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.

When Shelby walked out of the offices of Marshall and Marshall, he had no trouble finding the three women, they were all sitting on the curb of the sidewalk in front of Marshall’s offices. Kathy was in the middle of a sandwich, with Terry on one side and Marge on the other, both women had an arm around Kathy’s back. Shelby walked around the three, knelt down in front of his daughter, reached out and pulled her into a hug. Where she proceeded to cry on his shoulder. It was easy for Shelby to see the tear streaks on both Terry and Marge’s faces and the anger on his wife’s face. He pitied the complaining parent who crossed her path any time soon, they’d walk away a few pounds lighter when Terry finished giving them her opinion of their moral character. As stoic as Shelby tried to be, he reached up now and then, as he held his daughter, and wiped the tears off his cheeks.

The Marshalls had been standing at the front door to their offices watching the four people sitting, or kneeling, just in front of their offices. It was Bret Jr. who commented, “Dad, I’ve met some really stupid people in my time, but I think we’re going up against some really ignorant ones in this case. I’m not trained in medicine, but even I can understand the anatomy of that girl’s body from all of those images. Why do those people have trouble seeing it?” Bret Sr. chuckled, put his arm around his son’s shoulder and answered him with, “Bret, it isn’t that they can’t see the same thing you see. It’s that they don’t want to see what you see. They don’t want to be proven wrong, so they simply deny what they’ve likely been shown, at least I hope their attorney has shown them everything. For people like those, Bret, life is supposed to be how they deem it should be. And if anything tries to change their point of view, even if it refutes their point of view, they simply ignore it or, as in this case, raise a stink. Come on. Let’s go prepare a case not even Houdini could get out of.”

Kathy had stopped crying, but was still holding, and being held by, her father, when everyone heard a loud growl, causing Kathy to laugh. She lifted her head off her father’s shoulder, turned to look at Marge and asked, “Hungry?” Marge’s face was a lovely shade of pink because of her stomach growling. “Um, yeah. I kinda am.” Kathy let go of her father, stood up and reached her hands to Marge and helped her stand before saying, “Well, someone did ask us out to dinner. Didn’t they?” And she turned to look at Shelby, who was now standing in front of the three women. He wiped his eyes again and said, as Terry had walked over to him, put her arm around his waist, “Yep, I did ask you three lovely ladies out to dinner. So, where would you like to go?” In a meek voice Marge asked, “Could we go Chinese? It always helps me to feel better after I’ve been upset. Kinda like that ice cream did the other day.” Kathy slowly turned her head to look at Marge, and together with her mother, blew Marge twin raspberries because of how the two felt after eating so much Dutch chocolate ice cream that afternoon. That caused everyone to laugh, and Marge to get a kiss on the cheek from Kathy. “Okay, if there are no objections, Chinese it is,” Shelby said, as he led Terry to the front passenger side of his car, then opened the rear passenger door for the girls.

The four didn’t know it at that time, but a resolve had been made by them all. Whether at school, or the following Monday when they walked into Court, or just out and about, no one was again going to bring them down because they couldn’t accept that Walter no longer existed. That because of that freak accident, Walter had been transformed into Kathy Elizabeth Williams. A girl who now, while still posing Walter’s sympathy and concern for others, had a fire in her belly that she was not afraid to let escape when necessary. And would likely do so again before others learned to accept her as she is now.

Everyone did feel better after their meal at the Chinese restaurant. But it was getting late and both girls still had homework to get done for the next day. As the girls had done on previous occasions, after Shelby pulled up to Marge’s house, and the girls got out of his car, they said their own special goodbyes until the next day. None of the four parents bothered to clear their throats this time, but let the girls kiss until they were ready to part. And when they did, Kathy had reached up and wiped tears that had escaped Marge’s eye, and softly told her, “It’s going to be okay.” Marge nodded her head before turning and both girls drug their hands along each other’s arms until the hands met. They didn’t hold hands long, just long enough to savor their time together until tomorrow. When Marge was standing on the porch, next to her parents, all three waved to the Willams as Shelby drove off towards home. Kathy hadn’t gotten into the back seat as they drove home, but sat up front next to Terry, who was now holding her hand, as Kathy laid her head on Terry’s shoulder. “Why do people have to be so stupid?” Kathy asked to no one in particular, but it was Terry who responded, “I don’t know, sweetheart. I just don’t know.” The three were silent the rest of the way home, Kathy going up to her room when they got home, and Terry and Shelby making themselves comfortable on the couch in their living room after getting changed; Terry’s head resting on Shelby’s shoulder. “Shelby? Do you really think we have a chance in Court next Monday?” Shelby turned his head, kissed Terry on top of her head, as he said, “Yeah, I do. When everything we have is presented it will only be someone who is blind who could deny the truth. And that would be because they couldn’t see everything we have presented. By the way, didn’t you say something about picking tonight’s entertainment? You haven’t said what it will be.” Shelby got his answer as Terry took her head off of his shoulder, pulled him to her and kissed him more passionately than she’d even done in the past. When the kiss ended, she told Shelby in a husky voice, “You’re tonight’s entertainment.”

Kathy had come down the stairs to say goodnight to her parents, but stopped when she saw them passionately kissing. She smiled when she heard her father ask her mom that question, and smiled even more at her mom’s reply. She quietly retreated to the top of the stairs, then stomped her way down the stairs, deliberately letting her parents hear her on the stairs. When she was standing in front of Terry and Shelby, she told them, “I just wanted to say goodnight. And thank you both for being there today.” It was Shelby who told her, “Honey, we’ll always be there for you because we love you.” Kathy had a strange look on her face, one similar to the smirk she often got before saying something that caused others to groan. It was Terry who asked, “Sweetheart, what are you up to this time?” The look persisted as Kathy went to her mom, bent down and hugged her, then whispered in her ear, “Enjoy your entertainment tonight.” Terry’s eyes got big before she laughed and whispered back, “Don’t worry. I plan too!” The two laughed together, then lightly kissed each other on the lips, before Kathy kissed Shelby, told her parents goodnight, and went up to her bedroom. Shelby had watched the interplay between daughter and mother and asked, “What was that all about?” Terry had a Chesire cat grin on her face as she told Shelby, “Oh, just girl talk dear. Juuust girl talk.” Terry then took Shelby’s hand, pulled him up with her, and together they walked back to their bedroom. And to tonight’s entertainment.

When Terry got up the next morning she feared Kathy would be reacting the same as she did this past Tuesday. And she planned to do the same this morning as she did on that morning. Only when she heard Shelby say, “Good morning sweetheart,” and heard, “Good morning, daddy,” were her fears alleviated. She turned around, walked over to a robed Kathy, gave her a hug and asked, “Did you sleep okay last night?” Terry waited for Kathy’s answer, as she told her to get the milk, orange juice, and butter out of the fridge, and the syrup out of the cabinet. After setting all three on the kitchen table, Kathy said, “Yeah, I did, mom. And when I woke up this morning, I didn’t have the same worry as I had on Tuesday. In fact, I don’t really care if someone mouths off today, it’s their right to do so. Just like it’s my right not to care or pay attention to them.” Terry hugged Kathy again, before flipping the pancakes over and rotating the sausages.

“Kathy. That’s a good attitude to have, as long as you know when it should be applied,” Shelby told his daughter. “Knowing others have the right to express their opinions is often harder to put into practice than a person would think. Especially if they disagree with you about something. And you have to know when to ignore what they’re saying and when to take them on their word, since sometimes it can be the difference between life and death.” Kathy had listened intently to her father’s words, since she might need that advice today.

Terry lifted the edge of one pancake to see if it was done, and seeing it was done started piling all of them on a plate. She cut open one of the sausages and saw they too were done and placed them on a separate plate. After they sat down at the kitchen table, Terry saw a smirl form on Kathy’s lips, and said one word, “WHAT?” Kathy wiggled her head before saying, “I see you’re not walking funny this morning.” Shelby had a puzzled look on his face from his daughter’s statement. Terry, on the other hand, had her mouth open, her eyes bugged out and her head tilted at a funny angle. When Kathy started to smile, Terry just shook her head and said to her daughter, “Why you little imp. You just wait, missy. I’ll get to tell you that one day.” Shelby was still puzzled, so he asked, “Um, what are you two talking about?” Terry gave him a bemused smile and told him, “Nothing, dear. Juuust girl talk.” Shelby shook his head and continued eating. What Shelby didn’t see was Terry shaking a mock fist at Kathy, causing her to laugh.

As usual, Shelby was the first out of the house, after rinsing off his plates and placing them into the dishwasher. Terry walked him to the door, and as the two kissed, Kathy watched as her father’s hand drifted down between the two of them, causing her mom to push her hips into him. She let out a chuckle, which caused her parents to end their kiss, and her to get the ‘look’ from her mother. When Terry walked back out into the kitchen, she got behind Kathy and put her hands on Kathy’s shoulders, telling her, “You are such an imp.” She then bent down and kissed Kathy on the cheek. What Terry wasn’t expecting was the next question Kathy asked. “So, um, mom. Did dad rock you world last night? Did you sing for him?” Terry slowly turned away from the sink, put her hands on her hips, and tried to say in a shocked voice, “KATHERINE ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, where DO you get such ideas?” She then walked over and put her arms around her daughter from behind and answered Kathy’s question with, “Oh, yes sweetheart. He took me to another galaxy. And yes, I sang for more.” Kathy reached up and took hold of her mother’s arms and replied, “I’m glad mom, for both of you.” Both of their grips tightened before Terry told her she better go get ready for school. Kathy quickly put the last bit of pancake into her mouth, got up from the kitchen table and after following her dad’s example, went up the stairs to get ready for school.

Kathy felt a renewed confidence within her, despite the feeling that many had already heard about the parents who were suing to stop her getting her name changed. But she didn’t care, she was going to let them have their say. Even if what she heard was geared towards pushing her ‘go’ button again. Today, she was going to hold her head high and act like nothing was wrong.

After picking Marge up, Terry drove them to school, where they saw Peter standing by the main doors to the school. Kisses were exchanged, with Marge too, this time, and Terry watched her brother talk to the girls before they headed to the school office. Terry’s self control kicked in just before she got out of her car to go find out what Peter wanted. Instead, she drove out of the school parking lot and went shopping. She’d find things out when she picked Kathy and Marge up this afternoon. If she didn’t call Peter first.

The girls walked with Peter to his office, where Margot said good morning to the girls as they walked by her desk. Once in his office, and he’d closed the door, instead of sitting in his chair, Peter sat on the front edge of his desk. Kathy and Marge had sat down in two of the chairs in front of Peter’s desk and heard him ask, “I just wanted to let the both of you know that some parents are suing to keep you, Kathy, from getting your name changed. And from coming to school dressed as a girl. Those morons seem to think you’re still physically Walter, and nothing I’ve been able to say to them has changed their minds. I just wanted you both to be prepared for today in case some of their children have the same attitude.” Peter saw the smile on the face of both girls, as he heard Kathy tell him, “We know, Uncle Peter. Mr. Marshall Sr. was telling us all they’d done so far when he received some papers telling him about the suit. And don’t worry about me going cuckoo today, Uncle Peter, I won’t. I’ve realized others have the right to give their opinions, and I have the right to ignore or accept what they say. So if someone is snotty, and I can logically reason with them, I will. Otherwise, I’m going to thank them for their opinion and walk on. And I have a feeling by doing that, it will be a bigger slap in their face than yelling at them would ever be.” After Kathy finished filling Peter inon what they heard, he told them, “And because what they’re after involves the school, I’m going to be involved as well. So I’ll be talking to the school’s attorneys about the matter. And Kathy, please don’t get upset if they advise me to have you stop coming to school dressed as a girl.”

Kathy laughed again and told her Uncle, “Oh, Uncle Peter. It won’t be me who’ll get upset if that’s what the attorneys advise. And you know it. But just in case, maybe you should warn them of the fury they’ll unleash if they make such a decision. And besides, what will I wear to school? Boy clothes or girls clothes? Will I then have to use the boys or girls restrooms? Will I be transferred to the boys PE class or stay in the girls class? Points they need to consider, if they make such a decision for you. Oh, and when you talk to them, maybe take all of the documentation with you? You know, all of the pictures and images? The ones that show my insides being that of a girl’s?”

Marge had cringed when Kathy started pointing out things to her Uncle, afraid it would be a repeat from yesterday at Marshall and Marshall. But she was surprised as Kathy kept her voice level, never getting angry, just laying things out for her Uncle to tell the school attorneys. Kathy noticed the look of pride on Marge’s face, and like her mom had done to her earlier this morning, she asked, “WHAT?” Marge snorted as she said, “Well, Mrs. Williams,” which caused Marge to start laughing at the sour look on Kathy’s face. “Yes, pain in my butt? You were saying?” Kathy retorted as she too started laughing at their antics. When they stopped laughing, Marge told Kathy, “When you started pointing out those items to Principal Stepel, I was afraid you were going to do like you did yesterday at the lawyer’s office. But you didn’t, and I’m very proud of you.” When Peter asked what happened at the lawyer’s office, Kathy meekly said, “Um, I sort of blew my top, again, when we heard what those parents wanted to do.” Kathy raised her hands when she saw both Marge and her Uncle were about to say something. “No, you both don’t have to worry about me today. I told mom I realized everyone has a right to express their opinion, whether I agree with it or not. If they get snotty, I’m going to thank them for their opinion and just walk off. I think that’ll sting more than me shouting at them. Don’t you think Uncle Peter? They won’t be expecting me to thank them and walk off.” Peter was nodding his head because of what Kathy said, and answered with, “It just might, Kathy. You’ll just have to wait and find out. Enough of our meeting, you two need to get to class.”

As the girls left Peter’s office, and said their goodbyes to Margot, they headed to first Kathy’s hall locker before going to Marge’s. And like Monday, when the other students were looking at them after the false rumor got started, the other students were again watching the girls as they walked down the hallway. Marge chuckled as she told Kathy, “They’re doing it again, Kathy. Just like they did on Monday.” Kathy smiled at Mage’s observation and told her, “Yeah, so I noticed. Are we the only ones in this school they’re fascinated with? I mean, isn’t there some he said she said going around with anyone else? Ya know, like the reason the head cheerleader dumped the Captain of the football team was due to him not wanting to get into her panties, when she wanted him too? Or something like that? Oh, well, I guess the best response to having the spotlight on us is, ‘this too shall pass.’” Marge laughed this time at Kathy’s mock attempt at drama, as she said the last part. Then Marge caused both girls to start laughing when she said, “Yeah, like passing gas in a crowded theater.” And Kathy egged the laughter on by the expression she gave the usually meek girl for what she just said. Their laughter died, though, when Kathy opened her hall locker and several sheets of paper fell to the floor.

Kathy stooped down and picked them up, giving a few to Marge. As they both read through them, one thing was clear, they were not everyone’s favorites. Kathy read one out loud to Marge which read: “When my parents are through with you, you won’t be so special anymore. We don’t need any fake girls at this school.” Then Marge read one out loud that read: “Someone should have fixed you long ago, so you can’t breed anymore queers.” Kathy read another one that got even nastier, which read: “Too bad Bakes didn’t get the chance to take care of you when he had the chance. But don’t worry, we will.”

Kathy didn’t take any books out of her hall locker, instead, she closed the locker door and told Marge, “Come on,” and led them to their science class. She stopped them in the doorway to the class and said out loud so everyone could hear, “Mrs. Stokes, Marge and I are going to see Principal Stepel. I just found threatening letters in my hall lockers. We may be late to class or not here at all.” She didn’t wait for a reply from Brigette, she simply took Marge’s hand, turned them around and headed to the school office.

Margot could tell the winds blew ill will, as she saw Kathy and Marge walk into the school office. When they reached Margot’s desk, Kathy said, “We need to see Principal Stepel. We’re being threatened.” Margot got up from her desk and bid the girls to follow her, as they walked down the short hallway to Peter’s office. She knocked on his office door, didn’t wait for a reply, as she opened the door and told Peter, “We have a situation against the girls.”

Peter had been talking with Tina, the school’s Vice Principal, when Margot had knocked on his office door and came into his office. Margot’s declaration got both of their attention and Peter simply waved Margot and the girls into his office. Neither Kathy or Marge said a word, they just laid the notes on Peter’s desk and found two chairs to sit in. Margot closed the door and stood there with her back to the door. Almost at the same time, both Peter and Tina said, “Aw, shit.” Then he told Margot to go call Robert and tell him he was needed right now. Then Peter got up from his chair, told the three ladies he’d be right back and left his office. A few moments later they heard his voice over the school PA system, announcing an assembly in the gym to start right after the second bell rang. And it was mandatory for everyone.

He came back into his office red in the face, then asked Tina to take all of the notes and make copies of them. When she came back with the copies, he took the originals from her then turned to Kathy and Marge, telling them, “I want you two to stay with Tina in her office. I’m going to have Robert station two of his men here in the school office. I’m going to do what I should have done the first time, and it isn’t going to be pretty.” Tina and the girls got up out of their chairs and walked out of Peter’s office, Peter was following them. As they reached Margot’s desk, Robert arrived, asking Peter, “What’s up boss?” Peter handed him the notes, and after reading them, got on his radio and told two of his men to report to the school office. Peter chuckled after Robert’s call, telling him, “I was going to ask you to get two men up here to watch the office while the girls are in with Tina.” It was Robert’s turn to chuckle, as he told Peter, “I was going to have two men shadow the girls the rest of the day of school.” They both laughed, then as two of Robert’s men showed up, Peter left them all to sort things out as he headed to the gym. And the ass chewing he should have given them the first time.

Peter was the last staff to arrive, and by the way he stormed into the gym, everyone could tell it was not going to be good. One of the AV boys held out the wireless microphone and Peter jerked it out of the boy’s hand. He walked out to center court of the basketball court, and started walking in a circle around the mascot painted on the floor. He held the hand ritten notes in his left hand. And as he started speaking, those who guessed things weren’t going to be good, got their confirmation.

“When that false rumor was flying around this school about what happened after last Friday’s dance, I wanted to rip every one of you a new one. I wanted to crawl down your throats for spreading such a vicious rumor. But I was talked out of doing so by a lot of people who were concerned how you would react. They told me if I did get angry with you, it could have the opposite effect.” He kept walking as he held up the hand full of handwritten notes. “Well, judging by what I’m holding in my hand, some of you didn’t get the message. Some of you know that there are parents of some students in this school who are opposing Walter Williams getting her name changed.” Peter stopped dead in his tracks when he heard, “Him, he isn’t a her.” Peter slowly turned towards where he heard the words and walked over to where it came from, and with a growl demanded, “Who just said that? WHO JUST SAID THAT?” As Peter watched, students started sliding to their left and right until one girl was sitting by herself. Peter turned to see Robert and yelled, “ROBERT. TAKE THIS GIRL TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE. PUT HER IN ONE OF THE CONFERENCE ROOMS AND HAVE ONE OF YOUR MEN STAND OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR TO THAT ROOM. THEN HAVE MARGOT CALL THE POLICE!” One of Robert’s men came over where Peter was standing and told the girl to, “Come with me, Miss.” Because the girl was so angry, she made the mistake of saying, “You just wait until my parents get through with him. He won’t be so special anymore!” Peter read the girl’s name from her school ID hung around her neck, quickly read through the handwritten notes he was holding, found the one he wanted, and wrote her name on that note.

A girl had stood up and called out, “Principal Stepel?” Peter looked around until he saw the standing girl and asked, “Yes. You have something you want to say?” The girl took a deep breath, then told Peter, “My parents are one of the parents involved in that suit. I tried to tell them they were wrong about Walter, um, I mean Kathy. That she wasn’t some boy trying to be a girl, but because of that accident in the science class, had transformed into a girl. They wouldn’t listen to me. I even tried to tell them it was going to turn out bad for them. They grounded me for the rest of the school year, because they think I lied to them.”

As Peter was watching the girl as she spoke, and when she finished speaking he heard, “We don’t want no queers in this school!” Peter turned towards where the voice came from but didn’t have to ask who said it, the students had already isolated the boy as they’d done the girl. “ROBERT, THAT BOY TOO. THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND A CALL TO HIS PARENTS.” Peter saw the boy’s name on his ID, shifted through the notes, found the one he wanted, wrote the boy’s name on it, and handed it to the security man who was escorting the boy to the office.

Peter walked back to center court and again started walking in a circle around the mascot painted on the court. He held the microphone up and asked, “Any more brave souls who want to confess they were the ones who put these other four notes into Kathy Williams’ hall locker?” The gym had an eerie silence to it, even when filled with the entire student body. “I’ve got four more notes in my hand. You four monsters haven’t the guts to take credit for your work? Come on, now. Crawl out from under your rocks and take credit for not being brave enough to tell Kathy to her face what you cowardly wrote on notes and stuffed into her hall locker. Because that’s all you are, cowards. And that’s all you’re ever going to be, cowards. And those of you who watched them stuff those notes into Kathy’s hall locker are no better for remaining silent. TO HELL WITH THE DAMN STUDENT CODE OF SILENCE. FOUR OF YOU HAVE THREATENED ANOTHER STUDENT. A STUDENT, WHO NO FAULT OF HER OWN, NOW FINDS HERSELF A GIRL INSTEAD OF THE BOY WHO STARTED HIS FRESHMAN YEAR AT THIS SCHOOL AND I WANT TO KNOW WHO THOSE OTHER FOUR STUDENTS ARE!!!!”

Peter had been walking the circle with his head down, but brought it up when he heard shuffling sounds coming from several places around the gym. What he saw were four individuals who had been isolated like the first girl and boy. This time Peter simply pointed at each individual and Robert knew what he wanted. As each student was told to go with a man on Robert’s team, Peter asked each one which note they wrote, writing their name on the note they pointed out. With all six out of the gym, he started his circle walk again. When he calmed down a bit he said, “I’m sure there are more of you who agree with those six, but chose to keep your opinions to yourselves. A wise move on your part because you will still be coming to school. But I would advise those of you whose parents are involved in the suit to stop Walter from changing her name to Kathy, and prevent her, a girl, for God’s sake, from coming to school dressed as a girl, to reconsider their position. Because as sure as I’m standing here, they are going to lose, and lose big. And after they lose, you can bank on it that the Williams will then come after your parents for Defamation of Character. And ask for a huge settlement, one that might have you moving into other accommodations. Ones much less grand than where you live now. You best take that to your parents and make them see reason. Because. They. Are. Going. To. Lose! One last thing people. If anything happens to Kathy and/or Marge, anything at all by any of you or anyone you know who doesn’t attend here, if any more notes appear in either girl’s lockers, someone better say something because otherwise, this whole school will go on a two week suspension. I will not tolerate any more threats against those two girls or anyone else in this school. If something happens and you see it happen you better let me know yesterday, last week, two years ago. Or all of you will have very poor grade averages come the end of school. And I don’t give a damn if you’re a straight ‘A’ student. You’re part of this student body, just like everyone else! Now, get out of here and back to whatever class you’d be in this time in the morning.”

And Peter kept circling the mascot, even after everyone had left. Or so he thought, until he heard a voice say, “Do you think that’s going to do any good?” It was Jenny, and she was worried about him because he just kept circling that mascot painted on the court. Peter stopped walking and looked up, “I have no idea. But it’ll stop those six. And hopefully any others will be able to convince their parents to pull out of that suit. Now I have to go and confront the parents of those home bread monsters, who are only parroting what they heard their parents say. Care to come along?” Jenny nodded her head and answered, “I think I better. If only to keep an eye on you. To make sure you don’t fly off the handle much like your niece can.” Peter nodded his head in agreement, then tossed his head towards one of the gym doors. Time to go face the dragons.