Joey was an intelligent boy, but he lacked discipline, he’d get into trouble because he barreled ahead in whatever he was doing. If the woman education instructor asked him to make a layup shot and he missed; he’d get the rebound and time and again try the shot with more inaccuracy than the time before. If the instructor tried to stop him or another student would take the ball away he’d get angry and pick a fight. That she expected him to mind his manners because the student or herself was female; which aggravated him all the more.

His school counselor Janice would ask, “Joey, before we plan next year’s class schedule; you need to apologize to the Physical Educator.” He got angry with Janice the school counselor. “I don’t have to, because I’m not sorry! My trouble at school has gotten me in more trouble, here and at home, and that’s your fault!”

He got nasty with his Mom more often than she could remember. His Mom finally said, “You need to learn to burn off your energy in acceptable ways.” Mom finally said, “Joey, you won’t like this, but Aunt Beth Walters has suggested I send you to her Dance Camp this summer. It’s either that or Uncle Travis gave me the name of a military school he said would make you a real man.”

Joey didn’t like taking orders from his Mom, let alone, from others at some military school; he said he was intrigued with the idea of dance. “Mom, do you remember that scene in Titanic where that girl went up on her toes and said guys couldn’t do it? Aunt Beth Walters threatened to turn me into a sissy, a ballerina like that woman… I told her I’m Mean Joey Mason… Aunt Beth doesn’t scare me. Well, that woman was so beautiful at that moment; I was sure there was a trick to it. If you have to send me someplace; it should to be with Aunt Beth. I don’t promise she won’t send me home, but I will stay long enough to learn how to stand on my toes like that. There must be a secret to it. I can do anything those delicate ballerinas can do.” His mom tried to explain that ballerinas had trained and learned to do that and much more.

School had three weeks before it would be over; so my mother greeted me after school. “Get in, you and I need to shop for dancing tights, ballet shoes, and tutus.” She said your Aunt says, “She has a pretty pink tutu for you, but says she doesn’t know any boy who has the stuff to earn it. But she said it’s yours if you can.”

His mother showed a picture of the tutu, and Joey smiled, “I’ll have her send you a photo of me in it. I’m a little worried about what she has planned for me. But nothing will stop me from learning to stand on my feet!”

Shopping for tights, Clara Gaines met them soon after we came through the doors at the Atria Dance Store. Clara’s no more than five years older than me she joked. She helped us find everything we needed and insisted I learn how to put on the tights and tutus. She talked my Mom into buying some shapewear for me. Clara gave me some exercises for when I was wearing the shapewear. “You want to get your waist and stomach in shape before you go to your Aunt Beth’s dance camp. She won’t let you wear the shapewear when you are performing in a dance recital. And you won’t ever get on your toes if you’re to learn how to dance on your toes. …It would be a shame if that stops you from learning how to dance up on your toes.”

Joey took it seriously that he needed to trim his waist and strengthen his stomach and abdomen muscles. He ran forward and backward and did a lot of aerobics twisting at the waist, and stretching. He went back to Clara Gaines and learned the ballet positions used in ballet. She insisted that he wear a tutu and learn some of the steps. “I’m willing to learn, but I won’t wear a tutu if others are going to be around.”

Clara said, “That is fine with me unless it becomes obvious that I need Megan Sharp’s help to show and motivate you to learn.” That was week two of his preparation. His belly was flat, by the end of the second week he hadn’t learned to pirouette but was jumping with some semblance of grace.

He grumbled but finally gave in having Megan dance with him. She thought it was funny to see him in a tutu, but as she promised Clara; she showed no signs that it was funny. By the second day, Megan rolled Joey’s hair into a bun and held in place by Bobbi pins. Each day Joey saw improvement, but neither Megan nor Clara would show him how to stay up on his toes.

He mumbled under his breath that Aunt Beth would need to show him that.

Joey took the train to Beth’s with one change of trains to reach where she lived in Nova Hope, New Hampshire. Joey would see Megan who was in a more advanced program of the Walters’ Dance Camp.

Aunt Beth greeted him, “Nice to see you Josey, let’s get your luggage and get going, sweetie.”

“It’s Joey, Aunt Beth and don’t call me ‘Sweetie’.” The Aunt waved acknowledgement and went her way expecting Joey to follow which he did. They stopped at a restaurant near the edge of town, “Dear, this is a quaint tea room that I thought you need to learn to enjoy. We introduce many of our dancers to it. Many of the ladies who come here, help to fund dance programs for ballet dancers like you. Please raise your pinky finger when you’re lifting a cup of tea, sit toward the front of your chair, sit up straight, and gracefully bring the cup to your lips without slouching or leaning forward.”

Joey said, “You’re trying to get me to quit, but I will do what you say. Can I have a blueberry scone with my cup of tea?”

“That would be fine Josey, but please be gentle and cut your scone horizontally,” said Aunt Beth.

Aunt Beth ordered what she said was a tea sandwich. It would be a small square that she would use a knife and fork to eat. She ordered for both of us and our host gave a sort of informative lesson to observe while we were there. The hostess introduced herself as Sally Manners, and then she talked to us, finding out my name and where I was from.

Strangely, I told her, “I’m Josey Anders and Ms. Elizabeth Walters is my Aunt Beth. I will be at her dance camp this summer. I am looking forward to learning ballet. She has a prize pink tutu that I will be given if I can learn to dance gracefully on my toes.”

Ms. Sally said, “Your Aunt has talked about you, and shown your picture but you look like you have lost some weight. Was that intentional to help your dancing?”

“Thank you for the compliment; yes, I worked to get in better condition. My friend Megan Sharp even helped to give me a start in learning a little of ballet’s steps and movement.”

Sally the Hostess said, “It sounds like you are very disciplined in how you treat things.”

“Sadly,” said Josey, “That has just been the past few weeks. I was so certain, that it would be simple and that there are tricks to learning some of it. I realize there is more to it, but I’m now up to it.”

Sally giggled and excused herself for doing so, she said, “You know you can learn ballet, but unless it is as Josey, you’ll not learn what you want?”

Joey suddenly stopped; he looked to Aunt Beth. Aunt Beth said, “You heard that from Rose Dewitt Bukater, played by Kate Winslet. If you’re going to do it, you need to become a ballerina. I don’t think spoiled little Joey can do it. Now that you heard it; are you going to quit or are you willing to be Josey at the Walter’s Dance Camp?”

Joey said, “If I need to be Josey for a while so be it, but whatever Josey can do, Joey can learn to do.”

Joey remembered being at the Camp as they drove through the entrance. Aunt Beth stopped at her cabin, “If you’re going to be here as Josey we need to do a few things. Or I’ll take you to the cabins for the male ballet dancers.

“Let’s talk about what you need to tell me if I’ll try it as a ballerina,” he said.

Aunt Beth made two calls as they went into her lodge. Soon Megan Sharp was knocking at the door. Then there was another person who was introduced as Nurse Joy Harper. Nurse Harper was petite and looked like she too could once have been a ballerina.

They took some time explaining about wearing breast forms and a vagina gaff. Then Aunt Beth’s voice and tone changed. “Just practicing as a girl wouldn’t be You need to be immersed and live as one of them. And I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can trust you to ethically to do that.” She said, “Joy can hypnotize you to be Josey and only be her twenty-four/seven. Your mother permitted me, but you too would need to agree to it. You would not do anything you would be unwilling to do anything you wouldn’t agree to… Megan and Nurse Joy would ethically need to agree to be advocates for you… You would be living among the other ballerinas which includes sleeping in the same areas, showering, dressing, and dancing. Nurse Joy and you would be responsible for taking care of cleaning and seeing that you are okay.” She showed me the vagina gaff as well as the breast forms I’d be using… You will stay with me tonight so you have time to think about it. If you so desire it’ we will hypnotize you in the morning. If you choose not to you can choose to learn as Joey, or you can go home on the next train.”

She asked if Megan, Joy, or I had any questions. It was obvious that Joy and Megan already knew and were greedy to do what was being asked. They soon left and went to their living quarters. It was Joey's understanding that Josey would be in the same cabin as Megan. There would be four bedrooms and two showers for eight of them.

Story to be Continued…