It is the first of June in 1964, and tomorrow I have to begin summer school. I don’t know why I never learn but since 4th grade, I’ve doomed myself to extend the school year by another six weeks of summer school. If one’s grades are bad enough, our school does not like to hold a student back from passing to the next grade; instead, they require him, him and her to go to summer school. Some 67% are boys who did poorly the past school year, only 20% are girls who did the same. The other students attending are good students whose parents think they should be in school getting ready for the coming year. Yuck, can you believe some parents are that cruel? Needless to say, school is not high on my list.

Down the street, a friend just graduated from high school and he has a summer job for me. He’s a car nut and this summer I get to work with him detailing cars. He will be going to auto mechanic school in the fall. He is already a top grade grease monkey who fine-tunes cars, and he is also an artist of sorts. I’m bitten by the same auto detailing bug. My folks had befriended Roy and always encouraged him to finish school. Five years ago it was not very likely he would show up in high school let alone graduate.

People, especially well to do college kids, like their car engines souped-up and flames painted from the side wheels and on the hood. Roy not only does the flames but monikers like a cobra, rattlesnakes, rats whatever. Cars still have butterfly windows and that is where Roy became known as Rembrandt of the Car scene.

He can do whole cars with flames, to painting a key on a Volkswagen Bugs. His best as far as detail is a cute female skunk. I’m pretty good with characters like the seven dwarfs; I could also copy Roy’s Speedy Gonzales or the Road Runner. He has one car destined to have a bat and web on it. It is one of six cars lined up all ready to get our attention. But my work will now take longer because I need to go to summer school.

Mom regularly works nearby in Chicago but this June and July, she will be in working between New York City and Europe. Our Grandma, Grandpa and my aunts will be looking after us, my older sister Jenny and me. If we get into trouble we would have to stay with our grandparents.

It is not likely Jenny nor I will be that good; the trick is not to get caught being bad. We are both very good at the latter. Jenny is thought to be an angel while I work overtime not to get caught. We were both very successful in keeping up our image.

Students in our state are to successfully complete state history by the end of eighth grade and they should be ready for algebra by ninth grade if they’re in the college-prep group. I don’t plan on college but my mother says I do. I thought living in northern Illinois knowing Lincoln was the sixteenth President, from our state, and Chicago is the largest city in the state is enough for Illinois history. I did know a bit more but guess I should have read the textbook. Official history books don’t even speak about crime and corruption, so how good can they be.

Well, I’ll be out of my second class by noon and I'll be down the block to Roy’s shortly after 12:30.

The first day I bump into my sister and four friends on my way out as they come into our house. “Jenny, Mom says friends aren’t to be over while she’s gone!”

Jenn nicely says, “Put a sock in it. What’s it to you, little brother!”

“Hey, Hal would you be back in time to do my nails?” Sandy asked. Did I mention Sandy and a few girls like me to do detail work on their fingernails? I would have choked if it had been my sister, who asked, but Sandy, Deb, and Carol are hot and Anne is really nice as well. I guess my sister is very pretty too, but I'll gag before I say it.

“I’ll be down at Roy’s; I should be swamped, but come and get me if I can help in any way,” I say on my way out the door. Being 5’ 4” I do not have a lot of girls asking for me. They’re doing so is incredibly good for my ego.

I go down to Roy’s but that’s not where the story gets interesting. The girls are waiting for a phone call from some boys in Chicago. So they watch TV, read girl magazines and do one another’s hair and nails as they wait. The call doesn’t come until 2:00 p.m.

“Jennifer, we will be on our way in 15-30 minutes; we had trouble getting a ride. Our friend Sal is driving us, so we need another date for when we get there.” Well, we live in Elmhurst and they are coming out of Chicago, the near-north-side by Wrigley Field.

Jenn agrees to get someone and looks forward to their coming. When they hang up, is when panic sets in. Chuck indicated Jenn needs to call back before they leave; she needs to have word that they have the sixth date or they aren’t coming. “Sal supposedly is a good looking guy 5’ 11” with dirty blonde hair so his date should have a good time with him.”

They used up 20 minutes when Sandy says, “I will go down and get your brother.” …Jenn tells her, “Get back here we need to get a date for Sal before we worry about doing our nails.”

“I’m doing both if you don’t want to see Chuck, go ahead and stop me.” Sandy says with confidence, “Between Deb and me, I am sure we have agreement from the sixth girl.”

My sister protests but not very loud, she just questions if it will work. Sandy comes down for me and Deb clues Sis’ on why it will work and more importantly why it will not be a real problem. “The agreement for the weekend is just the five guys and we have that covered. So all we need help for is today, right?” Jenn agrees with Deb.

“Your brother is petite so clothes won’t be a problem. He sings very well when he sings along with us so he should be able to speak like a girl enough to get through one date. He has long hair and a clean complexion. Most of all Hal thinks we are hot and will do whatever we ask very nicely of him,” Deb states, “case closed.” Deb convinces Jenn to confirm the date before I am even through the door.

Sandy came to Roy’s “Hey, Hal we need you to come home to help us.” As we talk she tells me, “We have six guys coming out of Chicago for a date so we need another girl. We need a make-believe grand-daughter to show up. What do you think a good name would be for her?”

“Granddaughter, she’s going to be a granddaughter of our Grandma, like Jenny and me? Would she look like someone related on my mother or dad’s side,” I ask? Sandy smiles and tells me “She looks a lot like your Mom?”

“That is easy; Grams told Mom she should name her second daughter Cami for Cameo. Grandma always told me mom looks like one of her cameo pendants. Who’s the girl and why does she need to act like she is part of our family?”

“Because we need someone to do us a big favor and the only person we can think of doesn’t want to use her own name or even to go by Haley.”

“Woe you thought that I am crazy enough to do something like that?” I ask.

“You said you would do anything to help, just before you came down to Roy’s. You sing along with us on girl songs. You have long hair and a slender body so it won’t be hard.”

Roy overhears us and pulls me aside. “Hey Hal, if you don’t have to kiss the guy. Being in with your sister and her foxy friends would be a guys’ wet dream come true.”

Back with Sandy, “There is no way I’d pass as a girl especially someone your age.”

She says, “So if we could get you to look like another one of us then you will do it?”

I jokingly answer, “If I could look like you I would date me.”

Sandy says, “Done deal, except you, can’t date yourself. We’re going skating so you need a partner and they have an extra guy… Now, what do I need to do for you as payback.” My resistance melt with the idea of Sandy doing me a favor.

Sandy and I get back to my house. My sister comes out of our mother’s room as we arrive, “Haley, I have a bubble bath running in Mom’s bathtub.”

Deb corrects Jenn, “She chose the name Cami, so pitch the name Haley.” Deb and Jenn escort me back. I am happy when Deb stays out in the bedroom checking some clothes.

Jenn takes me into Mom’s bathroom and asks me to undress and get into the bathtub. I can’t believe what’s happening as I do what she asks, it’s like I’m on auto-pilot. “Sis, a bubble bath what’s with this?”

“It will moisturize your skin and if anyone comes while you are in the tub, you will not be showing yourself off,” Jenn says. “I need to know if you want to shave your own body or want me to help. You also need to shampoo and condition your hair.”

“Sis, this is a joke, isn’t it? What’s this about a date?” I ask.

“Chuck is coming out from Chicago this weekend and four others but today he has to bring an extra friend because they need him to drive his car. If I didn’t have a date for him they won’t come.”

“So tell him I got sick he’ll understand. He’ll be the one getting sick if he finds out he’s dating a guy,” Hal says.

Jenn stresses, “If there is no date Chuck said he’d turn around. It is not a big deal; we’ll go skating which you are good at. Sandy and Deb say presenting you as a girl won’t be a problem.”

“Right or wrong that is not good news. Right means I easily pass as a girl; wrong and how do I explain to a guy, I didn’t mean any harm?”

“Hal, tell me when you’ve sung along with us that you have never wanted to be part of our group. This is your chance. Plus I heard Sandy and Deb will do something for you as a reward. I know you have to be excited about that.”

I slip into the tub under the bubbles as Jenn looks the other way. I put my leg up on the side of the tub saying, “I don’t know what to do.”

Jenn calls for Annie’s help. Annie has a girl’s razor as she smears a gel over my right leg, now hanging on the side of the tub. And she begins to shave it. I’m on a four-inch cushion, it helps raise my leg up to a comfortable place for both of us. I am afraid of getting excited and it's showing. Ann is ahead of me, throwing a wet washcloth over me between my legs.

Annie asks, “Do you have an athletic supporter if needed?” Annie turns her head as I change positions in the bathtub. Annie checks and shaves my underarms as well as shaving hair anywhere she deems it is inappropriate for a girl. But I don’t see why she needs to check my midriff.

I shampoo my hair and they want me to do it a second time. When I use the conditioner I am ready to rinse it right out, but Jenn sets the timer for five minutes. While I lay back Anne puts on a face-mask gel on me.

The face mask sets real fast. Jenn shows me a mirror and I couldn’t believe my face looks like a woman with mud on her face. When Jenn and Ann peal it off there is this cool sensation over my face. I am not allowed to look at a mirror, thus didn’t see any change.

I rinse out my hair and begin to dry it until I’m told I need to pat it dry. I try to use a hair blower and brush out my hair. I try to brush it but catch the brush in my hair. They tell me I did not dry or brush it right. So I give it over to Carol, luckily I have a large towel wrapped around my body just under my arms.

Carol has me step into a panty and I tuck myself away as they suggest, as they pull the panty up. The feeling of the pink satin coming up my legs is sensational. It moderates some by a pad coming up between my legs. I melt with the feelings running through me but work not to let it show how I'm enjoying it all.

With the towel around me and the panty in place, I sit on a stool allowing Carol to continue to work on my hair. She cuts a little here and there and uses a curling iron to frame my face in curls. She says the curls will brush out in the morning without any problem.

They drop the towel to around my waist as they help me put on a pink bra around my chest. Carol shows me how to pad the cups using the same socks on each side to make sure my breasts balance. She first uses a thick sweat sock on one side and a regular sock in the other. The difference is very noticeable. I say, “I don’t want to look like that.”

Carol giggles, “How do you think your breasts should look?” Two footie socks in each bra cup were what we agree. She drops a camisole over my head and through my arms; Carol says, “You showed good judgment girl in keeping your breasts in good proportion to your figure.” I smile as the girls again giggle.

Now they have me focused on my pantyhose as I sit down to put it on and stood up to get it up over my hips and out of sight around my waist. Carol said, “Who showed you how to take your time and do that right?”

I lift up my arms as the dress, a light glistening violet purple, cascades down over my head and down my body. I feel goosebumps on my arms and shoulders as it skirts down. Sandy’s hands tug lightly here and shifted it there, and smooths it into place and then zips it up in the back. I can see it in a mirror but just down to my hips. Looking straight down I can’t tell how short it is. To me, it looks and feels great. The girls are amused as I miss noticing how short the dress really is, while I enjoy the look and see what I can from the mirror.

Now I sit down as the girls do my make-up and nails. It takes work to shape and paint my nails, but the girls don’t complain. Once my nails are good, polished and drying. I detail the nails of Sandy, Deb and my sister. We get a call from the service station at the edge of town making sure there is a sixth girl for the date.

Sandy takes me aside to get me singing like a girl and then coaches me to make it my speaking voice. I am no sooner comfortable with it as word comes, “They’re here!” Sandy has me slip on some heels saying, “They’re only 2” heels, so I encourage you to take short steps.” Truth be told, they're 2½ inches, and the first few steps teach me to keep short steps.

We walk out to the living room to meet the guys. Chuck quickly asks, “Whose Sal’s date?”

“Walk toward him spin around and extend your hand to him,” Sandy whispers. So I do to everyone’s amusement. I do it well, and Sal steps forward and takes my hand. 'Ugh, I’m with a guy.' Sandy introduces me, “This is Jenn’s cousin Cami who just happened to come for an overnight visit.”

Sal is not that bad looking of a guy at 5’ 11”, nice dark complexion, probably 160 pounds with nice face and eyes. He has a red 1961 Plymouth Fury and since he is driving I get a good seat up front. I am a little uncomfortable with his hand around my waist.

Chuck’s guys already knew my sister is pretty and are very happy to see the others. They're already talking about being together in Chicago and the guys showing Jenn and friends a super time. I am not paying attention since I only need to survive this one time.

Sandy pulls out a small brownie camera and takes pictures of the group and each couple. “Don’t worry Sal and Cami; we will make sure each of you gets a picture,” Sal says thanks and I don’t think that is necessary…