Synopsis:

What do you think, when you are taken to the girls' wing of a hospital floor?

Story:

I guess it comes as no surprise, when I say this is a woman's world. It most certinly is. If a woman has a grudge against a man, all she has to do is scream rape. When a woman owns her own company, she commands both men and women, but more harshly the men. Women get to wear dresses, skirts, pants, shorts and all in beautiful colors and fabrics too. Men have to wear pants, and shorts in the summer too, if they wish, but are forbidden the fruits of wearing such things as skorts, or bikinis, or any other female garment. That is why Jimmy Franks became Jennifer, or Jenny as her mother would soon be calling her. This story is how that happened.

Part I

The boys were on the track running in a line for boys PE. The coach of the football team was the gym instructor. He was standing in the middle of the track just watching them, when Jimmy Franks tripped on a part of the asphalt track and fell. The coach ran over to him to see young Jimmy in pain, with a compound fracture to his right calf. The coach, a man of 42, balding in some places, but still looking young, yelled at one of the students to go to the office and have them call an ambulance.

"Jimmy! Are you all right?"

"It hurts coach, really bad."

"I've sent one of the boys to the office to call an ambulance. I don't want to use my radio, or the whole school will be out here. That doesn't look good, Jimmy. Looks like you're gonna be benched for the season. Compound fractures take a long while to heal."

The coach looked up as he heard the sirens approcahing. He always hated that, when you called for the ambulance, a fire truck showed up. He swore a mild oath under his breath, and yelled at the paramedics, who instantly called for the fire department ambulance to be dispatched. Another five minutes and another siren came to the school, but was allowed onto the field. After making sure Jimmy was in good health, they splinted the fracture and put him on the gurney. They took him Mount Sinai Hospital, cause it was closest.

This was a set back for young Jimmy who, as a wide receiver for the football team, and 18 years old, was due to graduate in June. Now, he would be laid up for the rest of the season and his hopes for a football scholarship, out the window. His parents were at the hospital in ten minutes after the ambulance had gotten there. Jimmy's mother was frantic with worry, as she waited in the operating room waiting area. What was taking so long, why wasn't he out here? She thought. The O.R. doctor came out to talk to them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Franks, I'm Dr. Schuster. Your son is stabilized and we're waiting for the orthopedist to arrive. She will reset your son's leg. Let me be very serious for a moment. I understand that your son plays football at Washington High School. If his leg heals properly, he will play again, but not this season. Ah, here's Dr. Marks."

Dr. Alan Schuster was your typical middle aged doctor,pudgy, balding and didn't practice what he preached. Dr. Elaine Marks, was a young lookin 40 year old, nice figure and blonde hair. When she smiled her teeth sparkled. She sorta ran and walked at the same time into the O.R., with Dr. Schuster right behind her.

What seemed like an eternity to anxious parents, Jimmy was wheeled out on the gurney and taken to recovery. Dr. Marks then spoke to the parents.

"Mr and Mrs. Franks, your son will be just fine. It was a clean break and it was easy to reset. He will heal very well. He is in recovery right now, and you can wait in the room with him til he wakes up, if you want." They nodded and Dr. Marks led the way to the recovery room waiting area. Marcia Franks was 38 years old and played on the local women's golf tournaments. She had flaming red hair and Irish green eyes. Her figure was subperb, and she seemed like she sang when she talked. Boyd Franks, was 40 years old, with a head of pitch black hair, and a young boyish face. He belied his age with his good looks.

Marcia Franks sat beside her son, as he lay there sound asleep from the anesthetic. It would be another four hours before Jimmy woke up. But when he did, his mother immediately pressed the nurses button. Nurse Hazel Green came in the room and immediately took Jimmy's pulse, blood pressure and temperature. She was a nice lady for middle age, silver hair and a little overweight. She smiled at the Franks and left the room.

"Mom? Oh god it hurts," he said through tears streaming down his face.

"I know sweetie, but it will be all right. I'm here honey," she soothed as she held her son to her to comfort him.

"Mom, what happened? I was on the track and the next thing I know, I've got a broken leg. What Happened?"

"I don't know, Jimmy. The coach said you tripped on an uneven part of the track."

"Can I go home now, mom?"

"Not yet sweetie. The doctor says your going to be here for a couple of weeks. They want to make sure the bone is setting right."

"I suppose," he returned in a dejected voice.

"Jimmy, we're going to wait until they take you to your room. Then we're going to leave for a bit and get some dinner. We'll be back after that about an hour ok. This will give us time to eat and your mother and I can talk too."

"Okay daddy. I'm tired. I want to sleep."

"All right Jimmy, you go ahead and sleep. We'll be right here."

"Night daddy." He no sooner said that than he was asleep.

Three hours later Jimmy woke up, crying in pain. His mother was there and pressed the button for the nurse. The nurse asked what was wrong, and Jimmy's mother explained that he was in pain. The nurse brought in a needle and gave Jimmy the shot.

"There. That should help a little. Let me take your pulse, and blood pressure and make sure you have no temperature. They're going to move you to a room shortly. Not much longer. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am. Thank you," he said wincing still in very much pain.

"Mom? Daddy? I hurt, really bad. Will this ever go away?"

"Yes dear, it will. You had major surgery to reset your leg. But, we're here and we will be here until they tell us to go."

"Thanks mom," he said, still crying because of the pain.

"Oh! Here they're dear. Looks like your going to a room now."

"Good. I'm tired mom."

"Its okay honey. It's the shot with the pain medicine. Pain medicine is suppose to help you rest. We are going with to your room dear, and then we are going to get something to eat. After that, we will be back. Okay sweetie?"

"Yes mom," and Jimmy gave her a big hug.

"Daddy?!?" Jimmy said as he held out his arms for a hug. But Jimmy's dad did something else too. He leaned over and gave Jimmy a kiss on the forehead.

"Rest now, punkin'. We'll be back in a little while. We are just going to get something to eat."

"Okay daddy." Jimmy closed his eyes and went right to sleep. His parents left.

When Jimmy woke up, he found he was hold a nice stuffed bear with a heart in the middle of its tummy. He looked at his parents and smiled.

"Oh mom, daddy! A Care Bear! I always wanted one. Thanks."

"You're welcome sweetie," his mother said with a beaming smile. "It was your father's idea, honey. He said his little girl needed something to keep her company."

Jimmy looked at his father and smiled. "Thanks daddy. I really love this."

"You're welcome punkin'. It is something so you don't feel lonely, when we're not here."

"You got Care Bear Jimmy?" A girl's voice came from the other side of the curtain, that separated the two beds.

"Yeah. Isn't it great. My mom and daddy are the best friends I have."

"Yeah, mine too. I'm Charla Monore, Jimmy."

"Nice to meet you Charla."

"I'm glad they put you in here with me. I've been in this dumb room for two whole days without anyone to talk to."

"I'm glad they put me in here too, Charla."

Jimmy was placed in the girls' wing of the orthopedic floor. This is where patients with broken bones were taken after surgery so they could rest and heal.

"Jimmy?"

"Yes daddy?"

"Your mother and I have been talking. We want to know something."

"Okay daddy."

"Would you be mad if, when you are healed, we didn't want you to play football anymore?"

"No daddy, I wouldn't be mad."

"Good girl. I want you to know that when you do get home, your room will be completely redone. Its a surprise."

"Oh daddy, that would be great."

"You have been getting other medicine too punkin'. The nurse has been giving you hormone shots too."

"Oh wow, daddy. What kind of hormones."

"Hormones to make you more relaxed."

"Girl hormones, daddy?"

"Yes punkin', female hormones. We found out that you had been dressing like a girl in your room when you are either doing homework or talking on your computer. So will it be all right punkin', if we call you Jennifer or Jenny, from now on, Punkin'?"

"Oh god, daddy. I thought you'd never find out and I would have to be stuck like this forever."

"Okay punkin', Jennifer or Jenny it is."

"I think jennifer's a cool name, Jenny," Charla said.

"You're gonna make a very nice girl, Jenny."

"Thanks, Charla."

"Wow, I just met a new girlfriend. Where do you live Jenny?"

"Over on Cottonwood, where it crosses Birch."

"Oh wow! I live only a couple blocks from there. Would it be all right if I come over and we can listen to music and do each other's hair and nails?"

"All right Charla. That sounds like fun."

Nurse Hazel came in the room with the nursing assistant that brought him to the room. He looked at nurse Hazel and then at the man. he was tall, about six feet, and and walked with a sloping gait. He had sandy brown hair and muscles that looked like he could enter the Mr. America contest. Why do they call it a contest and not a pageant, Jennifer wondered. I mean cause that's what it is. Why is it men always call their pageants contests? It would be nice, just once, if men could stop acting like beasts and do things like for fun, like girls do, instead of always trying to out do each other. Then he mused at a thought just then, that ran through her mind.

'Why can't a man be more like a woman'?

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