Midnight, Rustie’s Place:
It was midnight by the time Lou and the guys dropped Rustie off at home. Rustie enters the house and quietly walks upstairs with the suitcase that he ended up with. His instrument, along with all his musical gear would be delivered tomorrow afternoon.

He strips out of the sundress he had worn home. He was glad his parents were asleep right now. He was too tired to explain why he was dressed like a girl; not like they care. They were used to him dressing up like a girl. He’s been doing it since he was six years old.

Rustie grabs the shorts he normally wears to bed and puts them on. He also puts on his Yoga Bear t-shirt he designed and silk-screened himself. He loved making his own t-shirts and personalized stationery. Before crawling into bed, he removes the makeup still on his face.

Once the make-up is removed, he crawls into bed and hugs his leopard plushie. In no time he is out like a light. After sleeping on the floor of the hotel room, his bed was a welcome comfort.

When he woke the next morning, it was because of his alarm clock going off. Even though he had his wakeup time set on his cell phone. He stretches his hand out from underneath the covers and presses the snooze button. His fingernails were still covered in the bubblegum pink color from the nail polish he painted his nails.

Nine minutes later, the alarm starts going off again. Rustie gets out of bed and changes out of his night clothes and into a pair of running shorts and a sports bra. The thing was, the reason he wore a sports bra, was because with his figure, he didn’t look right.

He wasn’t built like his older brother or father. His older brother was a football player while he was in high school. Now, his brother Bart was attending Ohio State University on a football scholarship. His brother also won money from a scratch-off he received as a gift. So, between the scratch-off and the scholarship, his brother was set for his education.

The thing was, his brother took after their father. Both his father and brother were what you called manly men. They had strong muscular builds and played sports in college and high school. His father had been a professional wrestler and toured the wrestling circuit. That’s how he met his mother.

Rustie puts his long rusty color hair in a high ponytail and grabs his cell phone. He leaves the house and starts his run. His mother and father were at work and his neighbors were used to seeing him dressed as a girl. They knew he was a strange person, but didn’t care that he sometimes dressed and acted like a girl. The one karen who did have a problem with Rustie moved.

They learned that you didn’t mess with the child of a lawyer. Rustie waves to some of his neighbors working outside either washing their vehicles or tending to their lawns. He runs to his turn-around point which is five miles away and turns around to jog back towards his house. He knew he was going to need to take a shower and later on, stop by Lou’s place to pick his instrument up and gear up.

Lou’s dad handled all their shipment needs. He owned the delivery service for Greyhound Bus Station. Rustie hopes the young woman who got his suitcase by accident enjoys his clothes.

By the time Rustie returns home, he goes upstairs and takes a nice relaxing shower. While he is washing his body, he wishes his body didn’t look so weird. He had long slender legs and, a small waist, and his hips were shapely.

He has tried everything, except getting testosterone shots. No matter how many times he used his brother’s weights, he couldn’t build his muscles up to the level of his brother and father. If nothing else, his body was developing more and more like his mother’s body.

After Rustie finishes his shower, he puts on an off-the-shoulder shirt and a pair of leggings out of the suitcase. Most of the clothes he owned and wore could be worn by either gender. He walks into the kitchen fixes himself a bowl of cereal and eats it.

While Rustie is eating his breakfast, his cell phone starts ringing. He presses accept “Hello?”

“Rustie, what are you doing right now?”

“Well, hello to you too, Ivy.” Rustie wonders sometimes why he is still friends with Ivy after the dirty trick he pulled on him.

“Sorry. So, what are you doing right now?” Ivy needed a second hand.

“Eating breakfast. What is it you need me for?” Rustie may not have trusted Ivy that much, but he was still his childhood friend.

“I need help cleaning out several storage lockers I just brought. Look, I know I pulled a dirty trick on you and Brandy and this is my way of making
it up. If there’s anything in the storage locker I bought that you want. I’ll let you have it without question.” Ivy really needed Rustie’s help and he knew Rustie collected certain things.

“Fine, I’ll help you. You’re going to have to come by my house and pick me up. My parents are spending the day with my aunt Betty and her husband.”

“That’s fine. I’ll be by your place in twenty minutes.” Ivy didn’t live that far away.

“Okay, Oh! I need to go by Lou’s house later to pick up my instrument and gear.” Rustie couldn’t wait to pick his gear up and part of the winnings as well.

“No problem.” Ivy didn’t mind helping Rustie.

“See you in twenty minutes.” Rustie ends the phone call.

After Rustie rinses out his cereal bowl. He goes back up to his bedroom and changes his clothes again. He puts on faded denim overalls that used to belong to his mother and a baggy short-sleeved shirt under it. He also puts on the tennis shoes he wears when he does yard work.

Once Rustie was redressed, he went back downstairs with his small backpack that had his wallet, house keys, and work gloves in it. He was also brought along a mask as well. Sometimes the storage lockers had a buildup of dust inside them.

Rustie waits outside for Ivy to show up. He spots Ivy turning onto the street he lives on. Rustie watches as the transport van Ivy is driving stops in front of his place.

“Where did you steal the van from?” Rustie gets in on the passenger side.

“My uncle Charlie is loaning me his van.” Ivy notices how feminine Rustie looks wearing the clothes he has on.

He has known Rustie since they were kids in elementary school. He always found Rustie a little strange, but as they started to get older, he noticed Rustie was getting weirder and weirder.

“Will the storage units you bought fit in here?” Rustie wonders how much this van cost because it would make a band van.

“Yeah, both units will fit.” Ivy puts the van into gear and drives towards the storage unit.

“What’s the gas mileage like?” Rustie was enjoying sitting in the passenger seat.

“Don’t know, but right now I’m getting twenty-two miles per gallon.” Ivy wonders why Rustie is so interested in the van.

“How did the band contest go?” Ivy knew the band Rustie was part of and competed against several other bands in Georgia.

“We won first place.” Rustie was happy they won because they went up against twenty other bands that were pretty good.

“Man, I wish I could have gone and heard you guys play.” Ivy was proud that he knew members of a band.

“We're playing next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Deamon’s Tavern. There’s a ten-dollar cover charge, but it’s a nice place.” Rustie had been surprised when Lou told them about the gig on the way back from Georgia.

“I’m going to need to come and hear you guys play. Do the guys in your band know about your crossdressing?” Ivy knew Rustie liked to cross-dress.

“Yes, they all know about me cross-dressing. Is that why you did that dirty trick to me and Brandy?” Rustie knew Brandy still hadn’t gotten over what Ivy had done to her.

“Look, I’m sorry for what I did. I know Brandy did want people to know she was a crossdresser. But come on, Rustie. You and her should trade bodies because I know you enjoy dressing like a girl.”

“I won’t deny that I like crossdressing, but I also like acting and performing for people. The thing is, Brandy’s parents aren’t as open-minded as my parents are. Letting her secret out like you and Dave did wasn’t nice.” Rustie turned to look at Ivy as he drove.

“If I did something so mean to you and her. Why are you willing to help me?” Ivy glances toward Rustie.

“Because we have been friends since elementary school, you dummy. I’m willing to forgive you, but you’ll have to earn Brandy’s forgiveness.”
Rustie knew Brandy and her older sister wanted to tear Ivy’s hair out for exposing Brandy’s secret.

Ivy finally pulls into the storage unit and enters the code he was given. He waits for the gate to open and heads towards the two units he bought. If the stuff in the lockers were deceitful, he would sell them at the swap meet next week.

Rustie watches as Ivy drives towards the storage units. He knew Ivy sold whatever he found in the storage lockers at the swap meet. Ivy’s grandmother and mother got him hooked on selling things at the swap meet.

“Here we are.” Ivy parks the van and gets out.

Rustie gets out as well and stands nearby watching as Ivy unlocks the storage unit. Rustie lets out a whistle when Ivy opens the locker.

“Man, that is going to take some time to go through.” Rustie couldn’t believe how much stuff was stuffed in the locker.

“Well, let's see what is inside.” Ivy grabs his gloves and starts pulling things out.