on the bus. The bus driver wrote him up, and gave Mr.

Sharpe the incident report. Mr. Sharpe said Billy Roberts may just be expelled."

"Mr. Sharpe called me, and assured me that there really was no problem because Duane Hartley had stood up for you. Did you have any

trouble besides that?"

"No, mom."

"Good. I was thinking maybe we would have meatloaf, green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, and my banana cake for dessert. Of course, there

will be milk for you. How does all that sound?"

"It sounds great, mom. May I help?"

"Of Course. Go put your things away and then come back. I will make up the ground beef in to the meatloaf. You can put the green beans in a

two quart sauce pan and heat the water for the potatoes."

"Alright, mom."

As the meal was being prepared, Dawn and her mother talked.

"Dawn, do you remember the day this all started, when you wore those girls clothes home from school because they were all you had?"

"Yes, mother, like it was yesterday."

"Well, I was wondering why you decided to stay dressed and live as a girl."

"Because mother, there was something inside of me that said this was the right way for me to be. I figure I should know by the end of

summer."

"That sounds reasonable. Alright then, the meatloaf is almost done. I baked my banana cake while you were in school. You can turn the heat

on under the green beans. It takes vegetables seven to ten minutes to heat up. Then we drain them, and put them in a serving bowl."

"Yes, mother."

Dawn heated up the green beans, and when they were done, so was the meatloaf. Dawn's father came in the house, just as the ladies were

dishing the meal up into serving bowls with the meatloaf on a serving plate. After washing their hands, Dawn's dad said grace and they all sat

down.

"So how was school, punkin?"

"It was okay, daddy. Tomorrow we turn in our books, and Mrs. Wells said we were just going to talk for the rest of the semester."

"Sounds like when we went to school, dear."

"Yes, honey, it does."

"Then you don't have any homework."

"No, daddy, we don't. Everything was done yesterday."

"So, what are your plans for this evening, then?"

"I thought I would call Nicole and Patti and have them come over, if they're not busy."

"That sounds like an idea. I have to work in my den again. Corporate business. Sometimes I think I should have been an electrician or a

plumber. Well, you ladies have a good evening." With that, Dawn's father went in his den.

"Mom, daddy works way too hard. He leaves for work before we leave for school and he works all day and then he brings some of his work

home with him."

"Yes, dear. When men work in the corporate world, bringing their work home is an occupational hazard, as they say."

"What does that really mean, mom?"

"Well, dear, it just means that it is a tiresome, mundane thing most people in the corporate world have to do, to keep caught up with whatever

they are working on in their office."

"What does mundane mean?"

"It means something that must be done but wish it was something else. You have seen the bumper sticker that says, 'I'd rather be fishing'.

Well, that person does mundane work or tasks, but he would rather be somewhere else, doing something else.

"We have only one week left of school. But principal Sharpe says that we can play in the gym and Mrs. Wells said we were just going to talk.

She wants to know what we are gooing to do with our summer." Dawn giggled. "Mrs. Wells said she is going to have a working summer.

Anyway, I thought maybe I would hang around with Patti and Nicole. We do lots of nice things together. Like window shopping, trying on

clothes we know we'd never be able to afford, more window shopping."

"You aren't fooling me, young lady. You just want to look at the boys." Dawn's mother smiled, and gave a knowing wink.

"Yes, and would that be so terrible?"

"No, but it shows you are going to have fun. What else would you like to do this summer?"

"We could go to the lake house by the national forest. You know the place. They have bears, wolves, skunks, birds of all kinds."

"Yes, I think I have heard about that place. Dawn, sweetie, if we went to the cabin, then you wouldn't be able to play with Patti and Nicole."

"They could come with us, mom. I could ask their parents."

"Well, I have no objections. but make sure you tell them to give it to you in writing. We don't want anything to happen, where we don't have

control over the situation."

"Yes, mother, I will make sure they give it to me in writing."

"Well, It looks like we're finished with our dinner. Come, Dawn, and help me clean up."

Like always, it never took Dawn and her mother a lot of time to clean up the dining room, wash and dry the dishes and put them away. When

they were finished, her mother said it was alright if she called Patti and Nicole and see if they could come over, or Dawn could go over there.

Dawn called her friends and asked if they could come over. They said they could. Living close to each other, it didn't take Patti and Nicole long

to knock on Dawn's front door.

"Hey Patti, Nicole. Come in. Mom, we're going to my room and listen to dvd's."

"You mean, you're going to your room to talk and play the music so I can't hear what you're saying, even putting my ear to the door."

"Oh, mom," Dawn said in false exasperation.

They went to Dawn's room and Dawn put a few cd's on the changer, and the three girls sat on Dawn's bed and talked.

Part 2 - Dawn, Nicole and Patti.

"Mom doesn't care if we talk, she just likes listening at the door." The girls all giggled.

"Dawn, I need to know. Is there something going on between you and Duane Hartley?" Dawn did the finger in the mouth gag sign.

"You have got to be kidding. I don't know about other girls our age, but I do know boyfriends are not on the list. Maybe in another year, or

two, or three, or whatever. I mean, let's have fun before we have to take on someone we need to babysit." The girls giggled again. "I was

talking to my mom, and she asked me what I was going to do with my summer. I said hang around with you, but then I said that we go to the

cabin and have you two come with us. My mom said she would need your parents approval in writing, so that if any emergency comes up, my

mom will have the say so. Do you two think you'd like to come with us to our cabin? It's up by the national forest, just outside of Worchester on

Cranberry Lake. I don't know what kind of fish they have there, but it is a nice place, and Worchester is a laid back, relaxing kind of place. So,

what do you think?"

"Let's go and ask my parents," Nicole said, with a smile.

They went downstairs and Dawn asked her mother if she could go by Patti and Nicole's.

"Yes, of course, dear. But, if it gets too late, have Mr. Sanger walk you home."

"Yes, mom." They hugged and cheek kissed and the girls were on their way.

As they walked in the Sanger house, Nicole and Patti's father was sitting on the couch.

Hi, daddy," Nicole and Patti said together, giving their father a hug and kiss at the same time.

"Okay, to what do I woe this esttemed gesture of gratitude? Could it be that my daughters actually love their father? No, that can't be right. Is

it because my daughters are ill and need a doctor? No, that isn't it, either. So, what could this gesture of love actually mean?"

"Oh! Daddy," both girls in mock indignation. "Actually, daddy, Dawn has something she would like to ask you and mom."

"Your mother is in the kitchen. Let's go and talk to her." They all went in the kitchen where Patti and Nicole each taking a side hugged and

cheek kissed their mother.

"All right, what do you want, this time?" The three young girls giggled.

"Mom, Dawn has something to ask you."

"Mr. and Mrs. Sanger, would it be alright if Patti and Nicole spent the summer with us at our summer cabin just outside of Worchester?"

"Worchester! That is like five hours from here. You said they could spend the summer, will both your parents be there?"

"It is six and a half hours from here, and no, ma'am, it be my mom, me, Nicole and Patti. It is by Cranberry Lake and we do have a small boat

dock. We have a sort of row/motor boat, which means, if the motor won't start get out the oars." There was laughter and giggles. "I don't

think my dad is going to go until he has his vacation in August. But, my mom said she would need your permission in writing, so she would

have control over any emergency that may come up."

"Well, ladies, I don't see a problem with that. It would Nicole and Patti good to get out in some real fresh air. What do you think, honey?"

"Well, dear, I also don't see a problem with that. When does this summer romp start?"

"It starts the after school let's out, and we come back home one week before school starts again."

"All right, dear. I will draw up something, giving your mother control over Patti and Nicole for what, seven weeks?"

"Yes, Mrs. Sanger. We even go in to Worchester, because they have square dancing, dancing that we do, and they have a very nice business

district. The town is, I think you would say, rustic."

"I like this place already," said Nicole and Patti's father, giving a hardy bellow.

"Mrs. Sanger, you should come with us. You would enjoy their carnival that goes for three weeks, instead of just ten days."

"Oh! I see how this is. It is a girls only gathering away from the madding crowd." The ladies giggled.

"Of course you can come, Mr. Sanger. Who would Mrs. Sanger square dance with, if you didn't come?"

"I will tell you what I will do. I will call your mother, Dawn, and ask her if it would be all right with her, if we tagged along. You have what, one

week of school left? That would give me time to get my job squared away by trading places with someone for two weeks, and adding sick time

I have coming. Yes, I think it would do all of us some good to get away to real fresh air. Wait! Worchester, yes, I rememeber now. Honey, we

went up to Phillips and we passed a sign that said Worchester. That is a very nice area. Dawn, you tell your mother Patti and Nicole can go."

"Mr. Phillips, would you please walk me to my house. Then you can talk to my mom about you and Mrs. Sanger coming along, too."

"That is a great idea, Dawn. Let's go." Nicole, Patti, their father and Dawn headed for Dawn's house. "It's a good thing we don't live that far

apart." Dawn just smiled.

Dawn opened the front door to her house, and invited the three Sangers inside.

"I'll get my mom," Dawn didn't have far to go, because her mother was sitting in the living room. "Mom? Mr. Sanger has something he would like to ask you."

"Mrs. Palmer, would it be okay if my wife and I joined you on your summer retreat? We haven't been in the fresh air for a long time."

"Of course you can come. We can all sit around and plot against our children while they plot against us." There was laughter and giggles.

"Dawn mentioned something about square dances."

"Yes. They are held every Saturday evening at the VFW post in Phillips. They also serve a nice buffet. That is the next biggest town north of where we will be."

"Dawn said we leave the day after school lets out for the summer?"

"Yes, and we are up there for seven weeks and we come back a week before school starts."

"That sounds great, Mrs. Palmer. I'll give the missus the good news.
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I am so sorry this chapter is late, but I have been ill and getting as much rest as I can. Where do you
all go on your vacations?