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Looking Out for Number One By Bashful Author's note: Once again, many sincere thanks to Janice Dreamer for her wonderful editing and advise. This is my first Great Shift story, as always, constructive comments are welcome. Dirk Reynolds always looked out for number one - himself. He had been taught to do that by someone long ago and had religiously followed that credo ever since. He had forgotten who had taught him that lesson. It was some dim memory that was more trouble to dredge up than it was worth. Dirk was the most important person in his own life and that was the way he liked it. Dirk just turned thirty a few days before. No one knew or cared it was his birthday but that was okay. He managed to cheat some old man out of $500.00 with a scam he had run on him. He told the old man he was a deadbeat dad and had a winning lottery ticket. If he tried to cash it in, they would send the money to his ex-wife and kids and maybe put him in jail. He offered the old man half of the money to cash in his ticket for him. The ticket was supposedly worth $2,500.00, except it was counterfeit. Dirk gave the old man the ticket in exchange for $500.00 cash as a 'security deposit'. The old man headed off to the lottery claim center and Dirk headed back to the city he lived in. 'Serves him right', thought Dirk, 'scamming "my kids" out of their money'. Dirk laughed out loud about that. He was proud of the fact that he had no wife to nag him to get a real job or kids pestering him for money all the time. In fact, two women who Dirk had manipulated into bed, found themselves pregnant as a result. By the time they knew they were pregnant, they knew exactly what kind of man Dirk was. They could have gone after him for child support but wisely chose to keep Dirk far away from their children. He never knew the children were his. So it was as Dirk walked out of the restaurant he had just eaten in. He had switched meal checks with a woman who had just had coffee and left her the tab for his steak and eggs lunch. That was when the world changed. The Great Shift happened. One moment Dirk was walking down the street enjoying the pleasant day, the next he was sitting in a living room in front of a TV set. His vision dimmed, his head spun and when he had his senses back, he was a woman. The realization came on him slowly. The dizziness made him think he had passed out and had been taken to someone's house. He was sitting on a couch with his arms crossed in front of him. The TV across the room tuned onto a soap opera. Dirk looked around him and hair fell against his face; long, brown hair. Dirk raised his hand and felt the hair, it was growing from his head. He looked at his hand and saw slim fingers and painted nails. He looked down at his body. He had been wearing a blue chambray shirt and khaki slacks. He was now wearing a pink T-shirt and a short denim skirt! A pair of breasts pushed the T-shirt out from his chest. His legs were smooth and hairless and his feet appeared tiny in the white sneakers they wore. Dirk started to hyperventilate. This couldn't be happening! "Shit, I'm a damn chick, how the hell did this happen?" Dirk said out loud. Just then, from outside he heard a car horn followed by a loud crash of metal on metal. Dirk stood up and felt dizzy again for a second. That soon cleared and he walked to the window. He looked out at a clean looking, residential street, three floors below him. Three cars had collided on the street and at least one person was bleeding. A lot of people were running around, some screaming, and some laughing, others looking dumbfounded. Something fantastic had happened to them as well. Dirk heard a special news broadcast begin and he turned back to the TV. The man on screen looked like a stagehand in his work shirt and unruly hair. He read the story like a pro though and he also called himself Laura Brantly. She was the lead news anchor for that station. 'So I'm not the only one in the wrong body,' Dirk thought. "We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this breaking news story. Today, just minutes ago, a Government spokesperson reported an accident occurred at a secret government installation. Details are sketchy at present, but the accident resulted in the swapping of minds with the majority of the population, possibly worldwide." "I would not report this story to you had I not been a victim of this incident myself. We will not be returning to your scheduled programming until we have reported all the information available. Stay tuned for more updates. For Channel 11 news, this is.... Laura Brantly." The man's voice caught just before he pronounced the name. Dirk sat down and started channel surfing, looking for more information. After ten minutes, he had given up on seeing anything new. He decided to turn it off and wait awhile for fresh news. He was going to examine his new body. Dirk looked around the apartment and found a bedroom. It held a double bed and a dresser. Dirk looked in the dresser mirror at the woman he had become. She looked to be about 5 years younger than he had been. She had shoulder length brown hair and soft brown eyes. She was pretty but not beautiful. Her nose was a little large for her face but not greatly so. She had average sized breasts and a slim figure. She was about 5' 6 nearly eight inches shorter than Dirk had been. "Cute butt and great legs though", Dirk said aloud, marveling at the new softer, sultry voice he possessed. She was not wearing any makeup that Dirk could see but her nails were polished a pastel pink color that matched her T-shirt. Dirk wondered how hard it was to find a matching color like that. Dirk felt a chill run through him when he noticed a wedding ring. A husband! Where was he, was he still a man or had all men become women? Where was the woman who owned this body? Why had she not come back? Who WAS the woman who owned this body? Dirk saw a purse on the dresser and next to it a wedding photo. Dirk was now the woman in the wedding dress. The man was a stranger to him, he wondered if he would meet him. What should he say? Dirk was already wondering how to work this new situation to his advantage. Should he try to pretend to be the woman? Searching the purse, Dirk found a wallet. It held about sixty dollars in cash and a couple of credit cards and a driver's license. They were all in the name of Linda Gayle Danners. "Linda Danners, Mrs. Linda Danners, Linda Gayle Danners." Dirk said aloud, trying out the sound of the new name, and the new voice. 'Well, I think I prefer being Dirk', he thought. 'I hope the politicians get this straightened out soon.' Dirk, as he continued to think of himself, went back to living room and sat down. He crossed his legs at the knees to see what it felt like. He definitely felt something different. An unfamiliar emptiness he didn't care for. His skin was much smoother and the bare legs slid against each other easily. He had noticed it felt different to walk and the short, moderately tight, skirt restricted his legs somewhat Dirk's nipples became erect and he forced some unwelcome thoughts out of his head. They were memories form the last time he had been with a woman and how he had treated her. He was repulsed by the fact that his body was apparently aroused by the thoughts. He had done those things, to the woman, because he was stronger and thought he had the right to. After all, he was paying for her time. Shaking his head, his long hair flared out and fell back against his shoulders and neck. It tickled and he shivered at the feeling. Dirk turned the TV back on and found a news update with more information. A woman was giving the report. She appeared uncomfortable and licked her lips often. "Reports are coming in with some disturbing numbers. Estimates are as high as ninety per cent of the world's population is now in a body other than the one they were born in. Vast numbers of people are flooding hospitals seeking relief from the effects of this shift of personas." "Sources have told our news team that no cure or reversal is known at this time, nor is one expected." The reporter seemed to slump as she read the last line. Looking up at the camera, Dirk could see tears in the young woman's eyes. "For the Channel 7 news team, I'm David O'Riley." She said as a tear ran down her cheek. Dirk laughed at her tears and reaction. He was in the same boat but he was looking at the opportunities he now had. He could get a job, come on to the boss a little and file a sexual harassment lawsuit. Dirk could bounce his new, cute, little butt all over the country repeating that scam. If the husband showed up, he'd tell him to take a hike. Dirk was about to go back to the bedroom and undress for a better look when he heard a noise. A child crying? Dirk headed down the hall to the door next to the bedroom. He assumed it was a closet but it was another bedroom. Dirk pushed the door open and found a little boy, maybe 4 years old. He was lying on a bed and crying. "Mommy, I dreamed you went away and I never saw you again." He cried. The little boy jumped up and ran to Dirk, wrapping his arms around Dirk's legs. 'Shit, I got to deal with this brat now.' He thought. 'Maybe I can get the cops to pick him up. I'll tell them he was abandoned.' The child was still crying and the noise was getting on his nerves. Dirk picked the boy up and he soon quieted down. Dirk was surprised at how heavy the child felt, and then he realized he was much weaker than he had been as a man. 'I don't think I'm going to like everything about this new body.' He thought. He took the child into the living room and tried to sit him down in front of the TV. Every time he sat him down though the little boy would come running to Dirk and cry some more. "Okay, okay, I'll hold you for a while" he finally said. The child lay on Dirk's lap and whimpered for a while then quieted down. Dirk was able to sit him on the floor to watch cartoons on a cable channel he had found. Dirk went into the bedroom where he had seen a phone. He also saw a picture of the woman and child that had to be taken recently. He picked up the phone and called the police. It was busy. 'Of course, everyone who got kicked into a new body is trying to call the cops themselves.' Dirk thought. It'll be this way for days. Dirk looked around and considered the situation. He was safe here for now. The apartment was spotless, the kid looked healthy and well fed, he had on clean clothes. Whatever happened to 'Mommy', she would be showing up for the brat soon. Dirk could just about guarantee it. 'Mothers and their precious little children,' Dirk snorted mentally. 'Don't look at a soccer field too long or you'll find yourself answering questions from some huge cop looking for a child molester.' 'Mommy will be here soon and she and I'll make a deal. One where I get lots of money and she gets her kid back.' 'The perfect kidnapping, I'm the mother, if she raises a stink, I call the cops and claim she's the molester. If she happens to be a man now, so much the better.' Dirk thought. 'I need more information though. I need to know who her husband is and how much money they have. Shit!!! Money! The $500.00 I scammed off of the old guy. It's in the wallet, in the pants of my body. Damn it to hell. Well, it's gone now. It's up to 'Mommy dearest' to replace it and maybe some more.' Dirk thought. Dirk began opening drawers and looking for anything that might give him a clue as to what he could get off this couple for their kid. He found a diary. He was about to open it when he felt his stomach rumble. "What the....? I just ate. No, Dirk just ate. Who knows when Linda ate." Dirk said to himself. "Okay, it's lunch time I guess." Dirk went into the kitchen and started making himself a couple of sandwiches. He found lunchmeat and bread. He wanted a beer but there wasn't any. 'Good girls don't drink beer, huh?' he thought. 'I can change that as soon as I can get to a store.' Dirk was spreading mustard when he felt something tug on the hem of his skirt. He looked down and there was the little brat staring up at him. "Yeah kid, what do you want" he asked, almost snarling. The tugging on his skirt was a reminder he was a woman now and he didn't like it. "Mommy, I'm hungry, can I have a sandwich too?" he asked. 'Shit, I'm going to have to feed the little rug rat I guess. Got to protect my investment.' Dirk grumbled to himself. 'This can't last too much longer. 'Mommy' should be here soon.' "Okay, uh...kid, what do you want to eat, you like salami?" Dirk asked. 'I need to figure out his name.' Dirk thought "No Mommy, I want peanut butter and jelly and a cup of milk. Can I eat it in the living room and watch TV?" He asked. He knew something was wrong. Mommy was talking funny. She seemed like she was mad at him. He wondered what he had done wrong. "Yeah sure, whatever you want." Dirk made a pb&j sandwich just like one of the foster families that raised him had taught him to. Not too much peanut butter and not too much jelly. Make it last. Cheap bastards. Dirk put the sandwich and a glass of milk on the coffee table for the boy and went back to his own lunch. "Mommy, I want my Barney cup. I can't hold a glass, I drop it, remember." The little brat said. "Okay, okay where's your damn Barney cup?" Dirk snapped at him. The child recoiled at the sharp words and harsh tone. He pointed at the cabinet above the dishwasher. Dirk found a plastic, purple cup shaped like a large dinosaur with a handle on each side. He poured the milk into the cup and set it down on the coffee table. The little boy sat down and began eating. Tears running down his face. Mommy was mad at him and he didn't know why. Mommy never got mad at him. Dirk sat down and began eating and reading the diary. He discovered the husband's name was Ted and he and Linda got married just five and a half years ago. Ted died in an auto accident six months after Bobby, the little boy, was born. Ted's parents were killed with him. Ted was going to be a doctor and his parents had been helping the young couple with school and other expenses. Linda had been an orphan and raised in foster homes. "Huh, just like me.' thought Dirk. He stopped reading and looked at Bobby eating his sandwich and watching cartoons. 'Kid's had it rough. Wonder how his mother made ends meet? It's the middle of the day and she's home watching soap opera's.' Dirk continued reading. He finished the book and closed it. He was considering the possibilities. Linda didn't work. She considered her job to raise Bobby. She was very committed to it. Ted's parents had bought insurance for Ted and Linda when the baby was born. When they died with Ted in the accident, Linda became the beneficiary to over $250,000.00 from Ted. Bobby inherited his grandparents' estate. It was in a trust and untouchable for another fourteen years, when Bobby turned 18. Then it would be used for his education until he got a four-year degree, then he got the rest. Linda would have to cash some CD's in to make Dirk let go of the kid. He would split it with her, half was enough for her and the brat. Hell, she may find herself in a rich body and not need this money. That would be great. She could just tell Dirk how to get to the money and Dirk would then let her take the kid and leave. Then the new Linda Danners could start a new life. Dirk looked at the clock. It was after 3 pm. The shift happened hours ago. 'Why hasn't Mommy showed up for her precious baby boy. Didn't she love him enough to come get him?' Dirk wondered, 'dumb bitch probably got lost.' Dirk looked down and saw he had only eaten one of the sandwiches. He must not need as much as he used to. This new body would take some getting used to, in more ways then one. Just then, Bobby came up to him and hugged him around his much slimmer waist. "Mommy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad." Bobby said, sniffling as he did so. "You didn't make me mad, uh... Bobby, I just was uh, busy and I lost my temper. It's okay." Dirk patted the boy's back. Not sure what to do. "Thanks Mommy!" Bobby looked up and smiled at her. Before rushing back to the living room and the TV. 'Huh, that was easy. Okay, now what. I'd like to play with this body but Mommy may show up anytime and with the crumbsnatcher around, I can't very well start feeling myself up. I guess it wouldn't hurt to clean up the kitchen.' Dirk thought, not sure why he was worried about it. Dirk straightened up and rinsed out the milk cup and glasses. He then went into the living room to check for more news. He changed the channel to CNN. "Mommy, Barney's on, I always watch Barney." Bobby said, looking at Dirk and pouting. "Bobby, let, uh, Mommy watch the news for a minute then you can watch the TV, Okay?" "Okay Mommy" He said and got down a picture book from the bookshelf. CNN seemed to have the best report so far. "There are more reports from around the world about what is now being referred to as the Great Shift. It apparently has affected every country, every corner of the earth." "We have confirmed that approximately ninety per cent of the earth's population now resides in a different body. The event has caused mass disturbances, the likes of which has never been seen." "Accidents and suicides have been blamed for nearly 10,000 deaths in the United States alone. Some people were reported shifted to different bodies miles apart, some even found themselves in foreign countries. It has been verified that some adults and children have exchanged bodies. Some former adults now face the reality of growing up again, perhaps in a different sex and a different race." "Experts who have been located, say there is virtually no hope of returning anyone to their normal body. One scientist, formerly a man, advised people to accept their new lives and do the best they can." "On a personal note, I too find myself in a different body, a different gender and a different race. I would ask that everyone try to begin living as normal a life as possible. Nothing can be gained by more violence or rioting. For CNN news, this is William Goodman, goodnight and good luck to us all." The pretty Asian woman smiled into the camera until a commercial started. 'Well Dirk, you're a woman for sure now. Might as well start getting used to it. Can't be all that bad, can it? Half the world manages to do it and you're damn sure not alone,' he thought. 'Shit, who the hell am I trying to kid. This sucks and I know it. I do not want to be a woman!' Dirk was in a very bad mood. He looked for something to take his mind off of his troubles, but there was no liquor in the apartment. 'I could go buy some but it doesn't sound too safe outside right now. Plus, if Mommy comes by, I don't want to miss her. The sooner I can pass this kid off, the better. Damn it to hell! What did I ever do to deserve being changed into a woman? Am I that bad?' Dirk screamed mentally. He would vent more openly but he didn't like the sound of kids crying and he didn't want to set the little brat off again. "Mommy, can I watch Barney now?" Bobby asked. Dirk didn't hear him the first two times he asked and Bobby tugged on Dirk's sleeve to get his attention. "What, oh yeah, sure, watch what you want kid, just leave me alone for awhile, okay?" Dirk said to Bobby. Bobby started to crawl up into Dirk's lap to watch his favorite show. Dirk pushed him off. "Mommy, we always watch Barney together. Why can't I sit in your lap? You always let me sit in your lap." The kid's whining was starting to grate on Dirk badly. He was about to scream at the kid. He did not want to be here in this body with this brat to take care of. It suddenly occurred to Dirk that he had died and gone to hell. "Bobby, get off of my lap now. I don't feel like having you sit on me, okay?" Dirk lashed out at him. Bobby jerked back in shock. He began crying. So he wouldn't have to hear it, Dirk let the room. He went into the bedroom and searched for more information on the money the woman had. Bobby watched Barney and cried. He wondered what he had done that made his Mommy act like this. After Barney was over, Bobby went to his room. Dirk was still going through Linda's clothes and papers when Bobby came into the bedroom later. He was sullen and quiet. He walked up to Dirk, handed him a piece of paper and left without saying a word. His head hung low when he went out the door. Dirk looked at the paper. It was a crayon drawing on construction paper. It showed what he assumed were flowers and trees and two stick figures, one taller and wearing a dress and the other shorter. They were holding hands. There were no words on the page. Dirk assumed Bobby could not write yet. Dirk had no experience with children. He avoided them. The picture intrigued him. He wanted to know what it meant. "Bobby, come here," Dirk called out. The small child walked into the room, scared looking. He was afraid he was going to be yelled at again. "Bobby, what is this supposed to be?' Dirk asked him. He didn't sound mad any more. "It's me and you in the park Mommy. I wanted to write I love you and I'm sorry I made you mad, but I can't write yet." Bobby had tears running down his checks. When Dirk didn't say anything to him, he left. Dirk looked at the drawing. 'Nice move Dirk, you managed to frighten a little boy. Big, tough, he-man that you are. Shit, I'm not a man anymore! Damn it, I hate this!' Dirk was raging inside. He was stomping around feeling ridiculous in the skirt and despising the feeling of his breasts moving on his chest. When Dirk had finished ranting mentally, he realized he had crumpled the picture up. He stopped and carefully smoothed it out. He knew he should say something to the boy, but what? Dirk walked into the living room and looked at Bobby. Dirk felt like a heel. He was looking for something to say when Bobby spoke. "Mommy, I'm hungry, when are you going to fix dinner?" Bobby said. Dirk looked up and realized it was getting late. 'Damn, it's been hours. Where the hell is this brat's mother?' Dirk grumbled to himself. "Dinner, yeah, I guess it's time to eat again. Okay, I'll see what we have to eat." Dirk said with resignation. He wasn't much of a cook but he'd try to fix them something. As he entered the kitchen, Dirk noticed the other drawing's that practically covered the refrigerator. He had seen them when he made lunch but hadn't thought about them. He still held the drawing Bobby had given him. Bobby had followed Dirk into the kitchen. "Uh, Bobby, would you put this on the fridge for me while I fix dinner?" Dirk asked. He figured that way the kid would stay out from under his feet. "Okay Mommy," Bobby shouted and he ran off towards his room. He was back in a moment with a small magnet. Dirk handed the drawing to Bobby and started on dinner. The kitchen was well stocked and Dirk managed to warm up some soup and make another sandwich for himself and Bobby to split. Bobby had milk and Dirk drank coffee. Dirk had to help Bobby while the soup heated. The drawings were everywhere and if Bobby moved one, another fell off. They wound up taking most of them down and rearranging the display. They ended up with the newest picture in the center of the upper door. it was now possible to open the refrigerator without knocking two or three drawings off. "Oh Mommy, the frigidator looks so much better now." Bobby said. Dirk had to smile about the mispronunciation. He patted the little boy on the head and got hugged around his knees. 'Amazing, I shout at the kid and he forgives me, just like that,' Dirk thought. 'No, he forgives his "Mommy". But I'll try not to shout at him anymore.' While they ate, Dirk tried to talk to Bobby. "Bobby, look, uh...Mommy hasn't felt well today. I said some things that I shouldn't have. It wasn't your fault. I guess I'm...sorry." Dirk was sweating. He couldn't remember the last time he had apologized to someone. What was happening to him? 'You turned into a chick and it's affecting your mind, next thing you know, you'll be screwing guys.' Dirk thought to himself. Bobby gave Dirk a huge smile and jumped off his chair. He ran around the table and hugged Dirk tightly. "I love you, Mommy." Bobby said as he hugged Dirk. Dirk was surprised by his reaction to the hugs Bobby had given him. They felt good. When was the last time he had been hugged by someone? He had no idea. Dirk put Bobby down to sleep about 8pm. Bobby wanted Dirk to read him a story. Dirk had never read anyone a story before. He was tired and mad about the fact that he was now a woman. Now he had to play nursemaid to this kid? He had put up with it all day and he had had enough. He told Bobby to get in bed and go to sleep. "Mommy, I'm sorry I was bad today. I'll try to be good tomorrow." Bobby said as he went into bed. Dirk watched him walk off. 'The kid needs to get used to not getting his way all the time.' Dirk thought. He wondered if Bobby was crying. He decided to think of something else. Dirk went to the bedroom and got undressed. Taking a bra off when you're the one wearing it was a task he had no experience in. Finally though, he succeeded. Dirk spent some time staring at his naked body, fascinated and disturbed at the same time. Dirk finally put on a nightgown and a robe. 'Better get used to it, it won't get any better. Where the hell is the kid's mother. Why didn't she at least phone to see if her kid's okay?' Dirk thought bitterly. 'I want out of here. Maybe she'll show tomorrow and I can take off. I need to find out where she keeps her money and how to get it out. She may not come back. I might be wrong about her.' The next day, Dirk dug through Linda's papers and bills and finally came up with the name of her bank and banker. Bingo, he thought, almost there. Just need Mommy to show up for Bobby. Bobby was watching TV and it was time for lunch. Dirk went into the living room and asked Bobby what he wanted to eat. "Can we go eat with Beth and Karen?" Bobby asked. Dirk had no idea who that was and they probably weren't themselves anymore besides. "Uh, no Bobby, Karen and Beth are gone for a while. It's just you and me right now." Dirk said. "The park! Let's go to the park and have a hot dog, Mommy." Bobby shouted. He started running around in a circle yelling 'park', over and over again. "Bobby, shut up!" Dirk shouted. Bobby stopped and looked afraid. He began to cry. Dirk immediately felt like a heel. He knelt down and held his arms out. Bobby hesitated a moment, then ran to his Mommy and hugged her. "I'm sorry Bobby, I didn't mean to shout. I really don't want to go to the park today. Some bad things have been happening outside and I think we need to wait a while before going to the park again. I think we have hot dogs here though, how about I make us hot dogs for lunch?" Dirk suggested. "Can we eat on the floor in front of the TV, Mommy? Please, Karen lets me and Beth do it when I go over to their house. Please, Mommy, please," Bobby pleaded. "Okay, sure, why not." Dirk said. He went to the kitchen and made them each a hot dog and some Kool-Aid. They had chips and watched cartoons. After lunch Bobby went to his room and took a nap. Now Dirk could concentrate on the most important thing in his life, next to himself, money. First, he wanted to get his hands on that quarter of a million dollars Linda had stashed and then get out of town. Head west and start over. If he was going to be a woman, he wanted to make sure he didn't run into any of his old cronies. He knew the way they treated women. There's one guy that might be okay, though. He was the only man he had considered a friend. He was old enough to be Dirk's father and had tried to teach Dirk to be a con man, a grifter. Lonny was his name and he was too old to mess with women any more. He was always a gentlemen with the ladies anyway. A part of being a con man that Dirk never could learn. "Dirk, you'll never be a successful con man," Lonny told him one day, "you're smart enough but you have to be friendly. People have to be able to believe they can trust you. You're too tall and well muscled, it intimidates people. Better if you were smaller and weaker looking. Find something else boy, I can try and teach you, but you'll never make it as a grifter." Dirk was bitter about that but he knew Lonny was right. He never had much luck conning people. The old man on his birthday was the best con he ran. Now though, Dirk wasn't so big and strong looking. He missed the strength he had lost but with Lonny on his side, maybe he could be a winner as a grifter in this new body. The question was, was Lonny still alive? Only one way to find out. Lonny was staying at the Hotel Biltmore, the last Dirk heard. "Lonny, this is Dirk Reynolds." Dirk said into the phone. Loud laughter followed causing Dirk's face to turn beet red. "Dirk, Dirk Reynolds? You sound like a woman, but then, a lot of guys I used to know sound like women now. So Dirk, how'd the Shift treat you?" more laughter followed and Dirk began to wonder if he made a mistake calling Lonny. He didn't sound like himself anymore either. "Lonny, I was looking to get back into grifting but if you just want to laugh about the fact I'm a woman now, then..." Dirk started to hang up. "Wait, wait, no Dirk, look, I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting it, was all. I got shifted too, I'm only 24 now and I don't have a record in my new body. I'm moving west as soon as I get a stake. You want to come with me? Lots can be done with a guy and girl team of grifters. What do you look like?" Lonny asked. His voice was still jovial but he sounded sincere. Dirk wasn't sure about how much he could trust him since he was now about the same age as Dirk's new body. "I'm about 25, long brown hair and brown eyes, not real sexy looking, more the housewife type I guess you'd say." Dirk told him, "I guess I don't have a criminal record either, now." "This is perfect, we'd look like a young married couple, there are a dozen good scams we could run. Hell, maybe we could even get married. Then if we get pinched, they couldn't make us testify against each other." Lonny said, he was excited, like a young kid. Becoming forty years younger must have really gone to his head. "Look Lonny, I've just been a woman for a couple of days. Let's take it slow, okay? I'm not real happy with the situation, you know?" Dirk said. He wasn't sure it was a good idea anymore but he had always come closer to trusting Lonny than anyone else. As a woman, he would need someone stronger to work with. "Okay, no problem, Dirk. What's your new name?" Lonny asked. "Linda." Dirk said, deciding to keep the rest of the name to himself for now. "Linda and Lonny, it sounds like we're made for each other. So, Linda, have you tried it yet?' Lonny asked. "Tried what?" "Sex, have you been with a man yet?" Lonny asked. "No. I haven't been outside since the shift. I'm alone in this place." Dirk said. "Why don't I come over and we start getting better aquatinted?" Lonny asked. Dirk became very uncomfortable suddenly. "Lonny, you're going way too fast for me. I'm glad you're younger and I want to work with you again, but you're going to have to give me some space. Let me have a few more days. Why don't we meet on Monday morning and have coffee somewhere. Let's see how things go then. If I like what kind of plans you have, I'll throw in with you, Okay?" Dirk said, he tried to sound forceful and in command but the feminine voice he now possessed failed him miserably. "Sure thing, Linda, whatever you say. I know other guys that are chicks now. They've all spread their legs for one guy or another. Most of them have gotten hooked up with a guy. I was hoping someone with smarts would fall my way. We can be a great team, babe, I know it." Lonny said. The way he called Dirk 'babe' drove home the new difference between the two of them. Dirk winced at the word. He was going to have to give this a lot of thought. Maybe being on his own would be a better idea. If he could get his hands on the money Linda had squirreled away, he wouldn't need to work or grift. "Lonny, let me think this over. I'll call you back in a couple of days." Dirk said. "Look, Linda, or Dirk, if you want, I'm a little excited right now. I feel so damn good. It used to take me ten minutes to climb the stairs, now I run up them. You can't believe how great I feel. I'm 41 years younger! Give it a chance Dirk, we can make a fortune together." Lonny said, he was almost shouting and Dirk wanted to believe him. Lonny was the closet thing Dirk had to a friend. "I'll think about it Lonny, I promise." Dirk said, then hung up. "First, I get the money." Dirk said out loud. "First National Bank, Trust Department. This is Charles, how may I help you?" The female voice said. "Charles huh? The shift got you good, I see." Dirk said. This was the first person he had spoken to who had been a victim like himself, going from male to female. Dirk didn't tell the new woman that though, he was pretending to be the real Linda Danners. "Yes it did, I'm also 27 years younger and 100 pounds lighter. I'm not sure if I like the trade. Can I help you?" She repeated, obviously not interested in discussing her new gender. "My name is Linda Danners and I wanted to check on the status of my trust fund. Is Mr. Kellogg in?" Dirk asked, trying to be as pleasant as possible. "I'm sorry, no one has seen or heard from Mr. Kellogg since the shift. Apparently there are some funds missing as well. Of course we are insured so there should be no problems. If you give me your full name and account number, I'll let you know what the situation is." Charles told Dirk. Dirk gave the information and Charles could be heard typing on a keyboard. "Okay Linda, good news, your accounts are intact. Your current balance in all the funds you are invested in is $287,980.00. I see everything is just fine. You have three CD's coming up for renewal next month but they are on automatic rollover. Is there anything else?" Charles asked. "Yes, I want to close my account with your bank and withdraw all of the money currently invested there." Dirk said. His head was spinning, $300,000.00. He never needed to work again if he was careful. He would get used to being a woman and start enjoying life for a change. "But why? We've increased your principal significantly while allowing you and your son ample funds to live very comfortably. Are you really Mrs. Linda Danners or someone with her body?" Charles asked. "Look, 'young lady', I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else. I want to withdraw my money, is that clear? How soon can you have it ready?" Dirk used the sternest voice he could but knew it still sounded weak. The 'young lady' remark was designed to anger and therefore weaken Charles's position. It worked. "Okay, I'm sorry Mrs. Danners, I'll close the accounts. You realize that you'll forfeit a hefty amount in penalties for closing out the CD's before they mature?" Charles pointed out. "Then leave the CD's in place until they mature and I'll get them later. When will my money be ready and how much will there be?" Dirk asked, he was trembling. It was working, he was going to get the money. "The CD's are a small percentage of your holdings, They represent about $45,000.00. I can have the balance in a cashier's check in about two days. Will that be soon enough?" Charles asked, he was subdued and speaking in a low voice. Apparently being female did not agree with him. 'Ha! His, or rather her, problem,' Dirk thought. 'Get used to it.' "Thank you sweetie, you're such a nice young woman, I'm sure you'll find a man to help you adjust." Dirk laughed into the phone until he heard a dial tone. Bobby woke up soon after that and walked into the living room rubbing his eyes and yawning. He walked over to his Mommy and hugged her. Dirk hugged him back and got a smile, which he returned. He found he was growing to like the kid. 'Forget it Dirk,' he thought, 'the kid needs a parent, a family. He's not a bad kid but you're not his mother. Ha! That would be a laugh, Dirk Reynolds, Mother of the Year!' "Can we watch Barney together today Mommy?" Bobby asked. "Sure we can kid, why not?' Dirk said. He was in a good mood. He was about to be very rich. He could afford to be generous. Bobby crawled up into Dirk's lap. He was a little uncomfortable with holding the boy but he decided to try it once. He didn't want the little guy crying again. He was beginning to get antsy about getting the kid out of his life. The longer he was around, the greater the chance the kid could screw up the money deal. He'd much rather have the money than the kid. Dirk knew that Barney was some kid's show and it involved a purple dinosaur. Beyond that Dirk was clueless. He decided to just sit there and watch the show and let the brat sit in his lap. When it was over, they would have dinner. Bobby watched and laughed and sang along with the kids on the show. When it was over, everybody began singing a simple song. Bobby was singing it too. "Why don't you sing the song too Mommy?" Bobby asked. "Uh, Mommy's throat is sore. It hurts to sing." Dirk told him. 'Not knowing the words is the other reason.' Thought Dirk. Bobby was restless now that he had had his nap and he wanted to go out and play. "Mommy, can we go to the park?" Bobby asked. He was tugging on the robe Dirk was wearing. Dirk found wearing women's clothing unpleasant and avoided it. He had not been out of the apartment since the Shift. "Okay, why not, maybe a walk in the fresh air and an ice cream cone." Dirk said. Bobby ran off to get dressed and Dirk went to the bedroom and struggled into a bra and slipped on some panties. He put on a long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans and some sneakers. He combed his long hair but didn't even consider makeup. He found a rubber band and pulled his hair back into a ponytail. He wanted to keep it out of his face. Bobby played with some other children on the playground equipment while Dirk sat on a bench and made plans. 'When the money is ready, if 'Mommy' hasn't shown up, I'm dumping the kid with the cops and leaving. I think I'll try it alone. Lonny may be too horny for me to trust right now.' Dirk thought. ' California's too expensive to live in. maybe Arizona or Nevada. Maybe Florida, some place warm." Dirk was so lost in thought, he didn't see the man sit down next to him until it was too late. "I bet you were a man this time last week, am I right?" he said. His voice was low and hoarse, it sent a shiver through Dirk. Dirk felt something he hadn't felt in a long time; total, mind-numbing, fear. This man was wrong and Dirk knew it. "Take a hike buddy or else." Dirk snarled, well, he tried to snarl but it came out as a high pitched rasp. "Ha! Kitten thinks she's got some claws huh? I knew it; you're a man inside. Look sweet thing, I can help you out. I was a woman before and I know how to make a girl feel really good. Let's you and me go back to my place and I'll show you something you've never seen before, not from that angle anyway." The man said with a sickening laugh. "Fuck off pal or I'll show you how I can make a man feel really bad." Dirk snapped back. "Oh, I like a girl that'll talk dirty to me, I like that a lot. Let's go, I live just down the block from the park." The man grabbed Dirk's arm and lifted him to his feet. Dirk tried to break free but he couldn't. The man was much too strong. Dirk kicked the man in the knee and he went down. Dirk then kicked him in the balls and the man screamed and let go of Dirk. Dirk had started to run when he heard Bobby calling. "Mommy, wait for me." Dirk stopped, reluctantly, and turned around. Bobby was running after him. He had to wait on the boy, if not the creep could use the boy to find Dirk. Dirk was still, looking out for number one. "Hurry Bobby, we need to go home right now." Dirk called out. Bobby caught up to Dirk. Dirk took his hand and they walked quickly away. The man was still lying on the ground, moaning loudly. Once back in the apartment. Dirk collapsed on the couch. He was shaking very badly and was near tears. He could not remember being as scared as he was in the park. "At least I taught the son of a bitch not to mess with me." Dirk said aloud, but the trembling would not stop. Bobby saw his mother shaking and he thought she was cold. He got her a blanket and tried to cover her with it. Dirk pulled the blanket around him and soon he began to relax. "Uh, thank you Bobby, that was nice of you." Dirk said. Dirk sat on the couch watching TV and thinking. He didn't like being a woman at all, he probably never would. He considered suicide, briefly. He had always thought it the wrong way out of any situation. He preferred to face his problems, if he couldn't ignore them. 'Maybe hooking up with Lonny wouldn't be such a bad idea. Dirk thought. 'I'd prefer to be alone but I'd also prefer to be a man. Things change, if you don't change with them, you die. I'll have a ton of money to fall back on. Lonny doesn't need to know about that.' 'Tomorrow I drop the kid off with welfare. They can find him a good home with a pair of parents. That's the best I can do for him. Getting raised by foster homes didn't hurt me any.' Dirk felt at peace with his plan. Tomorrow he would start a new life. It wasn't the one he wanted but he would make it work. Dirk made dinner and he and Bobby watched TV for awhile. When it was bed time, Bobby asked Dirk to read him a story. Dirk was still upset about the park incident and he really didn't want to be alone right now. He took Bobby into his bedroom and tucked him in. Dirk read Bobby three stories. The last one he read mostly to himself because Bobby was asleep. Dirk couldn't remember anyone ever reading him a story. 'Bobby deserves a set of parents, maybe with other kids for him to play with.' Dirk thought as he looked at the sleeping child. 'I can't even take care of myself right now. Bobby needs a real family, not someone like me. Damn it, I think I'm getting to like the kid. As mean as I've been to him and he never got mad. They'll find him a good home. They must have lots of people who would want to adopt a cute kid like Bobby. Hell, I think I may even miss him.' Dirk left Bobby's bedroom and went into the room he was beginning to consider his own. Dirk called Lonny and laid out the partnership he had in mind. "Lonny, if you still want to grift as a team, I'll give it a try but there are some ground rules. First, no sex until I'm ready and tell you so. That's an absolute. Second, no badger games. If and when I have sex with someone, it's not going to involve money, I'm no whore. Third, we are equals. I don't take orders and none of this shit where I get a smaller cut because I'm a chick. Fifth, if we get married, it's just so we can't testify against each other. It doesn't mean I'm going to screw you. Finally, if I decide to leave, that's it, no arguments. Is all that clear?" Dirk asked. "Sure Dirk, whatever you say. I wouldn't make you do anything against your will. That's not my style. I've been thinking about it and I'm glad I didn't wind up in a girl's body. I'll treat you right." Lonny said as sincerely as he could. "Okay, I have something to do tomorrow morning. Why don't we meet for lunch somewhere?" Dirk said, relaxing, 'it was going to work,' he thought. "Okay, there's a little sandwich shop on Willow St. with some private booths. Wear a nice dress, like a housewife would." Lonny told him. "Lonny, what's this shit about wearing a dress? Did you hear what I just said to you, no fucking orders? I'm not your girlfriend, we're partners.' Dirk spat back at Lonny. "Look, I'm broke, I want to run a scam tomorrow. I figured the 'pigeon drop' would work best and I want you looking sweet and innocent. Period. It's business, nothing more." Lonny explained. "Okay, all you had to do was say so. Sorry Lonny, I guess I'm a little touchy about this female thing. It'll take me awhile to get used to it. I know the shop and I'll be there between 12 and 12:30. Okay?" Dirk said. "Sure kid, I understand. See you tomorrow. Bye now." Lonny hung up the phone and rubbed his hands together. 'This will work out fine. I have her right where I want her. She's already feeling scared and looking for someone to depend on.' Lonny thought. The next morning, Dirk showered and shaved his legs. He went slow and managed to do it with out cutting himself. He selected a long dress with flowers on it. It had long sleeves and a scoop neck that showed very little skin. He succeeded in putting on panty hose and found a pair of low heels that he could walk in. He looked at the confusing array of makeup on the vanity in the bedroom and selected a tube of dark pink lipstick. It took him several tries but he finally figured out how to apply it. He put the tube in his purse in case he needed to refresh it later. He looked at himself in the mirror. What he saw was a pretty, sweet looking young woman who no one would suspect of being a crook. Dirk smiled to practice the look. The smile was convincing but Dirk didn't feel like smiling. He was scared. He was going out in feminine clothing for the first time. He remembered what happened when he went out in jeans and a shirt. Dirk made some breakfast for him and the kid. He had coffee and toast while he fed the boy cereal. After they ate, Dirk packed a bag for Bobby while he was watching cartoons. Dirk placed the bag by the front door and had Bobby get dressed. "You sure look pretty Mommy, where we going?" Bobby asked, his face aglow with the thought of an adventure. "We're going for a drive to see some friends. I need you to be a good boy today Bobby. I want you to promise me that you'll be quiet and not make a fuss. Will you do that for me?" Dirk asked. "Okay Mommy, I'll be quiet. What's in the bag?" Bobby asked; pointing to the duffel bag of Bobby's clothing Dirk had packed. "Just some clothes to go to the cleaners." Dirk lied. No sense getting the kid upset too soon. 'I know he loves his Mommy but that's not me. This is going to ## be ## best for him and me. I can't raise a kid. He needs a mother and a father. The welfare people will handle that.' Dirk thought. He knew he was doing the right thing for the boy. 'Then why do I feel so bad?' Dirk thought. He had packed the information about the kid's trust fund for college so he would get a good education. The way it was set up, Dirk couldn't touch it anyway. Linda had a nicer car than Dirk had imagined. It was only a year old and it was paid for. Dirk strapped Bobby into the child seat in the back seat and drove to the welfare office. Bobby was looking at a picture book, beginning to sound out some words. Dirk was nervous. He wanted to trust Lonny. He thought he could, but so much had changed since the last time they had met. Dirk would have the money to fall back on anyway. He wouldn't tell Lonny about it, not for sometime. Dirk was more comfortable in the dress and heels than he had thought possible. The feeling of the fabric of the dress sliding over his nylon coated legs was sensual. 'Maybe I'm accepting the change after all, ' he thought. The thought wasn't that comforting. When they arrived at the welfare office, Dirk had to park a block away. Grumbling to himself about the long walk, Dirk got Bobby out of the back seat and his duffel bag. "Where are we, Mommy?" Bobby asked. "This is the cleaners, Bobby, we're going to drop off the clothes. Now remember what I said. I want you to be quiet and not make a fuss in here, okay?" Dirk told him. Dirk really didn't care, Bobby would probably scream his head off when he realized what was happening but by then Dirk would be long gone. "Okay Mommy." Bobby said with a frown. His Mommy had been acting funny lately and he wasn't sure why she was coming to this place. It didn't look like the dry cleaners she usually went to. Dirk took Bobby's hand and they began walking toward the one story, gray, stone building. Dirk began to feel a memory work its way out of his mind. Ahead of them a woman and a little girl got out of a brand new car, a Chevrolet Camaro, fire engine red. The woman left the passenger door standing open when she got out. She was walking fast, almost dragging the little girl. The girl was saying something but Dirk couldn't make it out. The woman and the little girl went into the welfare office. Dirk had to stop and rest for a minute. The bag of clothing was heavy and he was not nearly as strong as he used to be. Dirk began walking again as the woman came out of the building, walking faster toward the waiting car. Just then the doors of the office flew open and the little girl came running out, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Mommy, don't leave me Mommy, I love you Mommy, I'll be good, I promise, I love you Mommy!" The woman jumped into the car and it left in a screech of tires before the door was closed. A cloud of black smoke, from the tire burn, hung in the still morning air. Right behind the little girl a heavyset woman sprinted to catch her. The woman was faster than Dirk would have thought possible. She caught up to the little girl and picked her up by wrapping her arms around her and standing up. The little girl was screaming and kicking as the woman slowly turned to go back into the building. As she turned, Dirk could see the woman whispering into the little girl's ear. Dirk froze at the scene. He dropped the duffel bag and stared unseeingly. He let go of Bobby's hand and suddenly, he was no longer wearing a woman's body. He was a little boy, standing inside the welfare office building. His mother was bent over and speaking to him. "Look, Dirk, this is the best thing for you. You need a mother and a father, I'm no good at being a mother and god knows where your father is. These people will take good care of you, but you need to remember something kid, take care of number one, that's you, because if you don't , no one else will either. Bye, Dirk." His mother turned and walked out of the building. Dirk was stunned for a minute but he ran after her calling her name, begging her not to leave him. He didn't make it outside. The woman his mother had left him with picked up his three-year-old body and while he screamed and cried she whispered into his ear... Bobby was afraid, his Mommy had stopped walking and now she was standing there, shaking and crying, she was saying strange things. "It'll be okay Dirk, you'll see, you'll be fine, we're going to take good care of you. We'll find a family to love you, it's okay Dirk, don't cry it's okay." "Mommy, Mommy, what's wrong, Mommy, please talk to me, Mommy." Bobby was crying and trembling too. He was yanking on the dress his Mommy was wearing, begging her to talk to him. Mommy knelt down and hugged Bobby close, crying loudly. Bobby cried too and hugged her close, he was very afraid. Linda stopped crying after a bit and wiped her face. She wiped the face of her son and smiled at him. 'He looks so much like his father. I will have to learn as much about him as possible so Bobby can know who he was,' she thought. "Bobby, I'm not going to use this cleaners after all. Let's go, we have a lot to do today. I need to go to the bank and apologize to someone. Then maybe we'll get the ice cream cone we didn't get yesterday." Linda said. They turned to head back to the car and Linda looked back over her shoulder at the welfare office. 'Why don't they make these places look cheerier,' she thought. 'They deal with so much human misery, why give it such a dour appearance?' The pair loaded back into the car and left. Mother and son. Linda called the sandwich shop when they got home. She asked them to let her speak to the man waiting there. It took a minute but Lonny came on the line. "Dirk? Where are you, it's after 1:00PM, I thought you were going to be here by 12:30?" Lonny asked, somewhat peeved sounding, Linda thought. "Lonny, this is Linda, Dirk is gone and won't be back. I've got a responsibility now that makes grifting out of the question. I hope you find someone to work with but it won't be me." She started to hang up. "Linda, wait, what do you mean? Look I taught you a lot; you owe me at least an explanation. Can't I talk to you face to face?" Lonny asked. He didn't sound angry, more like he was desperate. Linda thought hard on the request. Lonny was right about owing him something. She had Bobby to think about however. It couldn't be here at the apartment and she didn't want him to see her car. It had to be someplace far away from here, but public. "Okay Lonny, I'll meet you at the mall on the south side of town in front of the kids play area. I'll be there in thirty minutes. I 'm wearing a yellow dress with green and blue flowers on it. I'll talk to you Lonny, but don't try to change my mind, it can't be done." Linda hung up and hoped she was making the right choice. She wanted to see Lonny and explain why this was the only choice she had. Lonny showed up ten minutes after Linda did. She had taken a taxi so he couldn't get her license tag. Lonny was young and fit and healthy looking. He smiled when he saw Linda. She was the only woman wearing a dress. Several children played on the equipment as their parents watched. Linda wondered how many had been children last week. "Linda, you said you weren't beautiful, you were wrong, you really are." Lonny said by way of introduction. "Lonny, I don't take well to flattery, it won't work. If you're going to try that stuff on me, the conversation is over." Linda stood up and Lonny backpedaled quickly. "No, I mean it, you are a beautiful woman. I meant nothing by it, I just had this image of a dumpy housewife and it isn't true. That's all I meant, really." Lonny insisted. Linda reconsidered and sat back down. "Okay, but you've been warned." Linda told him sternly, "Lonny the reason I won't go back to con games again is one of the little boys out there is mine now. I was going to give him to welfare but I couldn't do it. I remembered that was what my mother did to me. " "Dirk turned out like a piece of shit and I won't let it happen again. I experienced something special today. I saw my life as it was and then I saw my new life as it could be." "Lonny, you were sixty five years old. You had nothing and no one. Pretty soon you wouldn't be able to con people. All you had to look forward to was getting lucky and getting sent to a nice federal prison, maybe. Is that what you want out of life? You have a chance to try life the other way now. Haven't you ever wanted a chance to do your life over? This is your chance. That's what I'm doing." "Good luck to you Lonny. Please don't try and follow me. Goodbye." Linda stood up and called Bobby. "Linda, wait, can't I see you again, just to talk, you know?" Lonny pleaded. Something in his voice made Linda turn around. Lonny had tears on his face. She had never seen him cry before. 'It would be nice to have someone to talk to who knows my secret. I can't tell Bobby and no one else must know or he'll find out.' Linda thought. "Okay Lonny, I'll call you from time to time and see how you're doing. I have caller ID block on my phone though so you won't know where I live. I'll be your friend Lonny, but that's it." Linda said. They shook hands and Linda left. Lonny stayed on the bench for 15 minutes to respect Linda's wishes. They never spoke or saw each other again. Linda called but never got an answer. Lonny dropped from the face of the earth. Two days later, someone walked up to Linda on the street in front of her apartment building. He was tall and maybe four or five years older than she was. He looked haggard but he was dressed in clean clothes. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. His green eyes were dull and his shoulders sagged. Linda had gone out to check the mail while Bobby took a nap. She tried to walk around the man but he blocked her way. "I always liked that dress. It was one of my favorites," he said. "Do I know you?" Linda asked. She was scared and looking for help. The street was empty though; she was on her own. "Is Bobby all right?" the man asked. The question drove an ice-cold dagger into Linda's heart. The moment she had wanted to come so badly for nearly a week, arrived just two days too late. Bobby's mother had come back and Linda was going to lose him to her. How could she feel this way? Just days ago she wanted him gone. Now the thought of losing him was almost more than she could bear. She already loved him like a mother. 'No, God please, I don't want to lose Bobby. I love him too much. I can't explain how I got to this place and time but don't take him from me. Please God.' She prayed to herself. She knew it was a lost prayer, she had been fooling herself that she could be his mother and raise him in a decent manner. This was for the best. With a heavy heart she forced a smile on her face. "Are you his mother?" She asked, steeling herself for the unwelcome answer. "No..." the man's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Aren't you?" Linda nearly collapsed. She felt dizzy and put her hand out. The man took her arm and guided her to the stoop in the front of her building. He lowered her to a seated position and sat beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked with genuine concern. "I'm sorry, I thought you were Bobby's mother and you were going to take him from me," Linda answered. "I'm Karen, I'm Linda's best friend, or I guess I was, if you aren't Linda. We used to take turns babysitting for each other." Tears began falling down Karen's checks. He began sobbing uncontrollably. Linda wrapped her arms around Karen and held him until he had cried himself out. Linda realized she was crying right along with Karen. All the emotions of the past days just boiled over. What a female thing to do, she thought. But the thought didn't disturb her now, it only served to validate her and her decision to live her life as a woman and Bobby's mother. "I was driving when the shift hit. I was shifted into this body in an office nearby. Whoever got my body crashed my car killing themselves and my daughter. I know Beth could have shifted into someone else, but I have searched everywhere for her, screaming her name. Her body died in the crash, her soul is gone. She is dead, I know it." The tears came again. Linda coaxed and dragged Karen to the elevator and up to her apartment. It never occurred to her that this was not really Karen, somehow she just knew. Karen described the past week. She had been in a daze, nearly crazy. Lost and wishing to die. That morning she had showered and dressed, intending to kill herself by jumping off a tall building. Seeing Linda had stopped her. "I've taken too much of your time now. I need to go." Karen said as she rose. "Wait, Karen, I need help to raise Bobby. He needs a father figure. I need someone to help me. Don't leave, don't do what you're thinking of doing. Don't make this worse than it already is." Linda pleaded. She was being sincere, she did need help. She was committed to Bobby but she was also very aware of her inadequacies as a woman and a mother. She already loved him but she knew nothing about children. "I don't need pity Linda, or whoever you are. Find a real man, I know nothing about being one." Karen told her. "I'll teach you to be a man and you can teach me to be a woman. And also how to raise a child and be a good mother." Linda said, it sounded desperate but she really did need Karen and Karen needed Linda and Bobby. "You were a man?" Karen asked. "Didn't you have kids?" "No and I didn't want one until I found Bobby. Please help me and help him." Linda implored. She was doing the best selling job of her life and it was a life or death situation. "I don't know. How did you explain that you aren't really Linda to Bobby?" Karen asked. "I didn't, he thinks I am his Mommy," Linda said. "How could you explain it to a little boy like him?" "What do you want me to do?" Karen said. "Be a friend to me and Bobby. Help me raise him. Teach me about being female and a mother. I'll teach you how to be a man." Linda said hopefully. "I'll give it a try, but no promises," Karen said. "Okay, that'll work. It's time to wake him up. Come watch Barney with us, I'm still learning the song." Linda said. ********************************************************* Fifteen years later. Linda stopped in the hall and looked in the mirror at her hair. She was still attractive at forty but she was showing some gray. Maybe a trip to the beauty parlor for a quiet dye job while the boys were out of town. She sighed, missing them both. She touched the silver necklace around her neck that she had worn since they left on the trip. It was her link to Robert while her wedding ring served the same purpose for her husband. She worried about them every minute. So much could happen. She was startled when the doorbell rang. A very pretty young girl stood there. She was maybe sixteen years old, maybe less. She was wearing a green dress and good shoes with low heels, her make up was subtle and her eyes showed more life experience than any sixteen-year-old's should. She acted very nervous. "Hello, does Robert Theodore Danners live here?" she asked. Her voice was odd, flat sounding but her face was animated. Linda realized the girl must be deaf or nearly so. She didn't have the audible feedback to use to put inflection in her voice. "Yes he does, can I help you, I'm his mother." Linda said apprehensively. "So am I," the girl said and a tear ran down her cheek. She tried hard to keep it in, but it was a losing battle. Linda stared. Once before she had thought Robert's mother had come to get him. It had nearly caused her to faint. Now, her heart sang, just knowing she was alive. Linda stepped onto the porch and wrapped her arms around the young woman, then the dam broke and the girl sobbed her heart out. The two women stood on the porch until the girl had finished crying. Then Linda led her into the house and made them both some tea while the girl went to the bathroom and washed the smeared makeup off her face. The girl introduced herself as Alison Carter. "I wondered why you never came back for Robert after the shift. I see why now. You were shifted into an infant, I guess." Linda said. 'Yes, and a deaf one at that. I had all my memories and feelings but I was helpless. I worried about Bobby for days, afraid of what might have happened to him. Then, maybe a week after the shift, I got this feeling of peace that came over me. It told me Bobby was fine. I still worried and wondered, but it wasn't the crushing fear I felt before." Alison said. "I found myself in a home with a loving mother and father. They had shifted between each other and they had problems adapting as you can imagine but they managed to overcome them. They raised me and four brothers and sisters. I'm the oldest.