Roadside Attraction
By Tyrone Slothop
Chapter 1: Exit To Nowhere
The Peterbilt cab rolled into the Sunny Serve, over to the
diesel section. Another Wal-Mart trailer on its way
somewhere else. Betty looked out the window of the caf?. It
had been the only truck today and she bet he would not even
stop for coffee. She watched Bobby hobble over from the
garage bays and talk to the driver.
It was broiling hot in the high desert and she could not
see the Sierras through the haze.
If you've driven in the West, in that region between cities
of any size, you have seen this place thousands of times.
An exit to a minor road, forty miles or more from the last
exit and fifty miles from the next one. A large gas
station, a motel, a diner or national chain restaurant of
questionable profitability, a souvenir shop/convenience
store that also sold bait and ammunition along with hunting
and fishing licenses. A cluster of mobile homes or
manufactured houses, whichever phrase you last heard from
the salesman, with some fenced in yards and cars between
ten and twenty years old in the driveways. A notary public
sign in front of one house, others advertising services
like hairdressing or taxidermy.
The unincorporated village of Filler was also
undistinguished, unknown and almost uninhabited. Bobby was
the sheriff when he wasn't running the gas pumps and
Charlene was the almost self appointed mayor when the motel
desk was not busy or the ice machines were working.
Betty removed her apron and walked on her tired feet out
the back door of the caf?. She looked up and put on her
sunglasses. Four in the afternoon and you could feel the
moisture flow out of your pores. Her home was only a few
hundred yards away but always seemed farther at the end of
twelve hours of waiting tables. She had to see if Terry was
OK. He had been so sick the last few days.
Chapter 2: Teenager Down
Terry Singer had been having a miserable summer. At fifteen
he should have been running in the streams, fishing and
hitchhiking to the Wal-Mart at the next exit. And finding
whatever paying jobs he could. Instead he had been running
fevers and unable to hold down much solid food for two
weeks. And they were closing his school too, consolidating
everyone into a high school ninety miles away. Instead of
an hour bus ride each way he could look forward to two
hours and all new kids where he and the few he knew would
be totally outnumbered about fifty to one.
Mom was doing her best since Dad had rolled his rig over
the I-5 guardrail up on the Oregon border, avoiding a
skidding Volkswagen. The couple and their baby had lived,
Dad was charred beyond recognition. That was eighteen
months ago.
The insurance barely covered Dad's funeral and paying off
their debt. Since then all they had was Betty's job at the
caf? and they now owned a plot of land and single wide home
free and clear. The problem was, with no possible buyers
they were stuck in Filler. Most of the town was in the same
situation. They had no medical coverage and no savings. But
Terry was reasonably happy and Betty loved him in the best
tradition of mothers.
Terry was at that stage when boys lean out and bulk up,
shedding the last juvenile pudginess. He had just started
this process, having shot up to a height of five foot ten,
finally passing in height the only other kid his age,
Joelle, who lived a half mile down the road with her Aunt
and Uncle. The one with the hairdressing sign out front of
the trailer. Her uncle Richard ran the Filler Super Center,
the only store in fifty miles, with the full partnership of
Flora, his wife.
Betty opened the door and felt the blast of air
conditioning like a cold shower. It was the single luxury
they would not do without. She had never adapted to the
desert, despite having moved there ten years ago when her
husband found the land near his old Marine buddy Bobby.
Bobby had tried to take care of them as best he could since
the truck accident.
Terry got up off the couch, wearing a sweat soaked tee
shirt and shorts. "Hi Mom, I made you ice tea. Are you
hungry?"
Betty hugged her son. They were the same height when she
wore flats and he was clearly her descendant in looks and
coloring. They both had light brown hair, hers in an 80's
curly mass and Terry's way longer than usual, combed back
like a mini mullet. Betty owed way too much to Flora for
haircuts and was prideful enough to not want to incur any
more credit until she paid her off. Flora kept offering to
cut Terry's for free, but both Terry and Betty would not
take charity from neighbors. They were close to the edge
financially already and knew they would not use goodwill
casually. Terry refused to let Betty cut his hair after two
disasters when he was younger. Besides, it was summer and
he was not in school to catch crap from his friends. When
he got better he would work a shift for Bobby and pay Flora
himself. Right now he felt so bad he could care less about
that problem.
"Terry, you look awful! Your face is puffy and has
blocthes! And you're sweat soaked!" Betty felt his forehead
and knew he was running a low grade fever. He looked
swollen in his face and neck. His tee shirt was clinging to
his chest which also looked puffy.
Betty resolved to take him to the emergency room of the
nearest hospital. They had to see him, even without
insurance. She had Terry wash up and get dressed while she
drank her iced tea with her shoes off. Her rest after her
shift was going to last about ten minutes. She decided to
get out of her uniform and into jeans.
Chapter 3: The Limits Of Modern Medicine
The waiting room was full, as usual. Betty assumed when
they planned hospitals, they figured how many people would
be waiting in the emergency room, divided it by two and
built the room to fit that. That way they were always
'crowded'. The gift shop could be ten times larger with one
tenth the traffic, but that was not the measure the State
used for funds. Terry was sleeping on her shoulder, an
amazing feat given the chairs were designed to fit no human
anatomy alive since the Neanderthals.
She had borrowed Bobby's truck and Joelle had come with
them, sent by Richard and Flora to provide support.
Charlene told her she would ask Thelma to work over so
Betty could show up late for work tomorrow morning. Betty
felt bad about that, Thelma was getting on and she got so
tired by 4 am.
The hospital was seventy miles from Filler.
Fortunately for Terry and Betty, the attending physician
was new to the country but had been a very good student in
medical school. He was well versed in obscure diseases and
conditions and like a lot of immigrants who were
professionals, represented the best and smartest of his
country. He missed the Philippines at times, especially
with this climate so dry in the high desert. Cold and dry
in winter, cold at night, hot and dry in summer. A land of
extremes except in moisture.
The doctor tried to find a private place with Betty in the
bloody circus that was the ER. In between the hunting
accidents, the car crashes and victims of general aches and
pains, he sat her down on a gurney and gave her the best he
had.
"Mrs. Singer your son has a serious condition, but it is
not immediately life threatening. He may have what we call
an endocrine disorder, which means his body chemistry is
not working as planned. He has probably been exhibiting
symptoms for a while, but they were not that noticeable. I
know you have no insurance and I have no spare rooms to
admit him to now. Anyway, I'm sure we don't have what we
need here to really find out what to do. I've given him
some medication for the fever and his stomach upset. "
"But where can I go? What's going to happen to him?" Betty
asked. Joelle clung to her arm in support.
"I have a friend who works in this specialty. I think he
would at least look at Terry and may be able to tell you
more. I'll call him tomorrow and let you know. Until then,
let Terry rest and try to get him to eat, preferably bland
food."
"You've just described my cooking, Doctor. Thank you. You
have my number?" Betty said. She was not one to get all
whiny in a crisis. Terry needed her and she would be there
for him. Joelle was helping Terry get dressed Betty saw his
chest was swollen out, almost like small breasts. Joelle
buttoned Terry's shirt up for him and noticed them too, but
kept silent.
Chapter 4: Town Meeting.
The next evening, after Betty's shift, she made sure Terry
was all right, leaving him with Joelle there in case he got
worse. They were both watching movies on the VCR, since she
could not afford satellite TV. If they wanted to watch TV,
they went over to Richard's or Bobby's homes, both of whom
had dishes on their roofs.
Charlene had invited them all to the bar to discuss what to
do about Terry, mostly to support Betty in a tough time.
Charlene had owned the motel and caf? with her husband Fred
for twenty years and survived him after cigarettes finally
took him down. He went pretty quick, a painful three months
after years of a hacking cough. She was Betty's boss and
friend, a feisty woman who did her best to keep two
marginal businesses afloat. She and Bobby had that attitude
of the two major employers in a very small town, they
carried a burden of responsibility beyond simple profit and
loss. If either the Sunny Serve or the Highway Inn and
Family Restaurant closed, Filler would literally dry up and
blow away.
Charlene lit her menthol slim and opened the door for
Bobby. With his usual facial wrinkles resembling an off
road tire tread , Bobby limped through the door, closing it
quick to save the AC. He acquired that limp somewhere at
Khe Sahn, and added to it by years of riding rodeo. He was
tall and lean, and looking at him you knew there was little
moisture in his soul. He was a desert creature, at home in
the heat and dry, like a lizard or a coyote. Bobby also had
a great heart and small mouth. He loved a few people and
would die for them but rarely said much. He mistrusted most
institutions larger than the government of Filler. It was
well known that he and Charlene were lovers, but neither of
them would ever say anything. Bobby nodded to Charlene,
dropped his Stetson on the bar and pulled himself a beer
from the tap. Not a word spoken but volumes said.
Flora came next, follow by Richard. Flora had left the
town, went to school, taught elementary through high
school, met Richard and ended up back here with him years
later. She had retreated after waging a war of trying to
actually educate children versus the school system's view
of existing to acquire state funding and job protection.
Flora was formerly pretty and now had settled into 'good
looking older woman' with grace. She was the town
hairstylist, manicurist and school tutor when she was not
running the Filler Super Center.
Richard was the outsider. He had only been in Filler for
five years, when he brought back Flora and bought the
convenience store. He had made money in the dot com boom
and got out before the nick of time. Richard was smart and
was not compelled to prove it to you. He dealt with people
as all having something to say, but most folks deferred to
him once they realized how much he knew without rubbing
their faces in it. Everyone wondered why a guy like Richard
would live in a dead end like Filler, but minded their
business. Richard had money and if someone left, he offered
to buy their property for twenty percent more than the best
other offer they could get, within reasonable limits, of
course. He already had picked up two lots from widows who
needed to move to nursing homes. What people did not know
was he took a bath on the deals, converting the proceeds
into trusts supporting their care.
So Betty came in and sat down with her closest friends. She
never drank herself, being raised of religious persuasion,
plus she had puked real bad the first time she tried it.
Her husband was a recovering alcoholic and never strayed
when they were married. It had taken years to get his
insurance rates back down, and he could only get the
minimum coverage.
"Betty, Richard here has done some digging on the internet
and talked to some friends in the medical business." Flora
said. The crowd got quiet. Richard the Wizard was about to
speak. He was always right about things like this.
"Betty, from the doctor's name you were given and the
symptoms Terry has, I got some guesses on what's going on."
Richards's guesses were as good as other people's sworn
statements. " The doctor is an Endocrinologist, and is a
researcher at the Wilder Institute. That's about two
hundred miles south. His papers are on a subject called
Gynecomastia and related syndromes. It's a group of
conditions that enlarge the male breast, especially during
puberty. Are you with me so far?" Richard never talked
down, but always made sure people could ask questions so he
did not lose them.
"Is that like a sex change thing?" Betty asked.
"It's similar partly, but it's not voluntary or self
induced. It occurs frequently enough that there are
treatments for some conditions, and surgeries. Sometimes it
goes away. Like a lot of these things, they give it a name,
but it's really a group of symptoms. There are at least
five known specific diseases with case histories grouped
under it and there are probably more. It seems to be
focused on the breast, but may also affect the fat
distribution and sexual development. Is Terry pretty much
grown in down there by now?" Richard asked as politely as
he could.
"Oh yes, he's a man all right. At least he was two weeks
ago when I had to wake him up. Living in a small trailer
it's hard to keep total privacy." Betty said.
"Good, that means it probably won't affect that much I
hope. It's a good sign for him. He may get larger in the
chest. I think you should see this doctor. He looks pretty
good. Been doing research in this area and others for a
while, solid reputation, Navy surgeon with a Silver Star.
If he will see you, it's probably on his nickel, since he
is funded for research in this area. "
"Richard, how big can Terry get up here?" Charlene asked
the question she knew everyone wanted to know.
"Most are barely noticeable but some range from woman sized
with a few being pretty big. Some guys need to wear bras."
Richard said. Betty was happy that nobody laughed. Terry
was well liked by this group and they all felt real bad for
him.
So it was decided that since Bobby was headed south to
negotiate for parts in two days, that was when the doctor
would examine Terry. The institute was near the parts
distributor and Bobby would take him along in the flatbed
cab. He assured Betty that he would be fine and she didn't
need to come. The doctor would not know anything until the
tests were done anyway, so she would just waste her time
watching them draw blood and stuff.
Chapter 5: When Medical Science Does Not Know, Do Nothing
Dr. Schlange was the opposite of stuffy. He examined Terry
himself after all the blood, urine and other samples were
drawn. Terry was feeling better, still a slight fever now
and then, but he was eating. The doctor spent some time
with the mounds of fat pushing out Terry's nipples and
finally decided on a mammogram. Terry found that it was not
pleasant, but he had been told to expect 'some discomfort',
the medical term for 'I'm glad it's happening to you and
not me'.
Bobby sat with Terry the whole time, a silent reassurance
just in his presence.
"Mr. Filler (Yes, Bobby's Dad had founded the town) that's
quite a limp you've got. How did you get it? " Dr Schlange
asked.
"Rodeo" Bobby said, pulling up his boot cut jeans to show
the scar.
"Rodeo bullshit. That looks like a grenade fragment. Look
at this one." The doctor rolled up his leg and showed a
jagged scar below his knee.
So Terry heard Bobby talk more to the doctor than he had
heard him say in ages. He and his Dad used to talk like
that. Apparently the "Doc' was near the same places and
times Bobby had been in Vietnam and they swapped a lot of
'did you sees', 'remember that's' and' wow what an
assholes'. Their talk turned to fishing, one of Bobby's
passions, and the next thing you know Doc Schlange is
telling Terry he will bring the results up in a week, right
to Filler. Along with his fly fishing gear,
So on the drive back while the deuce and a half was
slamming Terry's spine on every expansion joint, Bobby was
as quiet as ever.
"Bobby, what's going on? What's wrong with me?" Terry
asked.
Bobby believed in the truth, having see lies get people
killed. "You're growing tits, Terry. It's some disease.
It's happened before. Doc Schlange studies it." Typical
Bobby- straight out and short.
Terry sat for a while. "Can they fix it? Before school? Am
I going to be a freak?"
"No more than I am for having a bum leg, or holes in my
side from a friggin bull. Dammit Terry, we're all freaks in
some way. You didn't ask for this but you got it. Deal with
it. We'll all help. You're still Terry and you're one of us
crazy Filler people."
Terry knew Bobby was now talked out for the rest of the
ride. He conserved words like water in the desert. Terry
pushed his hair back over his ears and settled in for a
long ride home.
Doc Schlange arrived on Saturday in a big Ford SUV full of
gear. Bobby had told Charlene to book him the good room,
which was hardly a problem since it had not been occupied
for two months.
He found everybody called him Doc, which was how Bobby
referred to him. A new visitor to actually see someone in
town was a bit of an event, and everybody went out of their
way to say hello. Doc met Betty in the caf?, where she
served him the special meatloaf. He had her sit down and
told her findings. She started to tear up, but kept her
composure. Doc held her hand and did his best to keep her
calm.
Later, Doc was in Betty's home sitting with Terry. Betty
was in the kitchen, just home from work.
"Terry, you have a condition that is similar to some like
Kleinfelters Syndrome, or Cohns, but is different enough
that we need to watch you for a while. Your body chemistry
is not stable and we need it to settle down before we can
proceed, Also, your immune system is weakened so you are
prone to catch colds and viruses, as well as infections."
Terry put his hands to his budding breasts. "When can you
cut these off? Richard says that's what they do sometimes."
"When you stop growing and your immune system can handle
surgery. Right now I'm afraid we'd be taking too much risk.
I'd be afraid an infection from surgery would be likely.
We'll fix them, but you need time." Doc said.
"How are we gonna pay? Mom doesn't have any insurance."
"I think if you participate in a study of mine, I can get a
grant to cover your medical expenses. Otherwise, I'm afraid
even the state program for the poor would not cover what
they would call cosmetic surgery. "
"Can't you do it? We won't tell." Terry pleaded,
Doc smiled in a way that reassured Terry. "If your life
were threatened, I would do it right now, lawsuits be
damned. But right now, the best thing I can do for your
health is to wait and see."
Chapter 6: Summer Surprise
By the end of July, Terry had developed somewhere around an
'B' cup and was really obvious in a tight tee shirt. He
still had not gotten a haircut and it was about chin length
now. From a distance he looked like a skinny hipped girl
whose Mother shouldn't let her out of the house without a
bra.
Doc Schlange was a regular weekend visitor, and sometimes
brought two assistants along to examine Terry, draw blood
and then go fishing with Bobby. Charlene welcomed the rise
in business.
Terry was pretty weak and Betty restricted him to small
jobs which kept him near people in case he got sick and did
not require real exertion. As a result, he gained some
weight, maybe about ten pounds, distributed between his
breasts and butt.
He and Joelle became very close. She wanted to mother Terry
since he was not in the mood to boyfriend her right now.
Flora had told her to give Terry time, growing boobs was a
bit of a shot at his male ego.
"Terry, we haven't been up to the Wal-Mart all summer, or
over to the movies. Why don't we go with Flora tomorrow?
She'll drop us off and pick us up after a few hours. I know
you're not working for either Bobby or Charlene then."
Joelle asked. She wanted to prod Terry to relax.
"Right. I go looking like this and I'll be pounded into the
dirt. You girls don't have that problem. Those guys will
think I'm some kind of city fag or something." Terry said.
Joelle knew he was right, but she was persistent.
"Ok, so don't go as a guy! It's just a movie theatre and
with that haircut and a little help, they won't know what
you are for sure, but they'll leave you alone. At least in
a crowd in daylight. I know nobody in Filler has told a
soul about you or Bobby and Charlene would kill them, and
the few kids you know are never at that place during the
day. They all work in the fields." Joelle made a compelling
case.
"Let me think about it. I'll see you tonight at the caf?.
They have lime sherbet." Terry was half convinced, driven
by the need to get out of Filler for a while, see a real
movie and actually go on a sort of date with Joelle. He
really liked Joelle and she had been real nice to him.
Terry needed to ask three people, Richard, Mom and Bobby.
Richard was quiet and sorted it out. He asked Terry to
stand up, turn around and pull his hair over his ears.
"Terry, it's not a bad plan. It can be done. That does not
mean it should be done. I can understand you wanting to get
out for some fun, and understand that you don't want to
risk exposure of your condition. Those are reasons. The
question to you is, will it bother you? Or is it just a
disguise, necessary, like wearing a toupee to cover a bald
spot.? You want my opinion, I'd go and see the movie, and
if people look at me and think I'm not who I am, too bad.
It's up to you. "
Mom was worried but saw the logic. She thought getting away
safely for a little while would be good for him. She
assured him it was just a little trick in her mind, a
little misdirection.
Bobby was the most positive. "Hell, boy, get out of town
and take that nice Joelle to the movies. If it was me, I'd
wear a dress to keep those dirt pounders from messing with
me. Go have fun. It's not like you asked for this."
So Flora and Joelle went to work. They wanted the maximum
effect for the minimum change and decided that Terry needed
just three things. A sleeveless blouse, a little eye makeup
and a bra. Terry balked at the bra but Joelle said why not
use what he had to get the maximum effect? Plus, without a
bra he was inviting guys to hit on him since it was getting
obvious and his enlarged nipples were showing through his
shirts.
Flora put an arm around him and said "Terry, even the Doc
said you should wear one as you grow. I'll bet they are a
bit sore. Try it on here and if you can't stand it, we'll
try something else.
Terry relented and had Joelle help him into one of Flora's,
since he was bigger around his chest than Joelle. He found
he was a 42 B. And it felt really good compared to the
soreness and wobbling he had been feeling.
Flora approved. Terry looked convincing in his jeans, which
were a bit tight since he had gained weight, a white top
and his hair down to his chin. His breasts were really
noticeable but they looked in place, and no one would look
at him twice thinking "Is that a guy?"
"Terry, wash your hair tomorrow before we leave and come
over here with it wet. I want to fluff it out a bit and
then we'll go."
"But Mom still hasn't paid the bill, Flora." Terry
protested.
"Terry, this is a medical emergency, to prevent you getting
your face black and blue. That will cost her a lot more.
Give me a fifty cents, my special new customer discount and
it'll be fine. Your own account. Fair?"
Terry agreed it was fair. Flora told him to wear the bra
home, he should wear them while he was growing.
Chapter 7: See You In September
The trip to Wal-Mart and the movies went fine. Terry drew
some looks, but they were ones where he was classed as
'prey' by the scanning eyes of the boys at the Cineplex.
Joelle made sure she sent out the 'girls together, off
duty' signals by chatting and keeping her eyes off the
boys. Boys took anything as a signal to come over and were
notorious for misreading girl's intentions, but this was
offset by the fact that only five to six percent of the
time did they have the courage and timing to initiate
contact. So Joelle sailed Terry through the radar and they
had a great time. She only wished he could put his arm
around her in the movies, but she would wait for that.
Terry actually relaxed. Until he realized he had to use the
girl's bathroom. After he could no longer contain the large
soda, he told Joelle.
"Ok, Terry, don't be silly. We'll go together." She grabbed
her purse, and they went.
Terry got over his fear when he closed the door on the
stall and remembered Joelle's warning to sit down. So he
sat and proceeded as quietly as he could. Joelle was
waiting for him at the mirror and proceeded to add mascara
to his eyes.
"Dammit Terri, next time don't leave your purse at home."
She said, providing some covering conversation. The sole
other woman turned and smiled, with a nod to Joelle.
Terry felt he could finally exhale when they got back to
their seats in the darkened theatre. He was real glad his
hair didn't need major work. Flora had opted for a simple
low maintenance style, really just trimming some ends and
blow drying it.
The only thing Terry felt uncomfortable with was the
flowery perfume they had selected.
"Just so there is not room to doubt, Terry." Flora had
said. She was probably right. If he smelled someone wearing
it, he sure would not think 'GUY'.
So they returned and Betty and Charlene were there to greet
them. They both fussed over Terry, but did their best to
not make him feel humiliated. Charlene offered to help him
remove the makeup and he accepted.
Betty and Flora conferred with Joelle. Charlene and Bobby
had already hatched a plan and they were deciding on
putting it into action.
So Terry came out with Charlene, his face scrubbed but
still wearing the top.
"Terry, you've been avoiding the best jobs here for you
because they all involve seeing the public. Working the
pumps or the caf? or spelling Richard at the Center are
where you can do the best and we all need the help,
especially on the odd shifts and breaks. You did real good
today going out in public, why not do it for the summer, at
least until the Doc says you can get your surgery? The town
would support you." Charlene said.
Terry turned to Betty. "Mom? I guess you agree or I
wouldn't be hearing this? Right?"
"It's up to you Terry. Bobby agrees too. He was hoping you
could spell him at the pumps some. He's lost two part
timers this week. Go ask him. And the Doc is getting real
insistent that you support your chest somehow, which is
going to make them even more noticeable. You know he won't
let you tie them down, he's afraid of the effect while
they're growing.
Terry, none of us think you're some little sissy or not a
man. But the rest of the world is not us. We just want you
to avoid embarrassment and trouble until we can get you
help.. And I love you, son." Betty was crying, under
control, but tears were running down her cheeks .
Terry hugged her. "Ok, I just want to talk to Bobby and
Richard first."
Everyone nodded and thought that was right.
Bobby and Richard were supportive for good and selfish
reasons, and both admitted it to Terry. They knew he was a
better and more reliable worker than they could hire
anywhere else and they did not want him embarrassed.
Bobby told him the truckers were decent guys and mostly
all talk. They would never think he was anything but a
young girl, a niece of his and would treat him right. Plus,
He needed him working and Betty needed the money.
Richard basically said the same. He offered to help out
ordering clothes and things he needed and Flora would do
his hair for a real discount. He told Terry it was his
decision and his alone. He then relayed some stories about
people who took a handicap and used it to learn something
about themselves.
Chapter 8: Fundamentalism To The Rescue
Doc Schlange was examining Terry in his hotel room, which
Charlene had given him for a monthly rate. He billed it to
his research grant.
"Terry, you're getting a disease named after you, Singer's
Syndrome. Your chemistry is still unstable and the rate of
growth seems to not be slowing down. You've gained a small
amount of weight in your hips and buttocks, but not a lot.
Most of it seems to be right here." Doc pointed at Terry's
breasts with his pen.
"Are they going to get bigger?"
"I don't know for sure, but I would not bet against it.
What size bra are you wearing now?"
"42 B."
"Go to a C. Your filling it out too much. My grant will pay
for your clothing needs, I'll set up an arrangement with
Richard. I hear you are posing as a girl sometimes. How is
that working out?" Doc said, not trace of humor in his
voice.
"Not too bad. I got my ass pinched by a guy at the pumps
the other day. I belted him and his wife gave him
incredible shit. It was kind of funny. I do the pumps, work
the store, and cashier at the caf?. Mom said they're
getting me a waitress uniform so I can do late shifts. Then
she can get some sleep." Terry went on.
"How about school? That's much harder to pull off. You
won't possibly be ready for breast reduction until at least
the spring, assuming you slow down soon." Doc looked
worried.
"I don't know. Flora said she had something in mind, but I
have no idea what. And I have four hours a day just on a
bus just to go. Maybe I should drop out." Terry said, an
air of resignation creeping into his voice.
One week before school, Flora came over to Betty and
Terry's house, with Terry and Joelle following behind. His
hair was in rollers for the first time. Joelle had been
trying to get him to try it for weeks and he had finally
given in.
Joelle had told Terry she wanted to be his girl, no matter
that his boobs were bigger than hers. She had promised to
help him through this and said he was going to be the best
damn looking girl she could manage. Plus, he was a great
kisser. Terry had even let her feel his breasts in exchange
for like favors.
"Betty, my certs came in! We can do it!" Flora was clearly
excited.
"Flora, are you sure?" Betty asked.
Flora was sure. She had spent the last month setting
herself up to run a "Fundamentalist Academy" to support
home schoolers. She was now listed as running a non-profit
tutoring service supporting parents who chose to home
school their children.
"Flora, why the 'Fundamentalist' name? You aren't very
churchgoing as I recall." Betty said.
"It scares the state education people silly. They think of
lawsuits and crazy protestors, so if they can't nail you on
something stupid, they leave you alone. Trust me , I know
these people. Plus, who says 'Fundamenatalism' is
religious? To me it means reading, writing, math skills,
history and science, not all the PC crap and twaddle they
spew out to get funding and keep their jobs. The stuff kids
need to know cold to do anything in life, not 'how to be
sensitive to mixed sexuality devil worshipping druids who
are homeless and need all your parents money'. That's why I
left teaching the last time. So I get to teach Terry and
Joelle and they can avoid the four hour bus ride. The other
two kids are going to their own Christian Academy anyway,
so nobody else from Filler would even be at that school.
Terry and Joelle were surprised and pleased. They thought
Flora was a great teacher. She had tutored them through
school up to now, just informally. So Terry could go to
school without dealing with his pair of 'problems'.
Chapter 9: Miss Terri At Your Service
Being a tomboy type girl was not that much of a challenge
for Terry. He was just careful about overt guy mannerisms,
and he bathed a lot more. Bobby was real hard on him when
he wasn't 'ladylike'.
"Dammit, Terry, I got an image to maintain here. How does
it look if I have a niece who scratches her crotch in
public?" Bobby said, using up his word allotment for the
day.
With gentle coaching from everyone, Terry became familiar
with how to fix his makeup and hair. Flora and Joelle had
been trying to give him survival skills in these areas and
he was coming along.. Richard had ordered him a purse and
had Joelle fill it with cosmetics, along with some extra
hair clips, pins and brushes.
In September, as the sportsmen started rolling through on
weekends, his waitress uniform came. He knew what it looked
like, it was just like his Mom's. Short sleeve, a bit low
cut and pink, with a hem about at mid thigh. It came with
an apron, with ruffles. His first dress.
"Terry, Richard thought this would help a bit. He found it
somewhere on the internet." Betty handed him a padded
panty, obviously made to make a man look like he had
feminine hips and rear.
Terry was a little stunned, but since he was standing there
in a 42 C bra and filling it out, this did not seem that
big a deal. Plus, he wanted Mom to get a break. This way
she could cut back to fifty five hours a week.
So now, introduced to leg shaving, panty hose, and a full
slip, he stood next to his mother in his uniform, wearing
the same white flats she had on. Her hair is still
considerably longer and still curly from her last perm, but
aside from that, they could be mother and daughter.
Betty was astounded at Terry's appearance. He smiled and
hugged her.
"Mom, you can get eight hours sleep at least three days a
week. It'll be fun. I bet I can get some good tips, too."
Terry laughed.
Betty slapped his butt. "You better get used to that too,
sweetie. At least you've got padding now."
Terry, with a nametag of Terri, went to work the caf? with
Joelle on the four am to eight shift, three days a week. He
then changed into jeans and worked the pumps for Bobby
while Joelle went to stock shelves in the Super Center.
From noon to four, Flora ran school and they had homework
for at least ninety minutes a night. Fortunately for Terry,
Flora combined his hairstyling with school to save him time
and expected him to handle his hair maintenance at home.
Chapter 10: Personal Growth
November rolled around and Doc Schlange looked up at the
girl in the pink waitress uniform entering his motel room.
"I didn't order any room service?" He began.
"I did, Doc. I'm here for my exam. I just got off my
morning shift. " Terry said.
Doc looked at Terry, his brown hair now longer and arranged
in a very curly pageboy. He was wearing a lot of eye makeup
and pink lipstick to match his dress. From the cleavage, it
was apparent he was still growing. Doc estimated a little
less than a 'D' cup. Terry had a worn look in his eyes but
a smile and positive bearing. Doc bet he made a lot of
tips.
"You are looking real good, Terry. How's being a girl?" Doc
asked.
"It's not bad. I've stopped worrying about people
'catching' me and I guess being calm makes it easier to act
natural. Doc, I was wondering. What's the record on this
kind of Boob growth? Can I get in the Guiness Book or a win
a prize?" Terry asked.
Doc stopped short and laughed. "That's a good question and
I don't know. I do know you are the largest I have ever
seen in five years of study of this disorder. I'll check.
Now the last time we were together, you asked me about
testosterone shots. I had a team check it out and we came
to the same conclusion as our first guess. It won't help.
Singer's Syndrome is locally destructive of male hormones.
Adding more and you'll end up the Bearded Lady. And very
sick."
"So what do I do now?"
"We believe it is slowing down. At this rate, we can expect
you to be stable by early Spring, maybe March even. But
that's a guess. Now I have a question for you. Have you had
sex yet? Any prospects? This is a professional question,
Terry, I don't want names."
"No and yes, there's a prospect. Ask me after Christmas. "
Terry blushed through his makeup.
"Can you get erect? Do women arouse you?" Doc asked,
blushing himself.
"Yes, every damn morning. And yes, sometimes I look in a
mirror and arouse myself. That's a joke, Doc. Yes, I like
women. No I don't want to be gay." Terry said.
Doc knew some young lady in Filler was going to have a
Merry Christmas.
Terry stripped down to his bra and padded panties for the
exam. Doc went over him and then had him remove the bra.
Terry's breasts were shapely and firm and his nipples were
enlarged beyond any male design.
"Any more leakage, Terry?" Doc asked.
"No, not for a month. Mom gave me some pads and it was
pretty sticky for a while, but I'm dry now. I guess I'm not
going to be a wet nurse now."
Terry pulled his panties down and Doc noticed some slight
but noticeable increase in fat on the hips and buttocks
again. Singer Syndrome had a real breast fixation. He had
never seen localized feminization this pronounced. No
change to the genitals, slight changes to the lower body,
reduction in body hair but there was lots of fertilizer on
the melon farm.
Exam complete , Terry thanked Doc and went to change for
his pump jockey job. Doc went to chat with Bobby about
tying flies.
Chapter 11: Sweet Sixteen
Terry and Joelle's birthdays were a week apart and three
weeks before Christmas, so they shared the mutual suffering
Christian kids always have when their big day is close to
their other big day.
This year, they exchanged presents of great worth and
little price. Joelle decided to force the issue, like so
many girls before her and told Terry he was driving her
crazy and could he please stop waiting for his little
boobie problem to get solved? Terry took at least a minute
to get it and then responded just the way Joelle wanted.
She even had a condom ready.
Terry began wearing stockings and a garter belt soon after
that. He was all for easy access.
Betty asked Terry if he wanted to take his driver's test
now or wait. He decided to go now. So Bobby found a DMV
near San Francisco which was more experienced in sexually
ambiguous people and Terry passed his driver's test with
flying colors. He could have gone for any commercial
license by that time, but chose to put that off.
Terry's and Flora's gift to Betty was having Terry copy his
Mom's permed hair style. While not as long as Betty's,
Terry's hair had achieved enough length to make it work.
And Flora had assured him it would be lower maintenance.
Terry loved the look on his Mom's face when he showed up on
Christmas Eve with Flora and his mass of curls. Then he
told her he was taking her shift that night. Betty cried.
Richard gave Terry a selection of dresses, skirts and
blouses, courtesy of Doc's grant account. He mentioned that
they would mostly fit Betty as well, but she might need a
little padding to fill them out. He gave out an obsolete
video game console and cartridges for Joelle and Terry to
share.
Christmas in Filler, with a few exceptions, consisted of
little gifts and big thoughts.
Chapter 12: Town Meeting
February brought Doc Schlange back. Terry had achieved a
'D' cup. The Doc explained that Terry may be the record
holder if Guiness would make a category. He had contacted
them and they were interested. Doc made sure that Terry's
name was still unknown.
Terry laughed out loud at the news. Doc could see his
breasts jiggle with each gale of laughter. Joelle was
giggling uncontrollably. Doc guessed Terry was likely in
solid sexual working order, looking at the interaction of
the two.
The caf? was deserted, Filler was in its hard winter
doldrums. Business slowed to a crawl. Doc looked at the new
winter parkas the teenagers were wearing and was glad
Richard had interpreted Doc's orders on the use of the
grant money correctly. Somehow, in little ways, the people
in the town were getting a little benefit from his study
with Terry. If Joelle got a new ski jacket, or one of the
old ladies got some new underwear, he was for it. He knew
Richard was a bit of a Robin Hood, and was compelled to
quietly help people. Plus, Terry's blood chemistry was
worth untold amounts in scientific knowledge. And his grant
was barely five percent utilized. Richard stole small and
made sure it was kept that way, with meticulous records and
linked justification for everything.
Bobby, Charlene and Richard were having their "Town
Council" meeting, which meant they poured a beer each,
Charlene lit another cigarette and they sat in the bar.
They were totally alone. Joelle was running the pumps and
Terry had the caf? under control. Flora was doing hair and
Betty was sound asleep.
"Charlene, it's been this bad before. Can't you hang on
another six months?" Richard asked.
"No Richard. You can't argue with cash flow. We didn't
clear enough during the sports seasons to get through. With
the new taxes and Bobby having to re-vent his tanks, we're
are looking at a meltdown within three months. Better we
liquidate now before they do it for us." Charlene looked
more haggard than ever before.
"I hate giving up, Richard, but I may not make payroll and
I'm behind on my worker's comp payment, which they just
raised another fifteen percent. It's like pushing a rope."
Bobby said, plain and straight.
"If I can convince you to stick it out, will you work with
me to save these people?" Richard smiled.
They looked at him and nodded.
"Let me tell you why I came here." Richard began a long
exposition which held their attention like a stainless
steel chain.
After Richard was finished, Bobby stood up. He stuck out
his hand and said. "I'm in. Let's find a way to hang on."
Charlene agreed.
Chapter 13: Fifteen Minutes Of Fame
It had been decided that Richard would approach Betty and
Terry with the proposition.
"You want me to be a freak show, for tourists?" Terry was
incredulous. Betty was torn. She knew things were bad
financially.
"I won't lie to you, Terry, yes we want you to be our
Sasquatch or UFO. You know other towns have had gimmicks to
attract traffic, and this would be no different. If we can
hold on for just about six more months then we may make it
through. Flora has some ideas to keep your identity private
and the Doc has agreed to play along." Richard said, in his
normal calm tones.
Terry looked at Betty. He actually started to cry for the
first time since all this started. Betty held him like
mothers do. She nodded to Richard and he quietly left.
"Mom, I don't want to be a freak. Do I have to do this?"
Terry pleaded with her.
"No, you don't. I'm sure we'll land on our feet. No one in
the town thinks you are anything other than a great kid,
Terry. They would never have asked this unless they had run
out of things to do. Charlene, Bobby, Richard and Flora all
love you like their own. Think about what it took for them
in pride to have to ask." Betty was an intensely practical
woman, firmly grounded in real things and real people.
"Can I think it over a bit?" Terry asked.
"Of course, honey. Take your time."
Later that evening, Betty saw Terry walking out to the town
graveyard. She knew he was going to ask the one person he
respected the most.
Terry looked at the simple headstone marking his Dad's
place. He did not have a loud discussion, just a silent
meditation. He got a sense of what to do. Not a plan, not
directions, but a sense based in the values he had grown up
with. He cried some more.
Bobby spotted him and waited at a respectful distance. When
he sensed it was time, he came up and put an arm around
Terry.
"Did he tell you?" Bobby asked.
"I think so. He told me to do what I had to do to help my
family. My whole family." Terry said, quietly, almost a
whisper.
Bobby nodded and walked back inside with him. The dry snow
was flying by sideways, skittering around the little fence
and the ten grave markers.
Chapter 14: See The Strange Thing, Buy The Tee Shirt
Doc Schlange had been on TV before and was telling Terry to
stay calm. The News van had pulled up along with three
other cars in the Highway Motel and Family Restaurant
parking lot, and the crew had just finished assembling
their satellite uplink dish.
Terry was squirming. He hated the wig, a red haired one
which he thought was pretty ugly and way shorter than his
own hair. He thought about how much work it would be to get
his hair style back in shape for his shift in the caf?. The
phony fat belly was uncomfortable. Flora had told him it
was a 'pregnancy simulator' for men, and Terry thought that
sounded like something silly beyond belief. What kind of
civilization thought that was an important product? He
wished the effort had gone into finding a cure for his real
problem.
Flora had darkened his face and simulated a five oclock
shadow, as if he had not shaved. Terry had not needed to
shave yet in all his life. He had been looking forward to
it. So here he sat, wearing a really low cut tank top which
not only showed his boobs, unconstrained by a brassiere,
but also showed him to be a fat slob with a bulging gut. He
had on men's jeans and he had to agree, he looked nothing
like himself. He looked like a fat kid with huge breasts.
So they did their interview with the tabloid television
show. Richard had timed it to find a slow news cycle and
lined up the sensational media with 'semi-exclusives'. Doc
Schlange lent an air of credibility to the story and he was
careful to just verify that he was treating an obscure
condition on a young man from the area. He appeared on the
first interview show and answered few questions.
They really wanted to pan the cameras on Terry's chest.
They asked him a series of silly questions and Terry made
up answers equally silly but drawing from a carefully
worked out background story that Richard had devised. He
made sure Terry could converse and deal with any trick
questions. If a reporter got too aggressive, Terry was to
look puzzled, and look around, which made for bad
television. The reporter was then taken aside and reminded
of their agreement by Richard or Charlene. Bobby was too
scary to play that role.
Within two weeks, a trickle of cars rolled through to see
"Booby Boy". Terry did two shows a day, walking from the
Super Center to the Sunny Serve on good weather days and
always twice through the caf?, wearing that tight tank top.
He never talked to anyone and was ushered back to the
privacy of either a motel room or the office.
Richard had souvenirs made up and they sold them at all
three retail counters. Pictures with Booby Boy could be
negotiated depending on how much they thought the mark
would pay. Joelle ended up owning that franchise, she could
figure a price just below the 'forget it' level.
All photographers and TV crews paid for space and
facilities, a normal occurrence. Richard researched the
fees and was good at getting the most they could from the
media just for parking their trucks.
Booby Boy was hardly a national sensation but like all
strange things , it drew a small throng of the interested.
For some reason, a part of the transgender crowd adopted
Booby Boy as their mascot/idol and he had a fan club. Some
obscure manufacturers of 'special' clothing for
crossdressers wanted product endorsements.
Guiness awarded him a mention as worlds largest naturally
occurring male breast development. They took pictures of
his beauties, which Richard leaked to the internet through
a third party. They were a sensation that kept the buzz
going for another two months. They did not show Terry's
face.
Chapter 15: Life Is A Carnival
Terry decided Flora was a genius. For his one hour a day as
Booby Boy, he was fat guy with a round bulge in the middle.
Everyone was looking for padding on his breasts but nobody
suspected padding on his belly.
So when he took off the wig and let down his brown hair,
put on a light base makeup, and used the waist cinching
girdle with highly padded hips and butt, he became a curvy
girl with big breasts and a real waist. From a blimp to an
hourglass. No one ever mistook him for Booby Boy. If any
reporter thought of the ruse, he would be looking for a fat
girl. And Terry was proud of not being fat.
Betty had thought that to make sure, he should dress as
'girly' as possible when not doing a show, just to make
sure.
"Look at these, Mom. How can I not dress 'girly' ?" Terry
said, giggling. He was at the high end of the 'D' cup
scale.
He had slapped a guy who grabbed at them during the show
today and Bobby had hustled the jerk off with a threatened
arrest. Sheriff Bobby told the offender that a generous
amount for the photo with the offended star attraction
might prevent charges from being pressed.
Terry and Joelle dated, driving up the interstate to the
movies or the Wal-Mart. Joelle could never decide what to
wear, since Terry usually wore a dress, following Betty's
advice. Terry had the girl thing down pretty well, since
his voice was fairly neutral. Richard said that people
heard what they expected. They looked at Terry's appearance
and heard a girl's voice when he talked.
Joelle decided to make the most of it, which seemed to be
the town motto of Filler. She enjoyed snuggling into
Terry's chest after sex, and really liked how Terry
responded when she worked his breasts over with her tongue.
Truckers up and down the Interstate stopped by to say hello
to Bobby's niece, that 'pump jockey with the big rack'.
They liked Joelle, too, but went in for coffee if Terri was
the waitress. Terry knew them all and developed a friendly
style of back and forth banter which made the shift go
quickly.
Betty had asked Terry to begin wearing a 'proper hat' on
Sundays when she ran the church service for the town in the
bar of the restaurant. Betty was a natural preacher and had
a relaxed brand of religion which soothed the souls of most
people in town. Betty never minded when Terry and Joelle
held hands during the service, which she kept mercifully
short, thus meeting the criteria necessary for true
redemption. If you can't tell them they can save their own
souls in ten minutes, then you sure can't do it in two
hours she always said. So Terry borrowed one of Flora's big
hats with flowers and a veil, since Flora only attended on
important days, like Bingo.
By the end of spring, several things had developed.
Terry and Joelle placed in the top percentile on the PSAT
tests, ranked among the top ten thousand in the state.
Flora was proud, especially since they took it a year
early.
Terry's rate of breast growth had almost stopped. He found
'DD' bras a little loose but a better fit than his 'D's. He
was still a little pudgy in his hips and rear, maybe by an
extra inch.
Joelle explained to Doc Schlange that Terry was in fine
working order. The Doc was interested in Terry's sexual
responses to breast stimulation and Joelle talked for
hours, in the interest of science, of course. The Doc was
amused and left the recorder on even though he knew the
memory chip was removed. Joelle needed someone to talk to.
Bobby, Charlene and Richard compared financials. Filler had
made it through the winter and spring.
"Booby Boy" had pretty much become a forgotten fad. Every
once in a while, if a group of tourists asked real nice,
Charlene or Bobby would ask Terry to consent to a
'performance', putting on the wig and belly, darkening his
complexion and letting his boobs out of their bra.
Terry found going braless felt very awkward and caused him
embarrassment. The desire to feel normal is inherent in the
human condition and Terry was rapidly adapting to his
current state as 'normal'. He was respected in his
community as performing a difficult and important service,
despite the risk of personal humiliation. He was friends
with truckers and salesmen, highway patrolmen and women,
all the folks who lived between the exit signs, traveling
the road. He was treated as an adult doing adult jobs with
adult responsibilities, and helping to keep the bills paid.
Joelle loved him despite the way he was. And he loved her.
Chapter 16: Surprise Sergeant Carter! Surprise! Surprise!
Surprise!
A year after it all started, Doc Schlange had news. Terry
had finally stabilized his chemistry. His immune system was
slowly recovering. Springer Syndrome looked like it did
burn out.
Doc was checking his fly rod while Terry was getting back
into his slip.
"Terry, what do you want to do now? I can schedule a breast
reduction surgery in about six months or so when we are
certain you're OK and your immune system could handle it. I
would want you to go to San Francisco or Los Angeles and
have a very experienced surgeon do the work. I'll help out
getting the cost down, but it's still going to be
expensive. And quite a shock to your system." Doc went,
checking his supply of flies. Bobby was going to show him a
hidden deep spot that was good this time of year.
"Can't you do it Doc?" Terry asked, tying his apron.
"I know my limits, Terry. In an emergency, sure I'd do it,
but this isn't one. You are a healthy man with healthy
breasts and a somewhat soft ass. And a better girlfriend
than most guys ever see. No, Terry, in many ways, you have
more of a life here than a lot of people ever get. If you
do this, do it without risking what you have. That's what a
doctor is supposed to tell you. Now I'm going fishing."
"Good luck Doc." Terry said. Terry walked home to the
trailer, determined to get off his feet for awhile. He was
real glad he could stop wearing the girdles, they became a
pain after a long day. He remembered he was going to wash
his hair tonight with Joelle. That would be fun.
Richard had called a town meeting and brought a bottle of
champagne. Really good champagne. With a real cork. And
from Napa Valley. Richard had a problem with the French
which he refused to disclose.
"Al right, Richard the Wizard, why are we here and drinking
this fizzy stuff?" Charlene opened. Bobby grinned and
sipped his glass. Flora was in attendance too, and pouring
the bubbly all around.
"Because our proverbial ship is coming in. Filler is
saved!" Richard said, ginning mischievously.
Richard relayed the story. Six years ago he was looking for
places to invest his cash out of his IPO when he got a
proposal for a resort development based on a water
diversion project which was being held up in the courts. It
was close to Filler and Filler's exit would be the key
point of entry for the area. So he saw a chance to bring
Flora home and build a quiet life while he waited for this
to happen. He knew the court delays would take a while but
the need to develop was pretty powerful and the case would
break through. So he optioned a part of the resort project,
the part tied to the development of the highway exit and
services. He then moved in to sit on his investment. So
while Richard had money, it was tied up in development
funds on the option or he would lose the rights. So he
lived fairly frugally on the interest and what he could
earn from the store. Flora and Richard had adopted Joelle
when Flora's sister died, prompting Flora's desire to
return home and raise her in the environment she knew.
So now the project was underway, court cases dismissed and
the resort was rolling. It would be a huge complex twenty
miles down the road in the sierra foothills, with golf
courses, restaurants, spas and other luxury features, as
well as condos. The hunting and fishing in the area would
probably triple.
Most of all, the value of Filler property would skyrocket.
From less than zero to actually worth something.
"So, Richard, do we all just sell out?" Bobby asked.
"To be honest, that was my original plan. But then I lived
here and you folks became family. No, the current proposal
is to rebuild Filler a bit, so it fits with the theme of
the resort, but still services the highway travelers and
truckers, our current regulars. And maybe we will have
secure employment for the people in the town, a school
nearby and things like health insurance and dental care,
and maybe a swimming pool. Nothing fancy, just a little
security. That's what I offer." Richard looked at the other
three Fillerites.
Bobby stuck out his hand. Richard accepted it. No words
needed. Charlene kissed Richard , Flora and Bobby in that
order. The one with Bobby took a while.
Chapter 17: Another Few Years Go By
Joelle glanced up at the truck rolling into the Sunny
Serve. She called the kitchen and told them to get a
chicken fried steak ready. That driver was regular as
clockwork. As hostess in the new Trucker's Rest, she made
it a point to anticipate her customers, especially when
they were running reefers. She saw the driver wave at
Bobby, who was untangling the air hose, and continue on in.
The buildings had been redone in a Spanish stucco fa?ade,
the only thing remaining of the old Filler was the tall
neon Sunny Serve sign, visible for miles down the road.
Charlene had married Bobby and they formally merged their
businesses. They were now a subsidiary of the large resort.
The truck stop complex had a new motel, pool, caf? and
family restaurant, and served as a training ground for
chefs at the resort, so the food was excellent. If a chef
could handle the menu and pace here, he or she was given a
shot at the big time, the five star operation down the
road. The benefits were great, with paid vacation and even
dental.
Flora converted her tutoring operation to an actual private
school, and was feared by the State education bureaucrats.
The trailers were demolished for scrap and replaced by a
better set of locations in the shade, away from the highway
noise. Double wides and better, the best manufactured homes
there were. With swimming pools. Richard made sure the
cemetery was moved with the consent of everybody, and
totally paid for by the resort. The dead did not mind, and
the shade made visits easier and the flowers last longer.
Doc Schlange had been dating Betty for a year now. He was a
recent widower of six years. Betty was showing him how to
really fly fish, like her daddy had taught her.
So the driver came in and Joelle greeted him, asked him how
his knee was and seated him at his favorite table.
Terri brought out his chicken fried steak with salsa, and
exchanged insults with the driver. The driver thanked him
and whistled as Terri walked away.
Terry had put on a few pounds and they seemed to have
settled in his butt. It just made his life a bit easier,
since he could forego the padding now. He took his apron
off in the back, put on his sunglasses, adjusted his bra
strap and went over to Joelle at the front. He kissed her
on the cheek and told her he would be waiting by the pool.
And please get his tip from Bubba.
Terry walked out and got into his car. He kept putting off
the surgery, this time because he wanted Betty to have some
free time to spend with the Doc and he was covering her
shifts. He looked at his long brown hair and decided he
would get another perm from Flora soon.
END