An Incremental Journey
Chapter 2
By Portia Bennet
Al, now Madeline (Maddy) finds herself living in a rather nice assisted living home. She is intent on finding The Wizard and confronting him about her transition; however, something strange is happening. Maddy finds she is able to help the other residents in many ways. She has a rather strange dream, but doesn’t pay much attention to it. Without realizing it, she is blending in, being accepted, and she is enjoying it.

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Hopefully, there haven’t been too many violations of the universe created by Bill Hart perpetrated in the revelations in this story. Robert A. Heinlein proposed that each time an author takes to the pen, a new universe is created and I guess I will beg the number of the beast that this universe is just a variation of SRU.

Thanks again to Holly for her enlightening editing.

This work is copyrighted by the author and any publication or distribution without the written consent of the author is strictly prohibited. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters to persons living or dead is coincidental.

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Chapter 2
 
It took a while, but Al finally was able to stop crying. She hadn’t cried since her parents were killed. She dressed and repaired her makeup and she realized the actions were automatic. Her emotions ran from deep anger to deep despair. She had been robbed. Here she was in the body of an 82 year-old woman. She probably had only a few years left and she didn’t have breasts. For all she knew, she could have cancer right now. One million dollars for this! She had been royally screwed. That was the wizard she had read about.

Al searched her little apartment for anything that could help her figure out what to do. There was a small complement of dishes and utensils in the kitchen. The food supply was limited and she realized this person whose body she was currently occupying had most of her meals in the dining room. There were no pictures of people on the walls, table or desk top. A search through the small desk revealed that she was a ‘Miss’. Apparently, she’d never married and had no near relatives. There was a retirement account and the money from that was paying her monthly fees. The retirement home was not cheap.

A daily bulletin related a bunch of crap about the various residents: 60th anniversaries, great grandchildren, 95th birthdays and the like. There was a menu showing what was available for the evening meal. It didn’t look too bad and she noted there was going to be a Bingo tournament after dinner. She turned on the television and sat in a very comfortable easy chair.

The television was on the Food Channel, her favorite in the past. This time she didn’t pay much attention. She had a bigger problem. The escorts on the mall trip were probably telling the administrator of this ‘country club’ that Maddy was losing it and had wandered off again at the mall. Damn, she didn’t wander off. That wizard had somehow put her in Maddy’s body. If that was the case, what happened to her old body? ‘Wait a minute, the wizard said he was going to have to go back and make sure there weren’t any paradoxes, or at least fix them.’ No, she’d been changed into Maddy and Al Gontarski did not exist in this universe. At least he didn’t exist any longer. She would have to see if she could figure out what had happened to him.

She was going to have to think of herself only in the feminine gender from now on. After all, that was what she had wanted. It was just that she didn’t want it this way. She knew that if she were sent to a nursing home, that her chances of getting to the mall and the wizard would be slim. She was going to have to convince the administration there was nothing wrong with her, or at least that her mental condition was strong enough to let her stay. She needed a computer and wasn’t sure if there was one available.

Rummaging around, she found her check book. It hadn’t been kept up, and it took several minutes to get the balance. She was receiving a nice monthly deposit from her retirement fund and a major portion of that went to the retirement home. Still, there was a healthy balance, and if there was no computer available she should be able to buy one. Considering some of the web sites she visited, it would probably be best if she purchased her own computer, regardless; however, her main purpose of getting to the internet would be to find out what happened to Alfred Gontarski, and when.

There was still an hour before supper and Maddy knew she would have to familiarize herself with the personnel working at the retirement home. There was a small loosely bound book on the desk and she found it explained just about everything she needed to know about the facility. She noted that instead of being called a retirement home, the place was an assisted living home.

She found the directory of key personnel and quickly memorized the list. ‘Now I am going to have to put these names with faces.’ She remembered that the employees she had seen so far had rather prominent name tags and that would make things much easier. She couldn’t afford to have anyone think she was losing her cognitive powers. There was going to be a serious problem with the residents, though. She didn’t know any of them. Maybe she could fake it.

On the back of the entry door to her room there was an evacuation diagram and she quickly memorized it before stepping out. The layout was actually quite simple. There were residence halls leading away from the central reception area, a large dining room with a large kitchen attached, a laundry facility, offices and a large sitting area.

Maddy started wandering around the building. Her neighbors, a husband and wife, were leaving their room too and Maddy said, “Good afternoon.” The couple seemed surprised that Maddy would talk to them, and mumbled a response.

She wandered into an adjacent hall where she found a beautician’s shop. Next to it was the office of the ‘Activities Director’. Maddy could see her working at her desk, and decided to see if she could start here. This was the lady who had first approached her in the mall. Maddy knocked on the door.

“Come in, oh, hi Maddy. How are you?”

”I’m doing fine. I just wanted to apologize about what happened at the mall. I ran into someone I knew from many years ago and she told me about some mutual friends who had recently passed away. I started to think about my own mortality and I guess I sort of zoned out.” If the Activities Director noted Maddy was using words that most 82 year olds wouldn’t have in their vocabulary, she didn’t indicate it.

“That must have been something, running into someone you knew here so far from your home.”

‘Oops, I had better learn more about Maddy’s past before I say something that could get me in trouble’ “Yes, the whole thing was a rather disturbing. It was so many years ago when I had last seen them.

“I do have a question. Is there a computer available for me to use. I’ve decided I need something to do besides watching television.”

“Maddy, you never do anything with the other residents. All you do is stay in your room, come to the meals and go to the mall. You’re not getting your money’s worth of we have to offer here. You could be staying in a small apartment and eat frozen meals for half of what it costs to live here. Why don’t you get out of your hole and join in on a few things. They’re playing Bingo tonight after dinner. Why don’t you join us? Maybe you will make some friends.”

“Bingo’s a stupid game. There’s no skill involved.”

“That’s not the point. It’s a chance to have fun and mix with other people. The game is nothing. It’s all the other stuff going on that makes it worthwhile. Unlike you, there are some folks whose income is very limited. After they pay the rent and their healthcare expenses they can’t afford to do much else. The thrill of winning a small prize means a lot to them. Give it a try. It might surprise you.

“As far as computers go, there is the one in the media room, but it’s on the fritz at the moment. None of the internet programs are working. I am surprised you didn’t know it was there.”

“How long has it been out of commission?” Maddy asked.

“A week or so; it was in the bulletin.”

“Would you mind if I looked at it? I used to work in IT and I know a little about them even if I am old and out of touch.”

“Go right ahead. The repair service keeps putting us off. The other residents would appreciate it. Many of them use it for emails and internet activities. It would be very nice if you could do something.”

“I’ll work on it tomorrow morning. I think supper is going to start soon and then there is Bingo.” Maddy found her way to the dining room. She side-stepped through the cafeteria style line and selected her meal. For some reason, she selected only a fraction she would have taken before her transformation.

One of the dining room staff took her tray as she tried to find a place to sit. She noted that no one acknowledged her other than a slight nod. There were no invitations to join others at their tables. She found a small table by the window and the waiter set her food at her place. The food was acceptable, not great.

After dinner many of the residents hung around in the sitting room while the staff cleaned the dining room and converted it to a Bingo parlor. Maddy decided to linger and see what all the fuss was about. After all, it really was a stupid game. As she watched, certain rituals became evident. Some players had to have certain cards, and others had to sit at certain tables. Some would play one card and some played as many as four or five. ‘What a mess,’ she thought.

There was the simple Bingo that Maddy remembered from her previous life. Then there were all these variations: make an ‘X’, ‘B’s’ only, etc. It was around the third game when Maddy noticed something about a little bent over lady who was sitting directly in front of her. She had glasses that looked like the proverbial soft drink bottle bottoms. She was also wearing two hearing aids. She had shouted “Bingo”, only to find out she didn’t have it. One of the helpers was checking her numbers. “I’m sorry Gretta, you covered ‘B-7’ and the number was ‘B-9’." Gretta was very disappointed. She seemed to be close to tears.

Maddy turned to a helper who was standing by her. “She can’t see very well, can she?”

“Who?”

“That lady, the one who didn’t have a bingo.”

“That’s Gretta McNally. She has very limited vision and doesn’t hear well at all. It’s the same thing every time. She can’t read the numbers, and misses half the calls. It’s a shame because she really wants to play.”

“Maybe she needs some help. I’ll see what I can do.” Maddy sat in an empty spot next to Gretta. “Hi, Gretta, I’m Maddy Franken. Do you mind if I help you? It must be very difficult to see those numbers in this lighting, and I think you missed a Bingo in the previous game when you didn’t hear the number.”

“Thank you, Maddy. I’ve seen you around here, but we haven’t had a chance to talk. My husband used to help me play, but he passed away earlier this year. I don’t win nearly as often now that he’s gone. I think he was a good luck charm."

It was an interesting and fun time, Maddy had to admit. She was able to hear the calls and point out where the numbers were on Gretta’s card, and the best part was when Gretta won the ‘cover all’. There was a $125 prize, and Gretta was ecstatic. The small crowd cheered her as she made her way to the front to collect her winnings. As the group broke up for the evening, Gretta gave Maddy a hug while thanking her for her help.

Maddy retreated to her room for the evening, and for some reason, felt like smiling. Her smile was quickly erased as she undressed and looked in the mirror. She might have been an attractive woman at one time; however, it was difficult to see. She had little muscle tone, and her arm muscles hung, hidden by the almost translucent skin. There were sags everywhere. Her belly sagged. Her butt sagged. She wouldn’t have minded having saggy breasts; however, there was nothing but scar tissue.

Her bath had both a tub and shower, and she opted for the shower. There were rails to hold onto, and a portable seat. Obviously this was the way Maddy had been using it. Maddy realized she wasn’t that steady, and was thankful for the assists. As her shower progressed, exploring her scars was only cursory; however, in the warmth, she tried to see if she could elicit any response from below. She quickly determined that the soap was irritating, and her explorations ceased.

She found a formless nightgown and donned it over her panties with their ever-present absorbent pad. The whole process was very annoying. Lying in bed, she thought about the day’s events. This morning she had been a fat, ugly, giant of a man, and now she was an 82 year old, breastless woman living in an assisted living home. She had to get back to the mall and find that wizard. She would have to find a way to make him correct the problem. She didn’t pay a million dollars to become a woman who was a lot closer to death’s door than she wanted to think about.

Her dreams didn’t change too much from what they had been in the past. Most dreams are pretty ridiculous if you examined them closely. Her dreams that night were no different. Most of the time, her dreams did not dwell on her gender. Previously, she might be a man, woman or small child. She was happy if she was female, and unhappy as a male. There was one dream that was a little out of the ordinary, though. She could see or sense that she was in some sort of ill defined tunnel that faded away in both directions. She sensed one direction was forward and the other was back. She wasn’t very sure of what ‘forward’ or ‘back’ meant. She knew one thing. She was very lonely.

She started walking, if it could be called walking, no, it was more like floating. It was like a balloon that had lost most of its helium. It would just float along, neither rising nor falling.

Then she had a companion, and it more or less appeared out of nothing. It was mostly light suspended at her side. She thought she could detect a form in the center of the light. It seemed to be humanoid in shape but it was very ill defined. The light seemed to pulse slightly.

“Hi, Alfred, how’s it going?”

“Okay, this is a dream, right?”

“Well, in a way it is. This is the only way I can contact you at the moment. Later on, there will be other ways, but we won’t worry about that now.”

“Who, what are you?”

“That’s difficult to put into words. I guess the easiest thing to say is I am sort of a spirit or soul. I’m what’s left after the body is gone and what there is before the body is created. I am going to be your guide for a while. We have a lot of ground to cover, and I will be with you when you’re ready to start your journey. That will be a while yet. I guess I just wanted to say hello and let you know I am around.

“I know you’re a bit disturbed about all this; however, there is a reason. The best advice I can give you right now is to go with the flow. Don’t fight it. That was very nice what you did for Gretta, by the way.” Maddy retreated to more normal dreams after that.

The next morning Maddy again found herself on semi-autopilot as she prepared herself for the day. Breakfast wasn’t bad and she had good choices. As she looked for a place to sit she saw Gretta waving at her to have a seat. Breakfast was mainly small talk for a while. “Well, Maddy, what are you going to do today?”

“I am going to take a look at that computer and see if anything can be done to get it working correctly. I understand that no one has been able to get on the internet for a while.”

“I didn’t know you knew anything about computers. I never saw you using it.”

“I used to work with them a lot. Things haven’t changed that much. If I can fix it, maybe I can save this place some money."

Later, as Maddy approached the computer room a couple was coming out. “Don’t bother. It’s frozen up and you can’t get on the internet.”

Maddy smiled, “I’m going to give it a try. Maybe we can get it running.” The first thing Maddy did was reboot it. It took forever. It became obvious very quickly that a number of programs were corrupted. There were all sorts of things running in the background that Maddy couldn’t identify. She was not a computer expert, but she did know some tricks. Since the problems were only a little over a week old, she did a system restore, disc cleanup, and defrag. Then she downloaded Spybot © and ran it. There were several dozen Trojans and other spyware, and she removed those. It took about three hours but the computer was now humming along quite nicely. While she was on it, she went to a major computer manufacturer’s website and ordered a lap-top and some peripherals for use in her room. For the types of searches and internet activity she wanted to do, she would prefer to do it in private.

Maddy was a heroine to many of the residents, as the internet was the least expensive way for them to communicate with their friends and loved ones. By the time she was through, several residents were in line to get on line.

Her computer arrived two days later and she spent a few pleasant hours setting it up and getting the local cable TV company to allow her access to the internet. She planned on spending a lot of time on the internet. She needed to find out what happened to Alfred, and when. She needed to know what to confront the wizard with, when and if she ever found him. All she wanted was a normal life as a woman, and she figured she only had a few years at best in her current state.

Once on the internet, she found her favorite sites and bookmarked them for easy access. Going to FictionMania she did a search on SRU. She was amazed at how many stories there were. She had not really kept track of them. She started at the earliest story, and when she found one she felt might be authentic, she copied it into her computer file so that she could read it in detail later on. She hoped she might find a chink in the wizard’s armor, something that she could use to make her transformation more acceptable.

She broadened her search to other sites finding some of the same stories and also finding some new ones that seemed to be possibly authentic. She found one on the Master PC site that might prove to be helpful. Big Closet provided a couple of others.

Old habits die hard, and she soon found she was trying to catch up on the new postings at each of her past favorite sites. The stories didn’t seem to have the same bite they had in the past. Previously, she had wanted a transformation to make her be like she felt. Well, she was now female, and none of the transformation stories had the same impact. The ones that most closely matched her desires were the stories that included age regression.

Things changed again at dinner. Gretta McNally was with two other ladies (single ladies outnumbered men by a significant number at the home) and they motioned to Maddy to join them.

Gretta did the introductions. Maddy knew the two other ladies by name but had never talked to them. “Maddy,” asked Gretta, “we were wondering if you played Bridge. Our fourth had to move to a nursing home and we need a replacement.”

“I guess I know some of the basics but I have never really played.”

“We’ll teach you. You need to learn. I’m surprised you don’t know about all the Bridge playing that goes on here.”

So Maddy learned to play Bridge. They started her out with some of the basic bidding systems and lines of play. The artificial bidding systems would come later. The philosophy of the finesse confused her for a while but she quickly caught on. She was thankful her intellect had not been diminished by the transformation.

A special day was when her partner put her in a near impossible small slam. Maddy realized her only chance was to use an end play, and when she pulled it off, she was very pleased with herself. They were playing Duplicate Bridge at the time, and none of the other teams had managed to pull it off. It was the last hand of the night, and several members of the other teams had gathered around to watch the play. There was a subdued cheer when she brought the contract in. Her success enabled her and her partner to get second place in the tournament.

~*~