Andersonville 2 - Judge-less
by Kelly Davidson
This story dedicated to Mathew Shepherd, who lives in the hearts
of all open-mind people.
Fade in...
The warm glow of yesterday's conversation with my father ended in
the cold reality of Monday morning. The cold reality that I was a
young, teenage girl. The cold reality that I was expected to act
like a girl, something totally foreign and yes, something I found
even a little scary. And the cold reality that I had no idea why
I was here or where this life would take me. The only thing going
my way at the moment was the pair of comfortable, low-slung heels
I wore with the blue dress my mother had insisted I wear
today. They made an uncomfortable clicking sound as I walked
across the hard floor of the courthouse reception area. This
would be my second meeting with the judge and to say I was
nervous would have been an understatement.
"Good morning Miss Anderson," said one of the officers I hadn't
met before. I noticed he was guarding five prisoners, all of who
gave me a slight leer. "Your office is down the hall and to the
right."
I nodded but didn't say a word. It was a little unnerving to meet
people who seemed to know you while you didn't have a clue as to
who they were. I passed an elevator and set of restrooms along
the way and made a mental note of them. I had no doubt that I was
now expected to use the ladies room - another unpleasant cold
reality. When I entered my office there was also a lovely
African-American woman standing over a small table fixing
coffee. She turned, smiled, and held out her hand to me. "Hi, you
must be Linda Anderson. I'm Ashlee Gang."
"Nice to meet you Ashlee," I responded. "Do you work here?"
She laughed slightly as if I had made a joke. "Oh no, I came here
with the judge this morning. I work in Peace River as the judge's
assistant, just like you. I'm only here for the day to train you
on your new job."
"One day?" I was surprised. "Will I know everything by then?"
"Enough," she responded confidently. "Most of what you need to
know you'll pick up as you go along." She was interrupted by the
intercom.
"Miss Gang, if you will bring Miss Anderson inside my office we
can get started."
Ashlee nodded and led me over to the door leading to the Judge's
chambers. After a quick knock she opened up the door and we both
went in to find the judge sitting at his desk shuffling some
papers around. He didn't seem to be very happy and when he saw me
his mood didn't change. I took an instant dislike to the man. He
gave me a stern look and started talking. "My name is Judge
Jasper. You will refer to me as either 'Your Honor', 'Judge
Jasper', or just 'Judge'. You will not tell anyone else what goes
on inside here except for your weekly reports to Dennis Butz."
There was a note of disapproval in his tone over the last
sentence. "As you may have guessed, things are different in this
town." He gave me a short smirk and continued. "I tend to run a
tight ship here and I expect a few things out of you. First, you
will work late when it's necessary. It won't happen very often
but it will happen. Second, I expect you to be here on time every
morning. If you're even a minute late you can expect to be docked
for it. Third, you will always dress in a professional manner and
won't do anything in your personal life that will embarrass this
office - like your little accident this weekend."
I felt my temper rise a little but kept my mouth shut. 'What a
prick,' I thought.
"Yes Miss Anderson, that is right. I am a 'PRICK' if you get on
the wrong side of me - which you already have. Let me assure you
that you were not my first, second, or for that matter, my last
choice to be my assistant. But since you are working for me it
means your soul is mine. So God help you if you screw up. Are
there any questions?" The way he had laid out the question was a
clear indication he didn't want me asking any. Besides, I was a
little shook up to discover he could read my mind. I shook my
head 'no'. "Good," he said with some satisfaction. "Now we can
begin. If you both will follow me please." The judge opened up
the door and led us into the courtroom.
Fade out...
######
Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in
the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During
the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as
our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an
uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides
recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to
trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he
challenged the gods themselves. To maintain the balance and keep
the peace, a buffer zone was needed.
It's a small town -- just like thousands of others spread across
the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday
afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for
lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in
need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have
of freeing my people from their captors. The name of the project
is restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!
******
Fade in...
"All rise," barked out Sergeant Williams. "The Municipal Court
for the City of Andersonville, Montana, is now in session. The
Honorable Judge Jasper is presiding."
The Judge took his seat on the bench while I followed Ashlee over
to a small desk in the corner. It was covered with several
recording items, including a tape recorder and a video
camera. Both were hooked up to a PC computer, a brand I couldn't
make out, that was used to burn both the image and voice onto a
CD. All this high tech made me wonder what Andersonville was all
about. There were a few people in the courtroom. One of them was
Sergeant Williams, who was standing near the judge. There were
two other officers too, one standing by the front door of the
courtroom and the other standing behind the defendant. The person
on trial was a middle-age man dressed in an orange prison
uniform. He seemed confused about why he was here. There was also
a tall, blond woman with brown eyes dressed in a very
professional pants suit standing near us. She flashed me a quick
smile and turned back to the judge.
"Sergeant Williams, what is our first case?" Judge Jasper
inquired.
"David Lee Jarvis your honor. He was found guilty of breaking and
entering for the fifth time. Also various petty crimes including
forgery, fencing stolen property, and lying under oath."
"I see Sergeant Williams." Judge Jasper turned to man who was
doing a remarkable job of staying calm. "And what do you have to
say for yourself Mr. Jarvis."
"What's going on here," he objected. "No one told me I would be
on trial when I got here. This is supposed to be some kind of
alternative sentencing to my crimes. Where's my lawyer, I know my
rights. I want one--" He was about to go on when his voice seem
to give out. His eyes went wide as he grabbed his throat but all
that came out was a slight gurgling sound.
"It will be easier on you Mr. Jarvis, if you answer my questions
from now on - do you understand me?" The man shook his
head. "Good! Now let me explain the procedure here. This is not a
trial. You have been found guilty of your crimes and have agreed
to forgo your original sentencing to whatever new sentence the
acting judge - in this case me - determines you should
serve. That is what I am trying to determine right now." The
Judge shifted through some paper work and looked back up at the
defendant. "From your criminal record, it's clear to me that your
life has been filled with selfish acts due to a lazy
attitude. You haven't even held a regular job for more then 6
months. You've been totally irresponsible with your life, even
failing to send child support to your two kids. But all that
stops here. Is there anything you wish to say before I pass
sentence?" Judge Jasper waved his hand and the man was able to
speak again.
"Wait a minute, what is this?" Mr. Jarvis asked.
The Judge frowned slightly but didn't answer him. Instead he held
out his hands and closed his eyes as if he were concentrating on
an image in his mind. The palms of his hands began to glow and a
white ball of light with twinkling blue sparkle rose from
it. Mr. Jarvis, who had a front row view of what was going on,
stood there in fear. The ball of light/energy floated over the
Judge's hands for a moment then took off like a bullet right at
its intended target. Mr. Jarvis gasped and tried to run but his
feet seemed to be planted firmly to the ground. The ball hit him
right in the chest and disappeared. Almost immediately the
changes started. Not being a very tall man, Mr. Jarvis started
growing by several inches. His hair changed color, from dark
brown to a platinum blonde while growing longer until it was
halfway down his back. The bewildered man felt his hips raising
up and become shapelier while there was an outward pushing on his
chest. They grew to become rather nice size breast. His face
changed from being old and rough to a smooth, feminine look. In
less then 20 seconds the middle age man that had been standing
there was now a pretty 22-year-old female.
"Welcome to your new life Miss Wilson," the Judge told her
unceremoniously.
"What the - who - what happened -- for --" the young woman didn't
know what to say. Her face registered the shock she was feeling.
"Officer Philips, if you would help Miss Wilson to Dr. Green's
office please," Judge Jasper commanded. I noticed the blond lady
near me nod at the judge and take a hold of Miss Wilson's hand
while the officer held on to the other.
"Come on dear, we have a lot to talk about," the doctor stated in
a comforting tone to the frighten woman.
"But - but I'm a man," she expressed with uncertainly. "I can't
be a woman. I don't want to be a woman!" There was a small shriek
in the hallway right after she left.
"You may bring in the next case Sergeant Williams," the Judge
said.
******
There were four other men that appeared before the judge that
morning. But unlike Miss Wilson, they left the courtroom as young
girls between the ages of 6 to 14. And for some strange reason,
they didn't seem to remember who they were. The younger ones
looked around and asked for their mommy while the teenagers
simply said 'thank you' to the Judge and left in a hurry as if
they had something important to do. After court was over, Ashlee
spent the rest of the morning showing me where to store the CDs,
what reports to fill out, and other duties I would need to do. It
wasn't that hard. The Judge meanwhile locked himself in his
chambers and didn't come out.
"It's better that you don't disturb him after a hearing," she
told me. "He can tend to be a little cranky at you if you do."
I was about to ask Ashlee how much crankier he could get when she
looked at the clock and decided to break for lunch. So we grabbed
our purses and headed out the door.
"You don't know how lucky you are to have a Pizza Hut," Ashlee
told me as we entered the restaurant. "It's the one thing I miss
about my old life. I used to live on their pizza."
"Doesn't Peace River have a Pizza Hut?" I asked trying to find
out all I could about this mysterious town she had come from.
She shook her head vigorously from side to side. "No, and I think
the Judge wants it that way. There are a few family run
restaurants but no major chains like Wendy's or Taco Bell. At
least you have a McDonald's; it's been years since I've had a Big
Mac."
"When was the last time you left Peace River?" I was curious as
to how much freedom Judge Jasper allowed his people.
"This is my first time out," she exclaimed. "I arrived in Peace
River about nine years ago. It was more of an accident on my part
and it certainly was an adjustment once he changed me. But now I
wouldn't dream of leaving."
We were interrupted by our waitress, who took our order. Once she
left I began to question Ashlee again.
"Who are you," I inquired. "I mean really." Ashlee sighed
slightly. "It's better that you don't know Linda. Who I used to
be doesn't matter anymore. And I was just like you at one time,
scared to death of what was to come."
"I'm not scared!" It wasn't really a lie. The truth was I was
terrified with the thought of spending the rest of my life as
Linda Anderson. I wanted to be Tom McClain again. "I just want to
know what the hell is going on. Do you know who the judge is, I
mean really?"
Ashlee nodded her head slowly. "Yes, I do, but I can't tell you
who he is or what you're doing here. They told me I couldn't tell
you. I'm really sorry Linda."
"They?" I replied. "Look, you have to tell me something, I'm
going crazy here. You do know who I used to be, don't you?"
"Yes, I was briefed on the way in. You were Tom McClain, a
retired detective who was playing the stock market and making
other types of deals. You were married to your best friend,
Jennifer, who used to be a man herself. You recently lost a son
and your marriage was - "
"Okay, so you do know me," I interrupted and a little sore about
her bringing up my son. "Don't you think it's fair if I know
something about you - please?"
"Linda," she started out. "You seem like a nice person and I
really want to be your friend. Trust me, you don't want to know
about my past, I wasn't very pleasant before I became Ashlee."
I pouted a little in silence. It didn't seem fair that she knew
my complete history when I didn't know anything about her. She
saw my brooding and smiled gently.
"It really means that much to you, doesn't it?" She took a drink
of her diet cola and continued, "I used to be known as Matt
Stover. I was 35 at the time I drove into Peace River by
accident. I was on my way to what I thought was an important
meeting." There was a look of guilt in her eyes.
"What kind of meeting?" I asked.
"A KKK meeting," she whispered back uneasily.
"Are you telling me you used to be white?" I was astounded.
"Yes, I was. Does that surprise you? You see I hated black people
not because they did anything to me, but because I felt they were
different. I also wasn't very respectful to women either. They
were sex objects to be used to satisfy my manly needs. So, when
the judge got me into his courtroom he decided to teach me a
lesson in both areas. He made me into an African-American
woman. It was horrible at first, I mean, I was everything I
feared and loathed. But after I accepted who I was it got
better. In a couple of weeks I couldn't imagine being anyone but
Ashlee Gang. Tell me Linda, when you look at the Judge who do you
see?
"A middle-age white man in a black robe."
Ashlee gave me a big grin. "I thought so. When I look at the
Judge I see a middle-age black man. Someone else may see him as
an Asian or Native American. The point is, he's trying to show us
it's not the outside color that we should be looking at, but it's
what's inside the person that matters."
"Who is this Judge then?"
She got a concern look on her face. "I told you Linda, I can't
tell you. Believe me, I would love to but I can't and even if I
did you wouldn't believe me. All I can tell you is that Judge
Jasper is a nice boss to work for once he gets to know you."
"Right," I responded sarcastically. "Ashlee, the man hates my
guts."
She gave me a soft smile. "I don't think he hates you Linda. He
just isn't happy with the current situation. Working in
Andersonville wasn't his idea."
"You mean someone is forcing him to work here."
"No, you can't force the Judge to do anything. What I mean is he
was obligated to come here and isn't very happy about it. Look,
despite what you may feel towards the Judge you're going to find
out that he is a very honorable man. When he gives his word he
keeps it, even if he doesn't want to keep it. I think that's what
the problem is, the Judge is obligated to serve here and he isn't
happy about it. Give him a few days, he'll cool down and then
you'll see the real side of him."
"What about this morning? Does he always turn men into women?"
Ashlee laughed lightly. "No, just most of the time. I've kept a
few statistics since I started working for him. In the cases of
men over the age of 18, about 71% get turned into woman. For the
woman that rate is even higher, about 90% get changed into
men. Of course we get almost twice the number of men than we do
woman coming through our town."
"Over 18? He changes kids to?" I asked in surprise.
"Yes," Ashlee said with some reservation in her voice as if she
wasn't sure she should be telling me this. "Not many but we do
get some. However, the judge never makes them any older than they
already are and usually they don't have a memory of their past
life. I've only known him to change the gender of five kids, all
male to female."
"Where do these people come from?"
She frowned slightly at my question. "Look Linda, I've said too
much already. Let me give you some advice instead. Andersonville
is nothing like Peace River - not in the way it's run
anyway. It's hard on the Judge to run his town the way he wants
to and then this town under another set of rules. Give him time
to adjust and be patient with him. He really is a nice man to
work for once you get to know him. As for yourself, accept who
you are and don't look back on your old life. You'll find the
rewards of starting over with your current experiences to be a
wonderful gift. Look, our food is here."
The waitress placed our pizza on the table and Ashlee dug into it
with great enthusiasm. I was surprised to see how many slices the
slender woman was able to put away. I tried asking her about
various things but she either turned the conversation to
something else or ignored my question altogether. However, I did
feel a certain bond toward her. She felt like a big sister who
was genuinely concerned that I would fit into my new role. When
we got back from lunch Officer Philips was waiting for us in my
office. He was a tall, dark haired man who had let his mid-life
bulge get the best of him. Despite being overweight he looked
fairly professional and even carried a pleasant smile. I noticed
he wasn't wearing a wedding band, which surprised me a little. I
would have thought all the cops in Andersonville would have been
married.
"I've been waiting for you to return, Miss Anderson," he said
with a grin. "Dr. Green would like to see you. Her office is on
the second floor, room 212."
"Who's Dr. Green?" I wanted to know.
"You'll find out when you get there." I heard the cop chuckle as
he left.
"Do you know who she is?" I said to Ashlee.
"I've never heard of her before. Maybe she's a medical doctor and
needs to examine you. I'll finish up here while you're gone."
"Sure - thanks." I wasn't to thrilled about seeing this doctor,
and I certainly didn't want anyone examining my new body. As I
made my way toward the steps the elevator door opened up and a
man wearing a business suit walked out. 'Why walk when I can
ride,' I said to myself. I got inside the elevator and hit the
second floor button, only the door didn't close. "What's going on
here," I said out loud with some aggravation. I hit the close
button several times but nothing happened. "Stupid elevator!" I
started pushing the number 2 on the panel and close door button
at the same time but the door remained open.
"Something wrong Miss Anderson?" It was Dave Williams standing in
the hallway giving me a humorous grin.
"Yeah, I can't get this stupid door to close." It annoyed me
slightly that I had to explain the obvious to him. Why else would
I be standing in the elevator pushing these buttons?
"Yes, we've been having trouble with it," he explained. "Step out
into the hallway for a moment and let's see what happens." I did
as he told me and almost immediately the door closed. "Looks like
everything's fine now," he said turning to leave. I pushed the
service button several times but nothing happened.
"Hey!" I yelled back at him. "It's not opening now."
The cop turned back and looked at me. I noticed a small smile
underneath his bushy mustache. "I'm afraid the elevator has been
out of order for months Miss Anderson. But don't fret, the stairs
will be good exercise for you."
"Months! But I just saw somebody get out of it!" I protested.
"I'm afraid that's impossible Miss Anderson, we can't even get
the door to open. Now you better hurry, you don't want to keep
Dr. Green waiting." Before I had a chance to reply the officer
turned and walked away. 'Damn head games,' I wanted to scream at
the top of my lungs. Were all the cops like him, denying reality?
I made my way up to the second floor and found Dr. Green's
office. There was the blond haired woman I had seen in court
earlier fixing a small pot of coffee. She looked up and gave me a
warm smile.
"Hello Linda," she said in a welcome tone. "Please come in, I'll
be with you in a moment."
She went back to fooling with her coffee machine. The free time
gave me a chance to look around the room. Her office looked out
over Main Street, which at this time of the day was still
slightly crowded with cars from the lunch time rush. While it was
a rather small room there was a comforting atmosphere about
it. In one corner a filing cabinet and small desk. In another
area of the room there were a couple of chairs, a couch, and a
lamp. Hanging from the walls were paintings of different
locations - a view of a forest and a waterfall, as well as other
beautiful places. There was no doubt in my mind that this
Dr. Green was a psychiatrist. As for the doctor, she was a skinny
and attractive woman in her late twenties, wearing a white, silk
blouse and a pair of brown pants with a matching jacket. There
were several gold chains around her neck and a huge ring to
indicate she was married. Her eyes were light brown and she had a
trusting smile. If I had still been a man I would have found her
interesting but now - now it didn't have the same effect on my
body.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Linda. I just moved into my office
over the weekend and I'm not very well organized yet. My name is
Dr. Caroline Green, but you can call me Carol. Can I get you
anything to drink, coffee or tea maybe?"
"No thank you doctor," I replied rather smugly. I wasn't about to
get too friendly with a psychiatrist. I planned to keep her at
arm's length.
She laughed softly. "I don't blame you for feeling that way. I
guess I would too under the circumstances."
"So you know who I am?"
"Of course," she answered honestly while opening up a file lying
on her desk. "You 'used' to be Tom McClain and were married for
almost two years to your best friend. You had an adopted daughter
named Tracy and you were an orphan for most of your life. Do you
want me to go on?"
"No thank you, I know my own history. And you're wrong Dr. Green,
I didn't use to be Tom McClain - I still am Tom McClain. So let's
not play any games. Why am I here?"
"Please, sit down Linda." She made a motion for me to take a seat
in a chair near her. "Or Tom if you prefer." I felt the last part
was added to humor me, which only added to my silent anger.
"Wouldn't you rather have me lie down on the couch instead," I
taunted.
"That's up to you," she answered in a tone that was surprisingly
comforting. "Look Linda, I'm here to help, not pick your brain."
"What kind of help are you offering me?" I asked with great
mistrust. "A way out of this fantasy world?"
The doctor giggled softly. "No Linda. I'm offering you a way to
fit in. Let me explain what my role is. I'm to be your mother,
your girlfriend, your helper, and guide in your new female
world. I've had a lifetime experience at being a woman."
"So you were born a female, is that what you're trying to tell
me?"
"Correct. Whatever you need to help dealing with your new role
I'm here for you. Over there," she pointed to a small feminine
table, "I can show you how to apply your makeup properly. If you
need advice on dating, you can ask me. And when you get your
first - period," she said the word softly, "I'll show you how to
insert the tampon."
I winced at the thought.
"It's going to happen Linda, sometime in the next three weeks I
suspect. And when it does. I will be there to support and help
answer all your questions," she said in rather smoothing
tone. "But we also can do fun things together," she added
brightly. "We'll go shopping and I'll help you pick out clothes
and underwear - things that all young women need. And we'll go
out to lunch together so you can see and feel how women interact
with each other. Soon it'll be like second nature to you."
"What about now?" I asked. "Supposing I'm not interested in
having you show me how to apply my eye shadow or lipstick?"
"Then we can talk about other things, like staying healthy. Even
though you're a young, healthy female, you'll need to start
taking care of your body differently than you have in the
past. For instance, take drinking water. It's important that you
drink a least 6 glasses of water to keep your skin smooth."
"Wait a minute! Stop, stop, stop!" I launched out of my chair and
stood in the middle of the room. "I don't 'want' any of this. I
don't 'want' the shopping trips or the girl's night out or the
dates with boys opening up doors for me. And I sure as 'hell'
don't 'want' the monthly 'PERIODS' you're talking about!' All I
want is to be me again - Tom McClain - an all-American male. How
long will I be stuck in this role?"
She looked at me with a touch of concern. "He didn't tell, did
he! I'm sorry Tom, I thought you knew. The fact is you will
remain Linda Anderson for the rest for life. I know that sounds a
little scary right now Tom - but I promise with my help you'll
look and act like any natural born woman by the time we're
through. You just need to learn how to adjust."
"That's the point 'doctor'," I almost snarled. "I don't want to
adjust. I was very happy with the sex I was born with. I liked
being a man just as much as you liked being born a woman. Can't
you understand that?"
"I do," she said sympathetically, "but I can't change your
future. Tom, sit down please and listen carefully to what I have
to say."
I did as she asked with a glum look on my face. "Why Judge Jasper
turned you into a woman I can't say. You could ask him but I
don't think he'll give you the answer you are looking
for. Remember what you told your friend, Al, when he got changed
into Jennifer?"
"Yes and how do you know what I said?" I demanded to know.
"Because I talked to your brother earlier. I see every new
resident who remembers their past life, it's my job. But I
digress - you told him that Al Parker was dead and he needed to
accept being Jennifer. Tom, you need to do the same thing."
"But that's different," I almost yelled out. "Al couldn't have
survived another treatment of Dr. Jensen's serum. He was forced
to remain living as Jennifer Anderson. If that weren't the case I
would have turned him back into Al Parker myself. But with me,
all the Judge has to do is wave his hands and I'm a man
again. This isn't a permanent situation - it can be changed! I
could become Tom McClain again."
"Technically you're probably right. But the reality is he won't
do it. I'm here to prepare you for your new life as Linda
Anderson. If he were planning on changing you back then I
wouldn't have been assigned to this task. I'm sorry Tom, it's not
the answer you wanted but it's the truth. You have to accept that
you're now Linda Anderson and will remain so until you die."
Dr. Green paused for a second before continuing. "If you like, I
can prescribe some medication that'll help make it easier for you
to accept what has happened." It was laid out on the table like
an offer, one which I had no intentions of accepting.
"No drugs doctor, I'll fight you on that."
"I don't want to fight you Tom," she responded carefully. "But
the offer is there if you want to take it. It won't affect how
you think, only how you feel about certain things."
"You mean like men, don't you?"
"Yes, among other things. It'll help you accept your womanhood
much easier. Either way you're going to have to accept and live
with the fact you are now Linda Anderson, a young woman."
"Who do you report to?" I demanded to know.
She looked a little hurt by the question. "No one Tom. Whatever
you tell me stays in this room. If it was any other way I
wouldn't have taken this job."
"And I can talk to you about anything?"
"Only in here," she cautioned me. "Once you leave this room you
have to revert back to the role you were given. Call this a small
respite from your current reality."
"Okay, then why is it everyone seems to deny the reality of the
situation. For instance, Sergeant Williams told me the elevator
was broken and they couldn't even get the door to open - only I
not only saw someone get out of it, I was standing in the damn
thing until he pulled me out. Or the fact that if you try to
leave town you find yourself entering back into Andersonville
from the north!"
"Well," Carol Green started out; "one reason is because this
doesn't happen to us. We can come and go whenever we want. In
fact, I don't live in Andersonville; I live in a town nearby. So
for us that reality doesn't happen to us."
"But you know it does happen, right?"
"Yes." At least Dr. Green was truthful about it. "Well the cop
who gave me a ticket Saturday acted like I was nuts. Did he know
about this loop, or whatever you call it?"
"He knew, but he's been told to act like it doesn't exist. And I
was really upset to find out the boys in the bunker let you
crash. In fact, I have a meeting with their supervisor in 10
minutes and I'm really going to raise hell with them. Both of you
could have been seriously hurt or killed."
"Bunker?" I asked.
The doctor blushed slightly at her mistake. "I wasn't suppose to
tell you that Linda. Look, forgot about what I just
said. Instead, I want you to concentrate on your current
life. Accept who you are and try to enjoy the things being a
woman has to offer. It's a lot more pleasant than you think." She
gave me a warm and caring smile that I took to be genuine. "I
guess we should talk about your restrictions before you go."
'Restrictions' I wanted to yell out. So now I was being
restricted on what I could and could not do. This was never
mentioned in the deal I made with Dennis Butz. "What are you
talking about?" I demanded to know.
"Every resident assigned to Andersonville is given a restriction
level from 1 to 7, seven being the most restrictive. Most new
residents have a level 5 status but you were granted a level 4,"
she told me pleasantly.
"And that's suppose to make me happy?" I responded. "What does
this mean to me?"
"Basically it means you can go anywhere in town and outside the
city limits to the north - up to where the cliffs are. This will
allow you to go camping in the woods anytime you want as long as
you clear it ahead of time with Sergeant Williams or
myself. Under normal conditions you would have long-distance and
Internet privileges but those are being withheld from you right
now - I'm sure you can understand why. Give it a couple of months
and even those restrictions will be lifted. There are other
things you can do that we can talk about on Wednesday."
"It sounds like I'm in prison."
"Oh Linda," she said jokingly. "It's not like that at all. This
is only being done for your own protection. Once you become
accustomed to your new life you will be given more freedom. But
to be honest, I can tell you're still a little upset by what has
happened and you may make a rash decision that could affect your
life here."
"Like run my car into a wall?" I said.
"Yes, something like that." She gave me another one of her warm,
welcoming smiles that was supposed to break the ice but I ignored
it. I was a prisoner in Andersonville and she was one of my
wardens who was going to tell me what I could and could not do by
her timetable. I wasn't pleased at all. "Well, I have to go to my
other appointment and you need to get back to work young lady."
I felt like the "young lady' was added by her to re-affirm my
position here. "I'll see you again on Wednesday afternoon
Linda. Maybe we can do lunch on Friday if you feel like it." I
didn't say anything as she walked with me down the stairs. I was
in a state of semi-shock to learn they planned to keep me as
Linda Anderson for the rest of my life. After saying goodbye I
pretended to go into the bathroom but instead peeked outside to
see where she went next. It came as no surprise to me that she
got into the elevator. So there wasn't any question about it, the
elevator was the way to the bunker she had mentioned. That meant
the people I saw exiting the elevator weren't really business
people at all but some kind of technical personal. When I walked
back into my office Ashlee was filing some paperwork.
"How did it go?" she wanted to know.
"It was different," was the only answer I could come up with. To
be honest, I didn't know how it had gone. The doctor was planning
to see me three times a week which lead me to believe it hadn't
gone all that well.
"Now that you're back, I want to teach you how to focus on a
subject."
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"When the Judge changed you into his assistant, he gave you
certain powers. This was done so he and his people could channel
into one of the residents and find out things about them. Here,
let's give it a try. Take my hand and focus on Peggy Wilson, our
first case of the day. Picture her in your mind and when you have
her - let your mind go."
I took Ashlee's hands and got a mental image of Peggy in my
mind. Then I relaxed a little and found everything around me go
black. I felt my mind moving, as if being transported through a
long dark tunnel, and suddenly I was in her old male body looking
up at the Judge who was talking. It was weird; I could feel
Mr. Jarvis/Peggy's fear, anger, concern, and a range of other
emotions as well. Right now he was asking himself what he had got
into as the judge was getting ready to pronounce his
sentence. Unexpectedly, I was jerked back down that same dark
tunnel and into my own body again.
"What was that?" I asked.
"It was the story of her life. We could have gone forward or
backward from that point but I didn't want to overdo it your
first time. How do you feel?"
"Tired," I responded. I felt like I had just had a 30 minute
workout on my treadmill. "How long did that last?"
"About 10 seconds. Don't worry, it gets easier every time you do
it. In a month you won't even feel any side effects."
"So you're telling me I can tune into anyone's life whenever I
want?" Actually it was kind of cool thought.
"No," Ashlee told me. "You can only use the power when the Judge
or one of his clan gives you permission to do so. If you try it
on your own it doesn't work. Oh, one more thing. Don't believe
everything you see or feel. It's possible for the individual to
make up things in their mind that seem true but really
aren't. Sort of like telling a lie over and over again, after a
while it feels like the truth to them."
"How will I know when that happens?" I asked.
"You won't. In some cases you'll just have to use your
instincts. But it's not your job to figure it out, the Judge will
take care of that."
"How often do you have to use this power?" All of the sudden I
had a deep desire to find out everything I could about the Judge
and his people. I suspected with their attachment to Area 51,
they were space Aliens who had crashed on the earth and decided
not to leave.
"I use my power about 2-3 times a day but I live in the same town
that they do. I suspect that the number of times you have to use
your powers will be a lot less. However, that could change
soon. Many of the Judge's people have business interest in
Andersonville that will require them to come here on a fairly
regular schedule.
"Like me?" someone said humorously. In the doorway stood a young
man, perhaps 25 years old, wearing a business suit and tie. He
was about 6 feet tall, skinny but not too skinny, and wore an
almost boyish grin. "Hello Ashlee, how's it going. And this must
be Linda Anderson. You've made quite a stir among our people
Linda, or should I say, as Tom McClain you did."
I was surprised to see he was so open not only about himself but
my past as well. Other than Carol Green, he was the first person
to admit who I once was.
"Mark, you know the rules," Ashlee responded but her warning
wasn't too stern. "Linda, this is Mark Merrick. He's one of our
police officers in Peace River. Watch out for him."
The man faked a painful look. "Ashlee, I'm hurt. I'm one of the
nicer people in Peace River. Beside, I'm starting up a business
here in Andersonville." He handed me a card that read 'Mercury
Connections' with a dark picture of the Roman God Mercury -
without the wing shoes. "I have a small store at the
Andersonville mall," he continued, "where I sell cell phones, fax
machines, Internet services. If you need something that deals
with communications I'm the person you want to see Linda."
"Don't you think it's a slow business to get into?" I asked him
directly. "Most of the residents can't call outside this little
town of yours, let alone have Internet access."
He spotted me a knowing grin. "True, but you can always use a
cell phone to call your boyfriend anytime during the day." So now
we were back to playing mind games again. "Really, I can make you
a good deal on a cell phone Linda - and the Internet access when
it becomes available to you."
I looked at his card and noticed there was something odd about
the dark figure imprinted on it. Then I figured out what is was
and asked, "I thought Mercury wore wing shoes?"
He flinched at the comment. "They were in style at the time."
Mark Merrick explained as if he knew the Greek God.
Of course I knew that was nonsense, the God Mercury didn't exist.
The policeman/salesman quickly changed the subject and said,
"Stop by my store sometime this week Linda and I'll set you up
with a brand new cell phone and knock 20% of the first month."
"I'll think about it Mr. Merrick."
Ashlee interrupted us. "Did you need to see the Judge before we
go Mark?"
"If he's in." The man looked toward the door for a moment as if
he were sending a mental message. "Looks like I can go in. I
should only be about 5 minutes or so Ashlee. Linda, it was nice
meeting you. I hope you'll take me up on my offer." He shook my
hand then opened up the door and went inside.
"What's going to happen in 5 minutes," I asked.
"Mark's flying me back home."
"But what about my training? I'm not ready yet," I protested
vigorously.
"You'll do fine Linda. Just don't do anything to make the Judge
mad and everything will work out fine." 'As if that was
possible,' I wanted to say. The man was impossible to get along
with.
******
I finally made it home from my first, exhausting day at
work. Fortunately for me the Judge didn't come out of his
chambers the rest of the afternoon. He did call me in once to
complain that I hadn't made his coffee strong enough and made me
make him another pot while he belittled me for it. It was enough
to make me want to scream but I somehow found the strength to
hold my tongue. Now the pleasant smell of chicken and mash
potatoes ran through the house. It was one of my favorite meals.
"Hi sweetheart," mom said tenderly. "How was your first day at
work?"
"Rough," I replied.
Dad gave me a smile and chuckled. "Welcome to the working world
honey - it's not like high school."
I wanted to argue that I already knew what the working world was
like but knew it was a useless battle. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson
didn't remember their own past lives and they sure didn't
remember Tom McClain. To them I was simply their daughter Linda,
who they had raised all these years in this quiet little
town. But then, the good news was they didn't remember losing
Linda, Steve, and Jennifer. For them, not remembering their past
lives was probably the best thing that could have happened to
them.
"I've made your favorite dinner to mark your first day of work,"
Mom said proudly.
"Thanks Mom," I replied in a tired voice and then, to her
surprise, gave her a big hug. She was such a warm and caring
woman, and a great mother. The kind of mother I used to dream
about while growing up in the orphanage. Having her around almost
made up for having to pretend to be her daughter.
"Can I help you with anything?" I offered.
"Would you set the table for me?" she answered.
"Sure mom." I grabbed some plates and started putting them around
the dinner room table.
******
Day two was much like day one except I didn't have Ashlee to lean
on. Judge Jasper was in his usual foul mood that day. The police
led five male prisoners into court, one at a time. In the end,
each one was turned into a young girl between the ages of three
and 10. Fortunately for them, none of the little girls remembered
their past lives. I wondered if it was a random event on what
person they became or if Judge Jasper decided beforehand. My
guess was the latter since Dr. Green wasn't present in the
courtroom this morning to guide them through the trauma and shock
of being changed into another person and/or gender. After the
morning court dates Judge Jasper disappeared into his chambers,
leaving me to work on the pile of paperwork he had given me. An
hour later my phone buzzed and it was the Judge calling me into
his office again. There was an impatient look on his face.
"I'll be gone the rest of the afternoon," he said with a scowl as
if he didn't trust me to be alone. "But before I go, I want to
practice your focusing skills with me. Take my hand!"
It was a rather rude command but I obeyed. I took his hands and
suddenly felt my head was being invaded by his thoughts. "You're
fighting me!" he said to me sternly. "Why?"
But I noticed he wasn't really talking with me, rather he was
invading my mind with his thoughts. "What - how - I can hear you
talking to me." I replied back in real words.
"Of course you can young lady. Now stop fooling around and focus
on our second case of the day - little Tina Felts."
He jerked my hands slightly to focus and I felt myself going into
a slight trance. There was Tina as a young boy, maybe 7 years
old, running from his father who was half drunk. The much bigger
man was holding a belt in one hand and an open bottle of beer in
the other.
"Come back here you little shit!" he yelled at the frightened
boy. "I'm going to teach you to respect me from now on."
Tina tried to run into his room and lock the door but his father
got to him first. He threw his son hard against a wall and Tina
ended up on the floor.
"Now I'll teach you not to back-talk me." He raised the belt up
high over his head and brought it down with all his might. I
could feel the pain of belt hitting the boy's shoulder and back -
as well as the fear and sadness that he was feeling. It was too
much for me to handle and I jerked myself out of the trance.
"My - my - God. How could he do that to his son?" I wanted to
know. Judge Jasper never said a word. Instead he stood up and
went back behind his desk, a sorrowful look on his face. I could
see he felt the same way I did. "Judge?"
"Miss Anderson," he said in a firm but neutral voice. "You need
to work on your skills more. For one thing, you tired too
easily. Being a young girl, I can understand why but we need to
get you up to speed. I want you to start jogging at least 3 miles
a day. This will help tone your body and build up your
tolerance. Do you understand?"
I did and nodded my head.
"Good, I hate repeating myself." He stood up. "I'm leaving
now. You will not enter into my office unless it's to drop
something off on my desk, do I make myself clear?" I nodded my
head again. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Close the door as you
leave."
I spent the rest of the afternoon filling out paper work and
filing the previous morning cases. But no matter how hard I
worked, my mind kept going to back to Tina Felts. In her past
life he was known as Flex Kalua, a three-time loser at stealing
other people's cars. The last time he had been caught red-handed
boosting a new corvette from his neighbor's driveway. I had to
admit; at least he lost his freedom by going out in style. The
judge presiding over his case had decided the man was hopeless
and threw the book at him. Flex had been given so many years in
jail that by the time he got out he would have been too old to
drive. While I didn't have a lot of sympathy for criminals, I
wondered what kind of person I would've turned out to be if a
father who was a drunken-monster had raised me. So maybe
Andersonville was supposed to be a second chance for people like
him. It seemed like a pleasant idea anyway. Then I remembered
Pete Atkins telling the town was set up to stop a conflict
between his people and theirs. If this was so, why did they need
other people to fill in the blank spaces? I was so busy thinking
that I didn't realize it was after five o'clock until my dad
showed up.
"Working late honey?" he asked me.
"Sorry Dad." I grinned foolishly. "I guess I lost track of
time. Let me grab my purse."
"No problem dear, I wanted to see where you worked anyway. Nice
office by the way."
"I guess. I would introduce you to Judge Jasper but he's already
left for the day." But then I began to think that I hadn't
actually seen him leave, so maybe he was still in his
office. "Let me drop some papers on his desk and then we can go."
I slipped into his office to find it empty and ventured he must
have slipped out through the courtroom to avoid passing by me. I
laid a few files on his desk that he had wanted and locked the
door as I left.
"I hope mom made something good for dinner," I said as we
left. "I could use a good meal after today."
Dad just laughed and put his arm around me as we walked out to
the car.
******
I thought the first two days of working for this monster had been
bad but I was about to be in for a rude awakening. He came
bellowing out of his office door even before I had a chance to
sit down. "What is the meaning of this," he demanded to know.
"What?" I asked innocently enough. I had no idea what he could be
so mad about.
"You have these papers in the wrong order. I want the profiles of
the person last, not first. And you misspelled several words and
used improper grammar. Look," he pointed his finger at a
sentence. "You used 'a' instead of 'an' here. It's all screwed
up. I want you to retype it over again and this time file
everything the way it's suppose to be - do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal!" I replied softly back in an acid tone and on the verge
of losing my temper with him. He returned my reply with a stare
that almost made me wish I hadn't said it that way but it was too
late now. I held my ground and gave him an icy glare back. Then I
noticed a slight, thin smile on his face as he turned and went
back into his office. It was the first thing he had done out of
character this week and left me a little unnerved. We had two
more transitions that morning only this time neither one had a
criminal record.
One was a middle age lady who was dying of breast cancer. Her
file said she'd been divorced for almost three years and didn't
have any living relatives. It made me wonder if the other people
Judge Jasper had transformed had also been loners. She was
changed into a 13-year-old girl with long, red hair and didn't
seem to remember her past life.
The next case was a 27-year-old man who had decided to kill
himself by taking an overdose of aspirin. Judge Jasper told him
in strong words that he needed to learn a lesson about thinking
of others so the Judge turned him into a 25-year-old mother of
two. The man remembered what happened and wasn't very happy as
Carol Green and a couple of the police officers pulled her
away. I could see Dr. Green was going to have her hands full this
morning. No sooner had I taken a seat at my desk than the judge
came out of his chambers and gave me an icy stare.
"Have you forgotten about your appointment today?" he asked
"What?" I responded. "I'm not suppose to meet with Dr. Green
until this afternoon."
"I'm not talking about Dr. Green," he said thinly. "I'm talking
about the ticket you got over the weekend. You were suppose to be
in court 5 minutes ago."
"I'm - I'm sorry Judge Jasper," I responded in an apologetic
tone. I had completely forgotten it was this morning. I stood up
to enter the courtroom via his chambers but he blocked my path.
"Where do you think your going," he steamed.
"To court like you asked. I always follow you into court."
"Not this time," he hissed slightly. "You're a defendant, you
enter my courtroom like anyone else young lady. Now go around to
the front and enter like you're supposed to - and don't stop
along the way. I want you in my courtroom in 60 seconds."
Before I had a chance to reply he walked into his chambers and
slammed the door. My temper rose and I was going to follow him
anyway but good sense got the best of me. I walked down the
hallway, turned toward the courtroom doors and went in. The judge
was already seated and waiting.
The cop who had given me a ticket, Officer Tabler, was watching
me with almost an amused look on his face. I took my place where
so many others had before and faced the Judge.
"Well, I'm so glad you could join us today Miss Anderson," he
said in a dry tone. "Officer Tabler, would you please tell us why
we're here."
"I cited Miss Linda Anderson Saturday afternoon for running her
car into the dead-end barrier on the north end of Main Street
Your Honor. While she hadn't appeared to been drinking, she was
acting in an irrational manner. Damage to the wall is estimated
to be about $500."
"I see officer." Judge Jasper turned to face me directly. "It's a
good thing you weren't drinking Miss Anderson or you'd be in real
trouble. Not only are you underage, but I take a very dim view of
people who drink and then get behind the wheel of a car. I'm
going to fine you $150 dollars and -"
"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "Aren't you going to give me a
chance to explain myself?"
"EXPLAIN YOURSELF?" Judge Jasper roared angrily. "You mean you
really believe you have a good explanation for running your car
into a wall - besides just being plain STUPID!"
The bile rose in my throat. I should have kept my mouth shut but
my anger got the best of me. "Yes, I can. It's this damn
road. When I -"
"Watch your language in my courtroom young lady," he warned
me. "Do you understand me?"
Oh yes, I understood him fine. He was a prick and a bastard who
was going to make my life a living hell for reasons I hadn't
figured out yet. He was pushing me to lose my temper but I wasn't
going to let that happen. No, I was going to show him I was a
better man then he was even if I did have a female body now. I
took a breath to calm down and then continued.
"Forgive my language, Your Honor." The judge got a surprised look
on his face as if he wasn't expecting me to reply this way. "But
when I left Andersonville heading south I found myself coming
back into town from the north. So I thought if I drove north I
would end up on the south side of town." The judge gave the
police officer a look as if I was talking to him in a foreign
language.
"Is this what you meant Officer Tabler by her acting in a
irrational manner."
"It is your honor. Miss Anderson was also yelling and cursing at
me. I finally had to restrain her and have her father pick her
up."
"That's a lie," I yelled out.
The judge hit his gavel hard against the bench. "You're out of
order Miss Anderson. If this officer says he had to restrain you
then I believe he had to restrain you."
"He held my arm and placed me in his car Your Honor. It isn't
anything like he is describing to you."
"So now he's exaggerating, is that it Miss Anderson?" I could see
where he was going with this and didn't reply.
"I asked you a question young lady."
"Yes Your Honor." It was the wrong thing to say.
"And yet you want me to believe your foolish story about trying
to leave town. I think I know who is exaggerating here."
"But it's the truth," I insisted in a tone that was teetering on
the edge of rage. He slammed his gavel down again.
"That's enough Miss Anderson." I could almost see the steam
coming out of his ears. "I find you guilty of reckless driving
and damaging city property - as well as putting other lives in
danger. I'm fining you $350 plus court cost AND - I'm ordering
you to pay for damage to the wall. However, I'm willing to wave
$100 of your fine providing you write Officer Tabler here a one
page letter of apology for your rude treatment of him within the
next 24 hours."
The officer looked rather smugly at me.
"I'll pay the full amount Your Honor," I said, letting my disgust
show through. It was worth $100 to hold on to what little pride I
had left.
"Suit yourself Miss Anderson. Court is adjourned." The Judge went
back into his chambers while Officer Tabler made his quick exit
out the side door. I stood there for a minute shaking in anger. I
wanted to scream at someone but there wasn't anyone around, and I
most certainly wasn't going to break down and start crying and
give them any satisfaction - despite my new female emotions
wanting me to do just that. I was going to beat them at their own
game. I was going to be a stronger man than all of them. I wasn't
going to let them break Tom McClain down. I held that in my mind
and went back to my office to re-type the reports from the
previous days. I wasn't going to let this 'monster' break
me. Almost an hour and a half later I had retyped and arranged
the files the way Judge Jasper had wanted them to be. I thought
it would make him happy but I found out I was wrong.
"Look at the way you worded these sentences," he started out. "It
could mean anything by the way it's written."
"What do you mean," I asked looking at the sentence. "It says
that you asked Mr. Marshal if he had anything to say before you
passed your judgment. He replied that he didn't understand and
you told him he would soon. Then you proceeded to transform him
into Candy Bailey"
"Yes, now you see what I am saying?"
"No, it looks fine to me," I answered. My anger was now rising
faster then I could control it.
"How can I work with such inapt help!" he started to
rave. "Ashlee knows how to run a courthouse but you, an untrained
monkey could do a better job. Must I do everything MYSELF! Is it
too much to expect a little help from you now and then? How can I
adapt under these conditions."
It was too much for me to bear and I exploded in an angry
rage. "You self-centered selfish Ass! You wouldn't know good help
if it came up and bit you in the butt. You think you're having
problems adjusting, try stepping into my shoes. I get turned into
a girl, am forced to dress, act, and live as one - I get dumped
into a crappy job with an unappreciative monster for a boss and
on top of all that, I have to worry about getting a period. You
think you have it hard - I'll trade places with you any day of
the week. You think you can do a better job on these files?" I
grabbed them from his hands, "than you do them." I threw the
files on the floor with all my might and the papers scattered all
over the place. Judge Jasper stood there with an almost
triumphant look on his face. I found tears streaming down my face
and ran out of the room in embarrassment. He had won - he had
broken me. I was ashamed at myself but I couldn't stop the cry
that I felt coming. I ran into the restroom - too upset to
realize it was the men's room. But once inside I didn't care. I
dashed into the first stall slamming the door behind me and then
I buried my face in my hands and started crying. I had told
myself I wouldn't break down like this but I couldn't stop the
tears. It was almost a relief as each tear and sob came out of my
body. Slowly I began to feel better and in a few minutes my
sobbing slowed down. I heard someone walk into the bathroom and
over to my stall. At first I was afraid it was the Judge but from
the look of the shoes and pants I realized it was one of the
Andersonville Police Officers. He knocked on the stall door.
"Miss Anderson, are you okay?" It was Dave Williams and there was
a touch of concern in his voice.
"Does it sound like I'm okay," I shot back in cynical tone and
immediately regretted doing so. I opened up the stall door and
stepped outside wiping the remaining tears from my eyes. "I'm
sorry Sergeant Williams, I didn't mean to snap at you like that."
He actually gave me a small smile as if he understood. "You're
using the wrong restroom Linda. I'm supposed to issue our new
residents a ticket if they make this mistake but - I'm going to
overlook it this time seeing that you were upset when you
entered. But please try to make a more conscious effort next
time. We don't want to upset any of our visitors who happen to be
here some day."
"Thank - thank you Sergeant - Dave." His bushy mustache rose
slightly. "You're not supposed to call me by my first name either
- at least not yet. Judge Jasper wants to see you in his
chambers. But first," he held up my purse, "I think you should go
to the ladies room and freshen up some."
I thanked him for my purse and went into the ladies room. I
looked at my face in the mirror - it was a mess. So I carefully
worked to get it back into shape. I wanted to look my best when I
marched back in the Judge's chambers. I was going to show him
that he'd won the battle but not that war, that my spirit hadn't
been broken yet. I made careful strokes with my mascara, making
my eyelashes appear longer and darker. Then I re-applied my eye
shadow more carefully than I did this morning, making sure it
covered the entire eyelid. My foundation had held up okay but my
blush needed major repair. I ran some over my cheeks giving me an
almost cheery look again. Finally I pushed out my lips and ran my
pink lipstick over them. I didn't look perfect but at least now
you couldn't tell I had been crying. Even the redness in my eyes
was gone. I was ready to face the judge and whatever punishment
losing my temper had cost me. It couldn't have been as bad as the
last two and a half days I thought. I straighten out my dress and
hose then stepped out of the bathroom. With every step I took my
confidence grew; Judge Jasper was going to see a strong
individual. Then fear struck - whom I was kidding; I had seen
what the Judge could do. I stopped and debated about going in but
I knew I had to. If I didn't I could never face myself in the
mirror again. I took a deep breath to settle down then walked
into my office. To my surprise, Dennis Butz was standing next to
my desk.
"Hello Linda," he said pleasantly.
"Dennis, what are you doing here?" I was so happy to see him
standing there that I forgot I was supposed to be angry with him
for putting me in this position.
"I heard there was a little trouble," he said with a small grin.
"Yeah, you could say that. I have to see Judge Jasper now."
Dennis took my arm and led me out of my office. "Why don't I take
you to lunch instead. My car's right outside."
It didn't sound like I really had a choice in the matter. I got
inside the large Buick and he started driving south out of
town. Dennis pulled out his cell phone and punch in a
number. "Barry, this is Dennis Butz. I'm leaving town with Linda
Anderson, authorization 34-delta black. Thank you Barry." He put
the phone back in his pocket and continued to drive as if nothing
was wrong.
"Where are you taking me," I asked nervously.
"There's a nice place just outside of town," he replied without
taking his eyes off the road. "I figured you could use a little
outside field trip after this morning. We'll be there in a few
minutes, just relax."
The car crested over the same hill that had taken me back into
town days before only this time there was nothing but open road
ahead of us. I noticed we ran over three, black metal plates that
crossed over the entire road. A couple of miles later Dennis
pulled the car up to a small building called the Track Side
Inn. We seemed to be the only customers there.
"This way," Dennis said and like a true gentleman, held the door
open for me. A server greeted us at the door. "Peter, we'd like a
table by the tracks."
The man nodded and led us upstairs to the balcony that had about
15 tables on it with umbrellas. Our table overlooked two, well
maintained sets of railroad tracks that ran next to the
restaurant. Dennis held my chair out as I sat down and then took
a seat across from me.
"I took the liberty of ordering for both of us," he told
me. "Peter, I'll take a cold Coors and bring the young lady a Bud
light please."
The man nodded and left.
"Don't you know you could get in trouble for serving beer to a
minor?" I said, making sure he caught the sarcastic tone of my
voice with just a hint of anger.
"You look like you could use a drink right now," he responded
with a grin. Peter was back in a moment with our drinks and our
meal. Dennis had ordered both of us a chicken sandwich with
fries. Then the waiter left us alone. "I guess your new job
hasn't been working out so well," Dennis said with slight
amusement.
"You could say that. By the way, you forgot to mention that my
new job would require me to wear dresses," I replied
sarcastically while I hold out the hem of my dress.
"Oh?" he smiled in mock surprise. "It must have slipped my
mind. Yes, you'll be required to report to work everyday as a
young woman. Sorry I didn't mention that sooner."
"So, now that I'm fired are you going to turn me back into a
man?" Dennis got a surprised look on his face. "Fired? What makes
you think you're fired?"
"Isn't that what this lunch is all about? To break the news to me
gently so I won't ball my eyes out? Besides, I'm sure Judge
Jasper isn't going to want me around after today."
The director laughed heartily. "Yes, the Judge was a little
steamed about what you said. He gave me an ultimatum - you or
him."
"So that's it then," I replied a little relieved. "I'm out."
"No," Dennis told me in-between bites of his sandwich. "Judge
Jasper's out. I released him before you got there."
"You mean you fired him?" I was surprised.
"Not really. I'm replacing him with someone else." He paused to
chuckle as if it was part of an inside joke that I wasn't a privy
to. "And believe me, the judge wasn't any happier when he found
out who I got to replace him. Tomorrow you'll have a new boss to
report to. Trust me Linda, you're going to get along with her
just fine."
"What about Judge Jasper," I inquired.
"He'll go back to Peace River where he wants to be anyway. When
the new judge is out, he'll fill in; but I suspect he'll be a lot
more pleasant to be around. You see Linda, Judge Jasper wasn't
really angry at you, it was me he wanted to get back at."
"I don't understand, what did you do to him?" Dennis took another
bite of his sandwich and I could see him debating how much he
wanted to tell me.
"It's better that you don't know that part of the story. What
Judge Jasper was trying to do was prove a point. First, he turned
every new person brought into Andersonville into a female. Next,
he started pushing you to lose your temper. You have to
understand that while Andersonville may be my project Judge
Jasper was the one running the show - under my rules that
is. This created quite a stir with his people and he wanted out -
but I wouldn't let him. So he decided to get back at me at your
expense I'm sorry to say. If I had let him continue the entire
town would've been filled with woman in a few months. I really
had no choice but to let him out of his obligation."
"What about me?" I demanded to know. "When do I get changed back
into a man."
The director gave me his first serious look of the day. "You
don't. You'll remain as Linda Anderson for the rest of your
life."
"May I ask why?" I had been expecting that answer but still, it
was a little hard to swallow. I knew I should have been boiling
mad at Dennis Butz but I wasn't. True, I wa