The same old argument raved again.

“Look, how can you not understand that I have always needed to be a woman?”

“You stupid fuckin faggit, all I ever wanted was a man with a dick! I told you 20 fuckin years ago that if you wanted that, you need to go be a whore or find yourself a rich man to do that for you! You sure as hell don’t fill my needs! All you are is a goddamned fag that couldn’t accept the fact that he was gay so he thought he had to be a female!”

This chapter may not seem like it's talking about Mom at all, but it'll make sense in a while, okay? Her early years were a bit…different to what most probably expect. I wrote this in first person, because that's the way Mom's diaries and journals are written and it just seemed the best way. I've tried to capture her 'voice', and I think it sounds about right. Enjoy!

Rain

My stomach felt like a huge lump of ice had dropped into it as Captain Richards stood up and said, "Will Andrea Martin please approach the tribunal."

Wondering how long my wobbly legs would support me, I stood up and took a step forward before saying, "Actually, it's Andrew."

The captain frowned as he looked down at me from the makeshift podium. "What was that?"

I kept quiet about the whole thing when I was in the car with Grace. This dressing up like a girl thing, the wedding, Trey, it was all freaking me out.

And here I was, dressed in a pair of Grace's shorts and a spaghetti strap top, riding with her to a beauty salon. I was also wearing a little makeup that Grace had applied shortly after picking me up from Trey's.

My name is Mike. Well to follow Mom’s latest rules, it’s Michelle Elizabeth Williamson. Life has been kind of weird lately. Mostly, Mom has been acting really strange. Not that she can be considered normal by most standards, but that is another story.

Sean walked into the store, nervous about her bicycle. There wasn’t anyplace outside the store to tie it to, so she was left with nervously watching her bike through the window while she stood in a line at least 20 people long. She fretted while the line proceeded slowly toward the counter. Just as she was about 5 people from the front of the line, a guy just walked into the line in front of her. She was completely dumbfounded and had no idea what to say to him, but after about five minutes of nervously eyeing her bike through the window, she decided she had to say something.