(aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2161 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
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The next day was Friday and after taking the girls to school and returning to set Danielle some work to do to try and maintain some form of education, I got her to read a chapter in a science book and then answer the questions at the end of it.
That seemed to take her all morning I suspect because she was distracted by what she’d be doing the next day–helping in a beauty salon, watched over by Julie and Phoebe. I wasn’t really sure it was what I wanted her to do, but it gave her a further insight into a mostly feminine world, which might or might not encourage some sort of decision–yeah, right. I mean all she’d be doing is sweeping up hair, washing things down or making cups of coffee. It’s total gofering and I doubt she’ll want to do it for long, but for a week or two she might not miss her football games.
I was feeding Lizzie when she came down with the book, “This don’t make sense,” she grumbled and she pointed with a painted fingernail at the question.
I read the question, it could have been better versed but it was clear enough to me about the extinction of the dinosaurs. I explained it to her and she shook her head. “Why couldn’t they have said it like that?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart.”
“Oh, well I can do it now,” she went off to finish her chore. I finished having my breasts sucked inside out and handed the baby to Jacquie to bath and change her while I checked on lunch. David was back but not in the best of moods after he discovered his car was going to cost more than he thought.
I decided I wasn’t going to intervene, I’ve played fairy godmother enough for now and people really need to stand on their own two feet. I’d asked him to make Spanish omelettes for lunch, a favourite of mine and easy enough to do, especially for someone with his skills.
He grumbled about the garage again and I ignored him. If he asked me directly for an advance or something, that would be different, but I’d decided I wasn’t going to make the first move as I have enough problems without taking on his as well.
After a less than pleasant lunch I went to collect the girls doing some shopping en route for which I took Danni and bought her a cheap black skirt, top and leggings in Asda. She already had a pair of black flatties. When she came out of the changing room to show me, I thought she looked quite cute and told her so. She blushed and returned to the changing room to change back.
“Why was David so crabby at lunch?” she asked as we queued to pay.
“His car failed the MOT and it’s going to cost him more than he can afford.”
“Oh, can’t you lend him some?”
“If he asked me, I’d consider it.”
“If it stopped him grumping about the place, I’d lend him some, ’cept I haven’t got any.”
“I’m not obliged to sort everyone’s problems out, you know.”
“Yes you are, you’re Dormouse Woman, superhero and problem solver.”
The woman in front snorted, so she must have been listening to our conversation. We paid for Danni’s salon uniform and headed towards the exit when she said to me very quietly, “Look out, it’s Gizmo Wilkins.”
“Who’s he when he’s about?”
“A boy in the year above me, I got his place in the soccer team.”
“Oh, stay close, I doubt he’ll start anything with me here.” I held onto Danni’s hand which was getting quite clammy and gripping mine very tightly. “Just act normal and don’t look at him.”
We walked past and the boy walked on seemingly oblivious to Danni, other than to scope out a pretty girl. We walked quickly to the car park and I bleeped the car and Danni jumped in and slammed the door shut. She was hyperventilating when I got in.
“Just calm down, if you stay as a girl this is going to happen.”
“It’ll happen if I go back to being a boy as well.”
“Those who saw you, yes, they could make a bit of fuss.”
“A bit, you haven’t seen the things they’ve been sending me and others.”
“What d’you mean?”
“They sent me a picture of me wearing makeup sitting with the rest of the soccer team.”
“How did they do that?”
“They musta photoshopped my girl head onto an older picture.”
“So this must be one of the pictures they took recently?”
“Yeah.”
We collected the girls and drove home. They seemed to sense Danni was a bit down and tried to cheer her up without much success. When we got there, things got even more bizarre.
“Danni, someone phoned for you?” said Jacquie.
“Who?” asked Danni.
“I wrote it on the pad by the phone.”
Danni went over to the pad and read it then burst into tears.
“Whatever is the matter, sweetheart?” I said going to see what the problem was.
I read the message, Mr Swithinbank rang, were you available to play soccer on Saturday, they were a couple of players short.’
“Oops,” I said on reading it.
“I can’t, can I–not like this?”
“You could take your makeup off and nail varnish and it would only be your hair which gave anything away, and I’m sure we could slick that into a more boyish cut.”
“I can’t, I’m supposed to be helping Julie.”
“I expect I’d be able to talk her into having you go when you finished playing, you could come home for a quick shower and then go to the salon, Daddy or I would take you.”
“I can’t, they’ll all laugh at me.”
“They laughed at me when I wanted to join the university cycling team, but I got my own back?”
“Did you, Mummy?”
“Yes, I won the hill climb against a far stronger rider.”
“How did you do that?”
“I practiced every day for a month on that hill, usually after dark so they couldn’t see who was riding. I made ten climbs of it every time, and after two weeks I was doing it much easier.”
“And you beat the other guy?”
“Yes, only by a second, but it shut them up for a few weeks.”
“But how did you beat him?”
“He was very strong but also rather heavy. In a sprint he’d have beaten me hollow, with all my training, I’d also lost weight and towards the end I was practicing with a rucksack full of books. I built my legs up quite a lot.”
“And you beat him?”
“Yes I did, he was the captain of the team who’d told me to go play with the girls because I wasn’t good enough for them.”
“I wish I could do something like that.”
“You could,” offered Trish, “go as a girl and tell ’em you wanna play.”
“Don’t be so stupid, I couldn’t do that? They’d be calling me names all the time.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea, Trish.”
“Well I have to do it,” she frowned.
“You’re a girl and you’re playing for a girl’s team.”
“So, so are you.”
“Am I?” she said absently.
“You’ll have to tell them you can’t go–d’you want me to do it?”
“Please, Mummy.”
“Okay, make me a cuppa and I’ll call this guy back.” I picked up the phone and pressed call back. I asked to speak to Mr Swithinbank.”
“Hello, Guy Swithinbank.”
“Hello, Mr Swithinbank, this is Cathy Cameron, Danni Maiden’s mother.”
“You got my message, we’re desperate and he was our star player last season.”
“I’m sorry, he’s not available.”
“Look, I know about what happened in France and that he’s gone a bit girly but I don’t care if he turns up in a bloody tutu tomorrow as long as he played.”
“You realise he’s leaving the school.”
“Has he actually left yet?”
“It’s in progress.”
“But if he hasn’t actually left yet, he’s still eligible to play for us.”
“I don’t think you understand, Danielle, is unavailable, she’s doing something already.”
“She?” his voice went up a tone.
“Is that a problem, Mr Swithinbank.”
“Jesus, that’s one sick puppy.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“How can you encourage a boy to play at being a girl?”
“I don’t have to justify anything Mr Swithinbank, Danielle is under the care of an expert in gender different children.”
“Oh c’mon, that’s all new age crap, you can’t turn boys into bloody girls.”
“Who said I was turning anyone into anything?”
“You did.”
“I beg to correct you, but it was you who said it not me.”
“You’re all sick.”
“I’m not the one who’s being judgemental and transphobic, Mr Swithinbank.”
“Goodbye, Mrs Cameron.” The phone went down abruptly.
Comments
There's always one
and Swithinbank sounds like a classic toe-rag (and he's a teacher?)
Having met a few of these types over the years, I would know one if I saw one - and my eyesight is very poor.
S.
Mr Swlithinbank
I foresee more trouble ahead for Danni. It is more than likely that Mr. Judgemental and Transphobic will be telling the soccer team why Daniel can't play for the team. And, how will the team accept the information?
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
They're still out there.
Sadly there are still homophobes and transphobes out there in all walks of life.
Still lovin' it Ang.
Yep.
Classic small mindedness. Unfortunately, the world is full of them.
Thanks for the chapter.
He or she can't seem to make a decision.
Is not being able to make a decision make him more of a girl? Was the ghostly world soccer prediction a windup? I guess I say him, because I always saw the character as a male. And I stand by that. Unless something really shiny and sensible comes along.
I probably wanna know, what I don't know
did not care
what he wore if it was helping Mr Swithinbank, but when Dani's not available not very sympathetic.
Might be trouble to I can see Mr Swithinbank calling social services
Goddess Bless you
Love Desiree
*sighs*
Oh, well... Had the coach been a good guy, things might have gone better or even provided Dann* a chance to play. He's either such a phobe he can't see straight or he's so uninformed and misinformed that he actually believes the garbage he's spewing... Was a time I believed that stuff (and thought I was crazy)... based on how I was taught/brought up and lack of access to better information. Even so, I know I'd have been more polite about it. *sighs*
Wonder what happens next.
Annette
I forget, was Danni's school a private or public school?
Private and public in the USA meanings.
If it was a private school, but even some public schools are that way, does the football team and other competitive sports have outside sponsors?
Such teams are expensive to run. How much you what to bet the bank is a major sponsor of the team and/or it's playing facility? Or even provides scholarship grants?
If the coach want to play nasty and bite the hand that feeds it... "OH SIMON. "
Bully's only respect force sad to say.
Time that fool school pays the price for their carelessness.
BTW as somewhat infuriating as Danielle's/Danni's vacillation is, it *feels* very realistic. IE The teen years are a time of self questioning and finding yourself. I too feel he is a he and not a she but that is his or her decision to make. And he rightly fears making the wrong one as the consequences could be tragic. At a minimum heart breaking for the child.
As to the photo manipulations that were posted, perhaps time to let loose the dogs of war, IE Cathy's in-house tech guru's?
Not necessarily to fight fire with fire, a last resort, but to find out who they are. Their parents might not agree with what their little character assassins are doing. And/or one whiff of the threat of legal action by the Cameron's might do the trick.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Perhaps ...
Mr Swithinbank might think differently if he saw Danni and realised that Cathy was only letting Danni follow her own wishes... Sadly though i doubt that will happen, There are none so blind as those who do wish to see, And i think its fair to say that Swithinbank would only ignore what his eyes tell him .... The man is a bigot who should not be allowed to be in charge of children, That he is says a lot for the selection procedure, Surely a good interviewer would have spotted that the man has problems with anything slightly different..
Kirri
Mr. Swithinbank
Is not desperate enough evidently