Finally, it will be a normal weekend for me. This weekend Jenn will be out most of the time helping in a respite program for single parents and Jenn won't have her boyfriend from Chicago. Even when she’s to be home she expects to be with some of her other friends. Needless to say, she has not only Mom’s complete blessing but mine as well. While Jenn isn’t working Friday and Saturday night, we both expect her to be somewhere else with her friends.

Friday at Summer School, Miss Robbins asks what I will be doing this weekend. I happily say I will be paling around with Nick and Hank. I hadn’t known yet both were grounded for the trouble they’d gotten into.

Roy’s gone to a car rally with friends; working in his shop is out, as it had it locked up.

So Friday afternoon, after I find out about Nick and Hank, I cut the grass in the front yard as well as trim the bushes. I am in the house to get a drink when the phone rings and Sandy’s calling. “Hi Sandy, Jenn is working with the Briars' Respite Camp program?”

“That’s fine because I am calling for you, Coach just called me and she wants me ready to pitch this weekend. Since you were a catcher, I'm hoping you could help me get ready. I thought you might wear those bibbed shorts you have with our team shirt.”

“Why don’t I just come as I am or you can come and we’ll throw out back?” I ask.

“Coach is going to let you sit the bench if you’re one of the girls.” Sandy says, “Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?”

“No. It would take me thirty minutes to shower and change. I'd rather be myself.”

“Cami with the bibbed shorts and enough makeup to be her. You have twenty, be ready when I beep the horn!” and she hangs up.

I’m still upset about not making the cut on the boys’ baseball team and this is the first chance to play this spring, make that summer. I’m not even registered for any of the summer leagues. Now here I am asked to be catching for Sandy. Sitting on the girls’ bench would be a new experience. I am afraid I will feel like a bit of a sissy, or worse feminine among the girls in the dugout. Coach thinks I'm Jenn's cousin Cami and says to me, “If you travel with the team tomorrow, pitch the earrings until after the last game, please. Oh and thanks for helping Cami. Ms. Robbins said you’re a cousin to Jenn who's up in eleventh grade and a friend of Sandy’s.”

My ponytail’s not feminine enough for Jodi, another player, so she brushes it out and puts it through the hole in my cap. Catching practice for Sandy and being on the bench is neat. Most of the girls, who have never have talked to me, are talking with Cami. They thank me for helping out and compliment how well I catch.

From the third inning on Sandy needs to be warmed up as Bridgette is struggling. Finally, come the fifth inning Sandy needs to pitch as the other team ties the score. Sandy’s not the most powerful, but she has great control, spotting the ball high or low, on the inside or outside and she has a slow pitch that drives their power hitters crazy. Her three innings are scoreless and the team is able to come back for the win.

This time I am invited to go out with them after the game and sit at the team table. I'm pulled into the girl’s room by Jodi and another girl I hardly knew. They change out of their uniforms. They have me hold their change of clothes so they don't touch the floor. It is an eye-opener to say the least. Sandy came into the girl’s room as they finish changing and just giggles at my predicament.

Sandy takes me with her after the game to her home and has me shower and change into a different outfit for the night. We have popcorn and watch TV for a while. It is a nice change to be a casual friend with a girl like I am one of them. As we watch TV Sandy redoes my make-up and then has me do hers. She’s a blonde with a lighter complexion. I am surprised how much that changes the use and look of makeup.

She has light hazel eyes that I think are hypnotizing. Since she has a game tomorrow they have a curfew tonight and the coach will call around to do a bed check. Sandy thanks for my help, asks if I like the outfit I have on, which I do. Then she says, "If you like it it's yours. Without thinking I get giddy and give her a kiss, but it’s like one girl thanking another. Her Dad drives me home.

My Sis is upset when she sees me come in dressed as Cami again. “Get out of those clothes and that is the last of it, do you hear?”

“Jenn, it wasn’t my idea.” I shower again and change back with no problem until I try to go to sleep. I was restless and up walking numerous times. I had a fitful night that included a nightmare of being caught by my Mom dressed as Cami and Mom spanks me like a little girl.

Come Saturday morning there is a note and $5 from Jenn to do the laundry. The five dollars always means there are more girl clothes than I will appreciate. Today’s wash includes a bunch of delicates that take more time to do properly. It is, however, good money for the nineteen sixties.

Today, the wash makes me more anxious than usual. It finally hits me as too much, when I go to put Jenn’s clothes away. I find myself staring at Jenn’s clothes in the closet thinking what I would be like to wear different dresses or outfits. In the back of my head I hear, “Stay out of those clothes and that is the last of it! So you hear?” I heard it loud and clear and even looked around to make sure it was just me thinking.

I have a selection of discard clothes, kept for emergencies and eventually to go to Goodwill. I wonder if Jenn has the same, so I look and strike gold. There they are last year’s summer clothes. I wait until I baited myself to wear some to cut the back lawn. With Jenn’s hat and sunglasses, no one would know it’s not her. Besides back there no one should see me.

I eat lunch and set out to cut the lawn. Mr. Hunt calls me from the over the fence, his wife has baked us a pie since our mom’s away. I did my best Jenn voice and seemingly got by. I am very thankful it isn’t Mrs. Kenny on the other side as her sight is better and she was more likely to have recognized me. The UPS carrier comes around back as he needs a package signed for and had heard the lawn mower. When I am all done I need a good shower. So if I used Mom’s soap what harm would it be?

I am barely out of the shower drying when the doorbell rings; it is Tricia for our school project, which I had forgotten about. I yell to answer through the door telling her, “Tricia count to five before opening; I need to run to my room and get dressed.” I am only at two when I hear the door open. Tricia giggles saying, “I guess I started counting too early.”

I finish drying off and brush out my hair till it begins to dry. When I got to my room I find a light-weight summer dress out on my bed. I decide not to say anything when I went out to Tricia.

Tricia and I went to the library and look through old newspapers and magazines for our report. We gathered anything that supports our report. President Eisenhower was a moderate man and had shown a breath of character, but Vice-President Nixon the Republican nominee in 1960 had already been labeled the ugly-American by the press in South America.

When we get back to my house I'm frustrated that Tricia still hadn’t mentioned the outfit in my room and I had finally worked up the courage to ask her about the dress. “Tricia, I think you know something about me but are not talking to me about it. I need to ask about what you left in my bedroom, it's kind of embarrassing.”

Tricia says, “I won’t say anything until you show it to me and tell me if you like it. But you might want to check a message on the front door first. It’s marked for you from someone Sandy.” I go and read the message just in time before I said too much.

Tricia is now coming out of my room. “O my Hal, or is it, Haley? No, I see the name is Cami.” When I look up Tricia has the dress off of its hanger and unzipped in the back. “I would like to see how you look in this with makeup.”

Tricia lifts my hand in hers and she has me tag along behind her back into my room. With a cheerful voice, Tricia says, “It is a pretty dress Cami, let’s just try it on.” I look at the sundress and instead of protesting, I try to figure out what would be appropriate to wear with it. I get out a pretty pair of panties, a bra and pantyhose accordingly; Tricia is intrigued that Hal knows what he's doing.

She says, “Just turn around to change you only have one part I haven’t seen.” I hesitate and only say, “But…” before I hear, “I said to change.” When I am ready to put on my bra, she changes the straps for a halter top. She has seen the style of the sundress. And when I step into the sundress she zips it up and hooks it in the back. She has to adjust the straps for the halter style a little more so they don't show.

I simply and humbly say thanks. When I turn around she lifts my head with her finger at my chin and smiles. “I guess this explains a few things. We need to do some makeup and brush your hair to finish the transformation. But I can see you make a pretty girl.”

“Why don’t you call Sandy, whoever she is, tell her that you have on the dress. Then ask her to come over make sure it looks right,” Tricia tells me. “Do you have some pretty shoes to go with it?” she asks as I call Sandy.

Sandy answers her phone, “We found the dress and I have it on, would you like to come over and see it. …Is it for something I don’t know about?” All Sandy will say is she would be right over.

Sandy says, “I don’t want to push you or cause any trouble. I hope it won’t cause you to be in trouble with your sister.”

She hangs up before I can answer.

Tricia asks, “Why don’t you start your makeup and I’ll do your hair.” Tricia is done with my hair and has found my earrings and necklace. She finishes my eyes as I put on my lipstick.

She takes my hand and we walk out to the living room and wait for Sandy. “So how long have you been doing this,” she asks to keep the conversation going and find out as much as possible. It never dawns on me to refuse a question. I relax for the most part, yet expect something bad to happen.

Sandy pulls into the driveway and Tricia opens the door as I stand back from the door. Sandy comes in with a smile having seen me there, and then she looks to see who opened the door. “What happened, you didn’t tell me that Tricia knew?”

“I didn’t tell her, it has been a comedy of errors; I thought she was the one who left the dress on my bed.” Sandy and Tricia giggle and couldn’t stop. “It’s not funny; I didn’t want to do it.”

Tricia abruptly says, “What was it that you didn’t want to do?”

“I didn’t want to put the dress on or call Sandy,” was my defensive reply.

“I didn’t force you, I just found the dress and asked you to put it on,” Tricia remarks. “I was surprised you didn’t protest, and you simply put it on along with a nice pair of panties, the bra, and everything.”

“That might be, but I was sure if I protested I would end up doing it under threats."

Sandy, “Cami, I didn’t want to get you in trouble, but my folks are very thankful for Cami's encouragement and want to take you to dinner, so I dropped off the dress.”

“‘Cami’, is a pretty name,” Tricia states questionably, “where did that come from?” After I explained, Tricia asks me to pose for a silhouette picture in front of our large picture window. She and Sandy take the pictures, there is a place that could develop and miniaturize the pictures. First, they shrink it down to fit a 5x7 photo and then miniaturized it to locket size.

We now fixed their makeup and hair and take similar pictures for both of them. Sandy takes us to the shopping center and we each purchase locket necklaces for our photos. Fitting Sandy’s photo and the locket is easy enough; we take it to see her mother’ reaction. Mrs. Johnston is tickled when Sandy gives her the locket.

Mrs. Johnston recognized the dress and thanks me, “Cami, thanks for helping our daughter.” I am invited to stay until we were to go to dinner. Sandy and I take Tricia home and go to get my purse from my house.

Jenn is now home and is surprised and upset to see us come into the house. She angrily asked what happened. Sandy fixed Jenn’s hair and makeup and we take her picture in front of the picture window and then one of the two of us.

“This picture would be wonderful for both your Mom and your Grandma!” Sandy comments.

“One problem,” Jenn replies. “They only have one daughter and granddaughter.” Sandy takes us to the mall to get two more lockets anyway. “Come next Mother’s Day you can explain what happened and I am sure they will each treasure their lockets.” It sounds like a sweet idea.

Jenn is amused that the Johnstons are taking me out for dinner. She even acknowledges I am very pretty in the sundress. Sandy go to softball practice and I'm with the Johnstons waiting until Sandy is home and showered. Then we go to a nice restaurant for a late dinner. Near the end of the dinner, two teenage boys approach Mr. Johnston and asked permission for his daughters to dance with them.

I am embarrassed not only about dancing with a boy, but my dance partner becomes aroused during our first dance. When he pulled me closer, I blushed to the point I had to push him away and walk quickly to the Ladies room. Sandy was close behind me and once inside gave me a hug and apologized. Though she wasn’t at fault, she felt responsible for me. Sandy found a nice guy to dance with me. She said on the way home, “I didn’t want a horny boy to leave the biggest impression on you. I was happy when you allowed Max to give you a kiss.” Her mother laughed though quietly.

When I got home my sister is upset again that I acted so much like a girl. "Mom just called, and I started to say, 'Her little girl was out dancing' and I had to backtrack. Then I told her you were over Roy’s dancing with the brush as you two had a paint project that needed to be done.”

“Did Mom catch the first part?” I angrily ask.

“Mom doesn’t miss too much, you know that. She said, ‘She had an image pop into her head of you prancing around dancing with a brush.’ And then she giggled and said ‘I think Hal would have been a pretty girl.’”

“Mom didn’t really say that, did she?”

“You can be sure she did. Now you get ready for bed, but I want your homework done before you go to sleep. Do you hear me?” Jenn says, “And if you want to be Mom’s pretty little daughter I have a pair of teddies out for you.”

I get ready for bed which took over 30 minutes with makeup to be removed. Jenn has a pair of teddies as well as my regular pajamas out. I change into Jenn’s old teddies. Then I went and I did my homework. My sister checks on me once more before we go to sleep.

“Hal, how are you doing in Summer school?”

“I thought I would surprise you and Mom. So far I have gotten strong Bs and maybe even A’s in both classes.”

Jenn acknowledges, “That will be a nice surprise for Mom. Miss Robbins and Tricia both say the same thing, so what is going on? Miss Robbins even told me you should continue whatever you are doing.”

“The only thing that has changed is you and your friends having dressed me as Cami and got me a date with Sal. ...Does that mean I should continue one or both,” I inquire?

To be continued…