I embark upon my first work assignment
and get taken on for another.

A Fortuitous Adventure:
or, how I got my first job

by Louise Anne Smithson

Chapter 4

My first job

Clare and I returned to Jenny’s house, where I showed off my new finger nails. Jenny’s mother pronounced herself to be entirely satisfied with the state of my hands, and with my appearance generally, so she gave me the go-ahead to work as a waitress that evening. Jenny, Clare and I changed into the black cotton dresses, white aprons and little white caps, which were to be our uniforms for the night. Clare helped me to refresh my makeup, brush the wig into a suitable style and clip my cap in my hair. Although I say it myself, we all looked pretty good in our outfits. Jenny even took some digital photographs of Clare and me in our uniforms and asked her mother to take one of the three of us together, promising to let us have copies the next day.

‘You’ll be able to email a copy to your mother, to let her know you're not getting up to mischief,’ commented Clare with a smile.

‘I don’t think that would be a good idea,’ I responded.

Joyce gave us a lift to where we would be working and went through our various duties for the evening. We were serving a dinner at a hired hall. Joyce’s team of caterers would prepare the meals offsite and then deliver them to us ready to be plated up and served to the guests. Our job was to lay the tables, serve the meals to the diners afterwards providing them with tea and coffee and either cheese and biscuits or mint chocolates. Our final task involved clearing up so that the crockery and utensils, table cloths etc. could be collected to be washed elsewhere.

‘Alright girls, you now know what has to be done, so please don’t let me down. Jenny has done it all before if you've any more questions. In an emergency you can always contact me on my mobile phone.’

‘Don’t worry Mum, I'm sure that we’ll be fine together,’ said Jenny.

‘I hope so. Good luck to you all, and especially to you Emily.’

‘Thanks, I'll do my best, Mrs Green’ I answered.

‘Good, and in future, please call me Joyce, she said as she left us to get on with the work.

---

My first evening working as a waitress seemed to go very well indeed. It was fairly hard work but also proved to be good fun. We set out the tables ready for the arrival of the guests. The meals turned up at the right time and her caterers had provided some excellent food and wine, which was appreciated by the diners. The plating up was done by the kitchen staff, so between the three of us we managed to get all of the meals served and the different courses cleared away at the right time and without serious mishap. I was neither challenged nor as far as I know recognised by the other members of the catering staff or the customers and soon stopped worrying about my dress or appearance. I also quickly got used to wearing higher-heeled shoes, and did not fall over, although towards the end of the evening I found my feet were beginning to ache. Above all, however, I got to know my two companions much better and we had a lot of fun working together as a team, and also joking with the customers. It was one of those relatively rare evenings when everything seemed to go according to plan, and everyone concerned appeared to be satisfied.

Joyce returned just as the last few diners were leaving and we had nearly finished clearing up the last few coffee cups.

‘I've been speaking to the organisers, it appears you've done a terrific job tonight girls, and have worked very hard. Thank you very much,’ she said smiling.

‘Everybody pulled their weight, and Clare and Emmy have been doing a good public relations job for you by flirting with the male customers,’ said Jenny laughing. ‘We've even collected thirty pounds in tips to split between us.’

I blushed at these words, unaware that that was what we had been doing.

‘In that case girls, I hope you'll both be willing to work for me again tomorrow lunchtime as I've a finger buffet for sixty to cater for,’ said Joyce addressing Clare and myself.

I looked at Clare for guidance. She confirmed that we would both be happy to do so once again, without further reference to me.

‘Good, I'll just go and collect my car and then give you both a lift home.’

As soon as Joyce had left, Clare turned to me.

‘I hope that will be alright with you Emily — after all you seemed to be enjoying yourself tonight,’ said Clare.

‘I suppose so, but I was just wondering what I'm going to wear in the meanwhile as it does not look as if we are going to be paid immediately.’

‘Don’t worry, I'll sort you out with some clean underclothes for tomorrow and you can continue to borrow my black dress until you get your own clothes back,’ she replied.

‘Thanks, but I hope I'll get my own clothes back soon,’ I replied.

‘Really?’ said Clare, as if she didn’t entirely believe me.

Joyce returned before I had a chance to answer her.

---

As Clare and I were getting out of the car Joyce handed me a small zip-up sponge bag.

‘Here you are Emily, there are a few items of makeup for you to use tomorrow. I like my waitresses to look smart, so Jenny and I collected these together for you this afternoon, hoping that all would go well this evening and that I'd want to employ you again.’

‘Oh! Thank you!’ I said, a little surprised and unable to think of anything else to say.

‘To save time in the morning, we'd like you to try putting on your makeup by yourself, as we showed you, but don’t be too heavy handed about it,’ added Jenny. ‘Clare and I'll make sure it is ok before we go to work.’

‘Alright then, I'll do my best’ I said, blushing a little, but nevertheless quite excited by the prospect.

---

Clare had telephoned her sisters during the course of the evening to tell them what we were doing and when we were likely to be home. She also told them that we would not need to eat anything when we arrived, having been able to grab a hurried meal at work. We arrived home at nearly midnight to find both Karen and Ann still up, although they were both due to work the next day. They were anxious to find out how we had got on with the new job. As I went in Karen exclaimed in delight,

‘My goodness Chris, whatever has my sister done to you? You look really good dressed like that.’

My cheeks flushed a little as I thanked her for the compliment.

‘So how did you enjoy working as a waitress young Chris?’ asked Anne.

‘It was quite good fun, all things considered,’ I replied. ‘I think we did quite well and I enjoyed the work.’

Clare stepped in to the conversation.

‘You two must stop referring to our cousin as Chris when she is dressed like this. I'd like you to meet our cousin Emily who's been working with us all day. So please remember, that Chris wears jeans and t-shirts and is a ‘he’, whereas Emily wears dresses and makeup and is a ‘she’.’

I looked away as she said this, not knowing quite how to react.

‘Alright, I stand corrected,’ said Anne smiling. ‘So is it going to be ‘Chris’ or ‘Emily’ tomorrow?’ she asked me.

‘I think it'll have to be Emily again as Jenny’s mum wants us to work for her tomorrow lunchtime, and in the meanwhile she wants me to hang on to these’ I answered holding out my hands for inspection.

‘Oh what lovely finger nails you have Emily,’ said Anne ‘did you do them yourself?’

‘No they were done professionally in a salon, but I've agreed to hang on to them at least until tomorrow to make the investment worthwhile,’ I answered.

‘What about your makeup and your boobs?’ asked Karen.

‘Jenny put on my makeup for me, and Clare made my boobs by putting lentils into the feet a pair of old stockings’ I said.

‘They look quite convincing as long as she does not try to wear a low cut top,’ added Clare.

‘I can probably do better than that for you. We have a pair of silicone breast forms sitting around at work, which were bought some time ago for a breast cancer patient, who died before they were ever used. Her relations, who bought them, did not want them back, and so I'm sure you could borrow them if you would like to try them out,’ she said.

‘I'm not sure,’ I answered. ‘I'm hoping to get my luggage back pretty soon and then I will have no need for them.’

‘Yes, what is happening about Chris’s luggage?’ asked Anne, changing the subject.

‘I telephoned the lost property offices again this afternoon but there's still no sign of my suitcase. Unless I hear something from one of them tomorrow morning I'll have to ask for an advance on my wages and go out and buy some more clothes for Chris on Thursday.’

‘So what are you going to wear tomorrow Emily?’ she asked.

‘I'll wear the clothes that I am wearing now if Clare doesn’t mind. I've only had this dress on for a few hours as I had to change whilst I was working’ I replied.

‘That may alright, but you'll need a change of underclothes for tomorrow’ said Karen. ‘As Clare has done the honours last time, Anne and I can each contribute a set of underclothes which should last you until you have either have retrieved your own, bought some new, or else washed those that you are wearing.’

‘Remember that I still have one set of Chris’s clothes in the airing cupboard’ I said.

‘Yes but you'll want to hang on to those until you know whether or not you'll need to go out shopping on Thursday’ she replied.

‘Alright then, thank you,’ I said.

Karen and Anne disappeared in to their respective rooms and each came back with a pair of knickers, a bra and a camisole, for me to use over the following days. This time, however, there was no concession to my true sex, and the ones they had chosen for me were unashamedly feminine. I did not protest but thanked them both again. Clare then took me up to her bedroom where she showed me how to clean off my makeup and take off my breast forms and wig, before going to bed.

‘There is no nail varnish remover in this bag; may I borrow some of yours Clare?’

‘Yes of course, if you want to, but what is the point? Your nails look really nice as they are and the varnish is not chipped or anything. Varnishing your nails will just be one more job for you in the morning. Remember that we are expecting you to put on your own makeup. I suggest you leave your nails as they are at least until after you have finished work tomorrow.’

‘Alright then, I suppose you're right’ I answered holding them out for inspection, and feeling relieved that I would not now have the bother of cleaning them.

Shortly afterwards I went to bed wearing Clare’s pyjamas, feeling tired, but not altogether unhappy with the way things had worked out for me that day.

---

The following day was a Wednesday and Clare and I were expected at the Green household by ten o’clock. I set the alarm on my mobile phone for seven so that I could have a shower before my cousins got up, and would have plenty of time to get myself ready for work. As I washed myself I once again admired my long painted finger nails and enjoyed the feeling of putting the soap on to my smooth legs. It also struck me that I was really looking forward to spending another day working as a waitress.

Once I got out of the shower and begun to dry myself I noticed a large tin of scented talcum powder on the bathroom shelf — something I had never used before. There had been an open invitation for me to use any of the bathroom toiletries that I found, and so guessed that no-one would object if I used some this morning. After all, everyone in the house seemed to be keen to turn me into a convincing young woman, who I now realised involved somewhat more than merely looking like one.

After my shower I dressed myself in Karen’s knickers and put on her bra and camisole. Once again I inserted the artificial breasts into the two cups, but before I went any further, I put on the white bath robe and some slippers and went down to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee and some toast. Anne was the first of my cousins to emerge, on the way to the shower.

‘Good morning Emily.’ she said cheerily. ‘You know you make a very presentable young woman even without the wig and makeup. And I like the smell of talcum powder.’

‘Thanks,’ I responded, ‘your sister said much the same to me last night, but I'm not sure now whether it's a good or a bad idea for me to be dressing like this.’

‘Why shouldn't it be?’

‘Well it's not exactly normal behaviour for a young man, is it?’ I responded.

She shrugged her shoulders.

‘Don’t worry too much about what is or isn’t normal — it's just the way things have turned out for you. In any event, it's providing you with a useful opportunity to solve some of your present financial problems,’ she replied.

‘So you think I should just ‘go with the flow’ until either my luggage is found or I've earned enough money to buy some more clothes for myself?’ I said.

‘No, I think you should do more than that,’ she said after some thought. ‘You should make the most of this opportunity to discover out what it is like to be a young woman.’

I hesitated for a while before answering.

‘Sometimes I feel it is difficult enough for me to discover what it is like to be a young man.’

Anne was about to respond to me but at that point Karen entered the kitchen and greeted us both and so our conversation was brought to an inconclusive end. Soon afterwards Anne left to take a shower and I finished my coffee and toast and made my way back to my bedroom.

I sat down in front of the dressing table and laid out all the cosmetics that had been given to me, trying to remember the order in which they should be used and their purpose. Jenny seemed to take a particular interest in cosmetics and had chosen well to suit my complexion, and she was also a good teacher. I took my time on this first occasion and proceeded with care. After about an hour I felt that I had made a reasonable attempt at making up my face. I was particularly pleased with my eyes, which now seemed to shine, and the mascara seemed to lengthen my eyelashes. I carefully put on Jenny’s wig, clipping it in to place, and brushing it into a style. As I did so, I heard my two elder cousins call out to me that they were leaving for work that they would see me in the evening, and wishing me luck at work.

---

As soon as I was finished with my makeup, I put on a clean pair of tights provided for me the previous night by Karen, together with Clare’s dress and her court shoes. Clare was still in the shower, and so I quickly hand-washed all the other borrowed clothes that I had so far worn and hung them to dry in the utility room. I also checked on Chris’s jeans and tee shirt in the airing cupboard and found that they were now perfectly dry and would be available for me to wear again on Thursday if I needed to go out buy myself some more clothes.

Clare had showered, dressed, and made-up her face by nine-fifteen.

‘OK Emmy so let me have a look at your efforts,’ she instructed.

‘So what is the verdict?’ I asked after she had taken a little time to scrutinise my face.

‘Emily, that is not at all bad for a novice,’ she said, making a few minor adjustments with the powder compact and the lipstick. ‘You've not committed the usual beginner’s mistake of putting on far too much makeup. If you keep this up you'll soon become quite an expert at fixing your face. How long did it take you this morning?’ she asked.

‘About an hour and a quarter,’ I answered, beginning to wonder just how long she expected me to remain working as a waitress.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said smiling, ‘in a week or two you’ll find you have got it down to about twenty-five minutes.’

I did not answer.