Dresses Aren't Bad
By Margaret Jeanette
Samantha Monroe sat in her office waiting for Leland Keyes to
come by. He was president of the leading bank in town and she
handled his investments. He wanted to diversify more. She was all
prepared for him.
She ran the major investment firm in town and ruled it with an
iron fist. She took no guff from anyone. She was all business. She
had finished today's Wall Street Journal and was up on just about
every investment opportunity.
Her intercom buzzed and she knew Leland was there. He entered her
office and she could see he had something on his mind.
"Sam, I was talking to Harvey Preston who does his own investing.
He has been investing in third world banks and says he is making a
killing. How come we never invest in those sorts of things?"
"There area number of reasons. First most of those countries
money is so unstable that one day it may match dollar for dollar
and two days later it is worth a dime on the dollar. Second, I have
been following some of those foreign banks and they aren't
regulated like our banks are. Last week eleven of those banks shut
down operations without explanation. Any investors lost their
money. Also, most of those banks don't submit reports like ours
have to do. However if you want we can invest some of your money in
foreign banks. You tell me which ones you want and how much and I
will take care of the transactions."
"No, I see your reasoning. You know that is why I have you handle
my investments. You look at the things I never think of. By the
way, did you know that the word is out that your husband Melvin was
laid off because he spent too much time fluffing off? Harry Carter
his ex-boss said Melvin spent too much time talking to the other
employees and wasn't carrying his share of the workload."
"No, I didn't know that. They told him they lost two accounts and
that there wasn't enough work for the workforce they had. I did
hear that they lost Cumberland Industries, that was one of their
biggest customers."
"Yeah, I did hear Cumberland is reorganizing. They were flying
and then came the crash. The high fuel costs did them in. Their big
furnaces have to keep running and that takes big bucks these days."
"Everyone has to watch where their money is going. That is why I
watch things so closely. I've been lucky more than once switching
some investments. As soon as I see cash flow going down I start
watching a company very close."
"I have to get back to the bank. Thank you for the information.
Keep up the great work." He left.
Now she was thinking about Melvin. She knew he was a talker and
that he wasn't the most ambitious man in the world. She wondered if
losing a client had just given them a reason to lay him off, when
the real reason was he wasn't pulling his weight.
When she arrived home Melvin, as usual, had supper cooking on the
stove. He was a very good cook. She cooked very few meals as he was
a better cook than she was.
When they were eating she told him about Leland's visit and when
she said something about him fluffing off at work he emphatically
denied it. He said he always did his work.
"Oh, by the way, Mabel Hanson called and said she was going to
have surgery and wouldn't be coming to clean the house. She said
she was sending her daughter Rebecca in her place. What's for
dessert?"
"I didn't make anything. I thought this was a big meal, that we
wouldn't want dessert."
She got up and went to the freezer and took out two individual
pies and minutes later had them thawed in the microwave and setting
in front of them.
"That's the difference between you and me. I always look ahead
and prepare for anything. If I see anything that we might someday
need I get it. We may have a lot of extra things around but you
never know when we might need them. Before you start to clean up
get me a drink so I can relax."
He got her the drink and then cleaned up after the meal. She was
reading the evening paper, then thought about Melvin. If the word
was that he wasn't the best worker he would never get a job in
town. He was collecting unemployment, but that wouldn't last
forever.
The next morning Rebecca arrived. Samantha looked at her and
thought she looked a bit slutty in her short shorts and tight top,
but didn't say anything. Melvin looked at Rebecca and a smile
crossed his face as he wondered what she would be like in bed.
All morning he played on the computer and got extra glasses of
water to catch a glimpse of Rebecca as she cleaned. At noon he
made them both soup and a sandwich.
He ate slowly, watching her eat. She finished and took some nail
polish out of her over-sized purse and started to apply it to her
nails.
He was fascinated as he watched her apply the nail polish. She
looked at him and smiled and he was in her grasp.
"Tell me, are you the least bit adventuresome?"
"I think I'm as adventuresome as the next guy. I like to try
things I've never tried before."
"Let me see your hands. I want to see how your fingernails look."
She took his hands and said, "Tsk-tsk, your nails look terrible.
I will make them look great."
She filed them, and he thought about how he should have clipped
them back a long time ago. They were longer than hers were. She
filed them with a curve that ended in a little point in the center
of each nail. Then she said that as long as he was adventuresome he
should have some color on them. She slowly applied her Wet Shine
Juicy Tomato polish to his nails. When she was done she told him
that now he looked a lot better. All he could see was the light
shining off of them, and was fascinated and transfixed as he looked
at them.
He heard her say something about wearing matching lipstick but it
didn't register. Quickly she applied the bright red lipstick to
his lips and stood back and smiled. Then she said something about
his eyes, and before he knew it he had eye liner, eye shadow and
water-proof mascara on. His eye lashes stood out like points of
black in a white room.
Then she said, "All of this has put me behind in my work, what
with having to find all the cleaning supplies and all. Will you be
a dear and do the carpeting for me?"
He agreed and soon was working in the living room, then the
hallway, followed by the bedrooms. He finished and Rebecca told him
he had done a great job. He went back to his computer.
When Rebecca was doing the bathroom she saw the make-up remover
and nail polish remover there. She took it and put it in her purse,
laughing. He wasn't going to get by that easy.
Then she said good-bye, and that she would be back tomorrow to
finish the house. He looked at his watch and saw Samantha would be
home any minute. He hadn't started supper yet. He would have to
make one of his instant meals.
Then he looked at his nails. He knew there was nail polish
remover in the bathroom. When he went in he was shocked to see the
make-up on his face, then vaguely remembered Rebecca applying it.
He knew he had seen different removers in the bathroom, because
when he'd asked Samantha about them she'd said someday she might
try something, and wanted remover in case she didn't like it.
He was getting desperate when he couldn't find the removers. He
knew he had seen them here somewhere. Then he heard Samantha
calling him. He was ready to cry as she came past the open door of
the bathroom.
She took a look at him and her jaw dropped. "What is this? It
isn't Halloween, so why are you wearing make-up?"
"It isn't how you think it is. I can explain! Where did the
make-up removers go?"
"I don't know, but I want you to come here and explain why you
are wearing all that make-up, and it better be good!"
They were in the bedroom and he started, "I made some lunch for
Rebecca and then she was doing her nails and asked me if I was
adventuresome. The next thing I knew I had red nails, and then I
don't know how it happened but she put the make-up on me. I figured
we had the removers so I wasn't worried about it. Then I got busy
on the computer and lost track of time. I will make one of my
quick meals and I would appreciate it if you found the make-up
removers."
"No, I have a better idea. We will go out to eat. But you can't
go out looking like that so I will just have to have you change
clothes. Strip off all of your clothes, now!"
He stripped off his clothes and gasped when she handed him a pair
of silk panties, saying he couldn't wear his boxers. She asked him
if he really wanted to go out wearing men's clothes and make-up.
She said she was sure she could make it so no one would think him
out of place if he would just give her a chance. Then she ordered
him to get the panties on.
This was followed with a bra. She stuffed the cups so he had a
decent looking chest. Then she opened a new package of pantyhose
which he put on followed by a slip, and when she took a black dress
out of her closet he gasped. He never knew she owned a dress. The
only time he had seen her in a dress was their wedding day. He
didn't think this was going to work.
Then he heard her say, "Now where is it? I know it's here
somewhere. Ah, there it is."
She had a little carrying case, and when she opened it he saw the
long blond wig she had worn one day for about an hour. He
remembered her saying that it wasn't for her, that she liked her
short hair. Soon he was wearing it and it had a jeweled pin in it.
Then she had him try a pair of black flats on. They were a bit
too small for him, so they tried a pair of black mules with a two
inch heel. They would do for tonight.
He told her he could make a meal faster than if they ordered
something at a supper club. She said nonsense, that they were going
out to eat.
In the car he felt odd but he knew he had better do as Samantha
said. He remembered once when he had defied her she had slapped him
very hard in anger. He didn't want to make her mad.
At the supper club they were greeted as two women and were seated
immediately. They both ordered steaks and soon were eating.
Samantha thought about how nice he looked in all of the make-up.
She had never ever thought about feminizing him but now it didn't
look like a bad idea. She loved the extra control it would give her
over him. She thought about ways to use him to gain more control
over him.
"You know, you look sweet but that dress is just a little big on
you. I think we should get you some dresses that look better on you
and some shoes that have a better fit."
"I don't want to wear dresses! I never should have allowed you to
get me into this one. What makes you think I want to wear dresses
anyway?"
"Well, you allowed yourself to be made up and to be made to look
feminine. I'm just helping you go the rest of the way. Now, when we
are done we will go shopping for some new dresses for you."
"I don't want to go! I told you I don't want to wear dresses!"
"You will either agree to get some new dresses when we leave here
or I will stop at the uniform shop and get you an uniform. I think
you would look nice in a pretty French maid's uniform, don't you?"
"Aren't you listening? I told you I don't want any dresses!"
"You are the one who isn't listening. Now make up your
mind--dresses or uniforms? I've made up my mind so you better make
up yours!"
He sat quiet, knowing she was getting angry. He wasn't going to
give her an answer. They finished their meal and were in the car.
She started it and turned toward him, asking dresses or uniforms.
In a low voice he said dresses.
She stopped at a leading women's wear store. Before long there
were ten dresses in the cart plus an assortment of bras and
panties. Then she took him by the nightgowns and showed him a lacy
silk long nightgown. He said she always wore cotton pajamas to bed,
why should he wear nightgowns. She said, so it would not be a
problem sorting out whose was what when he did the laundry. She
said he was getting fancy ones to make it easier. They ended up
with five nightgowns and three baby doll very feminine pajamas for
him.
Then it was three different colored lacy garter belts and nylons
followed by silk slips He was getting a sinking feeling in his
stomach that she was looking at a long term for him to wear
dresses.
In the shoe department they got six pair of shoes, two of them
being flats. The rest were three inch heels. Then Samantha spotted
the jewelry area. Before he knew it his ears had been pierced in
three places each and he wondered at how it hadn't hurt like he
thought it would. She got him a gold woman's watch and some
necklaces and bracelets. They had an assortment of jewelry boxes
there and she got him the largest one they had. It played music
whenever you opened a drawer or door.
He shuddered when she picked out two bright bikini swim suits for
him. When she picked out three purses for him plus a white wallet
with Tinkerbelle on it for him he said he didn't think a wallet
like that was necessary. She said he was cooperating so well she
would get a different one for him, and picked a red patent leather
one out to go with his red purse. She told him to pick out a white
one to go with his white purse. All of the white ones had something
on them. He finally picked one that had a blue flower on it.
They were going down the aisle where there were racks of evening
gowns. She was watching him and saw his gaze stop on a white one
with delicate red roses embroidered on it. She asked him if he
wanted it and he quickly said no. She said she didn't believe him
and it found its way into their basket.
She picked out a heavily scented English flower garden perfume
for him telling him she expected him to wear it every day. He
hated the smell of it.
He felt relieved when she finally said it was time to check out.
At last the shopping was over with.
The purchases filled the back seat of the car. He was shocked
when she stopped at a 24 hour pharmacy/convenience store. She said
he needed more make up, that he couldn't expect Rebecca to always
be there to do his.
Inside the saleslady helped them get everything they needed.
Everything was either water-proof or guaranteed long lasting. He
said they needed makeup and nail polish remover but Samantha said
don't be silly, then relented and let him get nail polish remover.
When he was getting the nail polish remover Samantha spotted the
false nails and got the elegant length ones with an extra bottle of
adhesive.
He felt like he had achieved a small victory getting the nail
polish remover. He noticed the dress swirling around him as he
walked it wasn't bad. It did seem as if everyone was seeing him as
a woman, and he gained confidence. In a way it was fun fooling
everyone.
At home as he was putting things away he found he had to get rid
of some of his men's clothes. Samantha told him to fill the boxes
in the garage for the time being. He had all three of them filled
in no time and finally had enough room to put everything away.
He decided to take a shower and Samantha followed him into the
bathroom. She said he should get rid of his body hair and she
helped him get the lotion all over his body. He was shocked at how
much hair came off him. After the shower he used the lotion
Samantha told him to use. It had a pleasant scent to it and he
realized he now smelled feminine and wondered how long it would
last.
He put on one of the nightgowns and reveled in how nice it felt.
It felt cool, really nice next to his hairless body. He looked at
himself in the mirror and if he didn't know it was him he would
believe it was a woman on the pretty side. She wouldn't win any
beauty pageants but she wasn't bad looking.
He went to say good night to Samantha. She was sitting reading
the evening paper.
"My but you do look nice. Now, I expect you to wear those nice
clothes we just got. Tomorrow wear the rose dress with your white
heels. I think you will look divine in it. Don't forget to use your
perfume first thing in the morning."
"Why are you doing this to me? Why am I being punished?"
"You are not being punished. When I first saw you I couldn't
believe it but then after I thought about it I decided you should
be wearing dresses. You do look so pretty in them."
"Why don't you ever wear a dress? I can only remember our wedding
day as the only time I saw you in a dress."
"I would have worn a white pantsuit on our wedding day if I could
have found one that was right for the wedding. I am more
comfortable in pants and jackets is all. I have worn only pants
since grade school and that's how I want to dress. Besides, all you
are doing is collecting unemployment. You haven't even tried to
find a different job. You can stay at home and wear the dresses
like a good wife."
"A wife! A wife! Is that how you see me?"
"Stop and think! I go to work everyday and you stay home. Who
stays home but the wife! You should be happy that I make enough
for you to stay home. I'll make you a deal. If you find a job where
you make more than I do then I will be a wife and wear whatever you
say. However, until then you will wear what I say. I know a lot of
places hire over the Internet -- maybe you can find something there
for a job."
"To make as much as you do I would have to be a vice president or
something. How am I to find a job like that?"
"That's your problem. I have been the major breadwinner ever
since we were married. I never gave it a thought, to make you wear
a dress, until tonight when I saw you in all that make-up and
learned you had to keep it on. Now, I kind of like the idea of you
staying home and being my wife."
"Can't we just leave things like they were? I promise I'll go out
tomorrow and really look for a job, any job."
"If you go out tomorrow it'll be wearing the rose dress and white
heels. I think the only job you might find is saleslady at some
store. Now, I am not in the mood to argue so off to bed with you."
He lay in bed trying to think of some way out of this. He had no
argument with the fact she brought more money into the household
than he did. He knew her and he knew she would get her way, one way
or another.
He was awake yet when she came in. She was hot from her new found
power over him. She wanted sex and thought about how she could get
him even more under her control. Then she remembered the two headed
dildo she still had from college. She went into the bathroom and
got the lubricating gel. She came back into the bedroom and
remembered where she put the dildo. Soon she had it buckled on with
the big head inside of her and the longer skinny head pointed out.
She got into bed and started kissing him. They both worked up a
frenzy and when he reached to stroke her between her legs he felt
something unnatural there. He tried to ask her what it was but she
kissed him to quiet him down.
She piled the two bed pillows on top of each other then got him
kneeling over them. She pushed his ass cheeks apart and slowly and
gently inserted the dildo. It was uncomfortable at first, then it
became pleasurable. He started to back into her thrusts.
"Tell me you want to be my wife!"
"No-o-o! I can't!"
"Tell me or I will get angry."
He couldn't control his feelings and finally told her he wanted
to be her wife. She wanted to go further.
"Tell me you want to be the perfect wife."
"I want to be the perfect wife."
"Tell me you want to wear dresses and make-up all the time."
"I want to wear dresses and make up all the time!"
"Give me your word that you will wear only women's clothes from
now on."
"You have my word!"
They both came at the same time and she withdrew. She felt giddy
with the new control she had. She wondered why she had never tried
it before. They both fell asleep in the afterglow and slept well.
When he awoke he remembered last night and wondered where she got
that dildo. He thought about how there were a number of things he
didn't know about Samantha. He got dressed and when he looked at
himself in the mirror he saw he was still wearing the make-up. The
dress was trimmed with white lace and didn't look too bad if he had
to say so himself.
He liked how the dress felt as he walked to the kitchen to get
his first cup of coffee of the day. When Samantha got up and came
into the kitchen she said he'd forgotten to use his perfume, and
that she expected him to use it daily. He went and sprayed himself
liberally, not caring for the scent.
He was on his third cup of coffee when Rebecca arrived. He had
forgotten about her. He tried to slouch down in his chair but she
saw him and gave him a big smile.
Samantha said she had to get to work then stopped and talked to
Rebecca. "Did you remove the make up and nail polish removers from
the bathroom?"
"Yes, he said he was adventurous so I figured I would help him be
more adventurous. I will put them back."
"That's all right. You could do me a favor and show him how to
apply make-up. There are two bags on the table for you to use. Also
have you ever applied false nails?"
"Yes, many times."
"There are some in one of the bags. I would appreciate it if you
would put them on him also. If you get him proficient in applying
his own make-up then there will be a bonus in it for you."
She left for work and Rebecca got busy cleaning. She didn't say
anything to him about his dress. He went and played on the
computer. He stopped playing for a bit and thought about the fact
that he was wearing a dress. It really wasn't bad. He enjoyed the
softness and feel of the clothes. He would never admit this to
anyone.
He was interrupted when Rebecca came in. "Hello, it's time for
class. Your wife asked me to instruct you in the art of putting on
make-up. Now, come along!"
He followed her into the dining area and sat down. She took all
of the make-up out of the bags. She looked at each item closely.
"You have excellent taste in make-up. It's all the best. I see
it's all long lasting too. Let's start with your fingernails. Hold
still now so I can glue on the false ones."
She expertly glued on the false nails. He asked if they were
going to be cut shorter and she said they were already formed so
why would he want to cut them back. When she was done with them he
had a shiny mirror finish of bright red nails.
Then she started with foundation, putting it on him and then
taking it off and having him do it himself. He was a fast learner
and soon he had it pretty well down pat. She showed him some little
tricks to getting it just right. They laughed a lot and actually
became friends. She said she had no idea his wife would do this
when she put the nail polish and make-up on him.
It was time to make supper and he began making a special meal for
tonight. Rebecca watched as he started the roast, first coating it
with a gooey sauce which he said contained some bar-b-que sauce and
a hyped up kool-aid mixture. She asked him what all was in the
mixture and he told her. She asked if he could give her some
lessons in cooking as her mother always made regular plain blah
meals. He told her he would be happy to show her how to adapt any
recipe to your own taste.
He explained how he got into cooking as a boy, and laughed when
she said she'd never had a chance to really learn to cook anything
except oatmeal. He said he'd tried some different things with
oatmeal and told her a couple of things that had really worked out
well. She said she would have to try them.
Rebecca asked him if he had picked a girl's name yet. He asked
why he would want a girl's name, and she said with the way he
looked he should not be called Melvin anymore.
"You know you do remind me of a girl I was in school with for
awhile. I have to remember her name. I think it was Bethany or
something like that. That would be a pretty name for you. I think
I will call you Bethany."
"Bethany is a pretty name but I don't think it's necessary to
change my name. I am not used to it and probably won't answer to
it."
"I will call you by it until you answer without thought. Now,
Bethany, what are you making with the roast?"
"I'm making parsley potatoes and creamed carrots. It isn't hard.
I can show you how easy it is."
He showed her how to make the sauce for the carrots and how to
chop the parsley for the potatoes. Then he showed her how to spice
the butter for the potatoes and how to taste it to see if it was
just the way you would want it. She was awed at how easy it was
once you knew the secret. He asked her if she wanted to join them
for supper and she agreed. She kept calling him Bethany as much as
possible.
Samantha arrived home and commented on how nice he looked. He
thanked her and told her that Rebecca was joining them for supper.
When they were eating, Rebecca said, "Bethany has agreed to show
me how he cooks. I never have learned how to use spices and today
he showed me how to make the sauces and everything. I can't believe
how good everything tastes."
"Who's Bethany?"
"Oh, you know him as Melvin, but I call him Bethany because he
reminds me of a girl I used to go to school with."
"Bethany is a pretty name. I might have picked Melvina or Melanie
but I think he should have a pretty name to go with his pretty
looks, so it will be Bethany. Bethany, did you thank Rebecca for
your new pretty name?"
"I don't remember if I did or not. If I didn't, thank you
Rebecca."
They finished eating and Rebecca left, thanking him once again.
Samantha told him she really liked his new name, and she was going
to get him something to reward him for how well he was adapting to
his new status as her wife. He couldn't think of anything he
needed.
The next morning Rebecca was there early. He said they weren't
expecting her, and she told him she wanted to see how he was going
to make tonight's supper. He asked if she'd eaten breakfast and she
said she hadn't. He made a flavored oatmeal, adding an awful
looking but great tasting concoction. When she tasted it she raved
at how great it was.
Then he got the slow cooker and showed her how to flavor the meat
using fruit juice and spices to bring out a different flavor. He
told her it can sit in the refrigerator until it is time to start
cooking. Then he told her what vegetable he thought went best with
it, and how to prepare it. He said regular boiled potatoes went
best with it. She said she wanted to go home and try it. He told
her to call if she ran into any problems.
He went and played on the computer but it just didn't seem the
same. He couldn't get into his favorite game. As he walked out of
the computer room he thought about how nice the dress felt. He did
a couple of twirls and laughed.
He had a few groceries to get but wondered if he should really go
out dressed like he was. Finally he decided to go and see what
happened. He got to the grocery store and when he was checking out
the bagger asked if he wanted him to carry the groceries to his
car. Both the bagger and check-out lady called him ma'am.
He decided to push it and went to a discount dress shop. A
saleslady came and asked if she could help him. He told her he was
looking for a fancy but not too fancy dress. She said she knew just
what he wanted and took him to two racks of dresses.
He looked through the first rack and didn't find anything. In the
second rack he saw a three piece outfit that included a light pink
sleeveless shell and darker pink skirt and jacket. He had to try
it on. When he looked in the mirror he knew it was for him.
Then he saw the perfect dress for him. It was white on top with
rows of lace and a blue pleated mini skirt. To him it looked almost
like a cheerleading outfit, but he loved it. When he tried it on
his slip showed, so the saleslady said she would get a slip for
that dress. Quickly she was back with a dark blue lace top slip.
He went and changed into the slip and back into the dress. He fell
in love with the image he saw it the mirror. He told the lady to
take the tags off of it, that he would wear it home.
At home he put supper on to slow cook and went to look at himself
in the mirror. He just loved how he looked and it felt so nice
also. He knew he had done the right thing in getting it. Tomorrow
he would wear the other dress he'd gotten.
He went to play on the computer, then sat thinking about the fact
that he was a man, and men didn't wear dresses. Then he decided he
would wear what he wanted when he wanted and to hell with anyone's
opinion. He could always tell anyone his wife was forcing him to
wear the dresses and he wouldn't be lying.
The phone roused him from his thoughts and it was Samantha
telling him she would be just a little late getting home. He told
her that would be no problem and went to turn down the slow cooker.
The phone rang again and it was Rebecca asking if it was all
right if she brought two friends along tomorrow to learn how to
make something else. She said she tasted today's meal and it was
delicious. Then she said she told her two friends that it would
cost each of them twenty-five dollars for the cooking lesson. He
laughed and said he would see them about ten tomorrow morning.
Everything was ready when Samantha got home. She first commented
on how good something smelled and then noticed his new dress.
"Is that a new dress? When did you get it? Where?"
"Yes, it is new and I got it this morning at the Dress Discount
Shop. I had to get some groceries and decided to stop to see what
they had. I got one other dress but it isn't as short as this one
is. I just had to get this one! I hope you aren't mad that I got
it."
"No, it looks very nice on you. You have great looking legs. They
look a lot better than mine do, I am sure of that."
At supper he told her about Rebecca bringing two friends tomorrow
for him to show them how to make something special for a meal.
Samantha suggested his orange marinated roasted chicken. He agreed
that would be a good thing to show them.
After he finished cleaning up she had him come sit by her on the
davenport. She kissed him and soon it was leading further. They
went into the bedroom where she rode his rear and he screamed as he
came in the most delightful way. Afterward she told him to leave
his panties on so he could experience the sticky panty effect a lot
of women have to experience.
As they were getting ready for bed she told him that the
minidress was just asking for sex and that it had really turned her
on. She knew she was changing into a more dominant figure in their
marriage, and liked how it felt. She wanted to keep him in dresses.
He lay awake trying to think about staying in dresses. For some
reason, he didn't know why, he wanted to continue to wear the
dresses. They felt so nice on him and he reveled in the feel. He
wondered if he had an addiction to them or what. Then he thought,
how can a person have an addiction to something like a dress.
The next morning Rebecca introduced him to Alyssa Timm and Thelma
Hightower and he welcomed them. He was getting the makings out when
the doorbell rang. He answered it and saw a woman who introduced
herself as Clara Halstead. She said she was the home economics
teacher at the high school and that Rebecca had gave her some of
the food to taste that he had shown her how to make. She asked if
she could observe whatever he showed them. He agreed, wondering why
she would want to watch.
He started telling them about using different flavorings to add
taste to food. He said today he was going to show them how to make
orange marinated roast chicken using kool-aid as the orange
flavoring. He mixed the kool-aid with a couple of tablespoons of
sugar, then added it to a small amount of bar-b-que sauce, then
added three more spices to it, telling them it killed the bar-b-que
flavor somewhat but added to the taste of the chicken. When he
started to marinate the chicken he showed them the easiest and
least messy way to do it. He said every meat has its own way to be
marinated to get the maximum effect of the marinade. He put it into
the refrigerator to set until it was time to start roasting.
Then he explained what to look for and how to check the
temperature to see when it was done. Then he gave them each a
computer printout of the recipe that also had a chart of spices to
use to flavor different meats. He explained the charts and made
sure to tell them to use small amounts of spices to give the hint
of flavor and not overwhelm person's taste buds.
All three girls gave him a hug and thanked him. When Alyssa and
Thelma tried to pay him he told them to keep it as he was just
making supper for him and his wife. Alyssa told him he was a very
pretty person, and he smiled widely at her.
The three girls left and then Mrs. Halstead started to talk to
him. "The reason I came is that we did have Myron Worth help us at
school with the cooking part of Home Ec. but he moved to Dallas to
be closer to his family. He was the head chef at the hotel dining
room and he showed the students how to make those fancy things they
like to serve. Now you show how to make meals that are more common
to a family. We need someone to show the students how to use common
everyday ingredients to make a delicious meal. You seem to have
that ability. I am proposing that you help us out. You will be paid
the substitute teacher rate for every day you teach. How does that
sound?"
"It sounds good but there are problems. First, you do realize I
am a man wearing a dress. How do you think the students will take
that? Second, I am not a teacher, I am an accountant, and out of
work right now. Thirdly, I do not have a teaching degree."
"Let me answer each question in order. First, the students will
accept you for who you are. I expect some flack from a few parents
but it is nothing that can't be handled. Our school district has a
non-discrimination policy that does address your situation. Second,
you say you are not a teacher but what were you just doing if not
teaching? I love the way you put things in simple understandable
language and made sure every girl knew exactly what you were doing
at each step. Third, the state requires a certified teacher in
every class. I will be there so that is covered. I am sure we can
work out something. School starts in two weeks and we do need
someone. I tried to talk to the new chef at the hotel but he has
too high an opinion of himself to come to teach a bunch of kids as
he called them. Please consider it and let me know. I need someone
with your talent and expertise for cooking. I taught it but it was
mostly from books not experience like you have."
"I will give it some thought but don't expect someone
spectacular. I learned to cook by taste, not recipe-bound but
relying on my taste buds. Not everyone has the same likes and
dislikes. That is what makes us different."
"Marvelous! That is what you tell the students. It is knowledge
learned by experience that is important to get to our students.
They can read anything but actual experience is the best teacher.
I know you have a lot to add to our curriculum. Please say you will
help us out!"
"I'll tell you what I will do. I'll let you know tomorrow if I'll
do it. If I do, it has to be my way and I am not sure all of your
colleagues would think my way is so great."
"I can answer any questions anyone may have. I just got an idea.
Did you want to learn to sew?"
"I don't know what learning to sew has to do with cooking. I
never thought about anything more than sewing a missing button on."
"Well, I know I could teach you how to sew like a professional.
I could show you how to make a pattern and how to follow it. Then
you could design and make your own dresses. If you take the
teaching job then not only will you get paid like any other teacher
but I will also teach you to sew like a professional. How's that
for a deal?"
"I'll let you know tomorrow. That is a promise!"
She left, and he wondered why he would want to learn how to sew.
Then he thought about how he could make his own dresses and all
sorts of things. Then he had to laugh at the idea.
That night when he discussed it with Samantha she said she
thought it was an excellent idea. She said it would give him
something to occupy his time, and he would also learn another area
where he might posibly find work. He decided he would take the job.
When he called Mrs. Halstead she was delighted that he accepted
the job. They agreed to meet at the school on Monday at nine in the
morning so he could see the classroom.
The three girls arrived and raved over how their families loved
the chicken. He told them to keep experimenting, that he was just
going to make breaded pork chops with milk gravy for supper. He
said there was nothing special about it but the girls said they
wanted to see how to make them. Alyssa asked if she could bring a
couple of friends along and he agreed. He then suggested they all
stay for supper. They agreed to be back at three to make sure they
didn't miss anything.
Then he said he wanted to talk to Rebecca. The other girls went
into the living room while he talked to her.
"I've agreed to teach cooking at the high school. Mrs. Halstead
convinced me to give it a try. I don't know if it'll go over well
or not but I'm willing to try it. If you hadn't put that make-up on
me none of this would have happened. I guess I have to thank you
for that. I am not sure how the students will accept me but Mrs.
Halstead says not to worry about it."
"I am sure the students will accept you. Just be yourself and
explain things the way you do to us and everything will be all
right. You could ask your wife to let you dress as a man again."
"I don't know if she would go for that or not. To tell you the
truth we are closer now than we've ever been, and I don't want to
destroy that. She isn't hiding the fact she likes me in a dress
more than when I wore slacks and a shirt."
"Do you want me to talk to your wife? A lot of times a girl can
get through to another girl easier than a male to a female. I can
explain how it happened that you got the nail polish and make-up in
the first place."
"I've already explained that to her, and it's my problem and I'll
handle it. Thank you for offering, I really appreciate it."
"You know, you don't make a bad looking woman. If you are going
to continue wearing dresses you could have your eye brows thinned
a bit. Otherwise you can pass easily enough. You know, it's funny,
when I was in school I hated a lot of things about it, but now I
wish I was back there so I could have you for a teacher."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence. I really wonder how I'm
going to do. I've shown you my favorite recipes and I'm going to
have to actually look for some more to show the students."
"I think you have to tell them the things you told us, like it is
better to cook under a lower heat and take longer than to hurry the
cooking process. What about when you showed us how to marinate
meats. That is important also."
"I guess I'll make it. Mrs. Halstead has said I will be paid like
any other teacher, plus she said she would show me how to sew my
own clothes."
"Yes, sewing is her passion. She is a great seamstress. She
doesn't hide the fact that she really likes sewing."
They continued talking for some time before she left. After she
left he thought about how close it had come to Rebecca talking to
Samantha and convincing her to let him back into men's clothes.
Samantha came home carrying a bag and remarked about how great
the supper smelled. As they were eating she commented on how good
the meal was. "You know what with all the things you are doing for
me, like cooking and everything I have decided to reward you. I
have something special for you and I will give it to you after you
shower."
"What is it? I am dying to know!"
"You will see as soon as you shower. I think it's time to remove
all of your body hair again. You know where the bottle is and how
to do it. When you're ready I'll do your back for you."
He loved how the clothes felt against his bare skin but he never
told her about it. She thought about it, how if she could keep him
in dresses until the first class in school then he'd be forced to
keep on wearing dresses for the school year.
When it was time for his shower she rubbed the lotion on his
back. In the shower he wondered what she had for him. With the hair
removal she had insisted on he knew it wasn't his men's clothes.
When he came out of the shower Samantha was standing there with
a big grin on her face. He saw a gold box on the counter and
wondered what was in it. Samantha opened the box and he saw a large
set of breast forms. Soon she had them glued on him. He was
surprised at how heavy they were.
"Did you have to get such big ones?" They stuck out about five
inches from his chest.
"I special-ordered them over a week ago. They are DDD's. I
figured you like big breasted women and would like a set of your
own big breasts. They are the latest gel- filled and will move
naturally. My breasts are only B's, and I thought someone should
have generous breasts in the house. Now you can get rid of those
awful socks you've been stuffing your bras with. I also got you
some new bras to wear. They're in your drawer."
"Just how long do you intend on my wearing dresses? How long is
it going to be before I am back in men's clothes?"
"I think when these breast forms fall off on their own then we
can think about you getting back into your men's clothes."
"When do you think that will be?"
"Well the woman at the place where I got the forms said the glue
will hold for quite a while. She said she knows of one woman who
has had them on without reglueing for over four years. Maybe you
will be lucky and they'll come off in a few months, and then maybe
you will set a record for them to stay on. You're a gambler of
sorts, so think of it as a gamble."
He put on his longest face and she was smiling. She knew that now
there was no way he would ever fit into any of his men's shirts or
suits. He was secretly happy with the way things were going but he
didn't want Samantha to know that. He wished she'd gotten him
smaller breast forms though.
When he went to see the classroom, Mrs. Halstead showed him the
cooking area and he checked on the cooking utensils there. On a
piece of paper he wrote down a couple of things he would pick up
for the class. She told him cooking was usually held on Mondays and
Fridays. He said that would be perfect. She said sewing was Tuesday
and Wednesday and that on Thursday they discussed any questions and
talked about everything, from the order of cleaning a house to
planning an event like a dinner party. She told him she would like
for him to attend all the classes and to join in whenever he
wanted.
Then she said she had a personal question for him and he said to
go ahead and ask. She asked, "How did you end up in dresses?"
He explained how Rebecca had gotten him into nail polish and
make-up, then took the removers, and his wife had seen him like
that, and all that had happened afterward.
"I know Rebecca -- did you know that once she put nail polish and
lipstick on her boyfriend and made him wear it for the entire
school day? She can be quite persuasive sometimes, and she is a
conniver. Tell me, how do you like wearing dresses?"
"Well, at first I hated the idea of wearing them, then something
happened and I now like the feel of them, the softness of them
against my skin. To tell you the truth I never thought I would be
caught dead in a dress but it has happened."
"What does your wife think of all of this?"
"I know she wants to keep me in dresses as long as possible. The
other night when she presented me with these new breast forms she
said they could stay on for years and that I wouldn't be back in
men's clothes until they fell off naturally by themselves."
"So actually, each one of you wants the same thing? It isn't
negatively affecting your marriage?"
"No, in fact I think it's making our marriage stronger. She likes
being in control. A few times she's called me her wife. I really
don't mind that."
"How did you get the name Bethany?"
"That was another of Rebecca's idea's. She said I reminded her of
some Bethany that she knew some time ago, and started calling me
Bethany, and my wife heard about it and said that it was a perfect
name for me."
"I'll bet that was Bethany Roman. You do remind me of her now
that you mention it. She and Rebecca were close for a little while,
then Bethany moved to another city. Well, enough of this, I am
really looking forward to your being part of the program. I am a
sewer not a really good cook, so we will balance each other off
perfectly. I'll see you next Tuesday, the first day of school."
He left and felt very good about teaching cooking. Recipes
started going through his mind to show the students. He was humming
a tune to himself as he returned home.
The first day of school he was very nervous. All sorts of
thoughts ran through his head. What if the students didn't like
him? What if they made a scene about him wearing a dress? The what
ifs started to overcome him and he wondered if he just should
forget the whole thing. Then he settled down and started to get
dressed. He asked Samantha if he couldn't just wear his men's
clothes for teaching.
"Mrs. Halstead saw you in a dress and she accepts who and what
you are. Give it a try, and if it doesn't work out then we will
cross that bridge when we come to it. Wear a nice outfit and look
at things in a positive manner. You are a great cook and I am sure
you can be a great teacher. Now, get ready and don't worry about
what hasn't happened."
He wore the green plaid jumper over a lacy white blouse with lace
trim. The blouse had flared lace trimmed cuffs on the sleeves. He
wore white two inch heels with suntan nylons.
As he applied the pink frosted lipstick he wondered what was
going to happen. He was sure it would be something dreadful. When
he arrived at school and had parked the car he sat for five minutes
before going in.
The third person he ran into was Mrs. Halstead. She asked him if
he wanted a cup of coffee. He said that might calm his nerves but
he doubted it. She laughed and led him to the teacher's lounge.
There were a dozen teachers there and Mrs. Halstead introduced him
to the group. No one said a word about him being a man in a dress.
On cue the teachers started to leave. He walked with Mrs.
Halstead to the classroom. He was feeling a bit better. She
suggested he sit at the desk until she called on him to introduce
himself. He sat and thought about what to say to the students.
The first class went great, as it was first year students and
they were open to anything. In the second class, when he was
introduced he started with the same speech.
"I am going to show you some cooking ideas. I believe cooking
should be fun and an interesting experience, not a chore that is
detested. I will try to show you how to flavor foods in different
ways to bring out new and exciting flavors. I will show you how to
make common sense recipes that are necessary for everyday life in
this area."
A girl raised her hand, "Ms. Monroe, your voice sounds different
and you look like Mr. Monroe who lives on my block."
"All of us Monroe's look a lot alike. I would like to add, I feel
it is not the clothes we hang on our bodies that makes a difference
but who we are inside. Does putting on a fireman's hat make you a
fireman or putting on a crown make you a queen? It's what is inside
of you, that you're a person who is good or not so good. I am going
to teach you to cook, not change who you are. Students from this
school have already impacted my life greatly and I look forward to
being able to teach you some of what I know."
After class, Mrs. Halstead told him his speech was beautiful. She
said he would have no problem teaching. He still had a bit of a
doubt about that, but the rest of the day went without incident.
The next day he sat as a student and started to learn to sew.
That night he told Samantha he was now an artist on how to sew a
button on. They both laughed at that.
The first class, he had a handout that showed different things
you could add to oatmeal to make it more flavorful. He introduced
them to flavoring foods and talked for the whole period about how
a little can go a long way. All of the students were surprised at
some of the flavorings listed.
On the next Monday one girl came and told him she made oatmeal
for her family on Saturday and they loved it. This gave him a
lift, to know that at least someone was listening to his teaching.
That day he showed them how to make ham and cheese stuffed into a
hamburger patty. He told them he had surprised more people with
this trick than with any other recipe he had. The girls quickly
made one stuffed patty and he had the pans all ready to quickly
cook off the creations. As they were eating their patties he told
them it was more flavorful when cooked slower but that they had so
little time that he had to hurry the process.
All the classes went smoothly and he felt great as he left
school. He decided to celebrate and stopped and bought a new dress.
It was a white three piece with a shell with three yellow
embroidered daisies, and had a jacket with a row of daisies
embroidered on each side, and a skirt that flared at the bottom.
At home he changed into the new dress and when Samantha came home
she asked if it was new, and he told her it was.
At supper he told her about his day and how great things were
going. He said he'd just had to celebrate, so he bought the new
dress. She said she understood.
Mrs. Halstead told the class to pick out a pattern and get the
material to make some piece of clothing. She recommended a dress
pattern. She said everyone was going to make something.
It took him over an hour to pick out a pattern that he liked. He
finally found one, and then it took forever to find the right
material. He ended up getting the silky material that the
saleslady recommended. She said it was elegant enough for the
pattern.
Maria Halstead said he had made a wonderful choice. He said he
got everything on the list needed to make the dress. He stayed
after school and she helped him pin the pattern to the material.
She showed him how to place the pattern pieces so the cloth pattern
would match. He was amazed at how much went into just the planning
to make a dress.
The next morning he cut out the pieces as he was shown and by
noon was ready to start sewing. By the end of the school day he
had the skirt pieces all sewn together. Tomorrow he wouldn't get to
sew, as it was his teaching day.
It was Friday and he was showing them how to marinate meat. The
first two classes went very smoothly. Then he received a note
asking him to come immediately to the Superintendents office. He
told Mrs. Halstead that she had seen him do it and she could teach
the next class. He figured the Superintendent wanted to know about
any teaching experience he had.
The Superintendent had him sit down, and he could see that he was
thinking of what to say.
"For the last two weeks we've been getting some phone calls about
you. It seems some parents are concerned about a man wearing a
dress teaching their children. We have always told them we cannot
discriminate due to sexual orientation. Now they have hired a
lawyer to sue us if we continue to let you teach. We have contacted
our lawyer and he has done extensive research on the subject of
sexual orientation. While it spells out homosexual and pre-op and
post-op sex changes, it doesn't address transgender people. What he
is saying is that this is a gray area of the law. He says we would
have a 50-50 chance at winning if it were to go to trial. At any
rate we would have to suspend you with pay until it is settled, and
he thinks that could be as long as three years if all the appeals
were to be carried out."
"May I interrupt here? What you are saying is that I am some sort
of sexual freak?"
"NO, not at all. I know you are a great teacher. I got reports
from other teachers that your students are talking about how great
you are. You are doing a great job teaching and we have had no
complaints from any student about you. It's as far as I can tell
three sets of parents that are questioning if it's right to have
you as a teacher."
"Well, what is the end result? Where do we go from here?"
"Our attorney says we can fight this but it is going to be
expensive. He is talking in excess of one hundred thousand dollars.
I want you to know we will stand behind you all the way if you
chose to fight it. My suggestion is for you to get an attorney for
your personal protection and have him call our attorney so they can
work together."
"From what I gather there is one other alternative and that is
for me to resign as a teacher."
"Yes, there is always that alternative. I am really sorry that we
have to take the action we have to take, but for now you are
suspended from teaching. Take whatever time you need to decide if
you want to fight this or not. Let me know what you decide."
"Can I finish out the day?"
"I am afraid the suspension is effective immediately. However,
you can talk to the students but not teach."
He left and when he told Mrs. Halstead about what had happened
she was very distraught. She told him to talk to the class and that
she would be back in a bit. She left for the Superintendents
office.
The first afternoon class came in, and he told them they could
study anything they wanted, then sat and didn't say anything.
Finally one girl asked if there was going to be a class today.
"You can take the time to study. I have been suspended from
teaching."
There was a chorus of whys! It seemed everyone wanted to know why
he was suspended.
"It seems some parents are upset that I am teaching here. They
don't feel it's right. They have hired an attorney and are
threatening to sue the school if I'm not removed. The district has
decided to suspend me from teaching. I am sorry, but right now I
cannot afford a lawyer to fight it. It has been a real pleasure
getting to teach you. I want you all to know I will miss you!"
The students were shocked that anyone would object to him
teaching when he did as good a job as any teacher they had. Just
about everyone thought he was their favorite teacher.
He was sitting there when Monica Bolssen came up to him. She told
him her parents were one of the ones who was after him to be fired.
She said he was her favorite teacher, and she'd told her parents
that they were all wrong but they wouldn't listen. He told her he
understood and that he liked every student he had.
When Maria Halstead returned he could see she was angry. She told
him she really lit into the Superintendent and he said there really
isn't much he could do but follow procedures.
He told her that he probably would submit his resignation
effective immediately. She told him to take the paid leave as long
as he could. He told her he had a standard, and his standard was
that he didn't take pay for work he didn't do. They talked for some
time, and another class came in. Mrs. Halstead conducted that
class, then gave him time to address the class. He basically
repeated what he had said to the previous class.
At the end of the school day he told Mrs. Halstead that he may
see her from time to time to see how things were going. She told
him he wasn't getting off that easy, that he still had a dress to
finish. He agreed to come back to finish the dress after she told
him he had agreed to make it and that he was going to finish it.
As they walked out of school they were greeted by a large crowd
of students carrying signs that said 'WE will Miss YOU! And 'Fight
until the end!!' Hr got tears in his eyes as he slowly walked to
his car.
He got home and sat in his recliner, and thought about all that
had just happened. He thought about how sad it was that people make
decisions without knowing who it affects and how. He knew one of
the couples who were after him to be removed, but not the other
two. He had never met them and knew nothing about them. He thought
about what it would take to fight them.
Samantha came in and immediately knew something was wrong. She
asked what was wrong, and he was so engrossed in thought that he
didn't hear her. She finally got his attention and asked what was
wrong.
"I was suspended today because three parents filed a lawsuit
against the school because I was teaching there. I have whatever
time I need to respond personally if I so desire. The school's
lawyer checked and said it was a fifty-fifty chance to win in
court. I am suspended with pay but I told them I don't care to take
pay for work not done."
"Let's go get something to eat and we can discuss it further. A
good meal and you will feel much better. Come on now!"
They had gotten their food and were discussing the options.
Samantha thought for some time.
"You could go back to your men's clothes and teach."
"No, I thought about that. If I do that it means they were right
to sue. Also, the students accept me as I am, and it wouldn't look
right to suddenly appear in different clothes. I know the students
don't agree with the decision but they have little to say in the
matter. I think I am going to wait at least a few days before
making a final decision. The superintendent said I should get my
own lawyer to fight it, but you know we don't have money for a long
battle that maybe we can't win."
"Well, no matter what you decide I am behind you all the way. I
know you really enjoyed teaching and it is a shame that you can't
continue. Maybe something will come up that will work out for you.
I really hope so."
He felt a little better, but the suspension was still on his
mind. He had gotten to know his students and they always made him
feel good about himself. He knew he was going to miss their
comments most of all.
The week-end seemed an eternity but he made it through. Samantha
did everything she could think of to raise his spirits. He was a
little more settled, but not his old self.
On Monday the superintendent called and told him the school board
was going to meet on Wednesday at 6:30 and he was sure they would
discuss the lawsuit. He suggested it would be a good idea to attend
the meeting and see what developed.
On Wednesday he was all aflutter over the thought the school
board was going to discuss him. He knew he would attend, but
doubted that the school board would take it any further than
dismissing him.
At 6:20 he entered the chambers where the school board met and
took a seat in the second row from the back. He was amazed at how
many students there were there. He never knew they were that
interested in what the school board decided.
The meeting opened with a discussion about re-instating the
driver's education program. It was brought out that the cost of the
program would definitely break the budget big time. It was agreed
to revisit the subject at the next budget time.
Then the lawsuit was discussed. They discussed whether to
terminate him or not. A student stood up and asked if she could
speak. She was given permission to speak.
"I am one of his students and all I have to say is that he taught
me things that I can and do use. He taught me that I can cook and
it isn't a hard thing to do. I want all of the students who support
him to stand up so you can see that he is definitely missed and
that we want him back."
It seemed that the whole room rose, because it was mostly
students there. When all of them sat back down one boy stayed
standing and asked permission to address the board.
"Do you have one standard of anti-discrimination for the students
and another for the teachers?"
He was told no, that the same standard applied to everyone, so he
continued, "I have never told anyone but I am gay. Are you going to
suspend me for being gay? I have a friend who is starting the
transition to go from being male to being female. Are you going to
suspend him when you find out? It seems to me that you are using
one set of standards for one and not for others."
A girl stood up and asked to address the board. "My parents are
one of the ones that started the lawsuit but I have to say
something. I learned more in his class than a lot of my other
classes and it is something I can use. I tried to explain that to
my parents but they won't listen. Please let him come back and
teach us. He isn't hurting anyone and he is a great teacher."
The board chairman said they hadn't heard from anyone whether the
teacher in question wants to fight the lawsuit or not. They said
they would have to wait to see if a fight was in order or not.
So he stood up and asked to address the board. "I am the subject
in question. I wasn't going to fight the suspension but upon
hearing from the students I realize I must fight it. All I want to
do is show the students something I enjoy doing, and that is
cooking. Every recipe I have shown them has resulted in praise from
some of the students. I know there's a lot I can show them, but
only if I'm allowed in the classroom to show them. I ask to be
allowed back into the classroom. Thank you for your consideration
of this matter."
The chairman spoke, "We are lucky that our attorney is here. We
will now go into closed session to discuss it. It may take awhile
but we will definitely let you know if any decision is made
tonight. Please vacate the room while we discuss it."
Outside in the hallway the students all wanted to talk to him at
the same time. Finally they each took their turns to tell him how
much they enjoyed him as a teacher. He was almost teary, hearing
all of their remarks.
Then an adult approached him. "Hello, I am Veronica Morton. I am
one of the three that started the lawsuit, but I want to tell you
that I am removing my name from it. It wasn't until I heard my
daughter say we wouldn't listen to her that I realized it was true.
I never figured my daughter would stand up and address the board as
she did. I am ashamed that it had to come out. She is a smart girl
and I trust her judgment. I am sorry for any problems I may have
caused you."
"Thank you! I really do enjoy showing the students how to cook.
I am not a fighter usually but tonight the students have taught me
that sometimes you do have to fight."
"I am really a soup person. Could you show them how to make a
good home-made soup?"
"How about chicken noodle soup with home-made noodles? I have a
wonderful easy recipe for that."
"That sounds great, and if you don't get your job back could you
show me so I could show my daughter?"
"I am sure we can work something out on that."
Ten minutes later they were all called back into the room. The
chairman waited until it was quiet, then addressed the crowd.
"We have discussed the matter and our attorney assures us that we
will prevail if it should go to court. There are two laws in the
state that address the matter and both of them tell us we are right
in re-instating the suspended teacher. He will be back as a teacher
tomorrow."
The room burst into applause. A lot of the students got up to
leave and in the hallway the boy who had addressed the board came
up to him.
"I just want to tell you that I think what you are doing is
great. I have never thought about wearing a dress. How does it feel
to wear a dress?"
"Dresses aren't bad!" Then they both laughed.
(c) 2006 by Margaret Jeanette