Allergies Suck

 

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I am not going to waste words here. My name is Billie James and I am twelve years old. I am five foot, one inch and have a slim body. I have an allergy to wool and cotton, so the clothes I wear have to be synthetic materials. A week before school, mom took me clothes shopping. In our town we have Walmart, K-Mart, and a few smaller clothing stores for girls and women, and we have J.C. Penny.

As we were going through the boys department at J.C. Penny, we didn't see any clothes that I could wear because they were all cotton. Mother had an idea though. She took me over to the ladies department, and started looking through skirts, dresses, slips, panties, pants that were either satin or satin-like or even rayon. I asked her what we were doing here, and she said because if I can't wear any boy clothes, I have to wear girl clothes. I started to look at her with a shocked experession. Up until now I could wear almost anything, until just a few years ago when it was discovered that the red blotches on my skin were being caused by my clothes.

The doctor told mother that from now on I would have to wear synthetic material clothes, unless she wanted to see me with constant blotches on my skin. My mother is slightly taller than me, with nice sun yellow blonde hair, and deep sky blue eyes. At five foot, six inches, she looked like a giant to me. Her name is Marian and she is a licensed cosmetologist. For some of you who think that all a cosmetologist does is set hair in a salon, you are very mistaken. My mother also applies makeup, and does nails too. Our little town isn't big like Chicago, New York, or even L.A. where they have manicurists do the nails, a separate makeup artist, and a masseuse. In our town the cosmetologist did everything, except massages. It was actually cheaper that way, or so mom had told me.

Anyway, back to the shopping trip for school. Most of the pants for the girls and young miss were some kind of denim or other cotton mix. So seeing how I was allergic to cotton and wool, the only other thing was skirts and dresses, or go naked. I guess naked is not an option. Oh well. Now while most dresses and skirts are cotton as well as tops, there are some that are made from synthetic material such as rayon, orlon, satin, or other fibers that weren't cotton or wool.

Mother said we had a choice of colors, prices, and lengths. She said she never thought that her son would one day become her daughter, but she said buying for a daughter is much more fun than buying for a son. I just cringed at what she said. But I guess it is either dress as a girl, or go naked, and I think the police would have something to say about going around naked. So, reluctantly I resigned myself to a fate worse than death. Of course, maybe now the guys at school will quit calling me shorty, and making inane comments like "when are you going to grow up".

Okay, so I was shorter than most boys I know. That isn't my fault. Mom says I will probably grow another two to three inches, at the most. Anyway, mom looked at me apprehensively, let out a big sigh and finally said.

"Well dear, you never know how cold the water is by standing on the shore. So let's get our feet wet."

She handed me a nice off white, floral dress, and told me to try it on. Then she handed me two packages, one had nylon panties in them, and the other had three nylon camisoles in different colors. She told me to put the panties and cami on first, and the tag on the panties went on the left. Then I had to try on the dress, because she said she wanted to see how I looked in it. I think I turned seven shades of pink, purple, and red together, because mom wanted to see me in a dress. That was just too much. So what does it mean when you have clothing allergies? It means you get used to a different way of life, and in my case, a softer, opposite way of life than I had been living. I was very apprehensive about stepping out of the booth, so I peeked my head out while holding the curtain around my body, and whispered for mom to come and see.

"Oh Billie, for heaven's sake. Let me see how you look."

"Mom," I whispered, "I am embarrassed. I've never worn anything like this, and I look like one of the girls I see at school. This is not flattering at all, and it droops across my chest."

"Billie, it is the only option right now. K-Mart and Walmart do not have anything even remotely like this for guys. If we went there, we would be right in the ladies section anyway. I know you feel embarrassed sweetie, but you have to have clothes, and I am sorry to say this, but these are the only clothes available for you right now. Even if I made your clothes from all the synthetic materials, they would still look too feminine. Besides," she stopped, and put her finger to the corner of her mouth. "Honey, open the curtain so I can see how you look."

I opened the curtain, and stepped back further in the booth. She still had her finger on her mouth, and she was telling me to turn slowly so she could see me from all sides. When I was facing her again, she said she knew exactly what the problem was, and she would fix it once we got home. Okay mom, keep me in suspense. I like not knowing what you're thinking, especially when it is about me. Mother wouldn't tell me what she was thinking about, just that it wasn't bad. I guess it is a surprise.

Anyway, mom had me try on a skirt next with a blouse, The skirt was an A-line tartan, and the blouse was simple white. I opened the curtain for mom to see, and she said there was something missing. Then she said to close the curtain, she would be right back. Mom came back with four half slips, and four full slips, plus culottes to go under my dresses and skirts if I didn't feel like a slip. She also had three pairs of shoes, and it was a good thing I wasn't allergic to leather. She had me try the shoes on, after giving me a package of nylons to put on. They had elastic at the top, so they were supposed to stay up on their own. After showing me how the nylons went on, she handed me one of the pairs of shoes.

This pair had a two inch heel, it was black and had an ankle strap that clasped rather than buckled. After the nylons were on, she had me put on one of the half slips, and then then the skirt and blouse again. She said my hair needed a little attending to, but right for now I looked beautiful. Does a guy want to look beautiful? I think not, but what choice did I have? Okay, so I am going to have to live as a girl for ... what? The rest of my life? For some reason that didn't sound right to me. After we were through trying on different skirts, blouses, dresses, and shoes, I left the store with a wardrobe any girl would die for. The only problem with that is, I'm a boy.

When we got home, mother showed me how to hang everything up in my closet, and how to set my lingerie in my dresser. She said one drawer should be for panties, another one for half slips (the full slips were hung in the closet with my dresses), and still another one for hosiery, as she called my stockings. She said I didn't need to worry about having any jeans because the maerials that jeans were made of, I was allergic to.

So, still in the tartan plaid, rayon skirt, and the white silk blouse, we went in the kitchen to have lunch. We had spent all morning shopping, and mom had gotten me quite a lot. Mom said as we ate a lunch of salad and turkey lunch meat sandwiches, that we still had to go out and get me night clothes, like pajamas, nightgowns, baby dolls, and we should look for more bedding too. There was just no end to the indignities these allergies were going to inflict on me. She said I needed a coat for winter too, and said that there are rayon/nylon material coats for women. I asked why I couldn't have a guy's coat, and she said because most guys coats are either cotton or wool, and I can't have either. So a ladies coat in a size four is what I would need to go with the clothes I have now. My old boy clothes we got rid of a while back already when the doctor said I was alleric to them.

Anyway, after cleaning up our lunch table and putting everything away, we sat down to rest our tummies before going back out to the stores. And like I said before, we have very few options for clothes here. There was just one thing though. The sensations I was feeling, wearing these new clothes, was electric to say the least. They made me feel like I was floating rather than walking. The click-clack of my heels on the floor was very disheartening because I knew that sound was coming from the shoes I was wearing. After lunch mother told me to come with her, and she would put my hair in an acceptable style.

We went in her bedroom, and she told me to sit on her bed. Then she turned me just so, so she could fix my hair. I had just washed it the night before, so we didn't have to do it again so soon. To my surprise, she was cutting, as well as shaping my hair. I asked her why she had to cut it, and she said so it looked neat and fabulous. Does a guy want his hair to look fabulous? I guess. Maybe. We'll see.

After she was done messing with my hair, she took a tweezers and said she had to get a few stray hairs out of my eyebrows. I didn't think anything of it at the time, so I just sat there. Okay, what do you want from me? I'm only twelve years old. When she was done, she said I could look in the mirror, so she opened her closet door and had me look at myself in her full length mirror.

I was astonished at what I saw. My hair not only framed my face in a feathered, wispy style, but I now had bangs too. My eyebrows were arched like I had seen on the girls at school, and then mother did something I was really not prepared for. She told me to sit down again, and not move until she was done. She brushed a little mascara on my lashes, and then put a light pink lip gloss on my lips. She told me to look in the mirror again. If I was astonished before, I was absolutely knocked for a loop this time. What I saw was a girl of about maybe sixteen looking back at me, with long lashes any girl would die for, and a pouty mouth framed by the lip gloss. Wow! This girl is very pretty, but there is only one problem. This girl looking back at me, is me, and I am a boy.

Mom rummaged around in her closet for a bit, and found a nice purse to go with my outfit. She showed me how to carry it, and told me to try it by walking around the room. I instinctively kept my legs together, and took small steps because quite frankly, I didn't want my skirt to flip up. After she was satisfied that I projected the image and actions of a young girl, she said we needed to go and do more shopping.

"Moth...mother, y-you, you mean like, like this?"

"Yes Billie. You look very pretty in that outfit, and nobody is going to say anything to you, except maybe a boy might want to take you out on a date. Honey you look like any other girl. So..."

"But mom, I'm a...I'm a boy. I shouldn't even look like this."

"I know sweetie, but if all you can wear are girl clothes, you have to project that image. I'm not being mean, sweetie, I am just making sure that your image fits your clothes. You know they say that clothes make the man, but with us it is different, clothes, style and image is what we need to be beautiful. I know that you are a boy, but mother nature has played a very nasty prank on you. I'm sorry sweetie, but you have to dress like this from now on. Your father's genes made you one of the boys and mother nature made you one of the girls. It isn't all bad being a girl. All you need to know is how to be one. You are only twelve years old, but right now you look like you are sixteen. It is all in the makeup dear, and all I did was fuss with your hair, and put mascara and lip gloss on you.

"Your facial features are soft, and your frame is slight, even pretty, like a girl's would be. You are even developing a figure. The little stick caterpillar is becoming the beautiful butterfly. I know you don't want to hear this, but what other options do we have? None that I can see right now. Honey, if you have to be a girl, make the most of it. I will teach you what you need to know. By the time Halloween is here, you will know just about what every other girl knows, including young lady, the talk every mother has to give her daughter. I am going to treat you like a daughter, and you will go through everything they go through except for two things, and that is you can't have a monthly cycle or what is called a period. Pregnancy is also something we don't have to worry about. But other than those two things, I will teach you every other thing a girl should know. You have adapted very well in such a short time. Now, it is time for your debut as my daughter, to go out and show the world who you are. Let's go shopping."

I left the house in a state of trepidation. I was very worried some troglodyte would give me a sound pounding, and then call me nasty names. The problem with troglodytes is they have no neurons in their slinky, slow, almost non-existent brains, so they have this tendency to use their brawny torsos which to say the least is the only thing they have going for them, and that isn't saying much. We got to J.C. Penny's again, and went right to the ladies section, and right to the nightwear. There were silk negligá¨es, pengoirs, shorty pajamas, long pajamas, capri pajamas, there were baby dolls, and then there were other synthetic materials as well.

Mother had me look at all of the different styles, colors, and synthetic fabrics, and told me to choose three of each. Oh, ok, you're probably wondering where she is getting all the money for this. Well, when my dad was alive, he invested what little money he had from time to time. Eventually his portfolio as he called it, was such that he didn't ever have to work again, but he did. He bought his own chain of auto repair garages (he was a very good mechanic), and he just hired mechanics to fix the cars. His company's reputation grew and he had a lot of repeat customers. Some of them even became friends. When he passed away, he left mother and me his entire portfolio, and mother never had to work again, either, but she does. She went to work every day at the beauty parlor. So, along with the auto repair garages, and her own beauty salon, as well as the stock portfolio, we had enough money to last us three lifetimes and then some. Anyway, I was her only child, and after dad died, she didn't seem interested in getting married again. And we didn't live like movie or rock stars. We had a simple little house, a five year old car, and we wore everday fashions most people would wear. We weren't stuck up, and we treated others they way we would want them to treat us.

After I had looked through everything, and selected three of everything I thought would make her happy, we went to the cash register to pay for it. The lady at the register complimented me on my outfit and said that I certainly wasn't the same tomboy who was in here earlier, I was now a beautiful young lady. When she asked me my name, I had to think quickly. I said it was Wilhelmina, but that my mother just called me Billie with an ie. She said I had a very unique name, and that it was German. Of course we were German by descent mother told me once, so maybe having a German name wasn't that bad. Oh, erm, did I just give mom another idea. I saw the look in her eye that said she agreed with my choice. I don't know where that choice had come from, but like I said, I had to think fast. Anyway, our shopping trip was over, and this time it only took three hours to get what I needed.

Did I need all of this, though? I mean, a girl would be in seventh heaven with a wardrobe like this, and all the frilliness of the clothes. But I'm a boy. Stupid mother nature probably intended otherwise. She can be such a prankster at times. Okay, so now I have to live as a girl, because all I can wear are girl clothes. Well, like mother had said, if I have to be a girl, I might as well make the most of it. How does that song by Doris Day start out? "I'm a girl and by me that's only great..." Well by me it isn't all that great. But what other choice do I have? None. Okay so now I have a new name. Wilhelmina. The lady at the store said it was German. Maybe I should look that up. Well anyway that is an idea for later. Right now we stopped at Denny's for dinner, and the waitress even complimented me on my outfit. When she found out I was only twelve, she looked surprised and said I was joking of course. I said no, and mother even said I was twelve too.

"Well I must say, you look like you are sixteen. How can you look so old, being so young?"

"It's all done with smoke and mirrors. Or in my case, with makeup and mirrors."

"Well sweetie, you are absolutely stunning. I don't think there is a boy that wouldn't purposely trip over his tongue to get you on a date. So anyway, are you ready to order?"

"We will have the roast beef dinner, with salad and a roll and mashed potatoes and peas."

"Thank you, ladies. What would you like to drink?"

"Bring her a large milk, and I will have coffee."

"Do you want your drinks now, or wait for your orders?"

"Now would be fine."

I can see mom has done this before. But I think she odered for both of us, so it would save me an embarrassment asking for my usual burger and fries. Mom also told me to remember to take small bites and chew my food thoroughly. She told me too to remember and dab the corners of my mouth, and to bite with my teeth and not with my lips, like most guys do. When our food came, we talked as we ate. We weren't in a hurry, so we took our time. The nice thing about Denny's is not only the food and the service, but also the inside of the restaurant. It was cozy, and felt like home, and except for the crowd of people, it would be like home. Now don't ask me what happened next, but I was only able to get through less than half of the dinner. Mom just smiled at me and said that was fine, because we could take the rest with us. Mom had more coffee and I ordered a Mountain Dew. We sat and talked a little more.

"You did very well today, Billie. I have never seen someone adapt to a situation more so than you have. Where did you come up with that name, Wilhelmina?"

"I have no idea, mom. It just kind of popped in and then right out again."

"Well, I think it is a very nice name. It is unusal and unique, but it fits your nickname very well. What say we go home and get into something comfortable, and have a girls night in?"

"Erm, what is a girls night in?"

"It's just us girls having a nice evening watching tv, or talking, or both. Are you game?"

"I guess so. Like you said, if I have to be a girl I should make the most of it, so I will."

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Leave your comments the way you think you should, but please don't say this isn't realistic. To be continued.

 

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When we got home, we put my night clothes away in my closet, and the pajamas we folded and put in my dresser. I left one nightgown and robe out. Then I went and took a quick shower making sure to use lotion and powder. After getting dressed, I kind of shuffled down to the living room. Mom told me to come in the kitchen. She handed me an apron, and told me it was time to get my hands dusty.

She was making pizza, and we never used canned anything. If we used any kind of tomato sauce and tomato purá¨e, we made it from fresh vegetables. It was fresher that way. Mom has been making our pizzas from scratch even before I was born. She said it was healthier that way. She also said that making it together was part of the girls night in. Mom also used ground turkey and spiced it so it tasted like sausage, and the sauce was low sodium and low cholesterol, the cheese was fat free, and we made sure it was sprinkled on the top not just thrown like you see in pizzarias.

After we were finished making it, we set it in the oven for fifteen minutes, and then cleand up our mess. I took off my apron, and by that time the pizza was done. Mom took it out of the oven, and the cheese and sausage were done, so was the crust. Mom cut it in squares instead of triangles, and we took it in the front room. After grabbing two Mountain Dews, we settled down to watch tv. Mom turned on the TV Guide channel and we watched the channels slowly move to the top of the screen. Bring It On was playing, so we turned it on that. One nice about a girls night in is that we can watch "chick" flicks without guys complaining they're too feminine.

We talked while we watched the movie, but we could hear what was going on as well as seeing it.

"Honey, would you like me to do your nails for you? It's a part of the whole experience of a girls night in."

"I guess. I mean, if I have to live like this, I might as well go all out."

"Okay, I have everything right here. Now what shade would go good for you? Let me see, maybe a berry of some kind. So okay, let me see your left hand, please."

She took this over sized emory board and started to file the tops of my nails. Then she started to shape them with the same emory board thing. Then she took a metal nail file and filed the nails to a rounded tip. Then she took a small leather cloth thing and wiped across the tops of the nails. She then took a clear liquid she said was a base coat, and put that on each hand. Then she let it dry and started to put on the polish. The name said Deep Boysenberry, number 43 by a company I never heard of. She did both hands, and put two coats on. Then when the polish was dry, she added another clear liquid thing she called a top coat. She said this was to protect the polish from chipping and being scratched.

After the nails were dry dry, I looked at them in the light a little more. They shined and sparkled. I like the way they made my fingers look longer and more feminine. Yeah I know, I said that the problem with this was that I am a boy. But if the only clothes I can wear are girl clothes, then I might as well get used to the idea. So if having my nails done like this is getting used to the idea, then that is what it will take. Okay, so I am Wilhelmina instead of just Billie. Billie was what my mother named me after my father died. My birth name was William, but mother never used that that I can remember. Everybody at school called me Billie, even my teachers.

She showed me how to pick up a square of pizza with my polished nails. So I picked up a square with the tips of my fingers on one hand and slid my fingers on the other hand under neath, so that the polish would get less sauce and grease as possible. Even with fat free pizza, it is still a little greasy but in a good way. So we ate and talked and watched the movie. Mother then did my toe nails. Mother said this was multitaksing, and every woman was good at it whether they thought so, or not. After that, we talked about fashion, makeup techniques, girl things I needed to know, and the all time girls favorite, boys.

She told me about the boy in high school that caught her eye, but back then it was improper for a girl to ask a boy out. So she waited for about a month for him to ask her, but he never did. She was finally asked to go steady from one boy who was considered a geek, but didn't look the part. That was because he wore contact lenses, and had his hair done at Super Cuts, and he wore the latest guy fashions. But because he was in the computer club, the chess club, and the croquet club, everybody considered him a geek.

"So did you go steady, then?"

"Yes, we did. In fact I married him. He was your father. He was a good man and treated us very well. He lived everyday like it was his last, and when he died, he left us his portfolio, this house and his car repair garages. He always worked though, even after he became rich beyond his wildest dreams. I still work, even though I don't have to, because I like doing hair and nails.

"Now that we have that over, let's talk about you. From now on, you are a young lady, and I will still call you Billie, because that is a good nickname for Wilhelmina. You have to dress like a girl, so you might as well learn how to behave like one. I am very proud of you though, because you have done quite a bit naturally without learning anything. Such as the name Wilhelmina, it just came right out. That was very fast thinking. You never gave anybody any cause to think you were anything other than the young girl you looked like. But I just want to go over the basics with you to make sure you can do them second nature, like you did today. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Now, since it is only we girls here, sitting like you are to relax, is okay. But when you are out in public, keep your knees together when you are wearing a skirt or a dress. You must never give some oversexed boy an excuse to look under your skirt or dress to see if you are wearing panties. Next is, sit up straight. Keep your back straight at all times. This is not only proper female etiquette, but it also helps your posture later on. Eating I don't really need to go over because you instinctively did that quite well today. Just remember though, always take small bites, and bite with your teeth and not your lips. Your speech doesn't need any improvement because you still have that high little boy voice. I will see if we can curb your puberty a little by having you take estrogen. Estrogen is our hormones. Just like you have androgen and testosterone in your body, I have estrogen in mine, with a teensy weensy bit of testosterone.

"I guess what I really need to teach you is makeup, and we have time for that before school. We're going to have to get you a doctor's excuse saying you can't take physical education. We will see, we have a few days yet. The next thing I need to do is get your name legally changed. I don't know if that is possible without you first seeing a therapist of some kind. I..."

"Excuse me, mom, but my teachers call me Billie even when they are taking roll call. So I don't see a problem with my name."

"Alright, that is good for now, but it is still something we have to look into. Then I guess it would be good for you to see a therapist, because there will be certain people that will say it is a disgrace that you are required to dress like a girl, and still others will say that you are making it up. But we know better, don't we sweetie? So, I guess right now, it is makeup learning time. Now, most girls as we grow up, we clown around with our mothers or sisters makeup, trying to look big." She giggled. "I remember one time, I tried to put mascara on my eye lashes, and got it all over my face. Mother didn't scold me but said if I wanted to do a black face I should have told her. I had a lot of fun growing up as a girl, and you will too. It is too bad that all those red blotches took their sweet natured time in going away, or we could have had more time. Anyway, I think I can teach you how to put mascara and lip gloss on. You're at that age now when girls want to look older than what they are. Okay, so watch how I put it on myself, then I want you to try."

She put on the mascara by sweeping the little brush over her eye lashes from the eye lid outward. I saw how her lashes just curled too, when she was putting on the mascara. They turned a nice shade of black, and they complemented her eyes very well. It was the lower lashes I saw she did very carefully or she would have gotten it on the skin. When she was done, I was amazed at how just a little mascara could make her look beautiful.

Then she handed me another tube and said it was mine. she said never share your makeup with anybody, especially eye makeup. I took the tube and opened it, and took out the brush. I then began doing what I saw mother do, and in just a few minutes I was done with both eyes. She looked at me in amazement and asked me how did I do that so well.

"Mother, some things just come naturally. But I can do just by watching too. I watched you carefully, because the last thing a girl needs to look like in her makeup is a clown. So when you are teaching me something I need to learn, I pay attention to what you are doing, and how you are doing it."

"That's good, sweetie. Now the next thing we need to do is lip gloss, lip liner, and lipstick. Now there are girls your age that are just using lip gloss, but lip gloss can also enhance lipstick by making it look shinier and wetter. Lip liner is what you use to define the lip area you are putting the lipstick or lip gloss, or both, in. So, watch what I do very carefully, then I am going to want you to do the same." I said okay, and she started with the lip liner.

She drew the lip liner around the edge of her lips, and then took a tube of light pink lipstick and applied that. Then after she dabbed it with a tissue, she applied one more coat of lipstick. She then moved her lips back and forth, and her entire upper and lower lips were defined in color. She then showed me how to carefully "paint" the lip gloss on so her lipstick looked shinier and wetter. She handed me a thin tube that said lip gloss on it, a small pencil thing, and a tube of light pink lipstick. I traced my lips with the pencil thingy, and then applied one coat of the lipstick, being careful to keep the lipstick inside the lip liner. I blotted that with a tissue, and then put another coat of lipstick on. After blotting that, I "painted" on the lip gloss, and moved my lips back and forth like mom had done, and I looked in the mirror. Oh my god, I looked really fabulous for twelve years old. I looked like I was sixteen again.

"Honey, you did that just fine. Like you were born to it. You know, fate plays a funny part in our lives sometimes, because it actually directs us which way our lives are going to go, and we have no control over that. I guess you were just fated to be my daughter. But hey, I love you no matter if you are my daughter, my son, or my adopted alien baby." She gave me an affectionate sisterly squeeze, and she rubbed her nose against mine. "Billie, since fate has given us this direction for you, I have a question I must ask you. If the doctor said right this very minute, that you could have surgery to be physically female like me, on the outside, would you want to do that?"

"Is there a chance I may get over these allergies, mom?"

"I don't know. The doctor didn't say. I will tell you what. When we go to get your excuse for gym classes, we will ask her."

"Okay, because what you asked me is something I never thought of."

"Alright then, we will wait on that. But just keep it in the back of your mind, because if you can't outgrow, or get over these allergies another way, then there is the surgery to consider. And I have read where they do make exceptions to the rule that you have to be eighteen to have the surgeries completed. Let's see what the doctor says. So what do you think of a girls night in? You have never done this before. How do you like it?"

"It's great mom. I mean, we can sit here and talk about things just between us girls, and we can have a good time doing it too."

"Well, if it is like with me and my girlfriends, we talk about periods, relationships, guys in general, kids, babies, pregnancies, and a whole lot more. Then we do each other's hair, and nails, and if we are really feeling crazy, we will do each other's makeup giving each other silly looks. It is so much fun having a girls night in. At your age it is called a sleepover, but when you get to my age we call it a girls night in.

"Then there is the girls night out. You are a little too young for that yet. But what it is, is we go out to maybe a nightclub for a night of fun. It is just a bunch of girls going out to have fun. We never get suckered in to going home with a guy though, because that spoils the fun. We will let them buy us drinks, but we won't go home with them, no matter how much they beg. Or maybe, we will go bowling, or ice skating in the winter, or maybe we will even just have a picnic in the park. Of course though, whereever we seem to go, there are always guys tripping over themselves to ask us if we want to do this or would we want to do that. All we do is give them a polite, "oh I am sorry, but my husband wouldn't like that too well". Then they go away. See I still wear our wedding ring. I'm not ready to take it off, and hopefully I never will be ready. So these are just some of the things that guys think they know about, but have no actual clue.

"Guys think because they go to the same bar every day, and hang around with the same guys, that that is a guys night out. Well, maybe to them it is, but a girls night is very special, because we are not only in a group, and we have fun as a group, but we look out for each other. Guys only seem to look out for themselves, and if a friend gets in a fight, they sit there and watch and egg him on. We actually get involved. So young lady, it seems to be going on midnight here, and I want to get to the doctor's tomorrow to get that excuse from her so you don't have to take gym classes. So let's hug good night, and get some sleep. We can do another girls night in some other time."

"Good night, mom. I really had fun tonight. I love you." I gave her a peck on the cheek and a big hug.

"Good night, sweetie, and I love you too."

I went upstairs and instead of taking a shower, I just washed my face, and brushed my teeth. I got in bed and covered up. Mom did something I didn't think she would do. She came in and kissed me good night on the forehead, and made sure I was tucked in good. She said I love you, and left saying good night on the way out. I slept very well that night and when I woke up, I felt very rested. Mom wanted to go to the doctor's today to get an excuse that says I shouldn't take gym class. Then she wanted to see if she could get my name changed to Wilhelmina. I never had heard of people changing their names, unless they were using a nom de plume for like acting, or writing. I guess I have a lot to learn.

Part III - The doctor's office.

The next morning mom got me up at eight o'clock, and told me to get my bath in, and wear something nice, because we had to go to the doctor's office to get my excuse for gym class, and we needed to see an attorney about changing my name. So I got up and threw my robe on, stepped into my slippers, and padded to the bathroom. I found that mom had already filled the tub, and it smelled really good too. Like a flower garden. I soaked for a while, then washed all over. I drained the tub and rinsed off what suds were left with the shower head.

I patted myself dry, and put on lotion and powder. I put my nightgown in the laundry, and put my robe and slippers back on. I went to get dressed. With all of the clothes mom had gotten me, I had a wide choice of what to wear. I picked out my nylon, powder blue dress that zipped in the back. I still wasn't used to this. Guys zip their clothes in front, not the back. You know what doesn't make sense to me is, that even if I am allergic to cotton and wool, aren't there any guy clothes I can wear? I will have to ask the doctor. I know that in all the times mom bought me guy clothes, they were made of cotton. Denim is a cotton material, so jeans were out. I had to wear clothes made of softer materials and they had to be synthetic. What is mom planning? She asked me last night if I wanted to have an operation to be a physical girl, like her. I'm going to find out if there are any guy clothes I can wear before this gets too far.

I put on powder blue, nylon panties that had a satin bow in the middle of the elastic waistband, a satin blue full slip, tan colored nylons, and my dress. I zipped it half way up, then pulled the dress up a little, and finished zipping it. I took out my black, two inch pumps, and stepped in to them.

Mother came in right then, and said she was proud of me getting dressed by myself. Then she said to sit down on the bed and she would fix my hair. She brushed for about ten minutes so it looked like it did yesterday when she fixed it for me.

"I called the doctor's office, and Lorraine said she would tell the doctor what we needed, but don't be surprised if she wants to see you. Well dear, shall we go?"

We left the house to go to the doctor's office. Dr. Claire Montreaux was from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and had been in living here for about fifteen years. She is a wonderful doctor, and has a slight French accent, but she speaks English better than some Americans do. Especially the kids at school. When we got to her office parking lot, it was almost full, and we had to park quite a ways from the door. We walked to the building, and up to the second floor. We entered the office, and Lorraine's face lit up when she saw us.

"Well hello Billie, Mrs. James. That is a pretty dress, Billie. Is it new?"

"Yes, mom got it for me yesterday."

"Well, it makes you look very pretty."

"Thank you, Lorraine.

Lorraine Stevens was only twenty five, or so she told me, and her soft, light auburn hair was always just so without a hair out of place. Her emerald green eyes made her look mysterious, even when she was smiling. We waited for about twenty minutes, and Dr. Montreaux called us in her office.

"You look very preetty Beelie. Lorraine has told me what you want. I weel give you the excuse, because the towels they use in gym class are made of cotton fibers. Beelie, how do you feel dressed like that?"

"It's embarrassing. I mean, I'm a boy, I shouldn't be wearing anything like this."

"Oh! I know, mon cheri. But right for now it is all you can wear. Do the clothes feel bad to your skin?"

"No, they feel really, erm, light. I get a sort of electric tingle wearing these clothes." The women exchanged knowing glances. "I mean, when I am wearing these clothes, it feels like I am floating rather than walking." They looked at each other, again. "Isn't there guy clothes that I can wear? Aren't there any guy clothes that are made from synthetic material?"

"Yes and no. Yes there are guy clothes that are made of synthetic material, but they are mostly for costumes, like ballet, and stage acting, like in the time of Louis XVI. But no, they don't have anything that you can wear for everyday, like outside or to school. Besides, you are adorable, keeten, and you should be very proud that you get to do something other boys can't."

"Like what, wear dresses and panties?"

"Oh no, mon cheri. You get to live and learn what it is like to be a part of the female sorority. Even though you can't menstruate, and you can't have babies, you can still expeerience what it is like to be a female. Leesten mon cherie, you have a very slight frame, and most boys could never pull off even looking like a female, or even living like one. But you have the slight frame, the angelic features, the high voice. You can live as a female without giving yourself away that you are a boy. I am so sorry, Beelie that you have to live like this, but it is the only way."

"Is there any chance at all, doctor, that I can outgrow, or get over these allergies?"

"No Beelie. You are very allergic to the wool and the cotton. These allergies as far as I know, are permanent. I will tell you what I weel do. I weel send you to a therapist friend of mine. She is very unerstanding, and she can talk to you about what you are feeling. Would that be alright, Beelie?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Good. Here is your excuse, and good luck. I want to see you again, in say, six weeks time. Have Lorraine make the appointment. Good bye, mon cheri, and you be the best girl you can be."

Part IV - The lawyer and breast forms.

We had Lorriane make the appointment, and we left. I was disheartened again, because the doctor was telling me I had to live like a girl forever. That didn't seem fair for me. I mean, I never liked playing the way most guys played, but I was a guy, and I had a right to live like one. It is really not right when mother nature plays her nasty tricks on people.

I didn't say much on the way to the lawyer's office, because I was really down. When we got inside of his office, he greeted us, and told us to have a seat. John Keenan Brown was tall, and had a full head of wavy, black hair. His face looked like it was chisled out of marble, and he walked with a very sure step. After we sat down, he smiled and asked us why we were there. Mom explained the situation, and the lawyer looked very thoughtful for a moment.

"Well, I do know that children have had their names changed before they were eighteen, but these kids were like sixteen. Okay, so the circumstances say that even though you are a male, you have to live as a female, and that there is no other option open for you. I will tell you what. For a five hundred dollar retainer, I will make out the papers for a name and gender change. We might as well go all the way. I will put what you said in the petition, and subpoena Dr. Montreaux to testify that these circumstances do indeed exist. I mean, usually there are no witnesses at these hearings, but this is an unusal case anyway. Will you come back, say, tomorrow, and read the petition I am going to file?"

"Yes, of course. What time should we come in?"

"Anytime after three, because I will be in court most of the day tomorrow."

After goodbyes, we left and went to another store. This one was a medical supply store.

"Mom, what are we doing here?"

"I noticed something yesterday that was missing from your appearance. Girls your age are starting to wear training bras, and I was thinking that maybe we can get you a nice set or two of breast forms, so that you won't be a flat chested girl."

"Mother! Breasts! You're kidding of course! Mo...moth...mother, I, I , I can't, I can't wear," I started crying. The full force of what I must go through finally sank in. I was condemned by mother nature to be a girl forever. I looked at mother and finally said.

"Then, if I have to be this way the rest of my life, I guess I could get used to it. Maybe."

"Honey, if you don't feel up to it, we can do this another time. There is no hurry, not right now."

"No mother. If I have to have them, then let's do this now." She wiped my eyes, and I blew my nose.

"It is a good thing you didn't wear any mascara, or you would look like a raccoon. Alright, if you feel up to it, let's go."

We went in the store, and a lady that looked old enough to be my grandmother asked if we needed any help. My mother told her what we needed, and she smiled and said she would show us what they had. After looking through quite a few, mother settled on two sets. One set was B cup, and the other was a C cup, for later on, after I "developed" more. A B cup wasn't bad since some girls develop faster than others, so I would be wearing those to school, at least for the first semester.

The lady that waited on us, asked us if we needed any help attaching them to the skin. Mother said no, as these weren't my first pair, so she knew what to do.

"What happened to her other pair, then?" Nosey, nosey, nosey.

"She accidentally melted them because she left them on the stove when the oven was on. She had forgotten I was making biscuits."

"Alright, then, will that be charge or cash?"

"It will be cash."

Mother paid for the breast forms and we left after getting the adhesive that would stay on the longest. Mother told me in the car that she had to think of something to tell the old bat, I giggled, or she might have gotten suspicious. Well, I was now the proud owner of a pair of B cup breast forms and a pair of C cup breast forms. Oh joy, I get to show off my chest to the guys like all the other girls. Then we went back to J.C. Penny to get me a few bras. Now bras we had to be careful of too, because some had cotton lined cups. We got several, ten in all, that were made of nylon, and were in different styles. Mom said a girl liked to feel ultra feminine from time to time, and so would I, once the shock of having "breasts" wore off.

When we got home, mom and I went right up to my room. She had me take off my blouse and then told me to lie on my bed. She took a damp soapy sponge and cleaned my chest area very good. After gettting the soap off, she made sure she dried the area with her blow dryer. Then she took a breast form and placed it on my chest. She made sure that it was just right, and then put adhesive on the back, and pressed it to my chest for about three minutes. Then she did the same with the other side. She told me to sit up, and I felt the weight of the breast forms pull on my skin. Mother handed me one of the bras, and put it on. She adjusted the shoulder straps, and the breast forms felt better.

"Okay sweetie, there is just one more thing I have to do, but we can do that tomorrow. I need to put some semi permanent makeup around the seams, so it looks like they are actually growing. For today, I just want you to get used to having breasts. There is one other thing I noticed that you are still doing. Instead of bending over like a guy, stoop, like this," (she showed me what she meant), "because that is proper etiquette for a young lady. Tomorrow, we will get you registered for school."
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To be continued in Part V - Registering for school. Please comment on the merits on the story and please leave anything else for either a blog or an article. Thank you.

 
(Author's Note: Somebody said they didn't know the time frame of this story. I hope this chapter answers that.)

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Mom woke me up at eight o'clock the next morning, so I could get ready to go and register for school. I am going in the seventh grade at Audubon Middle School. Mother made sure she got my transcript from Forest Home Elementary School so there would be no problems. I got up and decided on my baby powder pink dress, my pink Mary Jane's with the one inch heel. I got out my powder pink lingerie, and my nylons. I went in the bathroom and ran my bath water. I brushed my hair a little and brushed my teeth. So okay I am going girly today. And why not? I feel so pretty all dressed up.

After I had soaked and washed, I put my robe back on and went to get dressed. I started with my lingerie and made sure my stockings were firm but not tight. I stepped in to my dress, and then put my shoes on. I was brushing my hair, when mother came in and took the brush and continued brushing my hair.

"There, you look fabulous." She gave me a hug, and said we should be going.

We got to the school about nine thirty, and we waited what seemed forever for the administrator for my part of the alphabet to come and talk to us.

"Good morning, my name is Mr. Erdheim, I am the seventh grade administrator for your," he looked at the transcript again, "son. Is he here?"

"Mr. Erdheim, this is my son, and because of certain allergies to cotton and wool, he has to dress like a girl because they are the only clothes that he can wear."

"I see. Well, the school board is very adamant in the dress code. Boys will dress like boys, and girls can wear whatever as long as it is decent."

"So what are you saying? That my son has to wear boy clothes to school, even though he is allergic to them?"

"Yes, basically that is what I am saying. We will keep his registration, but he must be dressed like a boy on the first day of school."

"And what if he can't wear boy clothes? Then what?"

"Then he can't attend school here. He has to abide by the dress code."

"We will see."

"I'm sorry Mrs. James, but my hands are tied. I have to enforce the school board regulations."

"What I don't understand is, if he is wearing clothes, why does he have to adhere to an outdated and obsolete dress code?"

"Because that is the way it is. If he wants to attend school here, he has to adhere to the dress code. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. You can take it up with the school board if you wish, but they will tell you the same thing."

"I will do exactly that. If I don't get anywhere with the school board, I will find a lawyer and take this matter to court."

"Well, you can do whatever you want, but the court will be behind us."

"Is that so? We will see. Come along Billie, we're not getting anywhere like this."

We left Mr. Erdheim's office and the school and headed to the school board offices. When we walked in the office that said student services, the lady asked us if we had an appointment. Mother said no, but then explained what the problem was. The lady said just a moment, and shortly we were directed into an office of the superintendent.

"I thought we had to talk to student services."

"Yes, ordinarily that would be the procedure. But when you explained the problem, only I have the authority to over ride what the school said. I'm Dan Wendt the superintendent of schools. And what is your name, young lady?"

"Wilhelmina, sir, but everybody just calls me Billie."

"I see by your school records that your birth name is William. Until this is changed by a court of law, we have to address you by your legal name."

"Sir, all my teachers at Forest Home called me Billie. Do you think they can do that at Audubon? That way there won't be any snickering or talking behind my back."

"Well, first of all, let's get to why you are dressed in girls clothes."

"He has a bad allergy to cotton and wool. It makes him break out in red blothches all over his body. Since girl clothes are the only clothes that come in synthetic fabrics for everyday wear, he has to wear girl clothes. We even looked at the possibility of him wearing jeans, but denim is a cotton material. So, I am sorry to say that even though his father's genes made him on of the boys, mother nature made him one of the girls. It looks as though my son was fated to be my daughter for whatever reason."

"I see, and you have a doctor's statement to that effect, I presume."

"Yes sir, as well as an excuse from our doctor excusing Billie from taking gym class." Mom handed Mr. Wendt the papers and he looked them over.

"Okay, I will be right back." He left carrying the papers mom had given him, and he came back about five minutes later. "I copied these, and I will put them in your file. Now as for your dilemma young lady, not only can I sympathize and empathize, but I can also tell you that according to the first amendment the United States constitution, you have the rigt to tell everybody who you are. Let me ask you this. Is this who you are and want or need to be?"

"Well sir, if mother nature won't let me be a guy, what other choice do I have? I told mother that if this is what I am supposed to be, then I will be the best girl I know how. As for is this something I want or need, I would say if there was another way I would rather be a guy, but as you can see I am developing a figure, and my voice hasn't even started to change yet."

"Well, I will tell you what. There are U.S. Supreme Court decisions that says even a young person has a right to communicate their need to be something or someone other than what they appear to be. So if this is who you have to be, and there is no getting around it, then you have the right to dress the way you see fit. Who did you talk to at Audubon?"

"A Mr. Erdheim."

"Oh yes. We received quite a few complaints from parents about him. I wonder, would you wait in the outer office for a few moments, please. I want to call Mr. Erdheim and find out why he said you couldn't attend school the way you are dressed." We waited for about twenty minutes, and then he called us back in his office. Just as we sat down, Mr. Erdheim came in.

"Marian and Billie James, this is Steve Erdheim the seventh grade administrator at Audubon Middle School. He has told me that he said you couldn't attend school dressed the way you are for security reasons. I explained to him that if this went to court, we would lose because school dress codes have been challenged all across the country. He said he wasn't aware of that. So here is what will happen.

"You will attend Audubon Middle School as a girl, since that is the only way you can dress, and you will be excused from taking physical education. The name on your school records will be Billie with an ie. Good luck young lady, and I would suggest looking into changing your name, then there will be no legal confusion."

"Thank you, Mr. Wendt."

We left the school board offices and went back home. By the time we got home it was lunch time, and mom asked me if I wanted tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I said yes, and got out the milk.

"So what do you think? Do you think there might be a problem with Mr. Erdheim?"

"I hope not. I mean, I'm not looking for any trouble with anybody."

"Well, we will see. If he so much as gives you a nasty look, you tell me. I will deal with Mr. Erdheim. I also want to know if you have any problems with the students. Like do they call you nasty names, do they threaten you, do they just beat you up. I want to know about these things."

"Yes mom, I understand."

"Remember anything out of the ordinary I want to know about. Now let's clean up and see what we can do next. Oh yes! We need to go back to the attorney so I can read those papers and sign them. We decided to have a little something until we had to be there. We got to the lawyer's office at three forty-five, and we were shown right in.

"Mrs. James, these are the papers I drew up last night. I want you to read them, and then I have to ask you if you understand them. Billie, we don't usually do this, but you are well informed for your age. Would like to read these papers also?"

"Yes, thank you, sir."

"Yes, Mr. Brown, I think these will do."

"Do you understand everything there?"

"Yes, I do."

"Here Billie. I want you to read this through and if there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask me."

I read through the papers, and at the top it said in the matter of, then my name, a minor child. Okay, I understood that part. But as I read further it said that the minor needed to have her first name changed from Wiliam to Whilhelmina because of the allergies and reasons that are listed below. It said infra which means the same, or so he told me. Then it said that because of these allergies the said minor needed to have her gender changed to female, because the allergies which have no known cure at present, are permanent, and the child is in need of corrective surgical procedures so that her body becomes and moves like a female.

I looked at him and asked if that was necessary.

"Billie, you may or may not have to spend the rest of your life dressed and acting like a girl. But from what your doctor tells me, there is no known cure. That's not to say there won't be say next year or even further in the future. But by then, you will already have the mentality of a girl, and you will be doing girl things automatically. So, instead of waiting to see if there is a cure for your allergies, the best thing is to take care of it now, and have the court okay you to have the surgeries. This way you can grow up to be a girl, and there won't be any legal repercussions later on as you get older. This way too we can stop male puberty in its tracks, and have you grow as a girl with a girl's puberty. Does that make sense to you?"

"Yes, sir, I guess. If I have to then I guess I have to. Like mother said, my father's genes made me one of the guys, but mother nature made me one of the girls. So, yes, it does make sense."

"Good. I will put this through as an emergency situation, and I am sure that we can get a hearing in twenty four to forty eight hours. Children's court judges don't like to prolong these things. Thank you both for coming in. Have a good day."

"Well the rest is easy I guess. We just have to shop for your school clothes a little more, and see if you can pull off the first day of school without anything going wrong. So, I say we make the most of the free time we have left and go shopping."

We went to one of the outer suburbs where Southridge mall was, and we decided that we would shop til we dropped. Mom said that was a little girl humor. We started in the first shop, and we saw some very sexy clothing that all the teen girls were wearing, but mom said no, so it was on to the next store.

"Mom, I don't want to be dressed where I stand out either. I mean the clothes I have now are okay, but I need something that says teen girl."

"Honey, you are not a teenager yet, and I want my little girl for as long as I can have her. Let me tell you a little story."

Mom went on about how when she was a little girl there were people being shot in the street for their coats and their shoes. Some were even found naked. She said she didn't want that for me, because she would just sit and fade away if anything like that happened to me. So she wanted me to be "safe" and not have anything that was name brand, at least not for now.

So I settled in for a day's worth of shopping for everyday wear, but cut to a tweeny style. I got four dresses that were very pretty and came to just above my knees. If I wore anything knee length I would probably be laughed out of school. Most of what I had seen the girls at school wear, were mid calf to just slightly above knee length. So anyway, here I was an everyday kind of guy, or so I had thought, getting everday kind of girl clothes. What was it mom had said? Oh yes! Mother nature sure has a malicious streak in her. Well anyway, by the time it was dinner time, we headed to the food court, and got a couple of salads for us and a couple of sodas. When we had finished, we heard the mall intercom telling us the mall would be closing in one hour.

"Come on, Billie, we still have an hour."

Another of mom's favorite sayings is, waste not want not, and we were off to yet another store. This time it was to get me earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and even and ankle chain so many of the girls were wearing. Mother may be old fashioned but she knew the latest fashions and what a young girl needs to look pretty. After we got an assortment of jewelry for me, we made one more stop. To get my ears pierced. We left the mall with a few minutes to spare and I had my birthstone for my first pair of studs, sitting snuggly on both ear lobes. I guess that is one of a girl's right of passage showing that you are a girl. I haven't seen any girls my age that hadn't had their ears pierced. Tomorrow is Friday, and then Monday is school. I'm going to get mom to do another girls night in before school starts.

Part VI - A mother/daughter weekend.

I woke up the next morning listening to mom on the phone. When she hung up, she came in my room, and sat on the bed.

"Honey, that was Mr. Brown. We have a children's court hearing Monday at four thirty. At least you won't miss the first day of school. Now remember, I want to know if any of those boys that teased you last semester are doing it again. Now young lady, what do we do this weekend?"

"How about another girls night in except make it all weekend?"

"Now that is an idea. You know though, a girls night in doesn't mean we have to be cooped inside all weekend. We can go shopping, we can take in a movie, we can actually make it a mother/daughter weekend instead. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a lot of fun."

"You know Billie, you have shown me that there is very little I need to teach you, but you have to learn makeup, because even girls your age are wearing at least mascara and lip gloss. But we can go a little further, if you wish, with dual foundation powder for your face. Even though most young girls your age don't use face powders, it is done. Now we know that you look like you are sixteen when you are made up, and dressed nicely. We need to play that down a little, and maybe just use the lip gloss. Want to try it and see how you look?"

"Alright."

"Good. Now, let's get you a nice bubble bath, and then some pretty clothes."

I swung my legs out from under my covers and over the side of the bed. Don't ask me how I knew how to do that, but it just came naturally. Of course, it wasn't missed by mom, who told me that is how a proper young lady gets out bed. She took me in the bathroom, and showed me several bubble baths that she had. There was an apple scented one, and I chose that. She poured some in the cap, and poured it under the running water. Almost immediately the suds were foaming into a mountain. She told me to sit down in the tub easy like, and keep my hair from getting wet. Then she showed me how to sponge the water over me like a waterfall.

"You wash up nice, and I will go and get you an outfit."

As she left, I just let the suds cover my whole body, and I was feeling very feminine because the suds were actually taking all the stress of the past week out of my body. It was like the suds were drawing the stress and pain right out of me and throwing into the air with the popping bubbles. I washed up, and just as I finished patting myself as mother had shown me, she came in with my outfit for the day. Or at least for this morning, anyway.

"Here you go sweetie. Now that is not the way a girl or a woman wraps a towel around her. Here, let me show you." She took the towel and put it around my body just under my underarms. Then she wrapped it around my body, and tucked it in to itself. "That is how a girl or a woman wraps a towel around her. Now, get dressed, and let me see what we can do to make you look twelve, and not sixteen. I will explain about that later."

I got dressed. First I put on my white, lace panties, then my white tights that had diamond shapes all around them. Then I put on my bra, which I had a little trouble with at first, but I cheated and looked behind me in the mirror, and noticed the ends, and clasped it easy enough. Then my white full slip, that had lace across my breasts. Then I stepped in to the powder blue dress, and zipped it up. I stepped back in to my slippers, and went to my bedroom to get my shoes. I got out the light blue sandals mom had bought me, and made sure the strap was around my ankle but not tight. Then I went downstairs to breakfast.

"You look very darling today, sweetie." Mom was smiling that mother smile you get when you did something right. "I made waffles and pork sausages this morning. There are two waffles for you, and two sausage links. The same for me. Now I want to talk to you about looking your age. If you look older, there will be high school boys who will want to go steady with you, and for right now that is not a good idea. Here, let me see how you look with just the lip gloss." She put the lip gloss on me, and had me look at myself in the living room mirror. What I saw was, me looking like twelve years old, only as a girl. "Now you look more like your age, and that is what we want for right now, at least. Okay, so now what do we do after breakfast?"

"We could do more shopping. I mean, I do have a wonderful wardrobe, but I need more if I am going to be a girl. Especially shoes mom. I hear the girls at school complain because they don't have the right shoes for this outfit or that one, and they would just die if they had to wear the same old clogs all the time."

"You know sweetie, you are so right. As girls, we can never have too many clothes, shoes, coats, purses, jewelry. We are girls and we need to look pretty all the time, even if it is just for ourselves. So okay, the cleanup is done, so let's go shopping. The first stop, Shoes-A-Plenty. They have shoes for every age, every style, and every fabric. You can't wear trainers dear, because they could come in contact with your skin. So are we ready, then?"

We got in the car and headed toward the suburbs again. All the best stores it seemed were in the suburbs. When we got to Shoes-A-Plenty, a young woman, younger than mom, came and asked us if she could help us.

"We need to get a few pairs of shoes for my daughter. She needs school shoes, shoes for parties, and every day shoes, but has an allergy to certain fabrics that trainers are made from, so trainers are out."

"Alright then, just sit right here and we will measure her feet." She had me put my feet on this thing, then she closed the side and the top. "Wow! Honey you are dainty, aren't you. Do you know that your shoe size is a size five? I wear a seven myself. Okay, just sit right here, and I will be right back." She was gone for only a few minutes, but when she came back, she had a cart full of shoe boxes. "Okay, let's try these on, then. What is your name, dear?"

"Wilhelmina, but mom and everybody just calls me Billie with an ie," I said as I tried on the first pink pair of strappy sandals. The strap on this pair went to my mid calf. Mom and I liked them, so they went in the buy pile.

"My name is Lisa. How old are you Billie, with an ie?"

"I'm twelve."

"Well, you certainly do look your age. Some girls your age that come in here, try to look older than they are. That is a shame though, because a girl should grow into her natural beauty, not make it come too early."

"Mom put some mascara and lipstick covered with lip gloss on me, and I looked like I was sixteen."

"And see, that is four years too old for you right now. You should enjoy these next four years, because by the time you are sixteen, you will be a very pretty girl. Grow into your beauty naturally, and please don't make yourself older than you are." By this time I had tried on four pairs of shoes. One pair that stood out had silver and white straps across the foot, and the ankle strap too. It was going to be one of my party shoes. "So, what grade are you going to be in, Billie?"

"I will be in seventh grade on Monday."

"Then you enjoy the friendships you will make starting with the seventh grade. I still keep in touch with a lot of my girlfriends I met while I was in school, and even through college. So, just be yourself, and don't be in a hurry to grow up, because that will come sooner than you think. Since it is just us girls in here now, I want to ask you if you had your first period yet?"

"No, not yet." I wonder what she would say if I told her I was a boy?

"Well, don't be in a hurry for that either, because it isn't far off. Then you will know what uncomfortable really means. And that is putting it mildly." Mom stifled a giggle, and I was ready to burst too.

So with the female anatomy lesson out of the way, we finished trying on the rest of the shoes. When we were through, I had eight more pairs of dress shoes for winter, a couple pairs of party shoes, everyday shoes, and just a few pair of penny loafers. Mom paid for the shoes, and we left the store. After we got them in the trunk, and got in the car, neither one of us could stop from giggling so much our tummies hurt.

"Honey," mom said, still giggling. "That was priceless, and you did it all with a straight face too. So precious."

"I was wondering what she would have said if I had told her I was actually a boy? Do girls and women really talk about those things when we are together?"

"Yes honey, more so than most men would think. But it was so precious. See, isn't a mother/daughter outing fun?"

"Yes, and funny too." We both giggled again.

We took my shoes home, and put them away. Mom said to have a system so that I could find what I needed in a hurry if I had to.

"How many times must I be in a hurry to look for shoes?"

"Honey, you never know. There may be a boy down the road that wants to take you out, so you have to get ready like a fireperson going to a fire. Those many instances aren't all that rare. You must be prepared to get ready in a flash. Honey, it is like Lisa said at the store. Don't be in a hurry to grow up, you are only a little girl once, and you should make the most of it. When the time for going out with boys comes around, you should be, oh say, twenth one. I'm just kidding. Girls usually start going out with boys around fourteen, but that is way too early for even me. I would say sixteen is the best age to start going steady. When that time comes honey, we will talk more about how to be safe when you are with a boy. So, we have your shoes put away, now what should we do. You get to pick, this is actually your weekend to have fun."

"Well the new Harry Potter movie is out, and I would like to see it."

"Well let's see where it is playing." We looked through the movie section of the newspaper and saw that it was at the iPic-Bayshore in the Bayshore Mall. That was all the way across town from where we were. So we got ready and went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I like Hermione because she doesn't take anything from the boys. My kind of girl. When we got onto the freeway, there was a line of traffic around downtown, but we soon got through it. We arrived at Bayshore Mall, and there was a long line waiting to get in. I guess I'm not the only Harry Potter fan. It took us almost an hour to get in, and the only seats left were way in the back. We went in and sat in the last two seats available. There were still a lot behind us too. I hope they got tickets for tomorrow.

We bought a box of jujubes and two small sodas. We sat there and watched the movie. This is the first movie mom has gone to since daddy passed away. So she needed this as much as me. But like I said though, I like Hermione Granger because she is forthright in everything she does and she always has something planned, even on the spur of the moment. My kind of girl. Anyway, mom sat really watching this movie, and we hardly talked at all. That was good because I had never seen this movie. Okay, so this is the first it has been out, but still, I wanted to see it.

Mom had never seen a Harry Potter movie, but when we got back to the car she told me this was the best weekend she has had in a long time.

"Thank you, honey," she said, giving me a big hug.

"Thank you for what, mom?"

"You just made me realize I have been cooped up in that house and my beauty salon way too long. I really have had fun this last week with you having to be my daughter. Hoepfully we can make that permanent because of your allergies. This is not something I really want, you want either. But Mr. Brown does have a point. If you have to live as a girl, might as well be as a physical girl instead of a physical boy wearing girls clothes. I mean, sweetie, I know you would rather be a boy, but I am at my wits end here with how to handle this. I tried so hard to have fun this week and worry about you too, but you showed me how to have fun, and that is what I am thanking you for. Besides as a physical girl, you won't have nay problems with using the girls lavatory in school. Just in case some girl make lift your dress up to see if you are a girl. If they see a vagina, then they don't ask furhter. It is really in both of our interests dear, if you were physically female. But we can wait until we get to court on Monday. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm again, so what say we go to the lake and have a picnic?"

"That sounds like it could be a lot of fun. Yes, a picnic with just us will be a lot of fun."

"Then that is what we will do. We need to find you a swim suit though, one with a skirt bottom. Now we don't need to worry too much there because most ladies swimwear is made from synthetic materials. Just that the inside of the bra cups may be cotton or wool, but mostly that is covered by rayon or some other synthetic material like nylon. But because you are still physically male, we need something like one with a skirt bottom. Well, we will take care of that tomorrow. Let's go home and make pizza."

On the ride home we talked about how I should handle myself with boys. Even boys who I don't want asking me out or anything like that.

"Billie, one thing a girl never does, is sit with her legs wide open like a guy does. We keep our knees together and our backs straight. Yes, it will take a little more practice, but you have done very well this last week. Never let a boy coax you into letting him see you naked. Boys are uncanny like that sometimes. And for you right now, that isn't even an option. Never let a boy put his hand under your skirt or dress, and never let a boy play with your breasts, even while you are fully dressed. Never let a boy kiss you on the lips, unless you are sure that you are "in love" as we say, with him. Never let a boy in your bedroom, or go in his. And if you two are ever on a date, watch him closely, because boys have been to slip a drug, we call the date rape drug, in your drink. If you must take your eyes off of him, even for a moment, hold your drink in your hand in front of you. Of course the only clubs you will be able to go to, when you're sixteen and older, but under twenty one, are teen clubs that serve no alcohol. But that doesn't mean your date doesn't have the date rape drug with him. The most common is rohypnol, and you can't see it, smell it, or even taste it.

"You won't know anything is wrong, until after you wake up and find you have had sex. This is important Billie, because even though you can't get pregnant, rape is still a crime, even if you know the person who raped you. So, we will have to see how everything goes in court on Monday. Don't look for a quick solution, because the judge may have other plans. We will see. But you remember what I told you. Boys can be very dangerous and uncanny to get you to go to bed with them and have sex. All they want is to get their needs taken care and don't care anything about yours. Yes, Billie, even though you cannot get pregnant, you can still have orgasms, if what I read on your computer is right. Boys will have sex with you, and after they ejaculate, or cum as the saying goes. I'm really fond of that word, but anyway, they will leave you wanting for more. You are my precious baby, whether daughter or son, and I am telling you this now, so that when I repeat it from time to time, it will sink in.

"I will also give you the talk every mother has with her daughter too, so you know what girls go through during their periods, and how they get pregnant. This is very important for you to know, because when you are with a bunch of other girls, this is a lot of what they talk about. So I want you to be knowledgeable about everything a girl does or has to go through because of mother nature. See dear, even mother nature isn't fair to us either. Alright we're home, and it is still early. Let's make pizza."

We put away our purses, and went in the kitchen. Mom got out the flour, and I got the milk, eggs, and cooking oil. You have to put a little of that in the dough. Mom also got out her big round mixing bowl. She put the right amount of flour in, added the milk, eggs, and just to be different, a little natural vanilla. If you have never had vanilla pizza crust, mmmm mmmm good. She mixed the dough by hand, and her hands were always gooey from doing that, but she said it was the best way to get everything mixed well. After the dough was mix, mom plopped it onto her cutting board, and cut the dough in half. She put each half in a separate bowl, and covered the bowls with damp dish towels. She said this made the dough rise better. I should say that mom told me she used to make pizza with my grandma Belden, (mom's maiden name), and that she never saw any need to change how she learned. After that, mom told me to come in the front room, because she wanted to give me the mother/daughter talk. I thought about that for a moment and relaized that this is something I do need to know, or somebody might get suspicious. About what I haven't a clue, but they just might. You never know. So we went in the living room, and I prepared myself for another lesson in anatomy.

"I will tell you what we can do. Instead of me giving you the talk, we can go to your computer and I can show you what we go through. Now a cycle, or period, is usually 28 days. We count that from the first day our bodies release the blood and tissue from the uterus through the vagina. So let's go to your computer and I can show you better than describe it." We went to my bedroom, and I turned on my computer. "Okay now bring up menstruation." I typed the word in the upper search box, and a whole list of sites came down. "Now let me see here, which one would be better. I see, bring up the wikipedia one. that should give you enough information." The site came up, and mom almost fell backwards. "Oh my, this even has diagrams and charts as well as pictures. This will be very useful to you. Okay honey, please read the whole thing, and if you have any questions, just ask me." Mom sat next to me in my other chair, and I read. Now I am a very fast reader with a high comprehension level, or so I was told after my last test in the sixth grade. Some of the words I needed mom's help with, but I got through it okay.

(Author's note: I will not go into detail here, but if you want to know what periods really are and how long a woman has to get pregnant after her bleeding stops, here is the link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle .)

"So, what does it mean, when it says the egg only lives for 24 hours or less, after bleeding stops?"

"That is the life of the egg, dear. Actually, the ovary releases the egg, and if it is not... how can I say this, so you can understand it? If the egg is not seeded, you know like a farmer plants seeds in the ground to grow things, then the egg dies, and is washed out of the system. After our bleeding stops, we can take up to two weeks, maybe three, depending on the woman, to get pregnant so we can have little angels like you."

"Oh."

I read further and looked at all the graphs and diagrams as well as the pictures. They are very revealing, and only a troglodite wouldn't be able to understand this. So this is what natural girls and women go through. Now I know, I mean, I have never even thought about sex, but it says here that the menarche can start as early as eight years to sixteen years old, depending on many things. This was so interesting I got absorbed into the reading, when mom had to shake me to get my attention.

"Honey, you have been at this almost an hour now, and it is time to get ready for bed. This will still be here tomorrow if you want to read the rest of it."

"Okay mom, I will just bookmark the page, that way I can read the rest tomorrow."

"Okay sweetie, you get a good night's rest, because tomorrow, we get you a nice girl's swim suit. Nite sweetie," she gave me a hug and kiss on the forehead, and I got ready for bed. I wore my shorty pajamas with the baby doll top. I looked at my reflection in my mirror, and yes, there she was, ready for bed.

I got in bed, and almost as quickly as I closed my eyes, the sun was coming in my window. I got up and went to take my bath. A nice rose scent bubble bath today. I got out my clothes for today. It was still warm for September second, but it was shorts weather, and I had a set of rayon/spandex. The spandex was in the tummy seciton, not that I needed it, but it helps give me a little more of a figure. The top had a cute saying across the breasts that read I'm ready if you are and it also had a hand painting of somebody playing golf. It is so cute, and it is light pink.

I went in and ran my water and put a capful of rose scent bubble bath under the running water. I love watching the suds just foam right up. I got out of my night clothes, and sat down in the tub while was filling up. The running water and bubbles was something I had never felt before, but it relaxed me. After sitting for a while, I washed myself and then got out and patted myself dry. I wrapped the towel around like mom had shown me, and went to get dressed.

I got out my white lace panties that had a lace waistband, my white culotte, my white lace bra, with the lace across the breasts, and then I got out a pair of footie socks, because the temperature was supposed to almost eighty degress (Farenheit for those outside the US.) After getting dressed, I put on a pair of black, low heeled clogs, and went downstairs.

"Good morning, sweetie. You look relaxed, and I love that scent. Roses always were my favorite. I thought I would give you a treat today. Let's have breakfast out. How does Denny's sound?"

"Really? Cool. Denny's yes."

"Well I'm so sorry I had to bend your arm," we both giggled.

We got in the car, and mom made sure I was buckled in. She backed the car out of the garage, and we headed for Denny's. Denny's is open twenty-four, seven, so it didn't matter when we got there. But this is Sunday morning, and there are a lot of people going to church, going here or there, and they stop at Denny's to eat. This Denny's was just one of those. We had to wait for the hostess to seat us, and when we had our booth, mom ordered for both of us again.

We talked while we ate a breakfast of blueberry pancakes, sausage links, and I had milk and juice while mom just had coffee.

"Honey, I want you to know that whatever that judge says tomorrow we are going to do. But today we are going to have fun, and I will pick you up from school so we can have something light before going to the children's court. Maybe a drive through or something."

"I only hope I don't have those troglodites from last semester. They were terrible, and never picked on anyone their own size either."

"Honey, a lot of boys and men are like that for whatever reason. But mostly it gives them a sense of control for all the wrong reasons. If they had to pick on someone their own size they might not win the fight. So, when they pick on others smaller than they are, they feel like big he men. But mostly dear, they are cowards. Any boy or man that has to pick on someone smaller than they are too, are very insecure about whatever. So, if you see any of those boys, don't look at them, or if they try anything with you, you report it and tell them to call me. I will handle that if it comes up. Now what say we go and get you a nice swim suit. You only be able to wear it a few times before it gets cold out. But we will get you a new one next summer."

We left Denny's for J.C. Penny. They had a lot of very nice swim suits at half off just to get rid of them. But today the store seemed empty, but it was early yet. A sales lady we hadn't seen before came over and asked us if we needed any help. Mom told her what we were looking for, and she looked very surprised we would want a suit for today. But it was getting warm out already, it was supposed to be eighty. So, whether or not I wanted a girl's swim suit, I would welcome one today.

The lady was older than mom, with greying hair but still some brown left. She wore a paisley dress that came down to her mid calf, and what we all call clunker shoes. That had this low wide heel. When we got to the swim suits, mom started looking at one rack, while I looked at another. She whispered to me find one with a skirt bottom.

I pulled one off of the rack, and held it up to me, and asked mom if this one was okay. She said it was, and it was only ten dollars. It is black and pink with alternating squares, and the skirt part is black on one side and pink on the other. Mother said this is exactly what we were looking for. It was feminine and a little sexy without being flashy. That is what she wanted for me.

We went to the register to pay for the suit, and found out that there was a free pair of sunglasses that came with the deal. I had my choice of white with pink lenses, or pink with dark lenses, or black with green lenses. I took the white pair. Mom paid for the suit, and we went back to the car.

"Honey, we need to stop at the supermarket and get whatever we are having for our picnic. I know a nice place down by the beach, where we can have our lunch and swim too. I hope the place isn't taken by the time we get there."

So, we went from our tiny mall where J.C. Penny is located and went over to Walmart to do some grocery shopping. All we needed was something for the picnic, and then we would go home and make whatever, and go to the beach, well, lakefront anyway. Our lakefront on Lake Huron is beautiful, and we have swim areas all over and nice parks too. There are some areas that say swim at your own risk, and that means there is no lifeguard on duty. When we got home after buying low fat, low sodium, low cholesterol, and low carbohydrates, and got some baked potato chips, and a two litre of ornage soda, we headed home.

When we got home, mom told me to go to my room, and try my swim suit on. I went up to my room, and got undressed, except for my panties. I put on the suit and it was bare in the back all the way to my waist. But as I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw nothing but a young girl looking at her reflection. I had a pair of flippy flops in my closet and they were actually pink, and that is why I never wore them outside. But now I guess that I can. I went downstairs and showed mom my suit and how it looked on me.

"Does this look alright, mom?"

"OMG! Sweetie you are the image of an angel. You look so pretty in that suit. Honey, I thought of something while you were putting on your suit. How about we stop and get a disposable camera and take pictures while we are at the beach?"

"That sounds like fun. Okay so how do I do this then? Do I change at the beachhouse or what?"

"No honey, you leave your suit on, and get your pink wrap around skirt from your closet. You don't need anything to cover your top, but you will need something around your bottom. That is so no one looking at the car can see under your suit skirt. So, I have everything ready for our picnic, and if we are ready after you get your skirt, we can go."

I went upstairs and got my pink wrap around skirt, and went back down tomeet mom in the car. The picnic basket we had was an old flower basket that we covered with a tablecloth. After we were buckled in, mom headed toward the beach. When we got there we were surprised by all the people that were. But mom's favorite place, off to the side of the beach, but where the lifeguard could see us, was empty. We headed over there and set up our lunch.

Just about then, this beach ball came by my foot. A boy about my age, came to pick it up, and mom was right, he tried looking under my skirt.

"You have your ball, young man, I suggest you go back over there by your friends."

"Hi, hi, my name, my name is Dennis. Would you, uhm like to play beach ball with us?"

"I'm sorry, but maybe after we have had our lunch. You are invited if you want to stay." What was I doing? Mom said I shouldn't be interested in boys until at lest fourteen, but it would be better if I liked a boy at sixteen. I looked at mom and she just smiled at me. Did she know this could happen? I will talk to her later about this. So here I was, inviting a boy I didn't know to have lunch with us. What is that sparkle in his eyes, they look like stars, and so blue too.

"What, what is, is your name?"

"Well my name is Whilhelmina, but everybody just calls me Billie.

"How old, old, are, uhm you?"

"I'm twelve, I will be thirteen next summer."

"My birhtday is in the summer too."

He looked like he was getting redder from embarrassment. I better bring him down. Let see if I know how.

"Dennis, you don't need to be afraid or embarrassed. I know your friends put you up to this, so what I am going to say, don't let on that I said anything, because they are watching. Tell you what, have a piece of chicken, it is fresh from Walmart's deli. Now, what I was going to say is, I don't bite, and I don't have vampire fangs. You don't need to stutter when you talk to me." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"O okay, it's just, just that I, I have, have never..."

"Dennis, say it fast and you will see that is comes out a lot better.

"Okay, what I wanted to say was, there is a dance this Friday at the VFW post in Hillman, for twelve to fourteen year olds, and I wanted to know if you would go with me."

"Is that all? Yes Dennis, I would love to go with you to a dance." Here I go again. Is there some magic in these clothes that makes me autmatically know how to be a girl? Maybe mom is right. Maybe I should have the surgeries. "Here is my address and phone number. Are your parents here?"

"Yes." He looked from the direction he came, and waved for them to come over.

"Hi," he said with sun brilliant smile. "I'm Dan Miller, Dennis' father, and this is my wife Madge."

"Hi I'm Marian James and this is my daughter Whilhelmina, but I just call her Billie."

"Those other boys over there are Dennis' brothers and one of them is a cousin. His sisters are at a sleepover this weekend. We were just about to come over and find out what was taking him so long in coming back with the ball."

"Well, your son Dennis asked my daughter to the dance this Friday at the VFW post in Hillman on Friday. He was the perfect gentleman too. He was a little embarrassed, but Billie broke that down."

"Do you remember what I told your responsibilities were when you are with a young lady?"

"Yes, dad."

"Good. Yes the dance starts at six p.m., and it goes until ten. There will be refreshments, loud, horrific music by a live band, and of course young gyrating bodies all over the floor."

Mom, I, and Dennis' mom just giggled. He mentioned something under his breath about women, and we giggled again. Mom had Dennis' mother take a picture of us eating, and then one of just Dennis and me. Then I went over and played with the beach ball with the boys, until time had gotten away from us. The lifeguard was talking through his megaphone thing that the beach was now closing. It was now eight thirty, and I had school tomorrow. Mom had shot all twenty four pictures from the disposable camera we picked up at Walmart, and I now had a boyfriend.

We packed everything away and put it back in the trunk. Dennis and I hugged, promising to call each other. Then mother and I left for home. When we got home, we took everything in the kitchen, and put it away. Now it was time for my bath before bed, and then bed, and sleep, yes, nice inviting sleep.

 

---

 

Mom woke me up, and said I had to get ready for school, and that she had already ran my bubble bath with the rose scent. I swung my feet out from the covers, and slid my feet in to my slippers. I looked at the sleepy eyed, hair a mess girl in the mirror, grabbed my robe and shuffled off to get my bath. The weight of the breast forms reminding me with every step that I am now a girl, and I have to act like one. While I sat in the tub the last week came flooding back to me.

Everything had started when all of a sudden my clothes decided to rebel against me, and leave my body with red blotches all over. Then the doctor tells me that I am allergic to certain fabrics, like cotton and wool. So, mom and I set out to see if there were any clothes in the boys and men section of J.C. Penny's. There weren't so we found ourselves in the ladies section. There mom got me almost a whole wardrobe of skirts, dresses, lingerie, sleepwear, and I don't remember what else. Then we had a girls night in, and mother showed me how girls can have fun just bonding, as she called it, in the house. She did my nails, and did my hair, and she had made pizza, and we watched Bring It On. Well not really, but we heard it, anyway. Then we registered me for school, and almost had to fight a complete world war just to get me in school. We saw an attorney, and there is a court hearing today at four thirty. Then we bought more clothes, and then we spent this last weekend together as mother and daughter. Then I meet this boy at the beach and agreed to let him take me to a dance in the next town. His mother will be driving us. Welcome to girlhood, Wilhelmina.

"Billie, come on or you're going to be late."

Mom was really worried about me though, because last semester I was beaten up several times by these troglodytes who couldn't get even a D on their report cards. They wouldn't able to anyway because they were too busy beating people up. I just hope there are none of them at Audubon.

Anyway, I rinsed off, and went to get dressed. Mom had already laid my outfit for the day, out. My light pastel pink dress, with simple white lingerie, my pastel pink dress shoes with a one inch heel, and a pair of tan nylons. I got dressed, and went down to breakfast. Mom had made eggs, sausage, and toast, and had my milk by my place.

After breakfast, she brushed my hair into a really neat pony tail, and declared me ready to meet the masses, as she said. I got up, took my small purse, and we headed out the door. Once buckled in, mom drove me to the school. There was a long line of kids waiting to get in. I hugged mom goodbye, and got out of the car. Well this is the test. Will I pass?"

As I stood with the other students, waiting for the bell, I thought about Dennis, and how he had so ... shyishly? ... coaxed me to go to a dance with him. Was his stuttering an act, or was he really that shy around girls? We will see when the dance comes up. The first bell rang and we all filed in to the building. Since nobody had books yet, we just went to our homeroom and first class. Actaually our classes were three in one in ninety minute blocks as we were told by our first teacher.

My first teacher was Mrs. Nettings. She looked older than mom, but still had a hint of auburn in her hair. She wore a smart skirt suit, and smiled every now and then. Some of the boys were messing around in the back of the classroom, and Mrs. Nettings just walked over to them and asked them nicely if they wanted a suspension on the first day of school. Some of the girls giggled, and then we were handed our first block books. History, geography, and civics. I guess they all go together somehow.

Mrs. Nettings started right out and asked anyone of us if we knew anything about some history of our country. A lot of hands went up, and several answered right, but the boys that were messing around, couldn't even get where the Rocky mountains were located, right. There were more giggles from the girls, and Mrs. Nettings did not seem amused. As I sat in this classroom, I watched how the girls sat, and how the boys mostly behaved themselves, except for these four troglodytes in the back. I will have to watch out for them.

Then Mrs. Nettings called on me, and asked me if I knew where Old Faithful was located. When I said it was located in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, I got a beaming thank you from Mrs. Nettings.

"That is correct Billie, and do you know when it was called Old Faithful?

"In 1870, ma'am."

"Thank you, Billie."

(Author's note: If you would like to know more about Old Faithful and it's historic rise to fame, if you will, here is the link to the wikipedia version. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Faithful_Geyser)

"Class, as most of you know, you can only get smarter by doing. There are times when it is good to mess around and tell jokes, but when you are at work, and you certainly will be when you are older, then it is time to work. So class, please consider this your work that you have to do. Let me say this for right now. You can get better jobs with a high school diploma than you can without one. Even to work as a garbage collector for the city, you have to have a high school diploma, and then you take a civil service examination both written and oral. So I want all of you to pass this class and make sure that you are on your way. There is always time and places to go to have a good time, this isn't one of them. Now, to the four young gentlemen in the back that seem to think this is a party. We study in here, so you can get a good job when you graduate from school. Remember students, you only have to go to school until you graduate from the twelfth grade. Then you have the rest of your life to mess around, if that is what you wish to do with your adult life. My job here is to teach you facts that we know that you will need in your adult life.

"Let's say that you are working, and your vacation comes up. You want to go somewhere, but haven't any idea of how to get there. That is where geography comes in. Let's say you want to see Old Faithful, but don't know why it is called that. That is where history comes in. Or let's say you have accumulated several weeks vacation, and you want to go to another country like England or Australia. That is where civics comes in, because you will certainly have to know how they govern themselves and what the people are like. Even here in our own country, we have to know about our government, because to go to another country, you need what is called a passport. You won't know how to get one, if you don't study about civics.

"Billie, where did you learn about Old Faithful?"

"I read a lot, ma'am, so I get books from the library. I saw a book about Old Faithful, so I took it out and read it. But I read it more than once though, because of how it was written and the information it gave."

"So see class, you can only become smarter by doing, and I hope you all do well in my classes this semester. Now, since this is the first day, we can actually talk a little. Isn't Billie an odd name for a girl?"

"No ma'am, my birth name is Wilhelmina, but I don't use it much. Everybody just calls me Billie. It is a lot easier." See, I told you I had to think fast.

"Thank you, Billie. I assume that is with an ie at the end?"

"Yes, ma'am," I and several other girls just giggled.

I like this teacher, she is firm but not, how can I say this, bitchy, like the one I had at Forest Home. She yelled at the boys, and made sure she was heard when she was explaining things. Mrs. Nettings isn't like that though. She is firm, but not loud. Before today, mom and I were certain that Mr. Erdheim would pass the word to the teachers. Apparently we were wrong. Well, this is only the first day, anyway.

The bell rang for the end of the period, but not the block. We were still in Mrs. Nettings classroom. I had two blocks before the lunch bell would ring. So far, everything seemed to be working just fine. But I will still watch out for those troglodytes. I wonder why boys are that way anyway. Oh well, maybe someday I will find out. But for right now, I am a girl in middle school, and so far have earned what is called brownie points from the teacher. But I'm not a real smarty or anything like that, I just learn quick and comprehend what I read faster than most, I guess. Anyway, even though some may call me smart, I never use that when I am not in school anyway, even on the computer it takes me time to read and digest certain things because of the big words they use. But once I learn something, I never forget it.

So anway, here I am, and so far no problems. We continued to talk, and several students said what they did over the summer, and then we all talked about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. When several of the girls found out that we all liked Hermione, we started a Hermione Granger fan club. This was unofficial of course, but then someone said we should write to the official Hermione Granger fan club and see if we could become an official chapter. Then the third bell rang, and we had to go to our next block. We said good night to Mrs. Nettings, who promised that tomorrow we would be in full swing, whatever that meant.

My next block was English, Comprehansive Writing and Debate. Debate? I didn't see that on my schedule. I looked at my schedule again, and yes, there it was. I will have to pay more attention from now on. I mean, this is still a fog to me. I know how I am dressed, and have to act, but it is still going fast. Maybe by the end of the school year, it will be to a...normal?...pace. Maybe.

So anyway, we got to our next block on the first floor of the school, and we all sat in our chosen seats. Two of the troglodytes decided to sit near me. What they didn't know was, the seat you picked was your seat for the semester. I wasn't going to let them bother me.

Our teacher for this block was Mr. Daniels. He was young, about mom's age. He wore a navy blue suit with sky blue tie, and a cream colored shirt. His eyes sparkled...stop that Wilhelmina, you're noticing guys more and more, and this one is way too old for you. Now why did I even think that? Like I said, do these clothes have some kind of magic in them that makes me think and act like a girl? I wonder. But even though I had that thought in my mind, I remembered what mom had said. Okay, so maybe I will notice boys more and more, but do I have to have a mind crush on my first male teacher? Well anyway, the first thing he said was.

"Welcome students, to my nightmare. In this block we will be learning three subjects simultaneously. Can anybody tell me what simulataneous means?

I looked around and saw nobody raise their hand. I raised my hand.

"Yes, young lady. Would you start by giving me your name, and telling the class what simultaneous means?"

"Yes, sir. My name is Wilhemina, but everybody just calls me Billie. Simultaneous as you used it Mr. Daniels, means together. In other words, sir, we will be learning all three subjects together rather than separately."

"That is correct. Are you Miss Billie James, then?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. You seem to know things, Miss James. Did you have spelling at your last school?"

"Yes, sir, we did. We even had spelling bees too, where we had to stand before the whole school and spell difficult words."

"Well simultaneous is a difficult word for your age. Do you learn things well, Miss James?"

"Yes, sir. I was told that I comprehend things well and that my retention rate is one hundred per cent. I was told that after our last test of the school year."

"That is fantastic for a young lady, your age. You may sit down, Miss James."

I smoothed my dress as I sat, the way mother had showed me, and the troglodytes near me, just whispered miss smarty panties. Yep, they're troglodytes alright. I ignored them, even though I had heard what they said. Mr. Daniels then went on to say that what he had said about learning things together, was correct, because all three subjects interacted with each other.

"Can somebody please tell me what interact, means?"

Soliel (pronounced so lay) Jennings raised her hand.

"Yes, young lady, will you gives us your name, and tell us what interact means, please?"

"Yes, Mr. Daniels. My name is Soliel Jennings, and interact means that you take part actively in whatever. Like with debate, sir, we will be taking an active part by discussing different things that take part in our lives, either directly or indirectly."

"That is correct, Miss Jennings. I am impressed by how the young ladies in my class have been so far. I hope the rest of you are as these two have been."

Gina Torre (prounounced tory) raised her hand.

"Yes, young lady, name first, and then tell us what you have to say, please."

"Thank you, Mr. Daniels. My name is Gina Torre, and I also have been told that I have a high comprehension and retention rate as well. I went to school with Billie and Soliel at Forest Home, and we were very good friends. I hope that continues. By the way, Billie, that is a lovely dress." She was smiling, and she sat down, and I turned several shades of pink.

"Thank you, Gina. So you see class...what are your names boys, the ones trying to get Miss James' attention?"

"Daniel Grady, sir, and I don't like miss smarty panties, either with this girl or any other. My dad says you only need to know so much and that is what I will learn. Even if I don't pass, so what, I will be working with my dad anyway."

"And the other boy?" Mr. Daniels asked in a stern voice.

"I'm Jimmy Grady, Daniel's brother, and I'm with him. All these smarty panties think they're better than everyone else. My dad even said so."

"Well thank you for your honesty. Next, the saying is smarty pants, not the other word you two used. If I see you in this class or anywhere else in the school, bothering any one, because you feel you don't have to learn, then I will not hesitate to suspend you, or even have you expelled. Do I make myself clear, gentlemen?"

"Yeah, whatever," the both said together.

Troglodytes never learn. Anyway, the rest of the block went fairly well, all of the girls knew what the subjects were about, and we had fun talking about this and that. Then the first bell rang ending English, but not Comprehensive Writing or Debate. Mr. Daniels during our talk had us interact with our studies, so that by the end of the period we knew pretty much. Of course, essay assignments were passed out, and the boys all groaned. Daniel and Jimmy had to write about why a high school diploma was needed, even to work in a family business. They blamed that on me, of course, but I didn't care, as long as they left me alone. I mean, these two were dressed like Fonzie, except for the motorcycle boots. They were both wearing penny loafers. All of a sudden I didn't like mine all that much now. The third bell rang ending the block and it was lunch time. After lunch we had one more block, at least for me and the girls, the boys had PE.

As I got to the cafeteria, I got in line behind this boy...DENNIS!!! OMG! What am I going to say? Do I look alright? Is my dress the right one? OMG! Wait! What am I thinking? OMG! Am I that much of a girl? Well, here goes nothing.

"Hi Dennis," I said as angelic as possible.

He turned to see who was behind him, and his eyes lit up. "Wilhelmina, uhm, Billie, I didn't know you were going to school here. With me. Now." When he saw I had only taken a yogurt from the cooler, he asked me if that is all I was having for lunch.

"Dennis, you don't have to stutter around me, I don't bite. And yes, this is all I am having for lunch. Everything else looks like it has a lot of things that aren't good for me in it. Wanna sit together?" There I go again.

"Sure."

When we had paid for our lunch, Soliel and Gina were just sitting down. "Hey, Billie, over here, sit with us. Who's your friend, Billie?"

"This is Dennis, He's taking me to a twelve to fourteen year old dance, on Friday."

"Billie James," Gina smirked, "I never thought a tomboy like you would have a boyfriend."

"Well, I guess he is a boy, and he is a friend, but he is not a boyfriend the way you mean, Gina." We just sat there giggling, while Dennis just kept eating. "It is at the VFW post in Hillman. I guess his dad belongs to that post or something."

"Is that right, Dennis," Soliel added. "Does your dad belong to that post?"

"Yes...he...does. "

"Dennis is a little shy around girls." Gina and Soliel looked at each other. "When he asked me, mom and I were at the beach. He used the 'I'm sorry the beach ball got away from me' thing. Then I invited him to have lunch with us, and we met his parents, and that was when I was told that his mom would be driving us. Anyway, he stuttered so badly, that I had to bring him down. He is still doing it though. Maybe I can help with that. I told him he doesn't need to stutter around me, because I don't bite." Gina and Soliel giggled.

"I do, but I won't say where," Gina said with a chomping motion with her teeth.

"Gina!" Both Soliel and I said together, and poor Dennis jumped.

Yes, Gina was only twelve like Soilel and I, but she was just a little more into boys than I care to even think about. The only thing I know about boys, were the games we played. That was when I decided they were way too rough for me. I didn't know all about the sex thing, until mom had told me, and what I read on wikipedia. So, I guess, as a twelve year old girl, I am going to need to know it anyway. As we finished our lunch, Gina had asked me if I was on her gym schedule.

"No Gina, I can't take gym, because the towels they use are cotton and so are the gym clothes. I'm allergic to them. I have to wear synthetic materials. So I will have another class."

"Oh that's too bad, because we could be on the same team when we play volleyball and have track. What do you have instead of gym, then?"

"Let me see." I checked my schedule, and it said home ec, whatever that was. "It just says home ec."

"Who's the teacher?"

"Uhm, Mrs. Fielding."

"Lainnie said she is a wonderful teacher," added Soliel. Lainnine or Lainnie is Soliel's older sister, who is s sophomore in high school now. She went to this school three years ago. So anyway, I was told I could look forward to having a good teacher. Well so far, I had two good teachers, we will see just how good Mrs. Fielding is.

Dennis and we girls split up because Dennis had different classes. After we got away from him, Soliel wanted to know if I was going to go steady with him.

"Mom doesn't want me to date with a boyfriend until I am at least fourteen. But this dance we are going to is chaperoned. His mother, as well as other parents will be there keeping an eye on us."

"That still doesn't mean he won't sneak a kiss or two."

"Gina, you have a one track mind," Soliel said bumping into Gina with her hips.

"I certainly do. BOYS!" We all giggled, and I looked at my schedule, and I had to go to the second floor. The girls headed down to the basement where the boys and girls gyms were. We had a group hug, and I went to my class.

I went in the classroom, and took a seat midway up the first aisle. Mrs. Fielding looked older, with grey hair, and had on a smart dress, with sensible flat, black shoes. She was busy doing something, until the whole class was filled up.

"Good morning, class. I see several new faces this semester. For those of you who have opted to take this class again, welcome back. I am sure that by the time you are through this semester, you will know enough to get by, even if it is sewing a button on your husbands shirts." There were giggles. "I am a fair, but firm teacher, but I will also help if I see you are having problems. What we will be doing in this block, is minor cooking, and sewing. I will have garments like shirts or pants, or maybe even a dress or a blouse that is ripped somewhere along the seams.

"Now, other than the students that are taking this class again, because they want to, I have one question. How many of you new students know how to cook, say, somewhat, but not all that good." Several girls raised their hands. There were some girls who didn't. "Good. In this class I will teach you what you don't know. Now let me see, the young lady in the first row, fifth seat back. Would you stand, please and give us your name, and how much cooking do you know."

"Thank you, Mrs. Fielding. My name is Billie James, and I have cooked breakfast at home, when my mother wasn't up yet."

"And what kind of breakfast did you cook?"

"I can cook eggs, bacon, and toast breakfast, as well as pancakes and waffles, and I know how to brown sausages without burning them."

"Very good, Billie. In this class, ladies, I will address you by your first names. I will make sure I address the right girl if there are more than one student with the same first name. I am fair, and I have a sense of humor. But there are no boys in this class, so we can have a good time.

"There is one fundamental when it comes to cooking, and that is how much heat to use. We have both a gas range, and an electric one, and we will be using both this semester. That is so you get used to using both, just in case you have to at some time in your lives. Now, for a gas range, you are cooking eggs for breakfast. How high should the flame be on the burner you are using for the eggs?" I raised my hand. "Billie, would you demonstrate over here on the range please?" I got up and went to the stove. I turned on the the front left burner, and put the flame at a low height. "Billie, the eggs are in the refrigerator, now it is alright in this class if you say fridge. Most people do mostly, anyway." I got out two eggs.

"Are these to be scrambled, or fried, and if fried, are they to be over easy, sunny side up, or hard with the yolks broken?"

"I am impressed, so far, Bilie. Just scramble them, please."

"Will that be soft, medium, or hard scrambled, ma'am?"

"You sure you're not a midget? Well done, Billie. Soft scramble them, please. The bowls are over in the cupboard on the wall."

"Do you have any cooking spray?"

"Why would you need cooking spray, Billie? Won't corn oil or butter do?"

"No ma'am. Cooking spray is better for you. We use olive oil, if we use oil, or canola cooking spray. These are much better for you, and are very low in cholesterol."

"Billie James, I am amazed. How old are you, Billie?"

"I'm twelve, ma'am, but like I said I cook breakfast at home. Mom is teaching me how to make dinners with roasts and other meats."

"Well, I will have to meet her. In fact, students, I would like to meet all of your parents. But I can wait until the parent/teacher conference. Alright, Billie, there is a wire whisk in the drawer right by the cupboard. Billie, what are you going to do with the wire whisk?"

"I am going to use it to scramble the eggs in the bowl, before putting them in the pan."

"That is correct. Are you just going to put the eggs in the pan, after you scramble them?"

"Well, I am going to put a little milk in the with the eggs, before I scramble them. This makes the eggs fluffier."

"Alright, Billie, do your thing as we used to say." There were more giggles.

I got out the milk from the fridge, and poured just a touch in the eggs. I sprayed the pan with the canola cooking spray, then I used the wire whisk to scramble them, and as I was still scrambling them I poured them in the pan. Then I took a plastic pancake turner (that is different than a spatula) and started moving the eggs around in the pan. She wanted them soft scrambled, so I didn't have do move them around much, just so the whites were cooked. I then put them on a saucer when they were done. I got out a fork, and handed the saucer to Mrs. Fielding. She took a bite, and then she smiled.

"I don't even make mine this soft, but these are delicious, Billie. Thank you. Girls, what Billie just showed us, is what we will learn here. Nobody has ever flunked my class. The students that are taking this class again, are here by there own choice, and I am glad to have them. Now I will pass this saucer around, so make sure you only take a teensy bit, so everbody can have some. Your utensils are on your desk wrapped in the pink paper napkin."

After everybody had a taste, if that was what it is called, everybody said it was delicious. I thanked them, and then we went on to sewing.

"Now class, we are going to do a bit of sewing. I am just doing this today to kind of get your feet wet a little, so you know what we will be doing. Now let me see, who can I call on? Oh yes, Joanne Windsor. Would you please take this dress, and note that it has a seam rip right around the sleeve? I want you to show us how to repair that seam so it looks like nothing was ever wrong."

"Yes. ma'am. I will try my best."

She took the dress and went over to one of the sewing machines. She took a thread pick and started picking at the thread still around the seam.

"Why are you doing that, Joanne?"

"Because the rip is almost all around the whole sleeve, ma'am. So I have to take out the rest of the thread so the seam looks natural."

"That is correct. I am impressed. How do you know so much about sewing?"

"I sew my own clothes, and I made this dress."

"Stand up, dear, and let us see how you did."

She stood up, and there wasn't as thread out of place, and nothing seemed to be wrong. Everything was perfect.

"Alright Joanne, you may continue."

First she threaded the bobbin, and placed it in the little compartment for it. Then she threaded the needle, from the spool of thread on top of the machine. She turned the grament inside out.

"Joanne, why did you just turn the garment inside out?"

"Because that is the side you sew from. If I sewed this dress on the outside, everybody would see the stitching."

"That is correct. You may continue."

She then messed with the little knob on the front of the machine, then started sewing around the edge of the material.

"Joanne, why are you doing this, and what is this procedure called?"

"I have to do this, because cloth has threads that stick out. You cut as much of the hanging threads as possible. Then you take the garment and run it through using the needle and the bobbin. This is called a serge, it protects the outer edge of the cloth. On most machines today, there is a stitching you put the knob at so you can do the serge."

"You certainly know your theory. Now let us see how you sew it."

After she had serged both the sleeve and around the shoulder part, she placed the sleeve even with the shoulder part, and started sewing. She turned the garment as she sewed. After she had made a full turn, she then ran the needle back and forth a few times. Then she locked the needle in the up position.

"Joanne, why did you run the needle back and forth, after you made the full turn?"

"Because ma'am, this is called locking. You have to lock the threads or they will come undone."

"Joanne, I am amazed that one so young could know that much about sewing. Now turn the garment right side out, so we can all see how you did."

The dress was passed around, and sure enough, there weren't any holes, or anything else wrong. It looked just like the other sleeve. This was a fun class. I wonder what we will do tomorrow. For the rest of the block we just talked. Some were thinking about going swimming yet, until it got so cold out. Of course there wouldn't be any lifeguards so we would be swimming at our own risk. But it was still very warm out yet, and this weekend was supposed to be warmer. Global warming, I guess. Anyway, we were having so much fun the end of the block bell rang.

I went to put my books that I had gotten in first and second blocks in my locker, and went out to meet mom. She was already waiting on the other side of the street, when I got out of the door.

"Well dear, how did it go?"

"It went really well. There are a few troglodytes that think miss smarty panties are all stuck ups, but other than that, everything went well."

"Did they threaten you?"

"No mom. Mr. Daniels is our second block teacher, and he told two of them, that if he saw them bothering anybody in the class, he was going to suspend them, or see that they got expelled. But I had three really nice teachers, and I have Soliel and Gina in my classes too."

"OMG honey, I had completely forgotten about them. Did they say anything about the way your were dressed?"

"No mom, Gina even called me a tomboy. I saw Dennis during lunch, he, Soilel, Gina and I sat together. Gina said she didn't think a tomboy like me would have a boyfriend. I had told them he was taking me to the dance on Friday. But, I had a fun day."

"That's good. Well, let's go and get something light before we have to go to the children's court."

"Okay. How about Burger King, and we can have an ice cream, if they still have any."

"That sounds like fun. Let's go."

Mom pulled in to BK's drive thru window lane, and waited behind the other cars. We got through quickly, and parked on the street, while we had our custard. Mom asked me some more questions about school.

"So what classes are you taking?"

"First block I have history, geography, and civics. For my second block I have English, comprehensive writing, and debate. Then I have lunch, and after lunch I have home economics, where we will be doing cooking and sewing. I had to soft scramble two eggs for Mrs.Fielding, our teacher. She said they were the best she had had because even she doesn't make hers that soft at home."

"Well, sounds like you had a lot of fun."

"I did. I really did. If the rest of the school year goes like today, I will have the best year of school this far."

Well we talked some more about the debate class mom was in in high school and in college. She said she had to debate things that she didn't like, only because that was the subject for that day. She said she had fun though, because a class is as boring as you make it. Or it can be as fun as you make it, too. While she was still telling me about her school days, we headed for the children's court. This is going to be the test, and we will see where I stand. We got to the childrens court, and Mr. Brown was waiting in the parking lot for us. After we got out of the car, he walked over to us.

"Well, you got here a little early. I was expecting that, because we can over a few points, that I am sure you haven't thought about yet, Billie. Like, the judge may ask you why you want to be a girl. You just tell him the truth. You have to be a girl because of your allergies. I..."

"Excuse me, Mr. Brown, but that isn't the only reason. A boy my age asked me to go to a dance with him at the VFW post in Hillman on Friday. It is a chaperoned dance, and his mother is driving us. His dad will already be there. His name is Dennis and he is kinda shy around girls. I told him I don't bite."

"You sure you aren't a girl? I heard my daughter say that very same thing to a boy once. If I didn't know any better, I would say that you should have the surgeries, because you already have the the mind set. Well, I can see I don't have to tell you anything, not now, anyway. Let's go in and get registered."

We went in, and Mr. Brown told the sheriff why we were here, and gave my name. He was told to be seated, and we waited for what seemed a long time, but it was only a half an hour. Then a lady from inside the courtroom called us in.

 

---

We went in the courtroom, and sat down. I had never seen a courtroom before except on reruns of Perry Mason, and this didn't look anything like that. There were chairs instead of benches, and we just sat where we wanted. After everybody was sitting down, the judge started. Now just let me say that I thought all judges were old like my grandfather. But this judge wasn't even a man, and she was young looking, about mom's age. I couldn't see what she was wearing because she had on this black robe, and she sat way above everybody else.

"Good morning everybody. I am judge Christine Reynolds, and I will be hearing this case. I have read the petition that has been filed by the minor child's attorney, which is why there is no guardian ad litem here. The child's attorney also represents the child's mother. This is a very unusal case for a child so young. But considering the circumstances as stated in the petition, I wanted this hearing as soon as possible. Now, with the parents permission, a minor child has the right to change his or her name to what the child and mother feels is best for the child.

"In this case, the petition requests that the child's first name be changed from William, a male, to Wilhelmina, a female. As far as the name change goes, there is no technical testimony we need take. But I do have to ask the child, is this the name you chose, or that your mother chose for you."

"It is the name I chose, ma'am."

"Very well, under the laws of our state the language says that any person may change their name, and the child is a person under the statutes. But it also says in the statute too, that you must publish in the local newspaper that you are changing your name from what to what, for three consecutive days. But you are a minor child, and you are not required to publish this in the newspaper. The reason for the publishing is so that anybody who feels that you owe a debt to can come forward. But this is children's court, and as such, witnesses outside of the the social worker, doctor, parent, andchild, are generally not heard in these courts.

"Now, as to the change of gender part. Is this somethng that someone is forcing on you?"

"Yes, ma'am, mother nature." There were giggles from mom and Dr. Montreaux. "What I mean is, I am allergic to cotton and wool, and the only clothes I can wear that I don't really have to worry about are like I am dressed now. Mom said that my father's genes made me one of the boys, but mother nature made me one of the girls."

"Well, you have a good memory. Now has your mother, or anybody else made any promises of money or property, like a house, or a car, computer, video games, etc.?"

"No ma'am."

"Alright. Dr. Montreaux, what do have to say about this child's condition?"

"You honor, several months ago, the child's mother came to me with a very disheartening story that her son was breaking out in red blotches all over his skin. I examined the child only to find maybe it was some kind of skin allergy. When the cream I gave the mother didn't work, I told her that maybe it was his clothes. I advised her to get allergy free clothing, which also didn't work. Now, with allergies, your honor, the most prevalent are skin rashes cause by synthetics. Well I was lost for an explanation, because I even took blood to see if maybe it was something in the blood. But it wasn't.

"Just a week before school started, the red blotches were gone, and the child was house bound until they went away. The mother put so much cream on the boy and had him dress in the only set of boy clothes he had left. The rest were given to second hand stores. The mother then took the child shopping to see what he could wear for school. The next time I saw the child she was dressed as she is today. I gave her an excuse saying she should not be allowed to take gym class. For three reasons, your honor.

"First the gym clothes are made of cotton; second so are the towels they use after the showers; and third, because the child has to dress as a girl, and as such, has to project that image, so gym class was not a good class for the child at this time. I was asked by the mother if the child should start taking female hormones, but I told her to wait on that. The reason the mother had asked was because she was concerned for her child's safety in case any trouble makers wanted to beat the child up, or worse. I was told by the mother that the first day of school went very well, and that her child really had fun. I think that is because she is in home economics class.

"So then, what is your opinion, to a certain degree of medical certainty?"

"It is my opinion, to a degree of medical certainty, that since there is no known cure for these types of allergies, that the child should be allowed to transition as soon as possible. I have also given the mother the name of a very good psychotherapist too, and told her to make an appointment for Billie."

"Who is the therapist?"

"Ms. Joan Redburn, senior psychotherpist with Community Medical."

"This court is well acquainted with Ms. Redburn. Alright then, young lady, do you think you can talk to this lady to see if you are indeed transgendered? Let me tell you this. If Ms. Redburn says you should be allowed to tranistion early because of the circumstances in this petition, then I will sign the order allowing you to have the surgery necessary to make you physically female. This is the 21st century, and we must treat others the way we want to be treated. So will you see Ms. Redburn?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Now I will hear from Ms. Gina Denst, a court appointed social worker who was retained to investigate the family of the child, and to see if the child was being forced into what it says here using allergies as an excuse."

"Thank you, your honor. I did investigate the mother, and I also went to the child's school. They were going to call the child to the office but I said no, I needed to see the child without being seen. I was taken to a classroom, where the child was making something on top of a stove. I saw the child give what was made to the teacher, then it was passed around. The child seemed at ease and not like she was being forced at all. When the child sat down, your honor, she smoothed her skirt under her, which is proper. If you want my personal opinion, you know that personally, your honor, that I am against anybody to have surgery to change their physical sex. But in my investigation, the child was at ease, and was carefree and happy. In my professional opinion, it is my recommendation that the child be allowed to transition."

"Is that based entirely on your professional opinion based on your investigation?"

"Yes, your honor, it is."

"Now I will hear from the mother. First ma'am, may I ask if you have a husband?"

"No judge, he died when Billie was still small."

"Alright. Why do you call her Billie?

"Because Billie, with an ie is a very good nickname for Wilhelmina, but I have been calling her that since my husband passed away."

"I see. Why are you referring to the child as a her?"

"Because your honor, it is the only thing left open without my child going through lengthy medical treatments that so far have been unsuccessful. When I was pregnant with Billie, your honor, I was hoping it would be a girl. But when I saw the ultra sound pictures, there was no doubt that my child will be a boy. I have loved my child ever since, regardless if he or she is my son or my daughter. To me it doesn't matter. When Billie broke out with all those red blotches on the skin, I went to Dr. Montreaux to see what could be done. She tried several things with each visit, but nothing was working. When I took Billie shopping and got her a whole female wardrobe, we found a cure. The red blotches have not come back, and she has taken to being a girl really well.

"See, your honor, I know that Billie has never shown any signs previously about wanting to be a girl, or tried any of my things on, that I know of. But when these allergies showed up over two years ago, and nothing was working, I was beside myself to find a cure for her. I found that cure in the ladies section of J.C. Penny. I know this is not orthodox, your honor, but I was beside myself. I thought do I want my child to have these blotches for months, maybe years, with a constant use of rash cream that isn't working, or can I find something that will give her a somewhat normal life, if you will. Since she has been dressing as a girl, the blotches have not come back, and she isn't uncomfortable wearing the dresses and skirts, like she was with her pants which were made of cotton. I just want my child to have what every other child has. Happiness. I urge you, your honor, to allow her to transition, so she can have a somewhat normal life as a girl, which she can't as a boy."

"Why can't she have a normal life as a boy?"

"Because, your honor, when she gets in her teens she will want a girlfriend if she is a boy. No girl will look at my child with all of those ugly red blotches on her skin. It is because the blotches have gone away, and she is very happy as a girl, and the blotches have not come back, that I am making this request on behalf of Wilhelmina James, my daughter."

"Well that was a very profound plea on behalf of your child ma'am. Not many children have understanding parents like you, Mrs. James. Alright, I will keep this case open for one year. During that year, you will see your therapist, and when that year is over, I want you to bring me a copy of the recommendation letter that the therapist will give you, so you can have your surgeries. Usually a person going through this type of transition must wait until they are eighteen to have these surgeries. But since this is a very unusal case, I will permit the child to go through male to female transition, and upon receiving a copy of the recommendation letter from your therapist, I will permit the surgeries to take place. It is also ordered that the child be now and forever known as Wilhelmina James, a female. Good luck, young lady.

After she said that, she went back through a door by her high desk, and we left.

"Well honey, you are now legally Wilhelmina, and as soon as we get the order from the judge we will take it to the school board so they can change your file. At least they are on the computer, and not in a paper file folder. When we get home, we will start on dinner, or do you want to eat out?"

"I think I would like to eat out. Some place different though, because we have gone to Denny's a lot. Where is there another restaurant we can go to that isn't Denny's, McDonald's, or Burger King?"

"Well, we could go to Gen-Ars. It isn't a fancy restaurant, but the inside is nice and they have good food and good service. We could order a chicken dinner, and split it."

"Okay, I like to go to new places."

We went to Gen-Ars, which was a family restaurant, right across the street from Big Boy's. When we went in, we could seat ourselves, so we found a nice table to sit at. The waitress came over with our water, and menus, and mom asked her if we ordered the full chicken dinner, could she split it with me. She was told she could but there was a five dollar surcharge for me. That was actually cheaper than ordering two meals. She took the order, and placed it with the cook, and then took four place settings away, and we also ordered a Mountain Dew for me, and mom had coffee. Our order took a while to get to us, but when it came, it was steaming hot. This chicken is said to be the best in town, according to the menu. But I bet all the restaurants say that, though. Mom split the chicken between us, as best as she could, because it was a four piece chicken, with one extra piece. So it was five pieces in the meal. The skin on the chicken had a funny looking skin on it and I asked mom why.

"That is a beer batter coating. Don't worry all the alcohol is cooked out of it. It just gives it a better taste. Go ahead, and taste it." I took a bite of the chicken, and it tasted really good. "How does it taste?"

"Like nothing I ever had. It is really good, mom." When I took my bite of chicken, I used my fork to take the meat off of the bone, like mom had showed me several times at home. She said that eating chicken is like any other meat dish, and ladies have to show proper etiquette at all times. It's alright for a boy or a man to eat chicken with their hands, but we are girls, and we have to be a little more civilized than the cavemen that live in our society. Troglodytes, will we ever be free of them? "I was just thinking, mom, that we should come here again, some time."

"That is a good idea. Now I want you to know that you behaved yourself really well today. When you said that mother nature was forcing you to dress like this, I was looking at the judge for any sign of 'I don't believe you', but there wasn't any. She just looked at you as you were talking, like you look at me, when I am talking. And besides, she called you a young lady. I think this judge is on our side."

"She was nice. Wasn't she?"

"Yes, dear, she certainly was. Okay now, we need to go to Dr. Montreaux and get her to prescribe your hormones, then we have to call Ms. Redburn and make an appointment. I think you will like her because she is a very good friend of Dr. Montreaux's and I don't she would give us a name of a person that wasn't nice. I also understand from what Dr. Montreaux has said that she is also an expert in gender dysphoria, which is the medical term for transgenderism. You know too, that Dr. Montreaux will give you your hormones, and you will be required to go to school as a girl, and live as a girl 24/7. But you are already doing that because mother nature made you one of the girls. Let me ask you, though. Is there anything about dressing or being a girl that you don't like?"

"Actually, no mom. The boys at school are really attentive towards me, and they even step aside and let me pass. Some of the boys said it was about time I quit being a tomboy. But you know mom, when I become a physical female, then my life will just be starting. Until then, this is all practice."

"That is a very mature way of looking at it, Billie. But you know, I have been female all of my life, and I am still learning new things about being a woman everyday. They say that life is a learning experience, and so far they have been right. I am going to love having you for my daughter, forever. So what do you think about that?"

"I think it's great," I said putting my head on her shoulder.

"How would you like to have a new dress, to celebrate our victory?"

"I would love a new dress. I wish that daddy was here, so he could see how happy I really am." I had said that with a deep sadness. I had never really remembered him, but when I said that mom had that far away look in her eyes, and tears started streaming down her face.

"I believe he sees us, darling, and he knows how happy you are, right now."

"I wish I could remember him, but all I get are fuzzy pictures in my head."

"Well it is like I said, he was a good man, and treated us very well. He had a good sense of humor, and he loved playing practical jokes. We used to go swimming at the beach, and we would have picnics in the forest, and we would go bowling, and ice skating. Sometimes we would go a theater and watch a new movie that just came out. But the best times were when we would be at home cuddled up with each other watching a scary movie. I would pretend to be frightened and he would just kind of laugh under his breath, and hold me close. I loved your father very much, Billie, and I still wear our wedding ring too. I will never take this off, because it reminds me of him and all the good times we had together."

"Do you think you will ever get married, again?"

"No, Billie, I won't. I have you to raise, and we are going to have so much fun as mother and daughter. You are my angel, sweetie, and I want you to be happy. But you know something, though? When you have your surgeries, then we will celebrate another birthday for you, besides the one you have when you were born. Wilhelmina gets to have a birthday too." She smiled at me, and I just kept my head on her shoulder. Mom pulled in to Dr. Montreaux's parking lot, and we went to her office.

Lorraine was sitting at her desk typing something on her keyboard. When we went in, she smiled. "Hello, Billie and Mrs. James. That is a nice dress Billie."

"Thank you, Lorraine."

"You're welcome, dear. The doctor is with a patient right now, but will be with you after that." Lorraine's smile was so contagious she just made you smile too.

Mom and I sat down and talked a little more about clothes and makeup. She told me there are different kinds of makeup, as well as colors and manufacturers. She said men lead a dull life compared to how we live. We get to wear all these pretty clothes, paint our finger and toe nails, we can blush or be furious, we can have our hair done in a really pretty style, and we have that natural swivel to our hips, just like you have, dear.

"I have never seen a person that was conisdered a boy or a man develop a figure like you're getting. You are twelve years old, Billie, and your voice isn't getting lower, it is getting higher. I could hear it when we were talking last night. I think I am going to have Dr. Montreaux do a hormone panel on you to see where your estrogens are. You haven't been taking any hormones, have you?"

"No mom."

Just then Dr. Montreaux came out of her office with another lady, and talked to Lorraine for a few minutes, then Lorraine made another appointment for the lady. Dr. Montreaux came over by us.

"Beelie, it is good to see you, mon cherie. Come in my office so we can talk." Mom and I followed her in to her office. "Are you here to get your preescription, Beelie?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then here you go, Beelie. I wrote this out yesterday after court was over. I just knew you would be in today. Now, mon cherie, has your mother been teaching you what all of us girls already know?"

"Yes, she has. We had a girls night in and we talked about proper etiquette for a girl."

"You had a girls night in, Beelie, and you didn't eenvite me?" She said that with a mock pout on her face, and I couldn't help but giggle. I like Dr. Montreaux, she is so down to earth. "Is there anything else I can do for you Marian?"

"Yes, could you do a hormone test on Billie to see where her estrogens are?"

"Yes, I can do that. I will have Julie come in and draw the blood and we will call you with the results." A nurse in a really pretty outfit for scrubs, came in carrying some glass tubes and took a small needle out of the drawer. She called it a butterfly needle. She took the blood, and said the results would be done today, if wanted to call about a half an hour before the office closed. We thanked her, and then left to get in the car. Once buckled in, mom turned to me with that mischievious mother smile.

"Dear, we should get you that new dress. I want to celebrate our victory by buying something pretty for my daughter."

"I'm ready, mom. Did I ever tell you that I love you?"

"Oh sweetie, you are my angel. My sweet, sweet angel, and I love you too." Before she started the car, we hugged for a few minutes, then mom said I was in for a real treat. "So kiddo, are you ready?"

"Yes mom, I am ready."

"Honey, I have been noticing something about you lately. Have you been noticing boys more and more in how cute their butts are or how handsome their face is, or drooling over their muscles like most girls do?"

"Yes, mom, I have. The boys in school are the ones that think I have been a girl all along, just a hard headed tomboy. So when I look at them they don't think anything of it. If I smile nicely, they smile back. Mom, what would you do if I brought a boyfriend home?"

"Well, you remember our talks, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, that is all you need to remember. But if you do get a boyfriend, I do want to meet him and his parents. The best way to do that is have them over for dinner. But as far as your question goes, I would be happy for you that you would have somebody your own age to be with whether it is platonic or romantic. And you can have a romantic relationship, without having sex. Most boys don't really care, but you need to be careful. That is why I want whomever you meet and his parents to come to dinner. That way I can see what type of boy he really is. You are my only child, and I don't want to see you hurt."

"Yes, mom. But you would really be happy for me?"

"Yes, I would. I would be very happy for you, because if you had a boyfriend, it shows my little girl is growing up. It is normal for girls your age to start looking at boys and noticing their bodies. You haven't even started male puberty yet, or even female puberty, but you are noticing them. Sweetie, I don't want to embarrass you, but you have taken to being a girl like a duckling takes to water. You have done very well in such a short time. Let's go to Walgreen's and get your prescription filled. Then when you take the first dose, you will be on your way to a really rewarding life."

"I hope so," I said, but with a mischievious smile.

"Oh, you're just playing with me now," She was smiling when she said that. "Anyway, we're here. Let's get ninety-two precent of that testosterone out of your body. After a few months you will feel the affects of the hormones. They won't be bad affects, but you will notice changes starting in you. After this year is over, you should be developed enough that you won't need breast implants."

We went to the pharmacy counter, and mom gave the lady pharmacist the prescription, and said we would wait while it was being filled. Then we looked around Walgreen's for a bit, and when we went down the stationary aisle, I saw a really pretty diary. It was pink with a white decorative border. It had a little girl on the cover, writing something in her diary. It was so cute I asked mom if I could have it, and she said yes.

Then mom took me over by the cosmetics, and started matching face powders, concealers, foundations, lipsticks, nail polishes and eye makeup, to my skin tone. I have light skin, so the medium colors would be very flattering for me. Mom got me a kaboodle to keep my makeup in, that way she said, it wouldn't take up too much room on my vanity.

"Vanity, mom? What vanity?"

"The vanity we are going to get you as soon as we get you your new dress."

"You're going to get me a vanity? I love you, mom."

Then the intercom called my name that the prescription was done. We picked it up at the pharmacy counter, and mom paid for it. When we left Walgreen's, I had a prestty diary, a kaboodle full of makeup, and now we were going to go and get me a new dress.

As mom pulled in this parking lot, I saw the name of the store was Simply Young Miss. We went in and Janice Jennings came from the back. Janice is the mother of Soleil and Lainnie. She was younger looking than my mom, but she was about the same age.

"Hello Mrs. Jennings."

"Hello, Billie. My my, just look at you. I didn't recognize you all dressed up like this. What happened to that rough and tough tomboy I once knew?"

"She became the beautiful butterfly, and she is going to stay the beautiful butterfly too."

"Good for you, girl. Soleil says you have a boyfriend. Is that true?"

"Well, kinda sorta. I mean, there is this boy Dennis that is taking me to the twelve to fourteen year old dance in Hillman on Friday. But I wouldn't go so far as to say he is my boyfriend. At least not yet, anyway."

"Are you going to wrap him around that little finger and keep him there?"

I giggled. "No ma'am, he is shy when he is around girls. He hems and haws too much. I think they call that tripping over his tongue, because he can't get the words out fast enough, and when he does they're all jumbled up sometimes."

"Yep, that's what they call that alright. Do you think he wants to be your boyfriend, but is too shy to ask?"

"Maybe. I will have to talk to Soleil and Gina about this when I see them."

"Well, for what it's worth kitten, you look absolutely adorable."

I smiled when I said, "Thank you, Mrs. Jennings."

"You're welcome, dear. Now is there something I can help you find?"

"Billie needs a new dress. Something special."

"I will show you what we have on the floor, and if you don't see anything there you like, I have several gorgeous gowns and dresses in the back, in plastic sheaths."

We looked around, and I saw a nice dress for everyday wear. It was white, with flowers around the hem. It had a scoop neckline that had what looked like rhinestones from shoulder to shoulder in the front only. I asked mom if I could get that one, and she had me try it on. It fit me, and so mom said I could have it. But she also said I needed something very special too. So, we went in the back, and Mrs. Jennings showed us the gowns, and prom dresses. Since I am only a freshman, I guess I won't need a prom dress or a wedding gown.

Then she showed us the party dresses. They were unique and everyone was an original. I mean, at least they didn't have two or three of the same kind.

"Mrs. Jennings, do you have more party dresses in this style."

"No, dear. We only carry one of a kind dresses. These are specially made for our shop. Mrs. Brimmer who actually owns the store, but I manage it for her, started that tradition of one of a kind dresses, way back when she was young. She isn't too well right now, and she told me to just carry on. We sell a lot of prom dresses and gowns, as well as party dresses. Did you see something you like, Billie?"

"I like this one." I went over and took a turquoise party dress off of the clothes rack it was on. It was beautiful. I had a nice chiffon overlay on the skirt, and bodice just sparkled with something in the material. "Why does it sparkle like that?"

"There are silver threads sewn in with the turquoise. You can see them if you use a magnifying glass."

"I like this one, it is very beautiful and it can be worn for the homecoming dance too."

"Yes. You are very perceptive, young lady."

"Is this what you want for your special dress, Billie?" Mom asked as she looked at the dress.

"Yes, mother. I like how it sparkles, and turquoise is a good color. Where can I try it on?"

"This way, ma'am," Mrs. Jennings said with a smile, as she led the way.

When I stepped out of the changing booth, I saw the looks on both of their faces, and I heard the gasps. Was mom crying? Oh my gawd, she's crying. I went back in and carefully took off the dress, and put it back in its sheath. After getting dressed in my street clothes, I went out by mom and Mrs. Jennings.

"Mom, why are you crying?"

"You're not a young girl any more. You looked so heavenly in that dress." She hugged me for what seemed a long time, but it was only a couple of minutes. "Now you are a young lady, and I am so proud of my daughter."

She repaired her makeup, and then we went out to the counter and paid for the two dresses. After promising to have them over for dinner, we left the store. I finger waved to Mrs. Jennings, who finger waved back. Uhm yes guys, it is a girl thing. Giggle.

Our next store was a furniture store that carried everything from bedside tables all the way to king size beds. We went in and an older gentleman who was old enough to be my grandfather, came over and asked if he could help us.

"Yes. Do you carry vanitys, or makeup tables I guess some people call them."

"Yes ma'am. Doris, these people are looking for a vanity." Doris was about mom's age, and had fiery red hair. Her blue eyes just sparkled, and she had a very contagious smile.

"Hello, my name is Doris. Our vanitys are over this way." She led the way, and when we got to the vanity area, I saw vanitys in different styles, heights, widths and lengths. Mom had me look at them, and tell her which one I wanted.

I saw this really pretty pink with white border, and said I wanted that one. The French provincial bench was extra, and mom got that for me too. When we told Doris we were going to take the vanity and the bench, she was all smiles. The vanity cost five hundred dollars, and the bench was only three hundred dollars. Doris was surprised when mom said this would cash, because she would be writing a check.

"You do realize of course, that we have to wait until the check clears before we deliver the furniture?"

"Yes."

"Delivery is free for this amount, and you can expect delivery in about three days, since this is a local check. Is this all I can do for you today?"

"Yes it is. You have been very helpful."

"Well thank you for coming and enjoy your new vanity young lady. I'm kind of jealous though, because you got the best and most prettiest of all of them. Please feel free to come again."

Mom gave our name and address so they knew where to deliver it, and then we left the store. I didn't realize the time, and my tummy started to growl. Mom said she had lost track of time, because she was having so much fun shopping with her daughter. I smiled.

"Where do you want to eat, sweetie?"

"How about Red Lobster? We haven't been there in a long time."

"Red Lobster it is then. Honey, I hope you don't mind, but you are my only child, and I want to dote on you like the doting mothers you see in the movies."

"Mom, I love you, and if you want to get me a dress or a car when I'm sixteen, it doesn't matter to me. I love you even if you didn't get me things. But being a girl, you do know I will want as much as I can get."

"You minx. Did you know that you are fast becoming a girl, and you have had very little training. The only real thing I needed to teach you, was makeup. Now don't get this wrong, dear. But I have suspected for a long time that you were more female than the macho male you pretended to be."

"Does it show that much, mom?"

"Yes, sweetie, it does. It isn't in the clothes you wear, or the makeup and hair styles. It is more in your actions. Ever since you were little, you were doing the things the girls were doing, and you just didn't realize it. But since these allergies came along, and we got rid of them by putting you in dresses and skirts, you're true feminine nature just came right out. That is why I am very proud of you, sweetie. Except for the makeup, you did the rest on your own. I guess you could say that you have been my daughter longer than you know."

"Thank you, mom. I guess I was trying to be tough so the guys wouldn't pick on me. But since I have been Wilhelmina they have actually opened doors for me, stepped aside when I walked down the hallway, and even said hi with smiles on their faces. The word has gotten around school that Dennis and I are an item. We should have Dennis and his parents over for dinner some Sunday evening."

"That is a good idea, Billie. You tell him that when you see him at school. I think this Sunday is too soon. Tell him that in two weeks from Sunday, he and his parents are invited over to our house for Sunday dinner. I will make something special. Get his phone number and address too."

"It's right here mom," I said, showing her the piece of paper I wrote it on.

"You are a darling, you know that. Keep that in your purse, dear, and when we get home you can call him instead of waiting to see him at school. Let's go to Red Lobster."

Allergies Suck - Chapter VI
by Barbara Lynn Terry

Part IX - Shopping, talking, last minute details.

Time goes by really fast when you are having fun. With all of the shopping, and eating out, and school, the time for the twelve to fourteen year old dance was here. Tonight Dennis would come and take me to the dance. I have never been to a dance like this one, but his mother and father were going to be there. Hillman is just over the county line about twenty four miles from our house. The VFW post is right there as you come in to town. It looks small on the outside, but I am told it has a banquet room with a big floor they use for dances.

Mom and I spent the whole day getting ready. Mom took me to her salon and had me given the works. I got a nice teenage make over (no eye makeup), a really nice hair do, and I even got a massage, finger and toe nails, and a waxing. OH ... MY ... GAWD ... When I felt the material of my stockings and slip next to my skin, I felt like I was in heaven. Then when we had spent the entire morning at the salon, we still had a few last minute things to get. I needed another purse for my turquoise party dress, and another pair of shoes. Let me tell you about my hair though.

When I looked in the mirror after mom was done, my hair was in an upsweep, and there was even a decorative turquoise comb at the top back. The blue/green butterfly barettes were an added bonus to the whole look. The lip stick mom used was a light pink, just enough to give my lips some color. After everything was done at the salon, and I saw myself in the full length mirror, I was blown away. I looked like I was at least sixteen.

Anyway, we ended up in J.C. Penny's shoe department and mom had me try on several pair of dress shoes. There was one pair that was kind of turquoise, but it also sparkled when you moved around in the light. Just what Dr. Mom ordered. There was another pair of dress shoes too that were silver, and they also sparkled. Mom got me both pairs. Then we looked at purses. I needed something chic but not so as it would stand out. Something to match my dress. We found a really nice shiny purse that could pass for turquoise even though it was a light blue. At least it would match my dress. Mom paid for the shoes and the purse, and then we decided to take my things home, and then go out to eat, because if we cooked at home, I could get my party clothes dirty.

We went to Mader's German restaurant at the corner of North Third Street and West Highland Avenue, downtown. Mader's is a really nice restaurant, and the waitresses are dressed in German style uniforms. They also serve cocktails there too. Mom ordered what looked like a bratwurst with hot potato salad...kinda. I just had roast beef with baked potato and green beans. Mom worked here when she wasn't working at the salon, so we kinda got an employee discount. Marie, one of mom's friends saw us and came over and talked for a bit.

"Marian, I thought you wanted to stay away from here unless you were working."

"Hi Marie. I wanted to treat Billie to something special and we were downtown anyway."

"Well, Billie, I must say. You look so much better dressed this way than in those old tattered tomboy clothes."

"Thank you, Marie. I'm going to a twelve to fourteen year old dance tonight at the VFW in Hillman."

"Oh that's right! That dance is tonight. Janie is going to be a chaperone there, because her husband is a member of that post. Is there someone special that is taking you?"

"His name is Dennis and his mother is taking us. His father belongs to that post too and his mother is in the ladies auxillary."

"Well, you will have to come back and tell me how it went. I want details girlfriend, because inquiring minds want to know." We all giggled and a few of the customers looked at us.

Marie had to go and wait on other customers, and we just sat there enjoying our meal and talking.

"Honey, when you are with Dennis, just remember to act like a lady, and never allow him to put his hands where they don't belong."

"I won't, mother. I am hoping that by the end of the dance, that he won't have to stumble over his tongue any more, like he has been doing. Remember when we met him at the beach? He acted like I would break if he touched me. He stuttered and stammered, trying to find the right words. His dad had to invite me to the dance."

"Some boys are like that, men too. They see a pretty girl and they don't know how to act. It's like they forgot how to walk, talk and chew bubble gum at the same time." We both giggled. "But Dennis seems to be nice. I will come to the post in my car. You go with Dennis, because he is your escort. It is also proper for him to bring a corsage that he will put on your left wrist. Just like going to the prom. When he puts the corsage on your left wrist, give him a small peck on the cheek. That is your way of saying thank you. I have a feeling young lady, that Dennis and you are more than a rumor. I would be willing to say you are a real item and that when you two are together, you have a lot of fun."

"I don't know, because we haven't really been together much, except at lunch time. Then he sits by us and he just eats while we talk. We try to get him to talk, but he hesitates too much and can't seem to find the words."

"Oh, I know how that is. Before I met your father, I had a few boyfriends that did the same thing."

"Mother, do you think I am too young to have a boyfriend?"

"Well, in my day, they called it puppy love, because they said we were too young to know what love really is. But when you get these funny feelings in your tummy, when your head spins when you are together, when your mouth feels dry, and you are stammering, then dear, it is love. There is no certain age to fall in love. All you have to do is feel it deep inside. When you can do that, and you can't stop thinking about him, it is love. So, when he picks you up, get him talking so he feels confident with you and doesn't do that hesitating and stammering thing boys do."

"I will, mother. Mother, what do I do if he wants to kiss me?"

"If it looks like he wants to kiss you on the lips, just turn your head sideways so his kiss is on your cheek instead. I am driving over in our car, and you will be with him. When he puts the corsage on your wrist and then crooks his albow slightly, put your hand on his arm, and let him walk you to their car. When I look at you, I see a young woman. You aren't a girl any more, even if you are only twelve years old. I have something I want to ask you. When the boys picked on you at school, did any of them ever hit you?"

"No mom. They just called me shorty and kept asking when was I going to grow up. They don't know about genes and heredity."

"You take after me in the height and slight department. Well anyway, I guess you have the rest of your life to figure out what is what."

We were finished with our dinner and started for home. When we got to the house, we went to my room and put my things away. Then we went downstairs to talk and watch a little television.

"You know what, dear? Your hair looks nice like it is, but I think we can do a little bit better. Let me get my setting things." She wasn't gon long, when she came back with her case. "Girls these days are wearing their hair a little on the wild side. So what I want to do is, give you a few tendrils hanging off the sides from your bangs. and then an immaculate pony tail. Then you will have a twelve year old girl's hair style."

She messed with my hair for about forty five minutes, and then the doorbell rang. It was Dennis. He was early, and his mother was with him. So while Dennis and I sat in the living room, our mothers went in the kitchen and talked.

"Billie, I really would like to talk ... to ... you ..."

"What about, Dennis?"

"About ... uhm ... well I ..."

"Dennis, I don't bite, and I don't have sharp teeth. I will wait for you to say what you want to say."

"I just ... wanted to know ... if ... you uhm ... wanted to ... go ...sssstead ... ssssteady?"

"I would love to go steady with you, Dennis. I think though we need to tell our parents and see what they think. I had asked my mom if I was too young to have a boyfriend, and she just kind of said that I have to make my own decision but I am to behave like a lady when I am with a boy" We got up and went in the kitchen.

"Mom, Dennis and I have something to ask you and his mom."

"What, dear?"

"Dennis you're the boy so you tell them"

"Can Billie and I ... uhm ... go ... uhm ... you know."

"Dennis, we talked about this. All you have to do is say it fast."

"Yes, mom. Would it be alright if Billie and ... I ... went ... sssstead ... sssstead ... ssssteady?"

"Well, I have no objections, if Billie's mother hasn't any."

"I had asked my mom if I was too young to have a boyfriend, and she just told me to remember what we talked about. She said all I have to do is be a lady."

"Your mother is right, young lady. You follow what she says, and you won't end up in girl trouble." I felt the heat in my face that said I was blushing.

"I have no objections, Billie, as long as you remember what we talked about that is proper conduct for a girl when she is with a boy. Dennis, when you are with Billie, you treat her with respect at all times. Going steady doesn't mean you have to experiment with sex, or hang out at lover's lane until two in the morning. What going steady means is, that you two like each other and want to be in each other's company. Going for a burger and fries, and maybe a movie. Dennis, I know you are shy around girls, but there is one thing you must never do, unless you are old enough and married. You must never put your hands under her dress or skirt, and you must never put your hands on her chest either. You may hug and kiss each other on the cheek, but never on the lips, at least for now.

"You are a nice boy, Dennis, and Billie is a nice girl, and your parents and I would like to keep it that way. Do you understand what I just said, the both of you?"

"Yes, mother, and maybe I can get Dennis over his stuttering and stammering when he is with me."

"Yes, Mrs. James."

"Good, well, it is getting on time that you left."

"Wait, Billie, I have something I want to ... uhm ... give you." He left and came back a couple of minutes later, carrying a small box.

He opened the box, and took out a pink rose corsage. "Miss James, will you let me ... uhm ... escort ... you ... uhm to the ...uhm ... dance?" He placed the corsage on my left wrist.

"Yes, Dennis, you may escort me to the dance."

"Are you going to be there, Marian?"

"Yes, I am driving over in my car. I only wish my late husband were here to see his little girl and her escort."

Part X - The Dance.

As Dennis escorted me to his mother's car, he told me that I looked very pretty and wanted to know if we could go to a movie next weekend. I just looked at him with a coy smile I had seem mom use now and then, and told him I would love to. He opened the passenger rear door, and I sat down, smoothing the skirt of my gown and then grasping the right side of the gown and bringing it in the car. He closed the door, and went around to the strret side, and got in. His mother, making sure we were all buckled in, started the car and we headed for Hillman.

It took us eighteen minutes to get to Hillman, and the parking lot was filled so we had to park where the sidewalk would be if there was one. I waited for Dennis to open the car door, and offer me his hand. As I stepped out of the car, he offered me his arm again, and we went in. The music was loud, and there were others our age just having a good time. Dennis took me over to the buffet table and got us each a cup of punch. We just stood there watching the others dancing to a song by an English group called the Darkness. They were considered hard rock but they did play other songs from what some called moldy oldies. The song they were just finishing was called "Love Is Only A Feeling". This was a local group that played a lot of different music from everything from country to rock and roll. I wasn't finished with my punch, when Dennis decided we should dance to the next song. The next song was Lady Ga Ga song called "Born This Way" and I thought it was appropriate that the first song of the very first dance I had ever gone to, would be one about identity. I love Lady Ga Ga, and Avril Lavigne, and Dido. The next song we sat out and Dennis wanted to know if I wanted something nibble on; only it cam out like this.

"Billie ... uhm ... would you ... would you ... like me ... uhm ... to get ... uhm you ... uhm"

"What are you trying to say Dennis?"

"Do ... you ... uhm ... want ... something ... something to ..." He made eating motions with his hands.

"Do I want a snack? Yes, Dennis, I would love for you to get me a snack."

He got up and brought back a few chocolate chip cookies, my favorite, and another cup of punch. We sat there enjoying our snack, when Dennis put his hand on my arm. I set my cookie down, and put my left hand on his. We sat there looking at each other. I looked at his eyes, and they seemed to sparkle in the room lights. His eyes were a very clear sky blue, and when he smiled, his eyes seemed to dance. I smiled, and I seemed to be drawn to him. I got just so close, then I backed away, shyly and demurely. I hastily put my arm he was holding in my lap.

"Is there something ... uhm ... wrong ... Billie?"

"No, Dennis. It's just that I, we're too, I mean we should just be children and leave all the love things to the adults. We're only twelve years old, and we need to be friends until we can be old enough to marry."

"I ... ok Billie."

"Dennis, I need to ask you how come it is that you are wide open with your friends, but when you are around girls you get very shy and stammer when you talk?"

"I don't ... know."

"Well, look, you don't need to stammer when you talk. I don't bite, and other girls would like to around you too, if you didn't stammer so much."

"I will ... uhm ... try."

"Come on, Dennis, they're playing another song."

He got up, and offered me his arm, and led me out to the dance floor. This song was from the 1950's and was by Bill Haley and the Comets. Of course I had to agree with them though. Rock and roll is here to stay. I couldn't help but feel that he had been coached for tonight's dance. But I was very happy that he was acting like a real gentleman. When we got to the dance floor, we started dancing really fast, and Dennis surprised me as to how strong he was. With all of the lifting me, twirling me, and spinning me, he didn't miss his timing. Whoever taught him to dance, did very well.

We sat out the next two dances and just talked, or I should say that I talked.

"Dennis, I noticed that while you were doing the gymnastics tryouts on the dance floor with me, you never dropped me, and your timing was perfect. How come?"

"My mother wanted me to learn how to dance, to get over my shyness. She said if I learned how to dance well, I would get a girlfriend in no time."

"But Dennis, we're only twelve years old."

"How young is too young?"

"You have a point."

"Billie, will you ... be ... be ..."

"Dennis, stop stammering now. You were doing very well telling how you learned to dance so well. Now you are stammering again. Why is that?"

"Because I was just answer ... ing ... your ... question."

"So, when I don't ask you about your family, or question about how you know things, you just stammer."

"Yes."

"Well, I would like you to do something forme, Dennis. I would like for you to talk slow, without stammering, when you are talking to me. My mother always told me that if you have trouble saying something that you are embarrassed saying, then say it fast. That is what I want you to do."

"I will try."

"There, you did it. From now on when you say something to me, say it fast."

"Okay."

"Dennis, I know how you can get used to me. We can go bowling tomorrow."

"I would like ... that."

"C'mon stud, let's dance."

He offered me his arm and led me out to the dance floor. I was so focused on Dennis I hadn't even seen his parents or my mother there. This song was Beyond The Sea by Bobby Darin and Dennis held me close. I put my head on his chest, and we just dance, or I should say I let him dance while I just let him lead me here and there. I wasn't aware the song was even over until he sat in my chair and pushed me in toward the table a little more. That was when mom came over.

"Well, that glassy, far away look tells me my baby girl is in love. Honey, are you having fun?"

"Yes, I ... huh? Mom! I'm sorry, I was still listening to the song."

"Yes, I could see that. Dennis, you have behaved like a gentleman. Your parents and I were watching you two all night. Billie the look you have on your face tells me your feelings for Dennis are more than what they used to call puppy love. So I requested a song for the both of you. It's by Paul Anka who was every girl's dream when I was young. This song is called Puppy Love."

Mom no sooner said that and the band began playing. Dennis got up and took me to the dance floor. We danced, and danced all through the song. How we ended up by the door is beyond, me, but mom just smiled so we went out by the car and looked at the moon. Our parents came out and joined us. Then his dad said something I wasn't sure the "old folks" even remembered.

"I remember, Dennis, when your mother and I were dating. We used to take a blanket with us, and just lie down on the ground and look up at the stars. Of course, we saw different stars too, and we had a lot of fun. You two remind us of those days."

We stayed outside for a while, and our parents decided to go back inside. Dennis gave me a quick kiss on the mouth.

"Billie, we should ... get back ... to ...the uhm ... dance."

There he goes again. I wish there was someway I could get him to stop his stammering when he talks to me. He was doing so good too. We went back inside and they were playing a fast song I hadn't heard before. Dennis led me out to the floor and and I swear we tore around that floor like twin tornados. When the music stopped, Dennis went to get us a cup of punch. When he came back, and we had rested enough, the leader of the band said that we had time for one more dance and wanted toknow if there were any requests. Dennis' dad shouted "I did it my way by Elvis Presley". They started the song, asnd Dennis led me around the floor again. This time, though, he kissed me on my lips. I thought about this for a moment. Dennis mus know more than me, because he is the same age as I am. I will talk to mom about this when we get home. The song ended and the band thanked us all for coming. Everybody then headed to their cars, and I was again escorted out by my escort Dennis, and we drove back in his mom's car.

During the ride home, I put my head on his shoulder and just snuggled next to him. He kept one arm around the back of my head, and we just rode home in silence. When we got to my house, Dennis got out and walked me to the door. He kissed my hand as he said he had enjoyed himself a lot, and then left. I watched him go, and as his mom turned the corner, I went inside. Mom was right behind us, so she should be driving up any time now. I giggled when I heard her car and said softly to myself; "no sooner said, than done". She came inside and we both sat in the kitchen.

Allergies Suck
Chapter 7 - Parts 11 - 12

---

 
(Author’s Note: If you have forgotten this series, please refresh your memory by skim reading through the chapters. You will find references to Australia in this chapter, but, this story does not take place in Australia. It takes place in the fictional recesses of the author’s mind. Thank you, Barbara.)
 
 
Part XI - Billie and Marian talk about the dance and other things.

“Well, Billie, how did you like the dance?”

“It was fun, mom, but I couldn’t get Dennis to stop his stuttering and stammering, every time he wanted to ask me a question. He did well when he answered a question or talked about his friends and family.”

“Be patient with him, sweetie, he is only twelve years old. Maybe when he gets to be fifteen or sixteen, that shyness will have worn off.”

“I hope so, mom. But, I will keep at him, until he feels comfortable to actually talk about things without stuttering and stammering.”

“Well, Billie,” Marian was telling her daughter. “Remember that there are some men that do that very thing with grow women. They seem to trip over the words, trying to get them out a understandable words. But, Dennis is just shy. I think you are the first girl he has ever taken out on a real date.

“But, other than that; how did you like the dance?”

“I loved it. Especially when they played Paul Anka’s ‘Put Your Head On My Shoulder’. That was a very good song.”

“That is a slow dance song, for sweethearts who wish to dance close to their intended. It looked like you two were in heaven.”

“I don’t know what that means, exactly, but if it means that we were on cloud 9, then yes, mom, we were in heaven.”

“That’s what it means,” Marian told her daughter.

“What say we get ready for bed?”

“That sounds like a good idea, mom. I’m bushed.”

Since tomorrow was Sunday, there was no school, so Billie could sleep late. Of course, with all of the physical activity she had at the dance, she would want to sleep late anyway. They say that you dream in the moments of sleep, but it seems like it was all night.

That night Billie had a dream about her and Dennis at the movies that he was taking her next weekend. In her dream, Dennis over came his shyness and kissed her on the lips. Then he started to say that he loved her, and started to … That was when she woke up.

It was ten o’clock when she woke up, and got out of bed. She took a nice bubble bath, and then washed her entire body. When she was done, she rinsed off the suds with the shower head. She went in her room to get dressed, and looked in her closet for the right dress, and the right shoes. She selected her teal dress with the scoop neckline, and flared skirt. She took out her teal half slip, teal shoes with one inch heels. She went to her dresser and got out a pair of teal panties with a lace waistband and lace around the leg openings. She also selected a pair of tan, stay up thigh high nylon stockings.

She started with the panties, then the stockings and stepped in to her teal pumps. Then she put on the teal half slip, sliding it over her shoes, before standing up. She pulled it up to her waist, then slipped the dress over her head. She began zipping it up with her fingers, until it reached mid back. She then took a clothes hanger and slipped the hook part of the hanger through the opening in the zipper catch, and pulled the zipper the rest of the way up. Her mother showed her how to do that.*

Now she was ready for church. She went down to the kitchen, and poured herself a bowl of Cheerios**, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of milk. She didn’t want any toast, because she didn’t want to get crumbs all over her dress. As she sat there and ate, her mother came in.

“Here, dear, put this necklace on. I see you need earrings, too. How about after church, we go and get your ears pierced? I think it’s time.”

“I would love to have my ears pierced. There is a piercing pagoda at the Footscray Mall.”***

“Yes, we haven’t been there in a while. Alright, Billie, right after church, we will take a ride over to Nicholson Street.

Billie cleaned her breakfast dishes, and put them in the dish rack. Then mother and daughter went out to the car, and drove off to church. The sermon today was about tolerance and acceptance. The pastor admonished the congregation to let things they don’t like, understand, or are even afraid of. He said this especially true when it comes to people. He said more and more adults are allowing their baser instincts to surface, when it comes to people living in a way that they may disapprove of. He told them that judgment is not man’s realm, but is the sole duty of our Lord Jesus, who will come and give the final judgment.

When the services were over, the congrgation said a last prayer together, and then began leaving the church, greeting the pastor on the way out. When it was our turn to greet the pastor, we had a small talk.

“Well, Billie, you look marvelously beautiful today. Like a butterfly. Marion how have you been this past week?”

“Just fine, pastor. We are going to the Footscray Mall. Billie is going to get her ears pierced. Then we will stop and get a little lunch and do some shopping, while we are there.”

“Well, you two have a full afternoon ahead of you. Are you going to look in all the stores?”

“Pastor, it would take a full day just to through the first floor, and Footscray has three floors. No, Pastor, we are going let Billie get her ears pierced, have a little lunch and talk about what we want to look at after that. We will see, Pastor.”

“Alright, Marian, Billie, you both have a blessed day.”

With that, Marian and Billie James left to go to the mall. They had a ways to go, because the mall was on Nicholson Street, not that far from Princes Highway. As Marian drove toward the mall, she and Billie talked for a bit, mostly about nothing.

“Billie, where would you like to go to eat?”

“I was thinking that we could stop at a restaurant in the mall and have a Devonshire Tea.”****

“That sounds good, Billie, we will stop at that restaurant across the street, then,” Marian James told her daughter, Billie.

They got to the mall forty five minutes later. Marian parked in the parking structure and they went in the mall. They went straight to piercing pagoda, but, they had to wait, because there was a long queue. Apparently, others had the same idea that Marian and Billie had.

When it was their turn, Marian and Billie stepped up to the counter.

“Hello, My name is Deborah. How may I help you, today?”

“My daughter wants to her ears pierced,” Marian told Deborah.

“All right, please sit in this chair here. What is your name, Miss?”

“Wilhelmina, but everybody just calls me Billie.”

“What are you going to do after you are done in the mall?”

“I was thinking of having a Devonshire Tea, then do a little shopping in the mall.”

“What do you call a ‘little’ shopping?”

“Anything I can lay my hands on.”

Deborah smiled, because she knew girls and women just didn’t do a ‘little’ shopping.

“Alright, Miss Billie, we are finished. I like those rose studs. I see your mother bought a couple pairs of hoops for when your ears heal. Now, Miss Billie, make sure you turn these studs frequently each day, so that the skin, as it heals, doesn’t close the skin around the stud posts. Here is a couple of bottles of earring cleaning solution. I will show you in the mirror and you watch what I do.”

Billie watched her as she took a square of gauze, poured a little solution on it, and cleaned the post of each stud. Billie watched intently, so she knew how to do it at home. With her ears pierced, she and her mother went to a nice little restaurant across the street from the mall. At least they didn’t have to cross Princes Highway.

“Hello, my name is Kathy, may I please take your order?”

“Yes, we will have the Devonshire Tea, please.”

“Very good, Miss, your order will be right here.”

It doesn’t take long to serve a Devonshire Tea. Before they could finish saying what they were talking about, Kathy brought them their Tea.

Marian and Billie took their time eating. They talked about what tjey were going to do at the mall.

“Billie, I think you need a couple more pairs of shoes. Let’s stop and get you a few pairs.”

“Alright, mom, a girl can never have too many pairs of shoes.”

“Also, Billie, a girl can’t have too many dresses and skirt sets, either. Billie, girls and women are clothesaholics. We can never pass up an item of clothing that we see and like.”

“I know, mom, I know.” They both giggled.

They finished the pot of tea that was is always served with the
Devonshire Tea. Marian paid the bill and they went back to the mall. Once they got back to the mall, they headed for Woolworths*****.

“Mom, do you think we need to stop at Coles,****** too?”

“It couldn’t hurt. Maybe I can find something that I can cook in less time than it takes to thaw out the ground beef. You know something, Billie, we could even get a DiGiorno pizza.”

“That sounds good, mom, then we could have pizza while we watch a movie. I haven’t looked to see if there is anything good on tonight. But, being Sunday, there may be a few good movies on.”

“Well, we will worry about that right after dinner. Alright, are we ready to put a dent in the mall stores supply items?”

“Yes, we are.” Then they started singing their version of the Wizard of Oz. “We’re off to visit the mall, the wonderful mall of sales.”

They stopped at a store that sold bric-a-brac, toys for children five years old to ten years old. They sold costume jewelry, and as with most costume jewelry, you had to be careful and make sure the posts were hypoallergenic. They had french post earrings in the shape of different styled butterflies, some even sparkled. They had all different kinds of flowers, animals, fruit, even inprints of different outdoor activities.

Gallaghers was not all that big, but it had a lot of nice things. Billie picked out a pair of earrings shaped like a Monarch butterfly, one of a tiger, a pair that had the likeness of a kitty. Marian bought all of these for Billie. Now Billie had fashionable earrings. These she could actually wear to school. Of course, her ear lobes had to heal first, which didn’t take long at all.

From Gallaghers, they went to South Bend. South Bend sold every thing from zirconia necklaces, gem rings and earrings for less. The selection at South Bend was mind boggling. The entire store was filled with jewelry, clothing, shoes, and they even had furniture, dvd’s, cd’s, and a lot of other things, too numerous to put here.

We searched the store for sales, and found a few bric-a-brac for our coffee table, window sills, and dressers. We found a Christamas angel whose wings alternated in different colors. We were going to put this away, and use for the Christmas tree top.

We kept looking for bargains, and we even bought a few things that weren’t on sale. South Bend was a store you could lose yourself in, and it was a lot better than other stores selling the same things. The problem was, South Bend was not a national chain. It was a local store, and got its name from the owner who, I was told, was from South Bend, Indiana.

As we looked through the store we saw different types of this and that, and we even saw clothing items. There was a rack that had Japanese kimonos with different imprints on them. We saw skirts, blouses, leather pants and skirts, leather shirts, and leather jackets.

“Mom,” Billie asked her mother. “Do you think that maybe I could wear leather clothes, instead of dsresses and skirts?”

“Well, I don’t know, sweetie. Don’t tou think you would be awfully sweaty in leather?”

“Can I at least try a pair on?”

“Alright, dear, you may try a pair on. Tell me, after you have them on, if they are uncomfortable.”

“Yes, mom.”

Billie took a pair of leather pants off of the rack, and went in the changing booth. Billie took off the dress, with her mother’s help. Billie then put on the leather pants. The pants had a side zipper, but that didn’t bother Billie. She just wanted something different.

However, the pants that were in here size, fit kind of tight. She stepped out of the changing booth for her mother’s inspection.

“No, Billie, I don’t think those are appropriate. They are way too tight to begin with and it looks like you are walking almost like a robot. No, sweetie, not those.”

Billie changed back in to her dress, and had her mother help zip it up. Billie wasn’t disappointed that the pants seemed too tight, she just wanted to see if they fit right. So, as far as Billie was concerned, she was allergic to cotton and wool, but, not to leather. But, the pants she tried on, were too tight. Marian James decided it was time to go home. But, first she wanted to pick up a macaroni salad, corn on the cob, a package of four bratwurst, and a family pack of ground beef.

Marian and Billie James had spent most of the day in the mall, shopping in other stores not in the mall, and now Marian was beat. They took their groceries home and Marian put on a four quart pan filled with water. She put the pan on the stove and turned the burner on. When the water was at a rolling boil, she will put the corn on the cob in. The bratwurst she would cook on the George Foreman grill. When the corn and the bratwurst were done, Marian would serve a helping of macaroni salad.

The ground beef was going to be used tomorrow to make meat loaf.

“Billie, please get out the bread and the butter when it’s time. It looks like the water is boiling, so I am going to put the corn in. Would you cook the brats on Foreman grill?”

“Sure, mother.”

While Marian was putting the corn in the boiling water, Billie was placing the brats on the George Foreman grill. Billie punctured fork holes in the bratwurst so that more of the fat would be cooked out.
When light on top turned green, the Billie knew that the brats were done. They should all be done by the time the corn is.

When the food was ready to serve, mother and daughter sat down and actually had a feast. It isn’t often they have a meal like this, but there are times when Marian will splurge, or break down and have something delicious. Not, that her meals weren’t delicious, but this one was especially so.

Billie had a half of a bratwurst, a couple of spoons of macaroni salad, and one corn on the cob. After she drank her milk, Billie declared herself full.

“Thank you, mom, that was delicious. I am stuffed to the gills.”

“Well, dear, I thought that as long as we were in the store, I might as well get something that I really didn’t have to cook. You have never eaten like any of the boys, even before you began living like you are. You always took small bites, dabbing your mouth now and then while you ate.”

“I know, mom. But, you taught me to have sensible table manners. When you have those table manners at home, you would have them elsewhere.”

“Are you sure you’re only twelve years old

“Oh, mother.” Both ladies giggled.

When you read a lot, and you are quick to learn, you pick up things. Then if you retain everything you read and hear of importance, then you can be twelve years old going on thirty. That is what Billie does. She reads as often as she can. She still finds time to be with her friends, but she reads a lot. The reason she reads a lot, is because she is hungry for knowledge. She wants to know about things. Plus, with her computer, she can see the actual images of what she wants to learn about. But, she doesn’t use the computer to find these things out, she reads.

Marian James knows how to use a computer, too. She has one in her study. That is a really funny word. Men call it their den or their office. Women call it either their office or their study. But, whatever it is called, it is where a man or a woman does his or her work, or studying. So, as Billie was busy thinki’ng about things, Marian James was doing the same.

“Billie, I was just thinking. How about after dinner, and we have rested our tummies, that we do a little baking.”

“That sounds good, mom. What are we going to bake?”

“How about apple/cinnamon turnovers?”

“Yum,” Billie said, making circular motions by her tummy.

“Would like them made fresh or from store bought items?”

“Fresh, mom, they taste better that way.”

After they cleaned up the kitchen, they went in the living room to watch a little television. They surfed through the channel guide and found a movie thet both liked. The movie was the original Walt Disney’s The Shaggy Dog.******* It is funny, isn’t it, that movies that came out fifty or sixty years ago, are still being shown today. Like the Thin Man movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Those movies were made in the 1930’s. But tonight, the James women were going to watch The Shaggy Dog. If you have never seen it, rent the dvd. It is a very funny movie.

Billie curled up on the sofa, and put her head on her mother’s shoulder. Before the movie was half over, Billie James was fast asleep. Marian James, sat there watching the movie, trying to think; “should I wake her?” She decided to let Billie sleep until the movie was over. Billie had had a very busy and tiring day. When the movie was over, Marian delicately let Billie’s head rest on one of the couch pillows.

The next morning, Billie woke up in her bed. The last thing she knew, she was watching The Shaggy Dog. Oh, well, no use trying to figure it out. Billie went to get her bath in and then get dressed. She washed herself and then stepped out of the tub. She patted herself dry, and then went in to her room to get dressed.

Today, she selected a pair of tan dress slacks, a tan shirt, tan socks, and her tan pumps with the one inch heel. Her lingerie was just simple white. After she was dressed, Billie looked at herself in the mirror. She brushed her hair and put it in to a simple pony tail. Then she got her books she had homework for, and went downstairs to breakfast.

She had a repast of oatmeal, milk, orange juice, and warm, buttered toast. She put a napkin around her, so she wouldn’t get food on her clothes. It took her twenty minutes to eat this simple breakfast, because she took her time; even on a school day.

When she finished eating, she made sure she had all of her books, notebooks, and bus pass. She hugged her mother and kissed her on the cheek.

“Bye, mom, I will see you after school. I love you.”

“Have a nice day, dear, and I love you, too.”

Billie left the house and went to the bus stop. Most students have a school bus pass, but Marian felt that Billie should have a regular pass. This way if she stayed for extracurricular activities, she would be able to get on the bus. School bus passes had a time limit of five thirty.
 
 
Part XII - At school.

When the first bell rang, the students all filed in to the school. Billie went to her locker to put away the books she didn’t need. She took out the books for her morning classes. Her first classes were with Mrs. Nettles, so she took out her geography, history, and civics books. Then she went to Mrs. Nettles classroom. When all of the students were seated, Mrs. Nettles took roll call. Then she started right away with today’s lesson.

“Today class, we are going to learn about a man, who did his part during the Revolutionary War to help cripple the British defenses. Now, I know that none of you would know about this man, but back in the 1950’s, Leslie Nielsen played him in a series called the Swamp Fox. Now, he organized a group of farmers. His name was … Yes, Billie?”

“His name was Francis Marion and he was a brigadier general. He was born on his parents plantation in South Carolina in 1732. He formed a militia of farmers to raid British encampments, ammo depots, and troop movements, providing the troops they were attacking wasn’t too large. He was 63 years old when he died of naural causes. There is a memorial written on Brigadier General Francis Marion’s grave. It states like this:

“Sacred To The Memory Of Genl Francis Marion who departed this life on the 27th February 1795 in the sixy-third year of his age deeply regretted by all his fellow citizens. History will record his worth and rising generations embalm his memory as one of the most distinguished PATRIOTS AND HEROES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION which elevated his native country to honor and independence and secured to her the blessings of liberty and peace. This tribute of veneration and gratitude is erected in commemoration of the noble and disinterested virtues of the citizen and the gallant exploits of the soldier who lived without fear and died without reproach.

“This I memorized because the words are so respectful and respected of Brigadier General Francis ‘The Swamp Fox’ Marion. There was a date on the memorial but he was buried at the Belle Isle Plantation. In 1773, he was elected to the South Carolina Provincial Congress and also established his palntation, Pond’s Bluff. He served the state where he was born. There is a lot to read about Brigadier General Francis ‘the Swamp Fox’ Marion. Go to the library and look hin up in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. He was a man who took charge and was successful in every campaign in the American Revolution.”

“Billie, are you sure you are only twelve years old?”

“Yes, Mrs. Nettles.”

“Right, twelve going on thirty. I have never seen such intelligence in a young person your age. I am glad that you are in my class, Biliie.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Nettles.”

“Class, the last time we were here, I told you that you can only learn by doing. Billie learns, because she does. She reads, and she digests what she reads. Which means, Billie learns because she reads.” I raised my hand. “Yes, Billie.”

“Mrs. Nettles, I not only learn by reading. I can also learn by doing things, and listening. I am very grateful to have this gift.”

“This is exactly what I am talking about, class. Billie not only can learn by reading, but also by listening and doing. Now, class, there is a difference between hearing what someone says and listening to what someone says. When I give my lessons, and my students don’t listen to what I say, those students will either get a very low grade, or fail my classes entirely. Does anyone else in this class like to read?”

Except for Billie, nobody raised their hand. The bell ending the first class, rang. The students put away their histiory books, and took out their geography books.

“Class, I think we will xontinue with historu, since geograohy, history and civics go together. Can someone, other than Billie, tell me where South Carolina is?” A shy girl in the back raised her hand. “Yes, Jeannie.”

“South Carolina is between North Carolina and Alabama. It is actually north east of Alabama. Thank you, ma’am.”

Jeannette (Jeannie) Marie Adams was twelve years old, going on thirteen. Her infectious smile made you like her instantly. Even though she was shy, she made friends where ever she went. She was one of Billie James’ friends.

“Thank you, Jeannie. Is there anybody else can tell what the largest city in South Catolina is?” Nobody raised their hand. “Billie can you tell us what the largest city in South Carolina is?”

“Yes, Mrs. Nettles. The largest city in South Carolina is Columbia. It is the capitol of South Carolina and also is the county seat of Richland County and part of Columbia is in Lexington County. The population is 133,803 as of the 2015 census.”

“Why, thank you, Billie. You are absolutely correct. Can anybody else, besides Billie, tell me anything else about South Carolina? Alright, class, I am going to have to tell you again. You can only by doing. That means learning your lessons, by paying attention. That is where the listening part comes in. Don’t just hear me, listrn to what I am saying. You can also learn by reading, like Billie does. You also learn by listening. Billie can do all three. How many others here can do the same?” The bell ending geography rang. “Alright class take out your civics books, and today we are going to follow up on our study of South Carolina, by studying its government. We will study the the state capitol, the South Carolina state legislature, and the South Carolina attorney general.

“Let’s talk about the Governor of South Carolina. Does anybody know who the current governor of South Carolina is?” I raised my hand. “Yes, Billie.”

The current governor of South Carolina is Nikki Haley. She is the 116th governor since 2011.She was born January 20, 1972, in Bamberg, South Carolina to Sikh immigrants from Punjab, India. She can only serve two consecutive terms as governor and then must step aside and wait one term before she can run again. To win two terms in a row, she has become a popular governor. Thank you.”

“Billie, you do continue to astound me. I said we were going to study the government of South Carolina on purpose. But, I should have known that my one and only Bille James would have the answer. Billie, you are correct. But I had to Google this information. You are a very good student. Did you think of enrolling in college next term?”

“Mrs. Nettles, I am only twelve years old. I don’t want to grow up, just yet. I want to be a tween, then a teenager, then, I might go to college. But not right now. I want to graduate from high school first.”

“Those are good plans, Billie. These coming years will serve you well.”

Just then, the bell ending the first block, rang. The students all filed out of the classroom and went directly to their lockers. They put their books away from the first block, and took their books for the second block. In this block the students will learn English, Comprehensive writing, and debate. Mr. Daniels was a good teacher, but he didn’t put up with any shenanigans in his classroom. When the students were seated, Mr. Daniels took the roll. Then he started the English lesson.

“Good morning class. Today, I thought we would write a simple letter, like we were writing to a friend. I just want to see where your Emglish skills are. You may begin. When you are finished, bring them up to my desk.”

The students finished their letters, and set them on Mr. Daniels desk. He would look them over tonight and grade them; mistake by mistake. It has been a long summer, and Mr. Daniels wanted to know exactly if his students had learned anything. Of course, this semester he had a brand new class, including Billie James. Mr. Daniels devoted one entire class period to English and comprehensive writing. He used the other two class periods in the block for debate.

“Alright, class, now we are going to study the parts of specch that makes us talk and write the way we do. Understand this, though, that improper spelling will reflect on your grade level. I think that everybody knows what a noun is. Am I right?”

Everybody said “yes, Mr. Daniels”, in unison.

“Then class, let us give an example of a noun, a pronoun, an adjective, and a verb in a sentence. You will write this out on paper, and as I call your name, you will read the sentence, describing the parts of speech I just stated. You may begin.”

Billie James wrote in her sentence; “Yesterday, I went to the church of the Apostles.”

“Alright, you should have had more than enough time. Billie James, will please read your sentence and describe the parts of speech in that sentence?”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels. I wrote, ‘yesterday, I went to the Church of the Apostles. Yesterday is the adjective, went is the verb, because it describes action. Church and Apostles are nouns, and I is the pronoun. This is the sentence I wrote. Thank you.”

As Mr. Daniels called on other students, he found that Billie James was the only one out of the entire class, that got the parts of speech right.

“It appears class, that I have my work cut out for me. While there were some who got the noun and verb right, there are still many of you, mainly boys, who didn’t even get the noun right. A noun, class, is a person, place or thing. Like in Billie’s sentence, the nouns were church and Apostles. The verb is went and yesterday is the adjective. Is there a reason, John Johnson, that you couldn’t get the noun and verb right?”

“Man, I ain’t got no time for this sissy crap. My dad says that studying is for girls and sissies. He says a real man makes do with what he has.”

“Well, John, you get a failing grade for this period. You keep up this attitude, and you will find yourself in prison when you get older. Now days, prosecutors are trying sixteen year olds as adults for serious felonies. James Deacon, please give us your sentence and the parts of speech.”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels. ‘I ran up the hill’. I is the pronoun, ran is the verb, up is the adverb, and the is the definite article and hill is the noun. I tried to write it with an adjective, but what I just read, is how it came out. It has a definite article instead of an adjective.”

“Thank you, James. I will give you a passing grade on that, because you identified the parts of speech in your sentence, correctly. Denise Cummings, will you please give us your sentence?”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels. ‘I walked to Mary’s house.’ I is the pronoun, walked is verb, to is the preposition, Mary is the noun and house, even though it is a noun, it is the adjective in this sentence. The reason it is the adjective is because it denotes whose house it is. In my sentence it denotes that it is Mary’s house. Thank you.”

“That is absolutely correct, Denise. Thank you.”

Denise Cummings lived on the other side of town. She was able to attend Audubon Middle School because of the classes they provided. See, Billie James wasn’t the only smart person in this class. Denise Cummings was equally smart, and in this class, they were very good friends. In fact, both girls made friends easily. Even though both girls were smarter than some of their classmates, they were not stuck up about it.

The bell ending the first period of the second block, rang. Mr. Daniels said the class was now going to have debate for the next two periods.

“Class, have any of you watched the presidential debates on television?”

Nobody raised their hand. Billie didn’t watch them either. Of course, what twelve year old watches politics? The first team to have their debate was between Billie James and Richard Winston.

“Billie, Richard, your subject to debate is whether or not they should have physical education brought back in to the schools. There is no script to follow. This will all be done by what is called ad libbing. That means you say whatever comes in to your mind. Alright, you have the subject matter. I will be the narrator, and I will ask you questions, and you give me the answer by whatever comes to mind. Let’s begin.”

“Ms. James, do you feel that we should have physical education in our schools?”

“Yes, and no. Yes, I think that we should have physical education brought back, but only for those who sign up for certain parts.”

“What certain parts of physical education would those be, Ms. James?”

“Sports. For instance, say someone wanted to be on the school’s tennis, volleyball, badminton, football, basketball or softball leagues. Then I would say that the students should be allowed to play in those leagues, whoever signs up for them.”

“Now, Ms. James, you said yes and no. What is the no part?”

“I don’t believe that every student should be required to take physical education. We children get enough physical education outside of school by doing chores at home, walking to and from our favorite hang out places. No, Mr. Daniels, I do not think every student should be forced to take physical education.”

“Mr. Winston, what are your views on school physical education? Do you think students should be required to take physical education?”

“Yes, I certainly do. But, I think that physical education should be taught by a person trained as a gymnast, for calisthenics, running, and other non sports like physical training.”

“Okay, Mr. Winston, what about sports physical education?”

“I would say that football should be taught by a football coach, basketball, by a basketball coach, and other sports by a coach experienced in the sport the students are taking.”

“I see. So, am I to understand, Ms. James, that you are against students being required to take physical education in our schools?”

“Yes, I am, Mr. Daniels.”

“But, you are for students being required to take phsyical education in our schools, Mr. Winston?”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels I am.”

“Billie, Richard, that was a good debate. Class, this is how debates for President, senator, congressman and state legislators, as well as governor are conducted. Without debates between politicians, the public will never know where each candidate truly stands.”

The bell ending the morning’s first two blocks, rang. It was now lunch time. Billie sat with her usual group, when on the of the fout troglodytes came up to the table.
 

---

 
* This is how I finished zipping up my dresses that had a back zipper.

**General Mills, Inc., P.O.Box 9452, Minneapolis, MN 55440 - - 1-800-248-7310 - - Fax 1-763-764-8330

***Footscray Mall, 100 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3011 Australia +61 3 9689 1844

****A Devonshire Tea is a light lunch that consists of scones, butter, jam and a pot of tea. I will not go into the brand of tea most places in Australia use for the Devonshire Tea, but, suffice it to say, it is the most popular brand sold.

*****Woolworths in Australia is the equivalent of our Walmart.

******Coles is a grocery supermarket.

*******Walt Disney’s The Shaggy Dog released in the United States March 19, 1959, starring Fred MacMurray, Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk and an all star cast.

ALLERGIES SUCK - Chapter 8 - Parts 13 and 14
By Barbara Lynn Terry

Part XIII - Still at lunch.

The troglodyte that came to the table grabbed Billie’s arm, and said out loud.

“You’re my girl from now on.”

“Let me go, you brainless troglodyte bully. I have no intention of being your girl. Now let me go.”

“Not until you say you love me.”

“Okay, I … WANT YOU TO LET ME GO!”

“No, that is not what I told you to say.”

“Well, that is what I said.”

Mr. Danieks was on lunch duty this period, and he walked up behind the troglodyte bully.

“Is there a problem here, Mr. Tennyson?”

“No, no problem. I was just having an argument with my girl, here.”

“Your girl, hey. I distinctly heard her tell you to let her go. You don’t seem to know what the word ‘no’ means.”

“C’mon, Mr. Daniels, everybody knows when a girl says no, they really mean yes.”

“Well, apparently Mr. Tennyson, you don’t have the smarts to understand that the word ‘no’ is a negative word, and it means ‘no’. Now, either you quit bothering this young lady, or I will have you, not only off of the varsity football team, but I will have you suspended as well.”

“You kick me off the varsity football team and I will whip your ass so bad, you will wish you hadn’t.”

“Alright, Mr. Tennyson, you are suspended. Clear your personal items out of your locker and turn your books in.”

“Why don’t you try to make me, Daniels.”

“You are suspended for one week. Then you will go to a hearing before the school board. Mr. Tennyson, I am going to ask for your expulsion from the school system. You can’t go around forcing your intentions on others”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Because it is, number one, against the law; number two, it is not polite to demand things of others without their consent. Now, I know you are a formidable line backer on the varsity football team, but you cannot use that as an excuse to force someone to do something they don’t want to do.

“Now, Mr. Tennyson, march right to your locker and clean it out.

“Like I said, make me.”

Mr. Daniels spoke in to his handheld two way radio.

“Security to the lunch room, security to the lunch room, stat.”

Within seconds, three school security officers entered the lunch room.

“Over here,” Mr. Daniels said, summoning the officers.

“This student has been suspended and refuses to clean out his locker. He even told me to make him do what I said.”

“Is that so,” Mark Hamm said in a tone that was not humorous. “What is your name?”

“My name is nunya.”

“What’s your last name?” Asked Mark Hamm.

“My last name is business.”

“So, you are telling me that your name is Nunya Business?”

“Yeah, rent a cop, that is what I am saying.”

“Mr. Daniels what is his name?”

“His name is Lloyd Alfred Tennyson. He is eighteen years old and plays line backer on the high school* varsity football team.”

“Well, Mr. Tennyson, are you going to empty your locker, or not?”

“It’s or not, rent a cop.”

“First of all, I am not a rent a cop. I actually work for the school board. Second, if you don’t empty your locker, we will do it for you. Third, we have the authority to handcuff you and hold you for the police. Which will it be?”

At that moment, Lloyd Tennyson hit Mark in the face, and all three security officers had Lloyd down on the floor and handcuffed.

“Lloyd Alfred Tennyson, you are hereby expelled from this school. That will be written in a report, with a copy placed in your school records. The only authority that can overrule what I just said, is the school board. Take him to his locker and clean it out.”

Mark Hamm, smarting from the blow to his face, was only too happy to escort Mr. Tennyson to his locker.

“Let us have the combination, Mr. Tennyson.”

“Go to hell.”

“Attention, attention, this is Hamm. We need a bolt cutters at locker 1536.”

“Last chance, Mr. Tennyson. Give us the combination, or we will cut the lock.”

“Go to hell. You can’t force my locker open without a search warrant.”

“We don’t need a search warrant to open school property after the student has been expelled. Now, before those bolt cutters get here, give us the conbination.”

“Okay, it is right 22, left 36, right 19. I hope you’re happy now.”

“Yes, I am. You saved your lock. Is that your back pack?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“It looks like a hiker’s pack. We’re putting everything except the books in the pack. When we are done, you will be escorted off of school property by the police.”

“What for?”

“Threatening a school employee with bodily harm, assaulting a school security officer by conduct regardless of life. When we give this report to the police, they will take you to jail, because we are pressing charges. This is Hamm, cancel the bolt cutters and call the police. We are coming to the security office with the student.”

“10-4 Hamm, we will notify the police. What are the charges?”

“Threatening a school employee with bodily harm and assaulting a school security officer by conduct regardless of life. The student is eighteen and is Lloyd Alfred Tennyson.”

“We will be waiting, Mark.”

The three security officers took the troglodyte bully to the security office to wait for the police. Meanwhile, Billie and her friends were talking about the incident.

“Why did Lloyd want you to be his girl?” Asked Denise Cummings.

“He really didn’t, he just wanted to force himself on anybody he thought would be easy. If you know what I mean.”

“That is just disgusting,” Jeannie Adams added.

“I have a feeling that we will never see Lloyd again. He is eighteen, and that means whatever crime he commits, he is going to jail.”

“I think he is headed there now, Billie,” Sandra Henderson stated.

“Well, he should have thought about that before he let his left foot get in to his mouth,” Billie added. “He was named after Alfred Lord Tennyson who was a very good poet. I don’t know why he had to disgrace his namesake like that.”

“I really don’t think he does either. I could tell by the way he carried himself and the way he talked, that he isn’t very smart. I will bet someone has been doing his work for him, just so he could play football.”

“I’m willing to bet, you’re right, Denise,” Sandra added. “But, what I don’t understand is this; he is a high school student. What was he doing here, on this side?”

“Skipping school, I am willing to bet,” added Sandra
Henderson.

“Well,” Billie said in an exasperated tone. “I think we should get our books for our next block.”

The girls all got up and put their trash in the very large wastebasket you see in school cafterias. They got to their lockers, just as the bell ending the lunch period, rang. They took out their books for the next two blocks and went to their next class.

It was nice that all four girls were in the same classes. Anyway, they walked in to their next class. Soleil and the other two girls went to gym class because they were taking gymnastics. Billie went on to home economics.

As she walked in to the classroom, Mrs. Fielding greeted Billie.

“Good afternoon, Billie,” Mrs. Fielding said with a beaming smile.

“Good Afternoon, Mrs. Fielding,” Billie answered back.

“When the rest of the class gets settled, I will begin the lesson for today. We’re going to make something very delicious.”

It was then that the other students began filing in to the classroom. They each took their seats, and then Mrs. Fielding began.

“Ladies, today we are going to make something for the entire class to share, like we have done quite a few times before. I decided that we should make something delicious. As everybody knows, this is a class participation project. There are recipes printed out that are on your desk. You may take those home and try your hand at making that for your family.

“Outside of the recipes on your desks, I want someone to make a suggestion as to what we should make today. Anybody have any ideas?”

I raised my hand.

“Yes, Billie”

“I was thinking that we could make a fruit torte of some kind. Like, maybe a raspberry torte, or a blueberry torte. That would be something different.”

“Thank you, Billie. Who wants to make a torte?”

Everybody raised their hands. This was going to be a good day. We can actually make our junk food and eat it before dinner. I stifled a giggle.

Strawberry Torte

INGREDIENTS
Unsalted butter, for pan
8 extra-large eggs, room temperature, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar

C&H Sugar Pure, Granulated
$1.99 thru 05/20

Domino Pure Cane Granulated Sugar
$1.99 thru 05/20

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons sifted baking powder
1 pint heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for work towel
1 quart strawberries, washed, dried, and hulls removed
DIRECTIONS
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line a rimmed 15-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper; set aside.
2.
3.
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar together until light in color, about 1 minute; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add cake flour and baking powder; stir until well combined.
4.
5.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into flour mixture.
6.
7.
Pour cake batter in prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until cake springs back when touched, about 20 minutes.
8.
9.
Meanwhile, set 6 strawberries aside for garnish. Thinly slice remaining strawberries. Place heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed. Slowly add remaining teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Set half of the whipped cream aside. Gently fold sliced strawberries into remaining half; set aside.
10.
11.
Lay a clean kitchen towel flat on a work surface with one of the short ends facing you. Generously sprinkle dish towel with confectioners' sugar. Flip cake onto towel, remove baking sheet, and peel off parchment paper. Using the dish towel, roll cake away from you; let cool.
12.
13.
Unroll cake. Evenly spread strawberry whipped-cream mixture over surface of the cake and re-roll. Transfer cake to a serving plate and evenly spread top and sides of cake with reserved whipped cream. Cut reserved whole strawberries in half lengthwise and place on top of cake for garnish.**
14.

“Alright, class, I have printed out the recipe for making the torte. I am putting it right on the refrigerator door. Bille, Tabatha, Ginger and Arlene, please see what ingredients we have to make the torte.”

The girls got right to work. They saw that all the ingredients were stocked, either in the cupboards, or in the refrigerator. Arlene Jennings raised her hand.

“Yes, Arlene?” Mrs. Fielding asked, answering Arlene’s query.

“Mrs. Fielding, how is it that we have all of the ingredients for the torte?”

“Well, I like strawberry tortes, too, you know.”

The class giggled, and the four girls went right to work. They assembled the ingredients and the necessary utensils. They got out the necessary pans. After they were done with that, they all sat down.

Arlene Jennings was twelve years old, and lived just two blocks from the school. The Jennings family weren’t rich, but Arlene’s father made a comfortable living as a confectionary plant supervisor. Arlene’s mother was a legal secretary.

.they were home. Home, to the Jennings family was time for the family to bond. Arlene did her homework in the living room.

“Alright, class,” Mrs. Fielding continued. I need two ladies to mix the ingredients and place the torte in the oven.”

Janey Springer and Melody Watson raised their hands.

“Alright, ladies, I have my two chefs. Follow the directions on the recipe on the refrigerator. Janey how long does it say to bake it in the oven?”

“It says to bake until cake springs back with a touch of a finger, about twenty minutes.”

“That is correct, Janey. Class, this kind of torte doesn’t take long to make, and it doesn’t take long to cool in the refrigerator.” This would make a good dessert for you to make at home.”

When there are two people mixing the ingredients, it doesn’t take long to place it in the cooking pan. Janey handed Melody the ingredients, and Melody mixed them.

“Melody, what temperature did you set the oven at?” Mrs. Fielding asked.

“I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, Mrs. Fielding.”

“A;right, are all of the ingredients mixed according to the directions, Melody?”

“Yes, Mrs. Fielding. I am transferring the torte to the cooking sheet, and placing it in the oven.”

“That is perfect, Melody. You and Janey can sit down. I need one girl to watch the torte and test it in about twenty minutes.”

Billie raised her hand, but Mrs. Fielding called on Jennifer Madison.

“Jennifer, you may watch the torte and make sure it doesn’t burn. Burnt strawberry torte does not taste good.” The class giggled.

*The Tri-County Schools are located in one building. Grade school has grades K-5; middle school has grades 6-8, and the high school has grades 9 thru 12.

**Source: The Martha Stewart Show, Episode 2157.