We are back to school from our winter/holiday break, and I am back working on my projects in Art and Family Life along with my other classes. My grades for the first semester of school were better than usual which please both my Mom and my step-father. The fact I was able to buy holiday gifts on my own was another pleasant surprise for them.

I cut out the patterns of different pieces of my gown and was getting ready to pin it to fabric and begin cutting out the pieces. I was happy as each new step made me all the more certain that I would be granted the exception needed. What I did not anticipate was Ms. Andrea Miller calling my mother.

“Hello, is this Mrs. Michele Stevens-Johnson? I am calling about your son Andrew being in my Family Life class. He’s ready to begin cutting out pieces for his gown, and I'm extra sensitive about a boy trying on his dress during the process to make sure it fits properly. I don’t have a person to help me watch over him. You know we need to be careful that nothing inappropriate would happen.”

She continued, “Oh, I thought you knew that the prom dress was for him. And he’s supposed to model it at the Spring Arts Spectacular… I was told your daughter Heidi, a senior, will also have artwork in the show. Andrew had assured me you knew what he was doing and watched over him when he worked on it at home.” …Ms. Miller realized things were not as I indicated, “Yes Mrs. Stevens, it would be good if you could come in and we could all get a clear understanding of things pertaining to your son and his project… I will be here until four o’clock and could stay a little later if that would help you at work… Good, I will plan to see you at 3:30 pm here at the school.”

Andrea Miller told Andrew he needed to meet with her after school but only said, “It’s to go over the details of your prom gown. We need to make sure of everything before you pin and cut all the rest of your fabric pieces for the gown.”

She paused and asked, “Andrew are you sure that this has been approved by Mr. Murphy?”

Andrew replied, “He hasn’t said he has any problem with it.”

She said, “That’s good but usually his students need to model their design for the Spring Art Show. Are you doing that or has he made an exception?”

Andrew said, “Ms. Miller, I have identified three girls who could model it for me; I already asked two of them. They said they’d have to see the gown before they would say yes.” Andy continued jokingly, “There is no way I could fit into the gown.”

Ms. Miller surprised him, “You’re joking, but you know full well that this gown could fit you nicely.”

Andrew’s eyes popped wide open. He thought back to Linda describing who he was to design the gown for. He had thought Linda’s description could easily fit a dozen or more girls. It never dawned on him that she described a girl his size; not that it was something that could fit him. That was not quite true, he knew his sisters, Heidi wore a size four and Leah had as well. Though that might have changed since she went to college. He could barely squeeze into anything of theirs that didn’t stretch.

“Ms. Miller, I honestly never thought of it like that. I just didn’t like the boring outfits guys wear.”

Ms. Miller said, “Both Tera and Linda told me that they warned you that Mr. Murphy doesn’t make exceptions for his assignments.”

He said, “But Ms. Miller, I have attention deficit issues and I didn’t hear that part of the assignment.”

Ms. Miller said, “I need to work with the class, you and I can talk more after school.” It was the first time Andrew really worried about the fashion project for art. But he assured himself that he’d wiggle out of this as he had for so many other things.

Andrew did not have Art today but he did see Sarah from the class when he went to the library. He quietly went over to her and asked, “Sarah, remember when Linda described the person I should design my gown for? Do you know if she was describing anyone in particular? Sarah looks over to Sandra who was sitting with her and then to me.

She asked, “Do you really want me to tell you here and now?” I’m not a good one for waiting and I was sure it had to be for another girl. I nodded my head yes. Sarah smiles as she says, “She described a girl about your size, as she was suspecting it was for you. It was also something that could be altered for a lot of other girls. We thought you knew that.”

Sandra looked up to me, “So is it really for you?”

I step back, “Do I really look like a girl?”

Sandra said, “You’re working at a women’s store, designing a prom dress in your size. We thought so you could wear it. Doing up your hair and using makeup that you could look like a girl was not out of the question.” She said, “Terra would even be willing to help you in doing so. I’m available as I believe most of the girls are.”

The librarians insist I be quiet and get back to what I came for. I got my reference material for history but had trouble focusing on the subject.

We got out of school shortly after 3:00, but it was 3:20 when I walked into Ms. Miller’s room and saw my mother talking to her. I was thinking of walking out when I was seen. My Mom said, “Andrew, when did you realize your outfit was something you were be wearing?”

Hurriedly I said, “Mom when I realized I didn’t hear all the instructions it was the week we came back from winter break.”

Mom said, “Out with the truth! You knew earlier than that didn’t you?”

“Mom it was the week before the holiday break.”

Mom said, “That was when you went with Caroline Druthers to order the material. Why were you in a hurry to order it? I’m guessing that was to commit yourself to this project. So when did the girls in your class inform you that your project had to be for you.”

Andrew said, “It came up in November, but Mr. Murphy never said anything even when he saw I was designing a prom gown. He was the one who said I needed to reserve a mannequin with Ms. Miller. Yes, I thought if I made the pattern and bought the material that would be enough to justify my making a gown.” I caught my breath, “Mom did Ms. Miller show you the gown I designed? Isn’t it beautiful? It is a lot better and with more details than a guy’s dumb bland outfit of pants, a jacket, and a shirt?”

Mom agreed, “Yes Andy, it is beautiful as are the colors and fabrics you’ve chosen for it. But that doesn’t change what Mr. Murphy asked of you and the others did it? We will talk to Mr. Murphy and your counselor, but Ms. Miller tells me I better not promise the results you want.”

Andrew wines, “Mom, you’re going to help me, aren’t you? You know I have problems getting all the instructions at times. My following through should be worth something? You know I’m doing really well for me.”

She says, “Yes, I plan to help you, but you also know you had plenty of time to correct things. I guess I have not done a good job of raising you with a sense of responsibility. I probably have bailed you out too often. You might have a problem with your stepfather as well as with the school and me. I suggest you get to work and we’ll talk after you’re home.”

Today I only had to work from 4:00 to 7:30 pm. It was hard at first to focus on my work. Once I was putting up a new display of spring clothes I was happy again. The clothes I was putting out reminded me of the colors I had chosen for the prom gown. The store has plenty of beautiful gowns for weddings, proms other special occasions. Carrie spoke to me, “You had trouble focusing on your work, but it appears the new clothes brought you out of your stupor. If I didn’t know it, I’d think you’re just another girl working here.”

“Naw Ms. Carrie, I hope you don’t really think that.”

“Drew, I meant it as a compliment, not to upset you. Did something go wrong today?”

Andrew, “I hope not Ms. Druthers, but others are saying that the gown I’ve designed was something I was supposed to wear.”

She says, “I know that's what Mr. Murphy usually required, but I assumed you had received an exception or maybe you were different.”

I’m more than a little irritated when I speak, “Carrie, you don’t think I’m like that do you?”

She says, “I hadn’t thought much about it, as either way I would support you. I have no problem thinking a healthy male can enjoy working here as you do. You’ve seen other men in here buying women’s clothes.”

“They were different like some people seem to be indicating now.”

Carrie says, “You’re right the vast majority were buying clothes for others.”

I hesitate, why did she say, the ‘vast majority’. I try to think of the men who had shopped here. “I didn’t remember seeing any men buying for themselves. You’re just teasing me aren’t you?”

Carrie said, “Drew, I am not teasing you. Neither do I want you wasting time trying to guess. If there’s a man buying for himself or a friend. That’s not your business who it is for. I’ve helped such people and they’re welcome here. I would have you stop working here if you can’t handle that. Do you understand me?”

I stopped on my way home several times, delaying my getting home from work. When I got home I just wanted to eat and get off to my room. Mom, however, waited until I sat down to eat before she and Dan, my step-father, came and sat with me. Dan was the first to speak, “Andy, I want you to know you’re not in big trouble. I won’t get angry or do anything to hurt you. But we have a problem and we need to decide what we’re going to do about it. If it were my son Michael, I’d be asking for your Mom’s help too, as she asked me to be here now.”

Mom asked, “Are there really two girls who are waiting to see what the gown looks like before they decide one way or another?”

I mention Michael’s cousins Jan and Shelby who are close to my size. But I still need to talk to them or someone else. Mom said, “Andrew, you haven’t asked them, have you? You Mentioned to Ms. Miller about Jan Johnson but there’s a problem. She is in your grade so neither of you could invite the other to prom. Shelby might be a junior, but somehow I don’t think you’ve asked her.”

I say, “I’m sorry Mom, I will call around tonight. I’ll even call Terra and Linda maybe they can suggest some girls I can call tonight or tomorrow.”

She said, “It is soon going to be too late to call someone you don’t even know.”

Dad Johnson asks, “Andrew, Mr. Murphy’s fairly well known to be hard-nosed about these things. If he weren’t so good, he’d have been gone before this. I know in the past he wouldn’t change for people more influential than me in this school district. The best chance would be to keep after the Principal and the School Board members to approve some kind of an exemption. We can hope Mr. Murphy will cooperate, but that might take a minor miracle.”

“Dad, you have to help me. I really would appreciate your help.”

Dad asks, “What if they’d request for you to at least model it for the Art Show as a boy, are you willing?”

“No Dad, Terra, and Linda both say if it is not modeled well, he would fail me anyway. Since he’s given me a B for the first semester he’d fail me in this one or require me to officially drop the class for both semesters. My grade in Family life could also suffer. Each course is actually two credits each semester. Do you know what that would do to my grade point average?”

Heidi came into the kitchen where I’m eating and we’re visiting. “Tell me, little brother, what I hear isn’t true.”

Mom hears only a part and asked, “Is what true?”

“I hear he knew something and did contrary to what Mr. Murphy said. I heard the guy's a real stickler as a teacher. So did you, brother!”

I say, “I didn’t hear all the directions. You know I have a problem with that.”

Heidi's smile was more like laughing, “You know darn well that between September going into February you had plenty of time to figure it out. I seriously hope you get out of this. I don’t want my brother modeling a gown he’s sewn together at the mall.”

Defending myself, “Sis, the dress is going to turn out beautiful, Mom even saw the design and material today. Hey, how about you modeling it for us?”

Heidi said, “No way! This prom is my senior prom, do not get any thought that you'll make it into a circus. I’m not modeling it for my brother. And there is no way bro’ would I ever want you at the prom dressed as a girl. I would be the laughing stock of the school. My senior year and my last prom, it is to be special!"

I said, “I was not asking to pressure you, it’s just that I think my sister is so pretty. Sor…rrry!”

Mom took me aside, “Young man, you were expecting too much of others. Again you’re playing your games.” Andrew doesn’t answer. Finally, she asks, “Andrew why did you set yourself up like this?”

“Mom, between designing the gown and working with customers at the store. I liked what I’ve done and I didn’t want to stop. Is that a big crime?”

Mom smirks, “It’s not a crime but you’ve gotten yourself in a very dicey spot. This might be the time things catch up to you. I guess we knew it would happen sooner or later.”

Mr. Murphy’s first reply to consider an exception came quickly and was a definite “No!” Principal Valarie Hayes said we needed to be patient, formally write out our request for Mr. Murphy and then meet with him again. Seemingly Mr. Murphy has been through all this before and he knows the school’s procedure. He will not be happy with me for putting him through it again. Murphy calmly put things off as long as he could, heard our request without really listening to it. His response was a simple, “No, it was explained clearly. You had plenty of time to ask if you had not. You can change your project or you can wear what has designed as requested. I would not want to set a precedent over this.”

So far this semester I have done a wood carving, a watercolor picture, and some community street art. We are now painting a nude woman. Everything is always along with working on our fashion projects. My mother was upset over my sketching the nude woman but she was simply told it was for advanced art students. Reminding her that it was me who requested to be in the class and my parents who signed for the request of the exception to

be in the class.

The seniors, Terra, Linda, and Sarah were the only three students to have a frontal view, Jennifer, Carla, and I viewed the nude woman more from the side. We were given the opportunity to sketch her on Tuesday and to refine our sketch on Thursday and then begin painting our pictures on Thursday.

Mr. Murphy complained that I was the only one so immature that my body responded to viewing the female model. Terra told me later, Mr. Murphy, either did not notice or was uncomfortable acknowledging that both she and Jennifer had physically responded to seeing Jane Doe’s lavish body.

I was following through in making my prom gown as I was unwilling to give in to Mr. Murphy. I cannot believe the school would force me to go through with modeling it or wearing it to the prom.

Leah’s home and she asks to visit with me alone during spring break. “Andrew, what will you do if some junior or senior student asks you to the prom?”

I say, “I am sure no one will. It is way too expensive and important for anyone to waste their money and time at the prom with me. Heidi and some of her friends have already made it clear they do not want their prom to be a joke. Plus Mom and dad will not allow me to ruin it for others.”

Leah smiles, “True, Mom won’t let you hurt Heidi’s experience or the others. But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t allow you to go dressed in your prom dress. She’d just make sure you presented yourself well. Even if it was just for a half-hour.” She said, “You better think about what you would do about going with someone to the prom. Mr. Murphy might even encourage someone to ask you.”

My stepdad has continued to put pressure on school board members. He’s taken an unofficial survey of teachers. It favors me being able to use another model for the gown I’ve designed. Several of his friends also called the Principal and Board Members.

More recently I painted a wall mural of the Millennium Falcon coming out of warp drive, with background stars in blurs of light as its joining other attack aircraft. Even Mr. Murphy was impressed and gave me an A grade. I also painted a large picture for the side of an old building downtown. It was a montage of a forest with old and new cartoon characters, i.e. Bugs Bunny leaning next to a tree with Elmer Fudd looking down a rabbit hole; Simba and Nala as young lion cubs; the skunk with Bambi nose to nose. Upon the hill were Olaf, Anna, and Elsa. The small house with Snow White and the seven dwarfs dancing outside. The mural was appreciated, but copyright permission to paint it was cited for its low score. Mr. Murphy said it would be impossible or too costly to replicate for public viewing.

Push, come to shove, the Spring Art Spectacular was a week away and Mr. Murphy wouldn’t change, and the School Board continued to be reluctant to overrule one of their teachers. But no one was officially saying ‘No’.

Finally, the day came and I had set out seven pieces of my artwork, but all that was extra, though important. The gown and modeling it was essential for a good grade. Sharon Drew was named as my model. And Mr. Murphy insisted he was set to fail me if I used her. Andrea Miller, my home economics teacher had already given me an A on the gown.

I was to sit with my parents for the fashion show, but I excused myself to the boys’ room after I set things up for my other projects.

The fashion show was starting. The first to go was Jennifer in an evening dress. That dress went very well with her petite frame. Linda was next, her pastel yellow gown changing to a peach skirt was very nice, though better on the drawing table. It would only earn her a B grade. Her wire sculpture and pastel chalk drawing each won blue ribbons. There are no less than twelve students from Mrs. Miller’s classes, other than us in the Advanced Art class, that were modeling their fashions. Mr. Murphy watched me come from behind the stage to make my way to my chair. And I’m told he was fuming.

Clara was next and her slender silver gown had both the bling and fine lines of a beautiful gown. Sarah’s blue gown was likely to take away from my gown especially since she had the curves to fill out her gown. But next was Terra and her red gown that for me was the one to steal the show. It had beautiful lines like Clara’s. It was eloquent in showing off how beautiful Terra is. It was daring in how far it went, but she rightly felt it was in good taste. It had gold edging that showed well in the light. Terra once down the runway waited for the lights to be dimmed and a spotlight to show how the gold trim showed off her gown.

Sharon was to wear a fancy wig curled and fixed especially for the show. It would make it hard for Mr. Murphy to recognize her with any certainty. I for one was especially pleased with the gown. My Mom had helped in putting it on and making sure everything was just right. She even presented a corsage to be worn with the gown as on prom night. The model was over halfway down the runway when Mr. Murphy used a few broad red strokes to fill my sheet with an F. There would be tension as the crowd applauded loudly, seemingly appreciating the gown. Most not knowing about the clash between Mr. Murphy and me. Principal Hayes even began to clap before she caught herself.

My gown was to be the last of the show, so as not to take away from others. My step-dad soon confronted Mr. Murphy about my prom gown and the grade he was giving me.

Mr. Murphy said, “They disguised Sharon well as the model but I was not fooled. If your son wore it to the prom, I would consider giving him a passing grade.” He said so believing I would fail to do that as well, “The failing grade will remain and the best Andrew might get is a D for the two semesters. That is final and I really do not care to hear any more about it. I too have my supporters and I am a tenured teacher.”

My Mom spoke up, “But you have not commented on the design nor the actual dress? I believe Drew did a fantastic job and put in enough hours and talent at least to warrant your comments.”

She paused and as I walked over, Mom said, “Let me introduce Andrea and you can explain to her, your failing grade for her.”

Mr. Murphy started to speak, “I did not fail her, she did a very nice job of modeling the gown, but it was…” It was then Mr. Murphy started to turn red. We weren’t sure if it was anger or embarrassment. I was actually modeling my own gown. Sharon had become my decoy in sitting with my family.

I enjoyed, both modeling the gown surprising everyone with the exception of my Mom and classmates knew. We also knew something others did not…

To be continued…