Most often people talk about being in the right place at the right time. Maybe they achieved a beautiful photo of a sunrise, or the antics of children or animals. Maybe they found something someone lost and received a big reward when it was returned. But how often do they talk about being in the wrong place at the right time? If they do, it’s often about the death of someone or maybe witnessing a crime. And if this is the case, they are sad or horrified. Walter Williams often is in the wrong place at the right time, though his reaction to the incidents he encounters is much different than anyone would expect. And, life-changing.

It was a shocked Peter who saw the fake shocked look on Tina’s face before she giggled and started unbuttoning her blouse. Peter was having problems, and not just concentrating on what Terry was saying to him. As Peter watched Tina, she’d stood up from the couch, let her blouse fall to the floor, and was now reaching behind her and in an instant, let her bra drop to the floor. She seductively walked over to him, took his hand, brought it to her left breast, and began guiding his fingers. Peter saw the pleasure erupt on Tina’s face, and heard the low moans she was eliciting. He heard a voice in his ear and realized Terry had been talking and was now asking him a question. Blushing, he told Terry, “Um...sis...I’ve an event developing here and missed everything you said.” For the next several minutes, all Peter heard was laughter from his sister. When Terry finally stopped laughing she asked, “Let me guess, you got your hand on one of Tina’s breasts. Right? And you can’t bring her to fruition and talk at the same time?” Tina could hear some of what Terry was saying, since Peter hadn’t kept the receiver to his ear. She watched as Peter blushed a deeper pink then said aloud, “Terry, you should see his face right now.” That set Terry off again, and Tina joined her. Then the two women heard Peter say, “I’ll get both of you for this.” Terry started laughing again, before telling her brother, “You aren’t going to be getting me, but I’ll bet you get Tina tonight.” Tina had a big smile on her face because of the teasing she and Terry were giving Peter. She leaned forward and kissed him before moving his hand to her right breast, guiding his fingers again, causing her to close her eyes and elicit the same moans as before.

Peter was having a very hard time concentrating on what Terry was saying again, and had to ask her, “Terry, why’d you...call?” His voice went up when he asked that question, because Tina had used her other hand to reach down and start messaging Peter. Terry laughed again when she heard how her brother asked that question, and had a good idea why. “Well, brother, I’ll make this quick then, since it seems you’re about to play hide and seek with Tina. Walter’s worried about school tomorrow, specifically the clothes she’ll be wearing.” When Peter heard this was about Walter, he pulled his hand back from Tina’s breast, reached down and stopped her hand’s pleasurable actions. He mouthed ‘Walter’ to Tina, when she’d given him a questioning look, then held the receiver so Tina could hear what Terry was saying.

With Tina listening, Peter said, “So she’s going to dress as a girl tomorrow, come out to everyone?” When Terry said, “Yes, but she’s scared how she’ll be received. She’s worried about those who might come after her, thinking all she’s doing is fake. That she’s nothing but a boy trying to be a girl. And Peter, I’m scared too.” Peter thought for a minute before reminding Terry, “Sweetheart, the school already knows Walter is developing breasts because of that accident, can it be any harder to believe those chemicals had affected her to the point of actually causing her gender to change? You have to remember, Terry. Most of those kinds grew up with Walter and watched as she experienced all of those incidents. And her reactions. I don’t think you realize how much they admire her for the courage it took to stand up in front of her science class and tell them what she was experiencing. Terry, tell her to be the girl she is, but not to go over the top. And I can guarantee you, and her, she will be well received. And if I’d guess here, she’ll tell her science class everything.” Tina couldn’t help herself after what she heard Peter say, and took her right hand and again started messaging Peter, then kissed him on the neck. Peter reached down with his free hand and pressed Tina’s hand harder into himself, before telling Terry, “Sis, Walter will be fine tomorrow. But you have to excuse me right now, I’ve a game of hide and seek to play.” He heard Terry erupt in laughter, before wishing her brother, and Tina, happy hunting.

Peter had no sooner hung up the phone then Tina had unbuttoned his pants, pulled down the zipper, and had her hand inside his underwear. He reciprocated and began walking them to his bedroom, all the while playing with Tina’s tongue with his own.

Terry was sitting at the kitchen table when Walter slowly walked in, sat down, put her arms on the table then plopped her head down on her arms, looking across the kitchen table. Terry didn’t say anything, since her daughter’s face told her everything she needed to know. Walter had made a decision, if one she didn’t like. Talking with one’s head on one’s arms can be terribly uncomfortable, it makes one’s head move up and down instead of just the jaw. But Walter managed it as she said, “Mom, I can’t see any way around it. I’m gonna have to look like a girl tomorrow and that means wearing a dress or skirt and blouse, and the correct shoes. But I think my hair might be a problem. It isn’t styled right, and it’s too late to get it styled. What do I do?” Terry calmly took a sip of her coffee, sat the cup down on the kitchen table, then told Walter, “I know owning up to how you’ll have to appear tomorrow wasn’t an easy thing for you to do. But as Thomas told you, and Peter’s been telling you, you WILL be okay. You’ll make it through this like you’ve always done. As to your hair, I agree, it does need styled. And it is too late for that tonight. But maybe in the morning we might fiddle with it to make it look a bit better, and I’ll be sure to get you an appointment tomorrow for after school. Now, how about we go up and see what would look good for school tomorrow?” Walter didn’t move, as Terry started to get up from her chair. She sat back down and gave Walter a questioning look. “Um...I already picked out something, along with everything else needed. Um...maybe you can look at all of it and see if it’s okay?”

Walter lifted her head, looked at her mom and burst into tears. Terry got up out of the kitchen chair, walked around the kitchen table, and gathered up her daughter and held her until her crying had eased. As she held Walter she felt helpless, unable to do anything more than be there for her daughter. This was another encounter Walter would have to face, but was unlike any of the ones before. She had seen Walter do things and go places most kids wouldn’t think of. And each time, if it somehow turned against him, he got up, took his lumps, and continued on. Unfortunately, this time Walter was going someplace and doing something few boys would ever consider for a variety of reasons, simply because she had no choice. It had been forced on her. And she was scared, more scared than she’d ever been. And Terry knew it. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go see what you’ve picked out for tomorrow.” Terry felt Walter nod her head in response to what Terry said, and while holding each other, they went up to Walter’s bedroom.

When they walked into Walter’s bedroom, Terry expected to see some bizarre combination of clothes waiting to assault her eyes. Instead, she saw the light yellow dress they’d purchased at the mall lying on Walter’s bed. When Walter tried it on at the mall, it was a couple inches above her knees. The sleeves were puffy without being obscenely puffy, and it had a nice modest neckline. Terry did worry, though, because it zipped in the back, something Walter had had trouble with at the time. Next to the dress was a white slip a bit shorter than the dress. Next to that was a matching white bra and panties, and a pair of white knee high socks. And sitting on the floor was a pair of cream colored kitten heel shoes.

Terry could feel Walter shaking, and she knew why. She was worried the combination of clothes she’d chosen were all wrong. Terry pulled Walter in tighter to her and told her daughter, “You have a good eye for what works together. I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’re going to look really cute tomorrow. Just remember what I told you about how to sit when wearing a dress, okay. Most of those boys are going to get way overly excited when they see you, no sense giving them any more to look at.” Walter chuckled at the way her mom told her not to flash any of the boys while she was sitting down. “I remember, mom. I just hope those but...um...morons don’t start making trouble.” Terry laughed at Walter’s change of words. “Honey, everyone has a butthole. But not everyone is a moron.” Terry’s use of the word Walter edited caused the desired effect, Walter burst out laughing. And so did Terry.

“Honey, would you please turn on your computer for me? I want to show you something,” Terry asked, having come up with a quick hairstyle that might work for tomorrow. After Walter had turned up her laptop, Terry did a search and found pictures she could use to show Walter what she had in mind. “Now, we won’t have much time in the morning, and you’ll have to get up earlier than before, but if we try this simple style,” and Terry showed Walter a Half Up Half Down style, where hair on both sides of her head were brought back and over the top of the rest of her hair, then lightly twisted and held together in the center with a hair clip. The rest of the length then falls straight down over the top of the hair in the back. “And I have just the clip that might work, give me a minute,” Terry told Walter as she left Walter’s bedroom and returned a minute later with a brush, comb, and the hair clip. She went over to Walter’s desk, pulled out the chair and had Walter sit there so she could work on Walter’s hair.

After brushing Walter’s hair for a few minutes, Terry then gathered up hair from the sides, lightly twisted each group, then pinned the two groups together with the hair clip she had brought from her bedroom. She then used the comb and brush to play a bit more with Walter’s hair until she felt it looked right. When Terry said, “There, I think that’s got it,” Walter wanted to see how she looked, but Terry told her, “Put your dress on first.” When Walter gave her mom a funny look, Terry told her, “Get undressed, and get dressed in what you’re wearing to school tomorrow. Go on, you’ll see why in a moment.” When Walter got up out of the chair and turned to see herself in the mirror over her chest of drawers, Terry grabbed her and took her over to her bed and said, “Get dressed.” Terry then took a small blanket off Walter’s bed and covered the mirror about the chest of drawers, it was going to be too small anyway for Walter to really see herself.

As Terry watched, Walter was out of the clothes she was wearing and into the bra, panties, and slip in almost no time. Terry crossed her fingers, as Walter picked up the light yellow dress, unzipped the back zipper, stepped into it, putting her arms through the short sleeves, then reached behind her, and though had a bit of trouble, finally zipped up the zipper. She then sat down on her bed to put on the socks and shoes. When she was all dressed, Terry told her, “Okay, close your eyes and don’t open them, or peek, until I tell you to.” When Walter gave her mom another funny look, Terry said, “Go on, cover your eyes.” When Walter had covered her eyes, Terry took her hand and gently pulled her up until she was standing, then led Walter down the hall to her bedroom. Terry turned on the ceiling light before having Walter stop almost in front of the closet door. Terry said, “No peeking now,” and walked over and opened the closet door. When Terry had the door opened to the right angle, she told Walter, “Okay, you can open your eyes now.” Terry stood back and watched, as Walter just stared at her reflection in the full length mirror on the inside of the closet door. It took a bit but then Walter said, “Wow, you were right mom. I’m going to kill them tomorrow.” Terry watched as Walter turned first to the left then to the right. Then she turned so she could look over her shoulder. Then in typical Walter fashion, she said, “Ya know, mom, maybe it’d be a good idea if I carried a baseball bat with me tomorrow.” Terry came up behind her daughter, put her arms around her and said, “Ah, no. No baseball bat. But you do look absolutely gorgeous. You won’t need to use a bat on any of those boys. They’ll die of heart attacks from the shock of seeing how beautiful you are.” Both women laughed, before Terry told Walter it was late, and they’d better get her ready for bed.

Walter slept fairly well through the night, one nightmare waking her in the early morning hours. But thinking about how she looked in the mirror, helped her go back to sleep. Walter’s alarm went off at 6 a.m., and continued to buzz until Terry came into the room and shut it off. She then roughly shook Walter, telling her, “Hey, sleepyhead, time to get up. We got things to do before you go to school.” Walter was lying on her right side, and opened one eye to look at her mom, before she stuck her tongue out at her mom. She groaned, closed her eye and mumbled, “Okay, in a bit.” Terry had been expecting this and had planned it all out. She took hold of the edge of the coverings, and said, at the same time she pulled them clear down to the foot of the bed, “No...NOW.” Walter let out a screech as the covers were pulled out of the hand she’d been holding them with, now lying there in her nightie and feeling the chill in the room. “MOM, THAT’S DIRTY POOL,” Walter hollered, causing Terry to laugh.

Walter was now looking at her mom, as she still lay on the bed. Terry got right down into her face and told her, “All’s fair in love and getting my daughter up for school.” Terry was close enough to Walter and she moved her head to her mom’s face, lightly kissed her on the lips, then said, “You’re heartless.” Terry chuckled, kissed her back, then said, “Yeah, I know.” Walter’s arms reached out and went around Terry’s neck, and Terry did the same to Walter. Whispering in each other’s ears, Walter said, “Thanks for everything mom. I love you.” And Terry replied with, “You’re more than welcome, sweetheart. And I love you too. Now, get your robe on and let’s go get breakfast.” Terry felt Walter nod her head, let go of her daughter, and turned to leave Walter to herself as she went down to the kitchen to get breakfast started. A few moments later Terry heard the toilet flush, and shortly after Walter came walking into the kitchen. Walter saw her mom starting to fix scrambled eggs and bacon, so she got plates out of the cabinet, then silverware out of the drawer. She then got out the toaster and bread before getting butter and jam out of the fridge. When everything was about done Walter put four pieces of bread in the toaster and pulled the lever down on the toaster down. The toaster popped just as the scrambled eggs were ready, and the two women sat down to eat. And talk.

When they’d finished eating they quickly took care of the dishes, before heading upstairs to Walter’s bedroom; Terry wanted to help Walter get ready on her first day going to school as a girl. When Walter finished cleaning herself in the bathroom after breakfast, she then got dressed much as she had the night before, before Terry did her hair as they’d planned and applied a bit of mascara and lip gloss to Walter’s eyelashes and lips. Terry then told Walter to get her purse, as Terry left the room but came back a moment later carrying a few things. Walter watched as her mom sat a couple of panty liners and tampons on her bed, before going to the chest of drawers and taking out a pair of white panties. Walter gave her mom a questioning look before Terry told her, “Just in case of unexpected accidents or we figured wrong for your first period. Plus, another girl might ask you to help her out.” Terry had explained about using panty liners and tampons, and had helped Walter use both so she’d know how to use them. She then told Walter to put the mascara and lip gloss in her purse along with her wallet and school ID and a few tissues. It was now 7:45 a.m., time enough to relax a bit before Terry would drive her daughter to school. With backpack in hand, along with her purse, the two went downstairs and sat and talked a bit more before they left for school at eight.

As Terry drove to the high school, she kept glancing towards Walter, who had been quiet ever since they got into the car. She could see the worried look on Walter’s face, and the fear in her eyes. She took her right hand off the steering wheel, reached across and put her hand on Walter’s arm, telling her, “Honey, I know you’re scared and worried how you will be treated. But I think you’re going to find out there are more there who will support you, and look out for you, than you think. You’ve made quite an impression with a lot of people over the years. And they know you’re going through a rough time right now. Do as you’ve always done, laugh it off, get up and move on.” Walter lowered her head to look at the floor on the passenger side, then told her mom, “Yeah, I did do that as a boy. But I’m not a boy anymore, mom. And I don’t know how to do the same thing as a girl.”

They pulled into the school parking lot, and Terry stopped her car at the loading/unloading zone. She turned off the engine then turned to her daughter. “Walter,” she said, “boy or girl, it’s the same. Something happens to you, and you decide how to react. Before when something happened, you chose to laugh about it and then went on just as though nothing happened. Being a girl is no different, in deciding how to react to things that happen to you. Right now you’re feeling sorry for yourself because of what’s happened. And you’re scared. Okay, those are natural reactions, but you can push past those and not let them change you into a bitter person no one wants to be around. And unless I miss my guess,” and she pointed to the girl practically running to their car, “there’s one girl who wants to be with you.” Walter looked up and in the direction her mom was pointing. The girl running towards them had the biggest smile on her face. It was so big it threatened to completely take over her beautiful look. Walter looked back at her mom and asked, “Did you set this up, mom? Cause if you did, thanks.” The two shared a quick kiss before Walter got out of the car and was immediately captured in a hug that threatened to crush her chest. “Hey, girlfriend, let me look at you,” Marge told her, as she pushed Walter back so she could get a good look at Walter. Walter had yet to close the passenger door, as Marge bent down to look at Terry and asked, “Did you bring a bat, Mrs. Williams? I think Walter’s going to need one.” “Kathy, it’s Kathy’s going to need one,” Walter told Marge. “My name is going to be Katherine Elizabeth Williams, Kathy for short.” Marge brightened up after hearing the proclamation from Walter. She stood up and looked at Walter and said, “Yeah, that does sound better than Walter, for a girl.” Then Marge lightly kissed Kathy on the lips, before Kathy said goodbye to her mom and closed the passenger side door. Terry watched as the two headed to the main school doors, walking hand in hand. Kathy looked back, waved, and the two disappeared into the school. Terry decided she needed to do a bit of shopping to help her calm down, and lunch after.

Peter had asked Kathy, aka Walter, to come by the office before going to her first period class. He was standing, nervously, by Margot’s desk as he saw Walter walk into the office holding Marge Stillman’s hand. When Margot saw the two enter the office, she got up out of her chair and came to stand next to Peter. “My oh my, she is a pretty thing, isn’t she Peter. And they make a really cute couple.” Peter couldn’t take his eyes off his new niece as he told Margot, “She sure is, Margot, and they sure are.”

Peter and Margot could see the fear in Walter’s eyes, she had yet to tell her Uncle, or Margot what her new name would be. Marge and Kathy, aka Walter, stopped a few steps away from Peter and Margot before Marge asked, “Well, what do you think? Doesn’t she clean up nicely?” Kathy, aka Walter, deadpanned as she turned her head to look at Marge before saying to her, “You know you’re a pig, right?” Marge laughed before lightly kissing Kathy, and before two throats cleared, then told her, “Yeah, but I’m your pig.” It seemed that was the right amount of banter, at the right time, because Kathy, aka Walter, dropped her head and laughed. In a serious voice, Marge told her, “That’s better. No more Miss glumly, okay?”

Kathy, aka Walter, nodded her head before turning to her Uncle and telling him “Principal Stepel, I’m going by the name of Kathy Elisabeth Williams, unofficially until we get my name changed. I’ll still answer to Walter in school, but just wanted to let you know beforehand.” Margot couldn’t help herself, and walked over to Kathy, giving her a hug and telling her, “My, sweetheart, you sure are pretty,” and lightly kissed her on the cheek. Blushing, Kathy thanked Margot before Peter said, “Thank you for telling me, Wa...um...Kathy. I’ll make a note of the name change in your file and will make it permanent when you get it done officially.” Peter walked up to Kathy, took both of her hands in his and asked her, “How are you really doing? I see you’re trying to put on a brave face, but…?”

A tear threatened to roll down her cheek as she told her Uncle, “I’m scared, Uncle Peter.” Peter pulled his niece into a hug and told her, “With this gallant young lady with you, and more than you know standing by, things will be alright, Walter. You wait and see. Now, you two better get off to your first period class, you don’t want to be late for your first day of classes, Kathy Elizabeth Williams. Do you?” Kathy said “No,” in a choked voice, wiped her eyes before taking Marge’s hand, turning around and walking out of the school office. Peter felt a hand on his back as Margot told him, “She’ll be alright, Peter. The entire school is going to protect her.” Peter nodded his head and replied, “I sure hope you’re right, Margot. I sure, hope you’re right.” When Marge and Kathy had disappeared, Margot returned to her desk and Peter to his office, both hoping Margot was right in what she said.

If you ever visited a fair, and it had carnival rides, and one of those rides was bumper cars, then you have some idea what was occurring as Marge and Kathy walked hand in hand down the hallway to their lockers. Boys and girls were banging into the open classroom doors, and open hall locker doors. Students were running into each other, either because they were walking forward and looking sideways or backward. Or those walking towards the two girls, ran into those who were looking sideways or backward. And as the two girls walked first to Marge’s locker, then to Kathy’s, the throng of students seemed to part in the middle to let the two walk down the hallway. All the while, watching and wondering who the ‘new’ girl happened to be.

While the boys were having trouble with their jeans, some of the girls weren’t taking this ‘new’ girl as politely. As one girl walked by the two, she uttered, “Sluts,” which to her dismay was heard by one of the teachers who came out of their class. “Ah, Miss Camron, one moment, please.” Charles Miller had heard the commotion out in the hallway and stepped out to see what it was about, just as Cora Camron walked by the two girls and said, “Sluts.” “Ah, Miss Camron. I believe you know the rules of student conduct while on school grounds? And I believe you know they include calling other students demeaning names? So for your reward for forgetting those rules, you will spend a week in detention with me, and a few others.”

Cora’s eyes got big, and her mouth started before her brain told it to, as she said, “Well, they are sluts. Just look at them, holding hands, and the way they’re walking down the hall, oblivious to the commotion they’re causing.” Charles just chuckled as he said, “Why Miss Camron, I didn’t know you wanted to make it two weeks detention with me and a few others. I’ll see you after school today.” Charles left the girl standing as she tried to sputter and come up with some excuse to get out of two weeks detention. She slowly turned and stared at Marge and the other girl, forming a plan how to get back at the two bitches for costing her two weeks detention. But as she stood there forming a plan, one of her girl friends hurried up to her and asked, “Wow, Cora. Doesn’t Walter look great?”

Cora’s jaw dropped to the floor, and her tongue rolled out to join it, as she looked back down the hallway to watch the two girls. In a squeaky voice she said, “That’s Walter Williams? The guy who had the accident in his science class?” Cora’s friend nodded her head and replied, “Ah huh, that’s him. Or rather her, now. Wow, she looks great. I love her hairstyle, wonder if she’ll tell me how it’s done?” Cora squeezed her eyes shut, looked at the ceiling and said, “Aw...shit. Great! Juusst, great.” When her friend asked what she was talking about Cora told her, “I just made an ass out of myself and got two weeks detention for my troubles.” Cora and her friend had started school with Walter, and were two of the many who had watched Walter’s reactions when something happened to him. Cora turned and as she walked into Charles Miller’s algebra class, she said more to herself than anyone, “Ah, well, learn something new everyday.”

Charles Miller hadn’t been the only teacher to walk out into the hall to see about all the commotion, Brigette had too. And when she saw Marge, and what could only be Walter, walking towards her, she put her hand over her mouth in surprise, and said so the two girls could hear her, “My, Walter, you are very pretty today.” And when the two girls stopped in front of Brigette she asked, “Has anyone given you any trouble so far, Walter?” Walter answered with, “Not so far, Mrs. Stokes. And I’m going to change my name to Katherine Elizabeth Williams, Kathy for short.” It wasn’t quite Kosher for a teacher to hug a student, but Brigette stepped up to Walter and hugged her, whispering in her ear, “I’m very proud of how you’ve handled this whole thing.” When Brigette let go of Walter she saw a tear in the girl’s eye. After wiping her eyes, Kathy said, “Thank you Mrs. Stokes. That means a lot coming from you. Um...maybe I better explain to the class like I did last time. And maybe you can start calling me Kathy. I don’t really look like a Walter any more.” Brigette reached out and put her hand on Kathy’s arm, then told her, “I think talking to the class is a good idea. And I’ll be happy to call you Kathy. You two best get inside, the second bell should ring at any moment.”

Most already in the science class had seen Marge and the ‘new’ girl walking down the hallway, so weren’t as shocked when she walked into their class. But a few raised their eyebrows when the ‘new’ girl sat down in Walter’s seat, until Jeffrey, the boy who first made fun of Walter needing to wear a bra, then getting slapped so hard it knocked him out of his chair, who got two weeks detention and ended up grounded for the semester, turned his head to look at the girl when she sat down, and told her, “Wow, you look really nice, Walter. It’s going to be okay, ya know.” Kathy put her hand on Jeffrey’s arm and told him, “Thanks. And I’m going by Katherine now. Kathy for short.”

Working at the shelter with his mom had taught the once flippant boy a thing or two about how to treat people better, and the results when they are treated badly. He looked Walter in the eyes and said, “Alright, Kathy it is, Walter.” Then he just smiled, and Kathy playfully slapped his arm. The room now sounded like a hive of bees, as the students had heard what Jeffrey had called the ‘new’ girl. And everyone had turned in their seats and were now staring at Walter, Kathy. What surprised Brigette was when Jeffrey said to all those staring at Kathy, “What are all of you looking at? Didn’t Walter tell us those chemicals were messing with his body? Well, it looks like they’ve done their work, and we now have Kathy with us instead of Walter.” Jeffrey stood up and held out his arm, sweeping it to take in everyone sitting ahead of Kathy, and said, “Kathy, meet the class. Class, meet Kathy Williams, the former Walter Williams.” Brigette may have been surprised by what Jeffrey did, but he was a different boy since this all started.

The second bell rang, Brigette walked to the back of the class and closed the classroom door. After walking back to her lab desk, she picked up her grade book and took roll. There was still buzzing in the class and whispers about Walter, so to get everyone’s attention, Brigette slammed a book down on her lab table. More than one in the class jumped because of the loud sound but it did what Brigette wanted. “Now that I have your undivided attention,” and she looked at Kathy and nodded her head, “you all seemed to have noticed we have a ‘new’ girl in class today. So, I’m going to let her introduce herself and explain a little about herself.” Kathy had got up from her chair and walked to Brigette’s lab desk, and was standing there as Brigette finished talking. Marge saw how frightened Kathy was and got up, walked up to stand beside her, took her hand and whispered, “It’s going to be alright, you’ll see.”

Kathy dug deep and pulled up Walter’s courage and began with, “Several weeks ago, we had an in class experiment to pour alcohol into water and measure the change in the level of the liquid in the beaker. I was the last one to get into the supply room, and the one bottle of alcohol left was on the top shelf in the wrong cabinet. As I stood on the second shelf and was reaching for that bottle of alcohol, all of the shelves collapsed, and I fell, getting cut by broken glass and contaminated by all of the chemicals in that cabinet. It wasn’t long before I was standing up here telling you that I found out I was developing breasts, and if the doctors didn’t find a way to stop the changes, I was going to become a girl. And...yesterday...I...um, I um, found out I was a total girl. Just like the girls in this school. I’m going to go through what girls go through once a month, and be able to give birth. It is just as though I was born a girl. And I’ll be going by the name of Katherine Elizabeth Williams, Kathy for short.” Marge reached up and wiped tears off Kathy’s cheeks, then gently pulled her hand and led her back to her seat, before returning to her own. No one said a word, there was no buzzing either, as everyone in that class was digesting what Kathy had just told them.

The silence was broken by someone clapping their hands, and when everyone looked where the sound was coming from, they saw Jeffrey standing, looking at Kathy and clapping. It didn’t take long for the others to realize what he was doing, and joined in applauding Kathy for having the courage to stand up in front of the class and tell them what had happened to her. Kathy looked around at those looking at her as they applauded, and couldn’t believe what she saw. And like other girls, tears were running down her cheeks because of the warmth she felt from the others in her class. It took a few minutes before the class calmed down and everyone had sat back down, and a few minutes more as she talked about what the class had just heard. Brigette did manage to get some of the planned lesson in before the first bell rang, and made it her business to speak with Kathy before she went to her next class. “I’m very proud of you, Kathy. Standing up there and saying what you did took a lot of courage. I can only imagine how strange all this must be to you, but after watching how Walter handled his encounters, I have a feeling you’ll do just the same at some point in time.” Brigette pulled Kathy into a hug before telling the two girls they best get going.