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.

The rest of their classes went with a similar pattern for Kathy and Marge, students telling how sorry they were for spreading a rumor that wasn’t true, and upsetting the two girls. When it came time for lunch Kathy and Marge met up and walked to the cafeteria together, getting more apologies along the way. It wasn’t until they entered the cafeteria that they felt like animals on exhibit at a zoo. As they joined the queue to get their food, it seemed every eye followed them as the line slowly progressed towards the food servers. Even the servers asked how they were doing, as the girls selected what they wanted and paid for their meals. It seemed strange to them that every table but one had every seat filled, almost as though the school had reserved a table just for them. The girls took the hint and sat down next to each other at that lonely table, and hadn’t taken more than two bites when Peter walked up, standing opposite them and asked, “Mind if I sit down girls?” Marge and Kathy looked at each other then at Peter, telling him, “No, Principal Stepel. We don’t mind. In fact, it’d be nice if you did, since we seem to have been isolated in here today.” Peter chuckled as he sat down and answered them with, “No, girls, you aren’t being isolated by the rest of the school. It’s just the opposite in fact.” Both girls got that puzzled look on their faces, and Peter let them try and figure out why the table had been left for them. When they looked at each other then back at Peter he laughed then said, “They are respecting your privacy. You two know how hard it can be for two people to find places where they can sit together. And after yesterday, and you two going ga-ga and what I told them at the assembly, they are helping you two be able to find two places where you can sit together without a lot of hoopla. Plus, it’s their way of saying they are sorry for everything that happened yesterday.”

While Peter sat with the girls Kathy tried to get him to tell them everything he said at the assembly, but like her mom, told them there wasn’t time right then and that Terry could tell them everything he told her. It was about then they heard, “Mind if we sit with you girls?” Kathy and Marge looked to their right and saw Jeffrey, Tommy, and the girl who accused Kathy of lying, standing there holding their food trays. Peter saw the three and said to all of them, “Well, I just wanted to see how you two girls were doing. If you need anything you know where my office is, girls.” Having said that, he got up out of the chair and walked off towards the table where Margot and Tina were sitting, coyly watching Peter’s interaction with the girls. After Principal Stepel left, it was Marge who told the three, “Well, I don’t know. This table is sooo crowded, what do you think, Kathy?” “Well, unless those empty chairs are filled with people we can’t see, they’re still empty,” and she smiled at the three. The three walked around the other side of the table, sat their trays down then pulled out the chairs and sat facing Kathy and Marge. Those three had just sat down when they all heard, in a very timid voice, “Um...would any of you mind if I joined you?” Turning to the voice, they saw Tonya Springer standing there, trepidation written on her face, her eyes moist. Kathy got up out of her chair, took Tonya’s tray out of her hand and sat it down in front of the chair to the right of where Kathy was sitting, then turned and pulled Tonya into a hug. As she held Tonya, the girl told her over and over, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” When Tonya had calmed down a bit, Kathy whispered to her, “It’s going to be okay. You’ll be okay, okay?” When Kathy felt Tonya nod her head, she pushed Tonya away from her, reached up and gently wiped the tears off her cheeks then said, “Come on, sit down and eat. I don’t know about you but I am hungry.” A few others came and asked if they could join the table, and each was told they could. The girls didn’t bite...much.

The girls hadn’t noticed, but every teacher did, as had Margot, Peter and Tina. When students had walked up to Marge and Kathy sitting alone, everyone in the cafeteria had watched to see how the girls would respond. And after each response, everyone continued eating until the next student approached them. When that table was full, and everyone there chatting as they ate, everyone could see that Kathy and Marge held no ill will towards anyone at that table, or it appeared, anyone in the school. As Peter scanned those in the cafeteria he could only hope the events yesterday were a lesson all of those in the cafeteria at the moment, and in the rest of the school, would take with them throughout their lives. It was a hard lesson to go through, but a valuable one nonetheless.

There were a few students left in the cafeteria by the time the first bell sounded, signaling it was time for the second shift to hit the cafeteria. Peter had made it a point to stay and watch for any trouble that might arise against Kathy and Marge. He thought it strange, no not strange, but interesting that some of the few students who’d remained until the first bell rang, were those at the full table where Kathy and Marge sat. And that table was still very animated even as they got up from their chairs to bus their trays and head off to their next classes. Peter smiled as he saw his niece take Marge’s hand as the two walked out of the cafeteria. They looked so good together. They were also good for each other, standing by the other when things got rough.

Right then Peter’s cell phone rang. “Oh, hi there sweetheart.” “I think I have the perfect dessert for you tonight.” “What is it?” “Guess.” “No.” “No.” “You’re not even close.” Peter made sure no one was in hearing as he told Tina, “It’s Peter, au naturel.” “Oh, it’ll be Tina au naturel, too?” “And can she sing?” “Oh, you think I’ll make you sing?” “How will I do that?” “Oh, my, that I look forward to.” “I love you too sweetheart.” Peter had to sit where he was longer than expected, after his talk with Tina, and it was imperative he do so. Peter’s cell phone rang again, this time it was Margot, telling him he had a meeting with the school board president in twenty minutes.

Margot had been with Peter long enough to tell by his voice when he was angry, happy, sad, and even after he’d talked to Tina. And she laughed after he told her he’d be there in a few minutes. “Um, Peter. Did you just talk to Tina? Is that why you’ll be a few minutes late?” Peter tried to think of a response to not say ‘yes,’ but failed. So he dove in and told her, “Um, yeah, I just did.” He had to laugh when Margot told him, “You have it bad for that girl. But next time you might pick a better spot for your phone sex conversation. A room full of students is hardly the place for things to calm down.” Peter heard Margot break out in laughter as she cut the connection with him. Peter had to laugh again, as he knew she was absolutely right, as a teacher just then asked if Peter minded if she sat down. Even as the table started to fill with other teachers, Peter had to stay seated.

“Do you mind if I sit down, Principal Stepel?” Peter looked up and into the eyes of Mary Turner, the school board President. “Margot said you’d be a little late, and why, so I thought I’d get some lunch and join you here instead of in your office.” Mary had an impish grin on her face, as Peter blushed and asked, “She told you the real reason?” Mary sat her tray down across the table from where Peter was sitting and said, “Yep, the real reason.” And then she winked at him, before the two started talking shop.

The girl’s afternoon classes went pretty much as the morning had, with those in their classes offering their apologies, or stopping the girls in the hall and apologizing, or just stopping the girls and asking how they were doing. But a rubber band can be stretched just so far before it breaks, and Jenny saw it in Marge and Kathy’s faces when they entered her office after school let out at 3:30 p.m.

She didn’t say anything to the girls, as they both walked through the open door to her office and flopped down on two of the chairs there. Jenny closed her office door, picked up a candy jar, took off the glass lid and held it out to both girls, telling them, “Take one.” When both girls gave Jenny the ‘look,’ she told them, “That wasn’t a suggestion. Each of you take one and suck on it.” When both girls finally took a sucker each, removed the wrappers before popping them into their mouths, discovering they were cherry flavored, their minds were now focused on the flavor they were tasting. And not the sympathy overload they’d first displayed when walking into Jenny’s office. Jenny pulled a chair around so she was facing both girls, took a sucker herself, removed the wrapper, popped it into her mouth, and sat there as the three concentrated on their suckers. Jenny had done this before and knew from experience they’d have calmed down by the time the suckers were gone. And when both girls threw the sucker sticks into the trash can, Jenny knew they were calm enough to talk about their day.

“So,” Jenny began, as she got up and tossed her sucker stick into the trash, “how was your day? Was it as bad as you feared? Were there any dragons lurking about ready to spit flames at you?” Jenny’s seemingly flippant questions had the desired effect, as both girls looked at each other, rolled their eyes, and said almost together, “Oh, brother!” Jenny looked at both girls and went on with, “Well good, that got you out of your ‘if one more person apologizes’ mood and better able to answer my first question, ‘how was your day?’”

Kathy shook her head and chuckled as she told Jenny, “You’re a slick one, Jenny. I’ll give you that. But to answer your question, honestly, I was scared about coming to school today. I realized I’d stepped over the line with my actions yesterday, and what I said. And was scared I’d get the third degree from everyone. Instead, all I heard today were apologies or those asking how I was doing. Principal Stepel must have said something fierce at that assembly yesterday.” Jenny chuckled when Kathy called her Uncle, Principal Stepel, and told Kathy, “I know Peter is your Uncle, so you don’t have to try and hide that fact from me.” Jenny then looked at Marge and asked, “And you Marge? How was your day?” Marge first shrugged her shoulders then said, “I was worried about missing classes yesterday, they could have said I ditched classes and given me detention or worse. I didn’t say anything unladylike, as someone I know,” and she turned her head to look at Kathy, “but I did leave class and stayed with Kathy the whole time. And like Kathy, all I heard were apologies or those who asked how we were doing. And Jenny, to tell the truth, I’m all apologized out. I don’t know how I’d react if one more person apologizes to us.” Jenny noted Kathy was nodding her head in agreement, both had reached their limits of kindness from the other students.

Jenny took the lead from Marge when she told the two, “Girls, in all my time at this school, this is the first time the school as a whole ever admitted being wrong for what they did. I’m guessing in your classes you both heard how wrong they were for spreading a rumor they didn’t know if it was true or false. Right?” Jenny saw both girls nod their heads and continued, “Girls, something like this rarely happens at a place this big, with this many people attending. Oh, maybe a few will admit they were wrong, but not the vast majority.” Jenny saw puzzled looks form on both girl’s faces and asked, “You still don’t know what Peter did and said during the assembly, do you? Either of you?” When both girls shook their heads Jenny told them, “Then it’s about time you heard what he did and said.” Jenny turned around and took the candy jar off her desk, took the glass lid off and told the girls, “Here, have another one. It’s a long story.”

Jenny started off telling the girls they should be proud of the way Peter handled a very trying situation yesterday. He could have jumped down their throats for spreading a false rumor that terribly upset the girls. Instead, he started with Tonya Springer and followed the rumor backwards until he came to Tommy Waltz, the boy who brought the rumor to school. Or rather, started it from incomplete information he heard during a conversation his mom and step-dad had. And how in successive tellings, each speaker added their own bits and pieces until the rumor was a monster that didn’t resemble its beginning. And how Peter reasoned with everyone, asking them to put themselves in the girl’s place, and asking how they’d feel if the rumor had been about them. And, on top of that, learning to be the opposite gender than they had been. “No, girls. Be proud Peter kept his cool, never accusing anyone directly or making them angry for being blamed for something they may not have had a hand in creating. You see, girls. What Peter was talking about applies to everyday life, not just at school. False rumors, ugly rumors, have caused a lot of people to take their own lives, after they tried and corrected it themselves. They finally had had enough, and couldn’t face anyone, or themselves, anymore. And they wanted the hurting to stop. Girls, be glad all you heard today were apologies, because it could have been much worse. And the two of you might not have been sitting here right now.” Jenny let what she said sink in before she said any more. Before Jenny could say anything else, there was a knock on her office door. She got out of her chair, walked over to the door, opened it and found Terry standing there. “It’s 4:00 and I’ve come to pick up Marge and Kathy,” Terry told Jenny as Jenny let Terry step into her office. Jenny looked at her watch and exclaimed, “Oh, my, will you look at the time. You girls were talking my head off, I never thought about the time.”

Kathy let her head fall backward, rolled her eyes, shook her head before letting her head fall to her chest. Marge simply dropped her head, rolled her eyes, shook her head before she said, “Don’t listen to her, Mrs. Williams. She was the one talking our heads off, filling us in about the assembly yesterday.” Jenny made a shushing motion and told the girls, “Shhhhh, you’re not supposed to let others know I say something once in a while. It’s supposed to be a trade secret.” Kathy turned to Marge and said, “Come on, Marge. We’d better go before it gets any deeper in here. I didn’t bring my overshoes with me today.” Hearing the banter from the girls, Jenny looked at Terry and nodded her head, letting Terry know the girls were doing okay. Both girls had gotten out of their chairs and walked over to Jenny and Terry, hugging Jenny before leaving her office with Terry.

As the three walked through the hallway towards the parking lot at the front of the school, Terry told Marge, “Marge. Kathy, Shelby, and I have a meeting with Marshall and Marshall at 4:30, so I won’t have time to take you home before we go to our meeting. Nothing at this meeting is confidential so you can sit in it with us. And maybe go out to dinner with us after?” It seemed like magic how Marge’s cell phone appeared in her hand, as she called home and explained things to Dorothy, who was the one that answered the phone at home. Terry and Kathy heard, “Okay, thanks mom. I love you too.” After putting her cell phone back into her purse, she told Terry, “Mom says it’s okay, just so long as we don’t go submarine spotting after dinner.” That caused Terry to laugh and Kathy to give Marge a puzzled look. Marge saw the puzzled look on Kathy’s face, shook her head then kissed Kathy, and explained, “Submarine spotting is slang for parking somewhere dark to kiss and do...um...an assortment of other things. Girlfriend, your mom and I got a lot of things to teach you.” Kathy got the kissing part of submarine spotting, but it took a moment to work out ‘an assortment of other things.’ And when she did she said, “OH! You mean…,” and Marge and Terry replied simultaneously, “Yes.” Then both started laughing because of the look on Kathy’s face.

Marge and Terry each put an arm around Kathy, who was walking between them, and Terry told her, “Sweetheart, submarine spotting has been going on since God created green apples, though under different names. It is often used by some boys in order to get into a girl’s panties, have sex with them,” Terry added after seeing the questioning look on Kathy’s face. “Kathy, one of the things you have to learn, being a girl, is that a lot of boys have an overabundance of hormones and are not mature enough to deal with how it makes them feel or act. Plus, they hear stories from other boys which make them want to try the same thing. Kathy, many parents find it difficult to talk with their children about sex, about having sexual intercourse, and what can happen if they have unprotected sex. So if an ill informed boy does have sex with a girl, unprotected sex, the way he heard other boys talk about it, he’s risking getting the girl pregnant. Plus, there are a variety of diseases people can get by having unprotected sex. And if she gets pregnant or if they both contract one of those diseases, a whole lot of problems are created.”

“Something else the two of you need to be aware of if you ever go to a party at someone’s house. You two girls are very beautiful, and are in a loving relationship right now. You may know a lot of kids at that party who go to this school, but you’ll also see a lot of boys you don’t know who don’t go to this school. Those boys won’t know you two are a couple, or care. All they’ll care about is getting one of you, or both of you, in bed to have sex with you. And it is likely to have unprotected sex. So, if you are ever allowed to go to one of these parties, never accept a drink from any boy, or girl, that you didn’t see being poured yourself. Never leave your drink sitting anywhere, or set your drink down, walk off then come back and pick up your drink. There is a substance that can be put into a girl’s drink that makes her lose control of herself. Make her act like she’s extremely drunk. When this happens, the boy, or girl, who ‘spiked’ her drink will then take her to a bedroom in the house in order to undress her and have sex with her. And it make not be just one boy who has sex with her while she’s like that. So, when you’re eighteen, Kathy, and you go to one of these parties, remember what I just told you.”

Terry saying ‘eighteen’ didn’t go unnoticed by Kathy, or Marge, though Marge just laughed when she saw her girlfriend’s facial expression. “Eighteen mom? Really?” Terry just laughed before saying, “It’s open to negotiations.”

When they reached Terry’s car, she unlocked the front passenger door first, then walked around to the driver’s side, unlocked the door, then got into her car. The girls were seated as they always were, Marge in the middle and Kathy near the door. Once out of the school parking lot, it took only a few minutes to reach the offices of Marshall and Marshall, where Terry pulled her car into the parking lot for their offices. Shelby was standing by his car, waiting for them, and raised an eyebrow when he saw Marge with Terry and Kathy. After the three got out of Terry’s car and walked up to Shelby, Terry saw the look and told him, “The girl’s session with Jenny ran a bit over, thanks to a couple of snarky girls, so we didn’t have time to take Marge home before coming here. And she’s called her parents and was given permission to go out to dinner with us. Plus, I didn’t feel anything the Marshalls were going to tell us was that private. Any more facial questions, dear?” In a show of surrender, Shelby pulled his white handkerchief out of his back pocket and waved it in the air. The girls laughed at Shelby’s antics, Terry just said, “Now I know where she gets it from?” The two girls were the ones clearing their throats this time, as Terry and Shelby said hello in THEIR own way, before the four walked into the offices of Marshall and Marshall.

Bret Sr. was waiting to greet them, as they walked into his and his son’s offices. He did question Marge’s presence, but found Terry’s explanation satisfactory, given Marge and Kathy being girlfriends. As he told them, once the four were seated in his office, “Because none of what I am about to tell you is really privileged, it is acceptable for Marge to be present. Had it been otherwise, I would have asked you to wait at reception, Marge. And if an old fart like me might say, you two young ladies make a fine couple. Right, then,” and Bret Sr. told Terry and Shelby that all the necessary documents and supporting evidence had been filed with the Courts. And they should hear back from them in a few days. They would need a ruling from the Courts before they could pursue a change in Walter’s birth certificate, and would deal with that in due time. He had just finished telling them everything they needed to hear, when there was a knock on his office door. He got up, walked around his desk, opened the door and was told, “This just came by courier and after reading it, thought you’d like to see it immediately.” Bret Sr. thanked his son, closed the door, and started reading the tri-fold of papers as he walked back to the chair behind his desk. When he said, “Aw, buggers,” Terry and Shelby looked at each other before Shelby asked, “What’s wrong Bret? Bad news?”

Instead of answering Slhelby’s questions, he picked up the phone, punched in two numbers as said, “Bret, would you please come to my office?” Once he hung up the phone he put his head in his hands, remaining silent until he heard a knock on his office door and Bret Jr. walked into his office. “How much of this did you have a chance to read?” Bret Jr. shook his head and told his dad, “I skimmed the front page, and glanced at the rest. Why?” Bret Sr. then told his son, “Son, please pull up a chair and sit down.” It wasn’t hard for any of the Williams or Marge to see Bret Sr. was trying to control his temper, as they saw him look to the ceiling and shake his head.

“Terry, Shelby, Kathy, and Marge, forgive me for not answering your questions, Shelby. But after reading that document, I was about to lose my temper. It seems there are a group of parents who take exception to ‘Walter’ being allowed to change ‘his’ name. They don’t want a ‘boy’ prancing around ‘their’ school acting like the girl ‘he’ isn’t.” He saw the question Shelby was about to ask but beat him to it as he then said, “How did they find out about this? Once we filed our petition it becomes public record, and anyone can learn what’s being asked. It seems they don’t believe what that accident has done to you, Kathy. Seems some of those parents have students in your science class, and don’t believe what their children told them. And it seems, the lawyer they’ve hired has filed an injunction to stop the name change and wants a hearing to put an end of you going to school dressed as a girl.”

After the way Kathy reacted Monday because she was called a liar, in trying to hide she’d been raped after the dance, which was later proven false, Marge, Terry, and Shelby were looking at Kathy, and didn’t like what they were seeing. Marge pinned one of Kathy’s arms to the chair she was sitting in, and Terry pinned the other. And it got rather loud as Kathy told Bret Sr., “Just what the hell part of all those records didn’t they believe? The fact those shelves collapsed and I was cut by broken glass and contaminated by all the chemicals on those shelves? Or the fact I started developing breasts because of that contamination. Or the fact I one day went to use our bathroom and discovered by dick and balls were gone. And that I now have a vigina? Tell me Mr. Marshall, which fucking part of all that didn’t they understand? ‘Cause I’d really like to know. I’ll tell you what, Mr. Marshall. Let’s get them all in a room and I’ll drop my panties and the men can fuck me and see for themselves that I’m a girl.” Kathy was pissed, so pissed she yanked her arms free, got up out of her chair so quickly it fell over backwards, and fled from the office. Marge following after her.

Through gritted teeth Terry told Bret Sr., “Bret, please don’t be unset how Kathy responded. It’s the second time this week she’s been called a liar after telling the truth. And if you’ll excuse me, I better go and find them to make sure they’re okay. But Bret, I want the balls of every one of those people put up on a pike, right after their heads go on first.” Shelby grabbed Terry’s hand just after Terry stood up from her chair, trying to help her calm down after what Bret Sr. just told them. She patted his hand, told him she’d be okay, and left the office to try and find Kathy and Marge.

It was Shelby who began with, “Damn, this is all we need on top of Kathy being called a liar and becoming a full girl.” He looked at Bret Sr. and asked, “Does that paper say when the hearing will take place? And if Kathy has to attend? Marge will have to go as well, if for no other reason than to keep Kathy as calm as she can. DAMN! What business is it of those people anyway? Does that paper list any of their witnesses? And kids from school? I hope not because they may have just ended their school year if there are any from the school.” Shelby had fired off his questions so fast Bret Sr. didn’t have time to respond.

Bret Sr. chuckled then told Shelby, “Shelby, ol’ man, slow down, give me a chance to answer your questions. To answer your first question, the hearing is scheduled for next Monday at nine in the morning. And yes, Kathy does have to attend. And if it will help keep Kathy calmer than she just was in this office, then Marge needs to attend also. Yes, there is a list of witnesses their lawyer is calling, mostly doctors. But a large number of parents. And no, no students are on the list we received, but that doesn’t preclude their lawyer from calling them at the last minute.” Then Bret Sr. turned to his son and asked him, “Junior, would you take this and get a background on all of the doctors on the witness list, then the parents. You know what we normally look for. And I want a detailed rundown on those doctors, their specialties, training, education, the works. And call doctors Taylor and Stomer and tell them they’ll be needed and when.” He turned back to Shelby and said, “Shelby, I’m sorry about all of this. With all of the records we have, that lawyer should have turned those parents down cold. I’ve a feeling this is either their first case and they’re trying to make a name for themselves, or they haven’t bothered to look at everything we filed. In which case, they are about to learn a valuable lesson. This should have been a very simple process of going before the Judge, presenting our case and Walter’s name gets officially changed. But no, some people just don’t know when to keep their noses out of other people’s business. Look, you better go find those beautiful women, they may need you about now.” Bret Sr. and Shelby stood, shook hands before Shelby left the office and went in search of the three women. He too would like to know how anyone with half a brain couldn’t believe Walter is now a full fledged girl. In every way.