“Mom, I want you to meet Barbara. You remember, she’s the girl Buddy invited to the prom.” I was watching Elliot’s lips move, his voice sounded like thunder as my world crashed in on me.

It was sheer horror as I waited for my mother to start laughing at Buddy wearing a dress and makeup. I could not bring myself to look at her.

“Such a beautiful young lady. Barbara, I have heard so little about you. Elliot said Buddy invited you to the prom. I don’t remember Ethan mentioning a cousin by the name of Loyd, but then Peck is a common name. Ethan isn’t the best at keeping up family acquaintances.” Came from my mother with a soft admiring tone.

Slowly I turned to face my worst nightmare and imminent and ultimate disgrace, knowing mom would be shocked out of her ever loving mind when she got a good look at her youngest son, dressed as a girl no less.

I was looking straight into my mother’s eyes. What I was looking at wasn’t what I had expected. She wasn’t shocked. She didn’t even show any sign of recognition.

Sitting to my immediate left she reached out with her right hand and touched my left earring. “Those earrings are so pretty. I must have the name of the place where you found them. Are those other earrings a ruby and a sapphire? Oh they are, aren’t they? Please, may I see the other ones?”

She had her hand under my chin gently urging me to turn my head so she could see my right ear. “Those are so adorable. I love those earrings. That’s a diamond isn’t it? Those are so precious. I love them. The diamond lace is so attractive and certainly draws attention.”

She turned her head to look back over at my dad, Ethan, “I want a pair like those Barbara is wearing for my next birthday.”

My eyeballs snapped over to look at my father sitting to the left of my mother. I was positive he would know, even if mom was acting like she didn’t have the faintest clue.

He took a cursory look and nodded before turning his attention back to Elliot. “I’ll have to see if you’ve been good enough to deserve a pair like that. They look expensive. Elliot, have you heard the Coach say whether he was using you or Tug as quarterback next season?”

“I don’t think you have to worry about how good a girl I’ve been as I wouldn’t have the nerve to put four holes in my ears like Barbara has. Maybe the dangle earrings like she is wearing?” Mom was examining my ears again.

“Got the word last week dad. Coach said he was going to alternate between Tank and me. I’d be the starter most of the season with Tank taking over when we need a trick play or I need a rest.” Elliot wiped his mouth with his napkin.

“Men! I don’t mind talking sports but you could at least say hi to Barbara.” Mom focused in on my dad like a hawk watching a chicken.

My dad turned his attention toward me. “I’m sorry Barbara. I didn’t mean to slight you. I was interested in what the coach had to say about Elliot’s chances as quarterback next season. My wife is right. You are a very beautiful young lady. I’ve been trying to remember if we are kin to Loyd Peck? I honestly have no idea. Probably somewhere back down the family tree they are in there. I hear you are staying with Judy and her parents this week. You must come over to the house while you’re visiting. Buddy is away at summer camp. It doesn’t matter. My wife and I would love to have you drop in and visit.”

Dad looked back at Elliot. “You make sure you bring her by when you and Judy are out running around.”

I looked at Elliot hoping against hope he would crush that idea before it gained traction. Elliot’s eyes were dancing with mischief. I knew before he opened his mouth what he was going to say.

“Sure dad. No problem.” Elliot’s mouth twitched as he kept a smile in check.

The maitre d’ was back with Miriam and Bill in tow. They found their seats in short order. The maitre d’ was holding a chair for Miriam.

“Bill, Miriam” Mom acknowledged as they settled down.

Greetings were given all the way around again. Bill, dad, and Elliot started talking football for next season and rehashing last season.

Miriam looked across the table at me and then at my mother. “Isn’t Barbara a pretty young lady? I was asking her to give Judy some fashion tips.”

Mom reached out and touched my dress. “I just love her dress. I think it’s a Dion. Is that right Barbara?”

“Oh, uh, uh…,” Was the only thing that escaped.

“I thought so. Ferdmans of Dallas carries that name. Did you buy it at Ferdmans or someplace else?” Mom was waiting for an answer from me.

“Cough, cough” I was dying a slow excruciating death of embarrassment.

“I noticed Barbara had a persistent cough last night before the prom. Barbara, you aren’t coming down with something are you dear? I hope you didn’t pick up something on that flight down here.” Miriam was looking concerned.

“I’m fine.” I managed to work out past the lump in my throat.

The waiter showed up and everyone ordered. I followed Judy’s order and asked for the same. It didn’t make any difference as I wasn’t going to be able to choke down anything anyway. The acid in my stomach had hit hyper drive. I was dying a slow death every time mom or Miriam turned their attention toward me. They asked me questions about my parents, my life, where I went to school, or ten thousand other questions I couldn’t answer. My only saving grace was that Judy or Elliot would either answer those personal questions for me. Or they would immediately ask a question changing the subject away from my life history.

Our group had finished dining, I ate absolutely nothing, Miriam and now mom were worried I was coming down with something. I couldn’t tell them it was a bad case of butterflies mixed in with a generous proportion of stomach acid and nerves that killed any appetite. I noticed Elliot and Judy weren’t having any problem with their meals. I was going to kill both of them if I lived through this dinner. It was the thought of revenge and murder that kept me from dying myself.

Bill handed the waiter a credit card the last trip to our table. I was thinking I had made it home free by that time. It would be a cold day in Hell before I visited mom and dad as Barbara.

Miriam turned to my mom before anyone had a chance to get up from the table. “Did you and Ethan decide whether you and the kids could make that trip to Dallas with Bill and me next week? I do so wish to meet Barbara’s parents.”

Oh death, oh blessed death, wherefore art thou? I was once again praying for that bolt of Lightning from the heavens.

“We would love to. After talking to you on the phone this morning Ethan and I arranged for tickets on the twenty first on Southwest. Elliot is flying up with us. I wish Buddy could meet Barbara and her parents. I’m afraid Buddy won’t be coming. He is at summer camp for another week. Maybe next visit Buddy will be there.” My mom was handing Miriam a Southwestern flight schedule out of her purse.

Miriam took it and opened it up. “Oh isn’t that nice? Bill and I will be flying up on the same plane as you and Ethan. Judy is coming along on this trip. We will have to work in an evening with Barbara’s parents after the trade show. It will be all of us together. There is a theater with a comedy team and I hear they are very good. I’ll see about getting all of us some tickets if that’s okay with you and Ethan.”

I gave some very serious thought at that moment about taking a knife and stabbing myself in the heart about then. I think I would have too, if there had been anything sharp on the table. But alas, there wasn’t and I didn’t think a butter knife would do the trick.

Miriam looked over at me. “You think that would be okay with your parents Barbara? Do they enjoy comedy clubs?”

“Why don’t I call them and see if they can be free for that evening.” Judy piped in before I had a chance to choke again.

“That would be great hon. The adults rose up from the table and started to leave. Miriam turned her attention toward Judy. “Take a few lessons from Barbara, dear. A little fashion wouldn’t hurt you none.”

“Yes momma. I hear you.” Judy responded in the same condescending tone every frustrated teen uses for their parents.

Elliot and Judy were looking so pleased with themselves I gave some serious thought about jumping across the table and killing both of them right then and there. Judy reached out her hand as she stood up. “Come on Barbara let’s make the girls room before we get back in the car.”

“Girls room???” I couldn’t believe she was suggesting what I thought she was suggesting.

“Don’t tell me you aren’t in dire need. Come on girl.” Judy was waiting beside my chair.

I didn’t think I could walk into the men’s room after what Judy had done to me. I just didn’t think about walking into the women’s bathroom either. I had no idea where I would find a restroom. I rose out of my seat, picked up my purse, and followed her to the ladies room. There were several women in there. A couple of them looked my way which scared me. Judy was holding tightly onto my hand to keep me from fleeing in panic. She pointed toward one of the stalls. “Take your time sis.”

She looked at one of the women who had been staring. “My sister hogged the bathroom this morning and I didn’t have time to get dressed too.”

The woman nodded in agreement as she patted her hair in place and brought up her lipstick. “I know the feeling. I grew up with four sisters. It was murder trying to get any bathroom time.”

The idea I was going to drop my panties and pantyhose, hike my skirt, and take care of business with women on the other side of that partition didn’t do a whole lot for the kidneys. They refused to co-operate for the longest time even though they were about to burst at the seams. Finally there was no holding back and I completed my first and hopefully last trip to the women’s bathroom.

Judy was waiting by the vanity brushing her hair when I opened the door to the stall.

“Touch up your lipstick sis.” She motioned me over.

I walked over and placed the purse up on the counter beside Judy. She looked through it and came up with a tube of vivid liquid red lipstick. She pulled off the top, rolled the lipstick out, and handed it to me before she pulled out a tube from her own purse. She leaned up toward the mirror and put the lipstick to her lips as her eyes focused in on me.

I followed suit as I leaned up toward the mirror.

Judy worked the lipstick back and forth across her lips several times following the curve of her sweetheart shaped lips.

Following her example I did the same only my lips weren’t heart shaped like hers were. I had just plain ol lips and I was jealous. “You have the prettiest mouth.”

“I think your sister does too. Not that you don’t have a beautiful smile like your sister.” The woman beside Judy commented.

“Thank you.” Judy smiled at the woman, turned her head and gave me a wink. “Come on sis, we don’t want to keep Elliot waiting too long.”

“Your brother?” The woman was watching as Judy and I put up our lipstick, picked up our purses, and turned to go.

“Boyfriend.” Judy answered as she held the door open for me.

“Lucky boy.” The answer followed us out of the ladies room.

Elliot was waiting for us in the foyer by the front door. “Problems?”

“No, smooth as silk.” Judy walked out the door ahead of him as he pushed open the door for us.

We were back in Elliot’s Mustang headed up for the freeway. I figured this day was over as far as Barbara was concerned. Tonight I would either talk Elliot into taking me home or I would call a taxi. That was when my mind finally got hold of what the conversation meant back there in the restaurant when mom was talking to Miriam. Surely Elliot and Judy didn’t expect me to be Barbara the rest of the week so I could fly home to Dallas with mom and dad and Judy’s parents to meet my imaginary parents? Surely not!

“Elliot.”

“Barbara.” He volleyed the same as if he was talking to Buddy.

“You don’t expect me to be Barbara the rest of the week do you? Haven’t you and Judy had your fun by now?”

“Oh, I’m sorry cousin. I thought you knew when you flew down you were going to spend the whole week with Judy before flying back home. That was the arrangement we discussed a couple weeks back when we talked about you flying down for the prom.” Elliot looked up in the mirror at me.

“I’m going to get so even you will regret the day you and Judy did this.” I laid my hands down in my lap and contemplated a week as Barbara. I can do this. I can do this.

“Just how is Buddy supposed to get home from summer camp?” I was hoping for any kind of chink in their plans. Find out how Buddy comes home and then do it earlier than they planned.

“He comes back on the church bus after camp is over. Why?” Elliot took a sideways glance in Judy’s direction, trying to figure out what I was up too.

“Nothing.” That certainly wasn’t any help. Kind of impossible to come back on a church bus when I didn’t know when it was coming back. Yet…, maybe I came back early because I had a…., serious cough? Yes, I had a plan for Buddy’s return. I was finally home free…, Not! Buddy wasn’t coming home in a skirt and heels from church camp. Don’t forget the earrings. Oh how could I forget the earrings? The earrings it takes a special tool to remove. 'Hi mom, dad, church camp was a blast. You wouldn’t believe what they teach at those camps. Like my dress and earrings? Hello operator, nine one one please. My parents just passed out. And operator would you please alert the church camp. My parents are on their way to bomb the place after they are re-situated?'

Elliot dropped down off the freeway headed toward Cutter’s road.

“Where we going?” I figured we would go home. The direction Elliot was headed wasn’t toward home. And what did I know about home? I mean, Buddy’s home most certainly was no longer my home. Judy’s home was where I was visiting for…, obviously longer than I intended. I had no intentions of making Dallas my home with an imaginary mother and father.

Elliot kept going until he came upon Trotter’s Park. It was a combination theme park, city park where a lot of the kids and grownups came for a few hours or more of picnicking or ridding the old imitation steam engine around the borders of the park. All the rides were slow and yes, cheap. The roller coaster was the wildest ride and it was tame. I heard it was built back in the fifties, but I wasn’t sure. It cost ten cents for a ten minute ride or a person could pay twenty dollars for a season pass for all the rides. Most everyone bought a season pass and seldom used them. I mean, it was generic stuff for the babies and old folks, for goodness sake. Grandparents brought their grandchildren out to Trotter’s Park. The occasional dweeb brought his date, which usually meant he was never going to get another date with the girl.

Elliot pulled in and found an empty parking space, which wasn’t hard. There were a lot of empty parking spaces. He slid out and walked around the car to open Judy’s door before helping me up out of the rear.

Standing beside the car looking at the old people and kiddies coming and going through the gate, I couldn’t believe Elliot was dweeb enough to bring Judy to this place. “You gotta be kidding. You really don’t like Judy that much?”

“Cork it cousin. You haven’t been until you been on the rides in Trotter’s Park.” Elliot put his hand around Judy and his other hand in the small of my back to steer us toward the entrance.

“I’ve heard of places like this. Isn’t this the retirement village amusement center? I think I see a wheelchair patient getting on the Ferris Wheel now.” I was positive this wasn’t the place for soon to be high school sophomores like Judy and me.

“That’s what I like best about you Barbara. Always willing to try out something new before you start running it down. You give the benefit of the doubt before you start complaining.” Elliot pulled three season passes out of his shirt pocket as we walked up to the entrance.

“Trust me Elliot, the reputation of this place precedes us. I don’t think my opinion one way or another is going to make any difference.” I could only figure that Elliot and Judy had this planned out before yesterday, when they changed me into cousin Barbara. As much as I was going to regret having to kill both of them, I had to admire their devious minds and the way they had so much planned before they blackmailed me.

The man in the booth took Elliot’s passes and punched them before handing them back. Elliot steered us toward the riverboats. At the ticket booth the man looked at the tickets and waved us on.

Actually the riverboats were plastic tubs, approximately six feet long by three feet wide. The river they floated in was only a few inches wider than the boats. I stepped in the front and held my skirt as I found my seat. Elliot and Judy rocked the boat, but not much, when they stepped in and sat down in back. The boat couldn’t turn over if all of us stood up on one side. The water was only a few inches deep. The man pushed a lever and the boat was moved out into the river which wasn’t a river, but a ditch actually. We would float lazily along with the current under an arched bridge past a fake zoo with wood cutout animals in fake cages. Then we would drift into a fake mountain, past a fake prairie with plyboard buffalo and deer. The end would be floating out into a fake ocean which was a sea of blue colored plyboard laid out on the ground and finally the boat would be caught at its berth where we had to disembark after our transcontinental adventure in a riverboat. I was bored out of my ever loving skull as we drifted lazily along.

I started looking up at the clouds in the sky out of sheer boredom. At least they gave me a change of scenery as they drifted past in ever changing form.

“Mind if I join you?”

My mind snapped back to the now and present as I recognized the voice and the boat rocked. Tank had stepped into the front of the boat as it passed the zoo theme scene. “What?”

“Hi Barbara. I was hoping I’d get to see you again before you went home. I certainly didn’t think you would come down where I was working.” Tank was beaming all over as he stared at me.

“Uh, uh, uh…,”

“That’s okay, Tank. Don’t say hi to Judy or me.” Elliot was pushing on Tank’s shoulder.

Tank looked over his shoulder. “I was trying my best to ignore you Elliot, but since you seem determined to get a greeting out of me. Hi Judy. Why don’t you ditch Elliot and it will be just you girls and me.”

Judy giggled. “I guess we better hang onto him Tank. He has the wheels.”

“Oh, no problem fair maiden. I have wheels and it would be my honor to provide same for you and Miss Peck.” Tank looked at me and winked his left eye.

“You work here?” I couldn’t believe Tank would work in a place like this.

“Maintenance. I work on their equipment when it gets to acting up. It’s a lot of fun to keep these rides going for people to enjoy. You should see the smiles on those kids faces when they get on that roller coaster. That’s the bonus payment.”

Shaking my head I smiled at the thought of Tank working on the rides for the kids.

“That’s exactly what I mean. You have such a beautiful smile Barbara.”

I blushed from my head to my feet as I looked down at the water in front of us. “Thank you.”

Tank smiled as he studied me. “You sure look nice and you smell nice too.”

I blushed even more if possible. “It’s Judy’s fault.”

“Well, let’s thank Judy and thank your mother too. I’m betting she is a real pretty woman too.”

“She is…,” I was thinking of my mom and even though she was my mom I thought she was a very pretty woman. Sometimes I even wished to be as pretty as her.

“You going to be here awhile or did you drop in for a few rides?”

“We only stopped in for a couple rides until the theater opens. There is a good action film at the Westland Theater this afternoon.” Elliot offered from behind us.

“I read about that one. It’s the new James Bond movie isn’t it?” Tank turned and looked over his shoulder at Elliot.

“No it’s the new Baker Spy Thriller movie. You working all afternoon?” Elliot was making small talk.

“No, I finished up and was headed back to the car when I saw you and the girls getting on the boat. Figured I could catch up at the zoo.”

“You want to come with us to the flick?” Elliot gave an invite.

'No, no, no, no, no, no, no,' I was saying in my mind as soon as Elliot passed out the invitation.

“Sure, if no one minds.” Tank looked over at me and smiled.

I tried to smile back. I bet it looked forced.

“Then it’s settled.” Elliot offered to his friend.

“I have your purse in my car. This will give me a chance to give it back.” Tank was looking as happy as if he had good sense.

Oh joy, oh foolish joy. I was thinking as I gave a weak smile. I wonder if a couple inches of water is deep enough to drown myself?

“We have time for a couple more rides before the movie unless everyone wants to go to the mall for a few minutes.” Drifted up from Elliot.

More rides! How could I be so lucky! God must hate me.

Tank was looking in my direction. “The Roller Coaster and then the Ferris Wheel if it’s okay with everyone else.”

I was praying Elliot would say no, let’s go to the car.

“Sounds like a plan. That okay with you Judy?” Was the voice of my Benedict Arnold brother.

“I’d love to.” Was the answer from my brother’s co-conspirator.

No court in the world would convict me if I killed both of them now. I could plead they drove me to mental insanity.

The water ride lasted forever and ever and…, Tank put his arm around my shoulder as he pointed out across the theme park and explained the hidden controls, and safeties for all the various rides keeping them safe for the kids and adults alike. He explained the hours and hours the volunteers put in every day to keep the park running and keep it affordable for the kids and adults.

He pointed toward a young woman who had knelt down to talk to some of the kids who had been pushing some of the other kids out of the way. “That’s Laura. She is a policewoman. One of the best this city has ever had. She can be as cold as ice to anyone who challenges her authority. Shot a guy trying to steal a car out of a parking lot a few weeks back. She volunteers a lot of her time to come down here and keep the riff raff from taking over. A couple months back she arrested a kid trying to sell crack to the other kids.”

The woman Tank was talking about reached out and pulled the kid in for a hug and then gave the second kid a hug. I had a hard time not thinking of her as those kids mom the way she treated them. “She gave those bullies a hug.”

Tank nodded. “Laura said a lot of those kids only need a little loving. Something a lot of kids don’t ever get at home. Oh, the ones who come down here are usually the ones who get love at home. I guess the parents who come here are the ones who want to treat their own kids with attention.”

I had a new respect for Tank other than he was my brother’s teammate. “You work here all the time?”

“No, I work for Tchrad.” He pointed off toward the ticket man watching the electric cars. “That’s…,

“What do you do at Tchrad?” I interrupted Tank. I hadn’t ever heard of a company named Tchrad. I was curious as to what Tank did there.

“I make things.” That’s Howard. He…”

“What kind of things.” I didn’t care about Howard. I wanted to know what Tank did besides work at this theme park.

“Uh…, Barbara, I’m not allowed to say.” Tank turned his attention back in my direction.

“Why aren’t you allowed to say what you make?” Now my curiosity had really been pricked.

“Because I can’t. Tchrad does research.” His eyes were begging me to drop the subject.

I had no intentions of dropping the subject. “What kind of research?”

“I can’t say. Barbara, this conversation is going to go nowhere because it can’t. I can’t tell you what I do because I signed a contract saying I wouldn’t speak to anyone outside the company about what they do or what I do for them. The only thing I can say without violating that contract is I work for a company called Tchrad. That’s it. This is the end of the discussion about what I do for them.” He waited to see if he had ruined any budding relationship.

As bad as I wanted to use this moment to make Tank think he had ruined any hope of being my friend I couldn’t. Tank had treated me nice in every way. I knew Tank was one of the nicest kids in or out of school. His interest in the theme park and the people who worked here and the kids who visited here had proved that beyond a doubt.

The chill between us was so palatable it could be felt. “Do you know all the employees who work here?” I gave Tug an icebreaker if he wanted to take it.

“Most all of them. Ewell works the front gate most of the time. He used to work for American Airlines as a freight expediter.” Tank smiled.

In all the years Tug and Elliot had been running around together I never paid any attention to Tug’s smile. He had a very nice sincere smile. “Would it be breaking your contract if you explained to me what a freight expediter is?”

Tank laughed as he shook his head no. “That I am allowed to talk about.” And he did, along with a lot of the other tiny little things all the other volunteers in the theme park did so they could donate their time to keep it running for the kiddies and the older generation.

When we left the river ride I was a lot more appreciative of the theme park. I was no longer thinking it was for kiddies and the generic generation. I was wrong to think it was a park for dweebs. Like everyone else of my generation, I had labeled the park as a dweeb park for dummies, without trying it out and enjoying the rides, the people, and the social atmosphere it offered. Tank put his arm around my waist after we stepped off the river ride and led me over to the Ferris Wheel.

The lady watching the gate never asked for a pass or anything as she opened the gate to let us on. “Who’s your friend Tug?”

“Betty, this is Barbara Peck. She’s from Dallas and is visiting Elliot and Buddy for a week. Barbara, this is Betty Nickson, she works at the hospital for a paying job.”

I nodded in agreement. “Nice to meet you Betty.”

“Love your earrings Barbara. Hope you are enjoying your visit to our city.” Betty looked past us at the next couple.

I turned expecting it to be Elliot and Judy. They had chosen to ride the electric cars which was funny in itself. Both of them had to double up to get their legs inside those cars which were for kids not teenagers.

Tank led me over to the seat on the Ferris Wheel. He sat down and pulled the locking bar down after I had climbed up into the seat.

Betty checked that the bar was in place and locked before she moved the Ferris Wheel up one place so the next two could get on. There were four more pairs of kids who got on before the wheel started moving constantly.

We went up to the top and started down. It was funny because I found I had butterflies looking down at the ground coming up at us. I didn’t think this ride could do that to me. I mean it only went up about a hundred feet or so. It was a kiddie ride for goodness sake. I grabbed my tummy.

Tank smiled from ear to ear. “Gets most everyone like that the first few times.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I was determined to not let him know a kiddie ride had stirred up the butterflies in my stomach.

Tank was laughing as he looked at me. “Sure you don’t. People don’t realize it’s the forward and downward motion of a Ferris Wheel that gets them. They can stand going up and down and they can stand going forward and back, but combine the two, and it spells hello every time.”

The butterflies had left by the time we got down to the bottom of the circle. I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn’t going to admit a simple little ride could get me. And then we reached the top and started forward and down again and those stupid butterflies returned and I grabbed my tummy. Okay, I admit it the ride was getting to me. “Hello.”

Tank leaned back and positively howled with laughter.

It was funny to me too. I caught Tanks laughter as I laughed with him.

The ride finally stopped and Tank led me over to the roller coaster. I enjoyed that one too, as Tank threw his arms up to prove he was fearless. I had to laugh at him as he could have fallen out and it couldn’t have hurt. His fearless gesture wasn’t very macho but it was the thought and it was funny.

Elliot and Judy met us at the gate after that ride. Judy was smiling as she winked at me. “Looks like you’re having fun.”

I started to deny it, but I really was having fun. Certainly not what I expected when Elliot pulled into the park. “Yes I am.”

“We will meet you and Barbara at the Westland in about fifteen minutes. That okay with you?” Elliot was waiting on an answer from Tank.

“If Barbara doesn’t mind riding with me.” Tank turned his attention in my direction.

“O…, okay” I wasn’t sure I liked the way this was headed. I was positive Tank wouldn’t do anything wrong, but I felt a whole lot more comfortable with Elliot and Judy.

“Don’t forget your purse.” Judy was trying to remind me as Elliot ushered her across the parking lot toward his Mustang.

Tank put his left hand in the small of my back to steer me toward his Firebird. He opened the passenger door for me and waited as I settled in and straightened my skirt. My black clutch was in between the seats. I would leave it until after the movie. I was positive I didn’t need two purses.

Tank slid under the steering wheel and slowly and carefully pulled out of the parking lot. I noticed the night before that Tank might have a muscle car, but he drove it very carefully. No revving the engine, squealing the tires, or racing down the street. I liked the way he drove. It came to me! My brother drove the same way in his Mustang. I was beginning to realize how mature my bother had always been even when we were in grade school. Elliot not only acted mature, his friends acted mature.

We made the theater behind Judy and Elliot. Tank offered to buy me popcorn and a coke before the show. I declined. I didn’t think it was quite right for Tank to think he had a date. I was positive I knew I wasn’t a date. During the show Tank reached over and took my hand. I really wanted for him to not do that. I didn’t know how to tell him I wasn’t interested.

All of us were walking out of the movie and there was a group of guys making derogatory remarks at the girls as they walked out. The boys were extra ugly and tried to get in the girls faces if they were with other girls.

“Hey bitch! Yes you in the red dress. Hey bitch, I’m talking to you!” My heart was in my throat as I turned to look.

Tank took a quick glance. “Ignore them. They only get worse when they have your attention.”

I looked for Judy and Elliot. They were still lost in the crowd behind us.

“Hey bitch in the red dress, how about giving me some.” Came from the same group of boys.

Tank had his hand in the small of my back and I felt him hesitate. I took his arm. “You said ignore them. Words of the mentally retarded aren’t worth responding to.”

He nodded, “I did, didn’t I?”

One of the idiots stepped out in front of me and put his left hand on my right breast. At first it shocked me and then it frightened me, wondering if he would know I wasn’t a real girl?

I didn’t have time to think about it before Tank’s arm slipped from around my waist and came up and forward. Everything happened in less than a second. The guy grabbed me... Tank hit him. He went flying backwards into his buddies who were standing behind him. They all went down to the sidewalk. Tank’s arm was back around my waist. He never broke stride, nor did he let me, as we walked on past the pile of bodies as if we had just seen them fall over backwards.

“Tug…?”

“Keep walking Barbara as if nothing happened.” He never slowed down as he walked out to his car and opened the door.

I slid in. Tank walked around to the other side, started the car, and slowly, oh so slowly, pulled out of the parking lot as if he was curious as to what happened to the boys who had fell down on the sidewalk.

He was headed down Sumpter and up on the freeway in less than three minutes.

I started shaking and couldn’t stop. If they had found out, if Tug had found out I was a lie, I was positive he would have left me to the boys. And then the tears started. I hated this. I hated it, I hated it, I hated it. I didn’t want to be Barbara any more. I wanted to be Buddy, in my bed, with the covers pulled up over me.

Tank pulled over to the side of the freeway and stopped. He reached across with his right hand and wiped the tears off m left cheek. “It’s alright Barbara. I wasn’t going to let them hurt you.”

“I…, Tug, I’m sorry, oh god am I sorry, I don’t want to hurt you either. Please take me home.” I sniffed as I cried.

“Hurt me? You could never hurt me Barbara. You’re one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever seen. I don’t believe you could hurt a fly.” He was wiping tears off my cheek.

“Tug, please. You’re too nice. I have hurt you and you don’t even know it. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please take me home. Please?” I turned away from him and cried as I looked out the window.

The car started moving. It seemed like forever and ever before Tug pulled up in Judy’s driveway.

Tug started to get out. I already had my door open. I was crying my heart out as I bailed out of the car. “Please go and forget you ever saw me. I’m so sorry Tug.” I slammed his door as I ran for the house.

The door wasn’t locked. I was inside running for Judy’s bedroom.

“Barbara…, Barbara dear, what’s wrong? Are you all right?” Miriam called as I ran past her to the bedroom.

I slammed Judy’s door, flung myself down on the bed and cried. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Gently a hand was brushing my hair away from my face. “Barbara, what is it dear?”

Rolling over I was looking up at Miriam. I wrapped my arms around her neck as she leaned down to hold me. I cried my heart out with my head laying against her breasts. “I didn’t do it on purpose. I’m sorry.”

She held me until I had cried down and it turned to more sniffles than tears. “Sounds like boy trouble to me Barbara.”

“Oh Mrs Mecham, I didn’t do it on purpose. I couldn’t hurt him. He’s too nice. I tried to not let him get close to me.” Wiping tears I was trying to explain it wasn’t my fault as I lay back on the bed.

“It’s Miriam hon. Sounds to me like a young woman ran straight from young adolescence into the feelings of a young woman. Listen Barbara this is the talk your mother should be giving you as her daughter. Your mom isn’t here at the moment, so I’ll try to explain it to you. At a certain time in a young girl’s life she will find she suddenly becomes interested in boys…,”

“But…,” I wanted to tell her I wasn’t interested in boys. Or girls either, for that matter.

“Don’t interrupt dear. It’s not nice and you are a very nice lady. Let’s see, where was I? Oh yes, girls become interested in boys. Sometimes it is boys in the plural sense and she likes lots of boys. Sometimes it’s boy in the singular sense and she like one boy.” Miriam wiped the last of the tears off my cheeks.

“It’s always easier when the girl likes lots of boys. You see, she can’t say she has really been hurt if one boy doesn’t respond in similar fashion when she has lots of boys at the same time. But woe to the young girl who suddenly finds herself liking one boy when she realizes there is a difference between girls and boys. You see, she only has one boy she likes. If he is a good boy, then she will find she has gone into rough seas as she struggles to balance her hormones with her latest interest. If it is a bad boy, she will find she has gone into shark infested waters as she tries to figure out the emotions as she changes from a young girl to a young woman.” Miriam sat up on the edge of the bed as I turned her loose.

“Sounds to me like a young woman has found one boy. Am I right?” She was looking at me waiting for an answer.

“No…, I mean, it’s not like that. I mean…,”

“Is he nice?” Miriam smiled.

“Yes, he’s awfully nice.” How do I go about explaining this?

“And did he drive you home this evening?”

“Yes.”

“Is he one of Elliot’s friends?”

“Yes.”

“Judy said you danced most of the night with Tug Bagget at the dance. Am I getting warm?”

I blushed as I nodded yes.

“I’ve met young Mr. Bagget. I know his parents. Ellen and Ripley are some of the nicest people you will ever met. Did our young gentleman want more from you than just a kiss this evening?” Miriam was trying to figure out where the evening had gone wrong.

“No…, it wasn’t that. We went to the movies…, Elliot, Judy, and me, and Tug. When the movie was over Tug was walking me out of the theater and there were these kids who started…, They were more than rude and one of them grabbed me and…”

“One of them grabbed you? And you were with Tug? I don’t have to imagine what happened next. How bad did he hurt the kid?” Her smile had disappeared.

“I don’t know. It was all over so quickly. Tug kept on walking like nothing happened.” I was trying to explain without telling everything and why it frightened me so.

“So Tug defended your honor. Do you like him, Barbara?”

I looked down at my feet, I looked across the room, I looked everywhere, hoping she would let that question go unanswered. “Yes.”

Miriam looked at her watch. “Sometimes life gets so complicated doesn’t it. We plan so carefully and think we have all the problems taken care of before we ever start the game. Then we are handed a double dose of gotcha. We find ourselves deep in our own stew, wondering what went wrong.”

I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Okay young lady, it is too late to be going out again. I'll tell you what. You take a bath, slip into a nightgown, and come into the den to watch a movie with Bill and me.” She stood up and motioned for me to get up off the bed.

Slowly I rose up off the bed. There was no way on God’s little green earth I was going to undress with Judy’s mom in the room.

She motioned for me to turn around. I did. She unhooked my dress and unzipped the zipper.

I was ready to panic when I heard the door close to the bedroom. I found a robe and a nightgown before I slipped off the dress and hung it up. The slip was next and I was back in the robe a second after I was out of the slip, in case Miriam walked back into the room. I lost the heels and the panties and pantyhose next. I put them away so Miriam wouldn’t see them and wonder why a young girl needed padded panties. I headed for the bathroom down the hall for that much needed bath.

Miriam walked back down to the den and picked up the phone. Bill looked up as she was dialing. “What are you doing?”

“Crisis management. Hello, Judy, Barbara came in a few minutes ago. She was crying her heart out.”

Miriam shook her head. “No, she is fine now. She is going to watch a movie with your dad and me here at home. I wanted you and Elliot to know where she was and she is okay.”

“She’s fine for now.” Miriam hung up the phone and then made a second phone call.

“Sherry, this is Miriam. I had a very upset young girl crying her heart out in my bedroom a few minutes ago. It seems she has found a boyfriend.” Miriam listened for a few seconds. “No, not in that respect. They aren’t intimate. It’s Tug Bagget, one of Elliot’s football teammates.”

She listened for a few minutes. “No I don’t think it would be wise to call it off now. Elliot and Judy are right. Barbara is a young lady trying to figure out life from the female side of life. She happened to run straight into the boy girl relationship a whole lot sooner than anyone planned.”

“I called to let you know how the day went. We need to get together with Judy and Elliot to see how to proceed with Mr. Bagget. Barbara was crying because she didn’t want to hurt him. Sherry, your daughter has found love for the first time in her life.”

Miriam listened for a few minutes. “Okay, I know you would like to be there for her but this isn’t a normal situation. I’ll make sure she stays safe. I’m positive Judy and Elliot wouldn’t let her do anything foolish. I know Tug, he comes from a good home. I don’t know how he would react to knowing who Barbara is but I know he wouldn’t hurt her. Okay Sherry. I’ll stay in touch.”

Bill looked up at his wife. “Movie? Honey, I need to finish up these invoices and we have to plan on what we want to look for at that trade show in a couple days, and…”

Miriam shook her head. “It will wait. You and I are going to watch a movie with a very confused young lady who suddenly found out boys are boys and girls are girls and they aren’t the same thing.”

Bill sighed as he closed down his laptop before putting papers back into his briefcase. “I learned a long time ago to not argue with you when you have your mind set on something. I hope it’s a good action film.”

Miriam walked over to a closet beside the entertainment center. “No, it is going to be a real romance movie. Let’s see…, Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn will be a good choice.”

Bill shook his head. “I don’t mind his acting but I never did understand why any guy would name himself Carrie.”

“Sssssssush, make sure you give Barbara the support she needs to handle the emotional flood she is feeling. She needs someone who cares about her without the boy girl mix stirring her emotions.” Miriam slipped a disk into the player.

“Come here and snuggle. I need some emotional support.” Bill patted the couch seat beside him.

Miriam walked back over with a remote in her hand, dropped onto the couch beside her husband, kicked off her shoes, leaned over in his arms, and pulled her legs upon the couch.

Bill put his arm around his wife and pulled her into his side as he leaned over to smell her hair. “I forget every now and then how beautiful you are. I think the reason God made girls is to remind us guys there are other things besides working. Thanks for reminding me. I love you.”

Miriam looked up at her husband as she reached up and put her right hand around the back of his head. “I love you.” She gently pulled his head down and kissed him.

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