Full Ride Scholarship
Jack Baxter was a senior in high school. Though physically
unimpressive, Jack was a bright student. He was what considered
college material, though his family finances were such that the
prospects of him being able to attend college were slim. He thought
about joining the military and then saving enough to attend college
after his enlistment tour, but the military rejected him because he
was too small and light weight to meet their physical standards.
Jack used his free periods in the school library researching the
availability of scholarships which might open the door for him to
attend college. There were thousands of scholarships in the data base
but many were for small amounts of money; helpful, but insufficient.
One afternoon in early spring he came upon a scholarship which seemed
like it might have potential.
"Gender Studies Institute, State University, offers full ride four
year scholarship covering tuition, room, board, and living expenses to
incoming freshman student selected to participate in longitudinal
study."
Jack filled out the application and emailed it. He got a reply two
days later inviting him for a personal interview. The interview was
scheduled for a Saturday and he borrowed his mother's car for the two
hour drive to State U.
At the appointed hour Jack knocked on the door of Professor Janice
Dowling of the Gender Studies Institute. Her office was furnished in
dark wood with floor to ceiling bookshelves along two interior walls.
She was seated behind a solid looking mahogany desk reading from a
file folder which Jack correctly assumed to be his application file.
Jack stood in the center of the office and waited while Professor
Dowling continued reading from the file folder. Finally she looked up
and said "Hello you must be Baxter. I'm Professor Dowling. Welcome
to the Gender Studies Institute. Have a seat."
The only other furniture in the room was a low backless stool in front
of her desk. He sat on the stool facing the Professor. He had to
look up to see her face.
"I have a number of questions for you Baxter. I want you to answer
them as truthfully and honestly as you can. There aren't any right or
wrong answers. I simply want to get a sense of where you are at this
point in time; a baseline of data if you will."
"I'll try to answer as best I can Professor Dowling."
"Good boy. Let's begin. Now, how tall are you?"
"I'm five foot seven."
"Really Baxter?"
"I'm almost five foot seven. I am like five six and a quarter."
"And what is your current weight? I don't want to hear about what you
'almost' weigh Jack. I want to know your correct weight."
"I weigh about 130 pounds."
"That's a bit heavy considering how short you are Jack. Now, I am
going to ask some rather personal questions. Please be truthful in
how you answer them."
"Yes Professor Dowling."
"Are you a virgin Jack?"
"No I'm not a virgin."
"How often have you had sex?"
"Like four times."
"All with the same person?"
"Yes all with the same girl."
Have you ever had sex with a boy?"
"No way! I'm not like that; not gay or anything."
"Do you masturbate?"
"Yes sometimes."
"How often?"
"Now and then."
"Don't be coy with me you little shit. How often do you masturbate?"
Jack felt himself turning red-faced as the distinguished professor
made that humiliating reference.
"I usually do it every morning in the shower."
"Only once a day?"
"Usually just once a day; sometimes I do it again at night like before
bed."
"So, you're a compulsive masturbator. Not a big problem. We can deal
with that. Have you ever worn girl's clothing Jack?"
"No, I don't wear girl's stuff. Why would I do that?"
"Some boys like to wear girl's clothing Baxter. Some boys get off on
that."
"Not me. I'm not like some pervert who runs around in girl's panties
or whatever."
"Of course not. You're just a normal healthy all American boy from
what I can tell."
"I know I'm not like big and athletic but I guarantee you that I am
all boy."
"Perhaps you are Baxter. Time will tell. Now, let me tell you a
little more about the Gender Studies Institute and our special
scholarship program. While we are affiliated with the State
University, our Institute is separately funded and managed. We have
our own independent board of governesses and our own endowment fund.
This allows us a great deal of freedom to pursue research which a
state supported institution might find too controversial. Most of our
research is focused on gay, lesbian and transgender issues; the sort
of research that the good state representative from Bumblefuck County
might find objectionable."
Jack smiled at her insulting reference to state politicians.
"There is considerable debate in the academic community about the
nature of various aspects of sexuality. There is a debate on whether
homosexuality, to take an example, is genetic or environmental. Are
boys born gay, or do they become gay as a result of the environment in
which they are raised? This has very important policy implications,
for if a boy is born gay, if it is genetic, then nothing really can or
should be done to alter that person's sexuality. But if gayness is
environmental, the presumption is that gays can be 'fixed' or cured of
their homosexual tendencies by retraining them. The mission of the
Institute is to research these sorts of issues. We do carefully
controlled experiments that extend over a number of years. We are
interested in the science of gender; not the politics or religion of
it.
"That's really interesting Professor. I know there was this one queer
kid in grade school that everyone said was gay, and I often wondered
what caused that; how come he was so different than the rest of us."
"My own research focuses on transgender issues. I seek a research
subject that can commit to a four year study in which his living
environment will be tightly controlled so that we can observe his
response to environmental changes over time. While we structure the
subject's stipend as a scholarship, it really is compensation for a
job. But if we paid you a salary it would be taxable to you, and we
would have significant additional taxes to pay as well. Scholarships
are not taxable, but wages are. So both you and the institute will
benefit from that arrangement. You are going to be here for at least
four years to complete a college degree and that time window matches
up nicely with the duration of my study. Should you be selected, you
will be enrolled as a full time student at the University, but will
reside here at the Institute and you will be earning some of your
college credits in Gender Studies. Baxter, your file doesn't indicate
a major. What were you thinking of studying here?"
"I think I want to study engineering Professor Dowling."
"That does present some problems Baxter. I am afraid that the College
of Engineering is not an appropriate environment for my study
subject."
"I'm not real sure yet what I want to study Professor. I would be ok
with some other major if you think it would improve my chances of
getting a full ride scholarship."
"It pleases me to see that you are flexible about such things Baxter.
Having a flexible attitude about things is a very desirable trait for
my research subject. The best arrangement would be for me to select
the classes you enroll in so that your classroom environment is
optimally aligned with the study."
"If it means the difference between getting the scholarship and not
getting it, I would be fine with you setting up my classes Professor
Dowling. I mean like if I don't get the scholarship, I won't be
taking any classes at all; I won't even be a college student."
"I like your attitude Baxter. I think we can work very well together.
The scholarship is yours if you want it."
"Oh wow! Seriously? That is so cool. Thank you so much Professor
Dowling. You don't know how much this means to me to know that the
next four years are set and I can get a college degree and be
successful and all."
"You will need to sign our standard contract. It spells out all the
terms and conditions of the scholarship and your obligations with the
study. I'll have a contract drawn up in your name and you can sign it
later today before you leave. When is your high school graduation?"
"It's like May 25th."
"Then I will set June 1 as your start date here."
"But classes don't start until September. I was figuring on getting a
summer job."
"I need you to here on June 1 Baxter. Your stipend will start then.
It pays considerably more than a summer job, and it is tax free. You
will be enrolled in a Gender Studies seminar this summer and in the
fall will start your University classes. I trust that is acceptable?"
"Yes sure that sounds great. I don't really have a summer job lined
up yet anyway so this will like kill two birds with one stone and give
me a little head start over the other freshmen."
"Now while I draw up your contract I want you to see Miss Smythe. She
is our staff nurse and she will be giving you an examination and
taking your measurements. That way your new clothing will be ready
when you return on the first of June."
"What new clothing Professor?"
"As I said earlier, you will be living in a tightly controlled
environment. That control extends to the classes you take, to your
living arrangements, and to your wardrobe."
"Actually that sounds good Professor. I don't really have much in the
way of nice clothes and getting some new stuff will really help me
out."
"That's very good Baxter. I'll ring for Miss Smythe now."
The staff nurse was very proficient and business like. She gave Jack
a complete physical exam and took blood and urine samples. She
checked his height and weight which thankfully came out close to what
he had told Professor Dowling. In addition to the normal physical
exam routine, Nurse Smythe made a series of very detailed measurements
of Jack's body; measurements which literally ran from head to toe.
Finally and most unusually, the nurse made a cast of Jack's entire
head. The cast was made from some kind of plastic or epoxy material
which she brushed on as a thick liquid which then warmed and hardened
until it could be cut off in sections. When Jack asked the nurse the
purpose of the head cast she said "It's for your isolation hood."
Before Jack could ask any more questions he was escorted back to
Professor Dowling's office.
"Did you get everything Miss Smythe?"
"Yes Mistress. The cast came out fine. Everything should be ready by
the first."
"Excellent. You are excused. Have a seat Baxter."
Jack sat back on the stool which seemed even lower than before.
Professor Dowling handed him a document about ten pages in length. It
was single spaced and very lawyer like in its tone and wording. Jack
started to read the first page when the Professor interrupted him.
"If you turn to the final page you will see your name on the contract.
Is the spelling accurate?"
"Yes Professor. John Allen Baxter; that's me, but I always go by
Jack, not John."
"Please note the paragraph on compensation. The Institute will pay
for your tuition, room, board, books, clothing and $500 a month of
cash for incidentals. Is that satisfactory?"
"Yes Professor, I can't tell you how satisfactory that seems to me.
It really is a full ride scholarship. I thought they only gave those
to football players."
"Football players and one very lucky research subject at the Gender
Studies Institute. Go ahead and sign the contract; then I will
countersign. There are two copies; one for our files and one for
you."
Jack quickly signed both copies and handed them to the Professor. She
countersigned and handed one copy back to Jack, placing the other in a
file folder.
"Our business if finished for today Baxter. You are dismissed. I
expect you back in my office at ten a.m. on June first."
"I'll be here for sure Professor Dowling."
"Baxter, since we will be working very closely for the next four years
I think we can drop the formalities. Instead of calling me Professor
Dowling, feel free to just call me Mistress."
"Yes Pro ... Mistress, um ... and please call me Jack if you wish."
"Jack seems rather brusque to me. I think I shall call you Jackie. I
had a girlfriend named Jacquelyn and she went by Jackie. I always
liked that name."
"Yes Jackie would be fine Mistress. And thanks again for giving me
this amazing opportunity. Good by Mistress. See you on the first."
The last few weeks of high school flew by. There were graduation
parties and excited discussions about where everyone was going after
high school. Jack was thrilled to tell his friends that he would be
enrolling at State University beginning with the summer term but that
his major was still undecided.
The day came and Jack began to pack for college. Knowing that there
would be new clothing for him upon his arrival, he left most of his
well worn wardrobe at home and only packed a few essentials,
remembering to throw in his copy of the scholarship contract which he
still had not bothered to read. His mother took a vacation day to
drive him off to school. She left him standing by the front door of
the Gender Studies building. Her heart was filled with pride that her
only child would be attending college; something no one in her family
had ever achieved before.
Jack was of course full of both excitement and trepidation. He was at
the very beginning of a great new adventure; a new life full of
possibilities and challenges. He left his suitcase in the hall and at
ten a.m. knocked on Professor Dowling's office door.
He heard her say 'come in' and opened the office door. The office
looked the same as on his first visit. She was seated at the same
desk, and he knew he would sit on the same low stool. It occurred to
Jack that the stool was intentionally low in order to give the
Professor a position of superiority over those who sat on it.
"Welcome back Jackie. I trust you did in fact receive your high
school diploma?"
"Oh yes Mistress. I got good grades again my last semester."
"Good boy. I'll make a note of that in your file."
She opened a file folder and quickly wrote something. Jack noticed
that the outside of the manila folder had 'TG' stamped on it in large
red block letters.
"Let's begin. I'll show you to your room now. I hope you will find
it satisfactory as it will be your home for the next four years."
Professor Dowling rose and walked out of her office. Jack grabbed his
suitcase and quickly fell in behind her. The Gender Studies Institute
was a typical school building with offices, lecture halls and
classrooms. They walked to the end of a hall to a door marked
"Transgender Research." Professor Dowling swiped a card near the door
latch and Jack could hear the electrical click of a lock opening. The
door opened onto another short hallway. There was a small conference
room; two offices and what looked like a dining room. At the end of
this hallway were four doors lettered R1 through R4. She walked up to
the door labeled R4 and used her key card again to unlock it. She
opened the door and walked into what was to become Jack's new home.
The room was about twice the size of Jack's bedroom at home. It was
spartanly furnished with a narrow metal framed bed, a study desk with
a computer, a chest of drawers, and a mirrored vanity table. There
were no windows in the room. There was one interior door on the left
side which opened into a full bathroom complete with tub and shower.
Another door on the right side opened to a large walk in closet. The
room was decorated in pink. The floors were hardwood with pink throw
rugs. The bed spread was also pink.
"What do you think Jackie?"
"Um ... it is very nice Mistress. It's more space than I had at home.
I sort of thought I would be living in a dormitory and having
roommates but there's only one bed so I guess this is a private room
just for me?"
"Indeed it is private, Jackie. It will be challenging enough to
control your living environment without the added complication of
roommates and all the dynamics that introduces. Do you like the
furniture and d?cor?"
"Yes the desk looks good for studying and I see there is a computer
set up which is great. I never had a computer at home and had to use
the ones in the school library. I don't think I need a mirrored
vanity table, but it doesn't hurt to have another place to put stuff.
The one thing that really hit me though is all the pink. That seems
kind of girlish to me Mistress."
"It is interesting that you have given gender attributes to a color;
that you feel pink is a feminine color. I am sure you will find as
your studies progress that there are many things people sometimes
wrongly associate with a particular gender. It will be interesting to
see how your attitudes toward such thoughts will change over time. As
to the vanity, I am certain that you will come to find it
indispensable as you progress. Now, let's see what you packed in that
suitcase shall we?"
Somewhat embarrassed, Jack put his suitcase on the bed and unlatched
it. Professor Dowling bent over and began pulling things out of the
suitcase and tossing them on the floor. All the clothing and shoes in
the case were summarily discarded, as were the books and toiletries
Jack had packed. Indeed, the only thing not tossed was Jack's copy of
the scholarship contract which the Professor set aside on the bed.
"Pick up that trash and put it back in the suitcase for disposal
Jackie. I told you we will be providing you with a new more suitable
wardrobe."
Jack got down on hands and knees and began stuffing his things back
into the case. "Yes Mistress."
"Now we need to get you a keycard and your GPS transponder. Bring the
suitcase and follow me."
"Yes Mistress."
Professor Dowling led that way and Jack followed meekly behind. He
felt very intimidated by the way Mistress took charge and seemed in
total control. She opened a door in the back of the building which
led to a small loading dock. There were two garbage dumpsters on the
dock. "Toss your suitcase in a dumpster Baxter."
The suitcase was old and worn as were most of the things inside it,
but still they were his things and Jack resented being ordered to
throw them away. But he was reluctant to get off on the wrong foot on
his first day at the Institute so with a sigh he lifted the heavy lid
of the closest dumpster and tossed his suitcase inside. Jack realized
that the only possessions he still had that were his own were the
clothes on his back and the wallet, cell phone and keys in his jeans
pocket.
Still leading the way, his Mistress took Jack into a workroom. There
were benches holding computers and some scientific instruments the
purpose of which Jack did not recognize. There was a safe on the
floor under one of the benches. Professor Dowling bent and spun the
dial, quickly opening the safe. She removed a key card like the one
she carried and recorded its serial number on a log sheet. "Here is
your key card Jackie. You will need it to get into the Transgender
Research sector as well as to your own room. You should be aware that
every time you use it on a door, your card number and the time are
sent to a computer, so we can track your comings and goings."
"Yes Mistress. It looks like you have a really good security system
here."
The next item she removed from the safe was a stainless steel ring
about seven inches in diameter made of round stock about a quarter
inch thick. The ring was made in two halves that hinged together on
one end and latched on the other end. Attached to the ring was a
pendant also of polished stainless steel. The pendant was about the
size of a silver dollar. Professor Dowling opened the two halves of
the ring and placed it around Jack's neck with the pendant hanging
down in front at the base of his neck. When she closed the necklace
it fit snuggly around his neck, but was not so tight as to restrict
his breathing or circulation.
"The pendant contains a global positioning transponder. It receives
satellite signals from at least three GPS satellites and uses the
coordinates to compute its location within an accuracy of no more that
a foot. That data lets us precisely track your location and correlate
that with your daily schedule. If you are scheduled to be in a
particular classroom from ten to eleven it will flag any deviations
from that schedule. It is our way of making sure you don't cut
classes or wander off to the wrong places."
"I have read about GPS stuff. It is pretty amazing technology. But I
see a problem with this setup Mistress."
"Oh really? What is the problem Jackie?"
"Well the technology lets you know where the pendant is, but not
necessarily where I am, unless I'm wearing the necklace."
"You are quite right Jackie. My but you are a clever boy. That is
why your collar will be permanently attached. This is the only way to
assure that you carry it with you at all times. Come sit by the
workbench. I will heat the soldering iron and we can make sure your
pretty new jewelry stays where it belongs."
"Soldering iron? I hope you're not going to burn me Mistress."
"You may feel a little warm on the back of your neck but I would never
do anything to damage my newest research subject."
Professor Dowling turned on a solder station and as the iron heated
she slipped a sheet of some kind of insulating material between the
collar and the back of Jack's neck. The iron quickly took on a red
glow. She held the hot iron against the two halves of the ring and
then, with her other hand, held a piece of solder wire at the junction
of the iron and the two halves of the collar. Jack could smell the
flux burning as metal melted and flowed into the seam to permanently
weld the two halves of the ring together. She withdrew the iron and
waited for the steel ring to cool before slipping the insulation out.
Jack reached up and felt all around the collar. It was now one solid
single steel ring at the midpoint of his neck with the GPS pendant
resting against his throat.
Once the collar was permanently welded in place Professor Dowling
turned to Jack. "I see its lunch time. Follow me to the dining
room."
"Yes Mistress."
They reversed their path back to the Transgender Research section.
"Try your key card Jackie. I want to make sure it's properly
programmed."
Jack swiped his key card and the door responded with a click, allowing
them back into the secured area. He followed Mistress into the dining
room. It was a fairly small room with a single rectangular dining
table and eight chairs. Professor Dowling took a seat at the head of
the table and turned to Jack.
"One of your new duties will be serving in our dining room. The door
behind me is the kitchen. Set the table for two."
"Yes Mistress."
Jack entered the kitchen which was similar in size to the kitchen you
might find in a single family home. A middle aged woman of
considerable weight was bent over the stove stirring something.
"Hi, I'm Jack. Professor Dowling told me to set the dining room table
for two."
The woman spoke with what sounded like a German accent. "The plates
are in this cabinet; sliver is in this drawer; cups and glasses over
there."
Jack scurried about collecting the appropriate items and carrying them
into the dining room. Mistress was on her cell phone and continued
talking as Jack set the table. Unsure what to do next, he stood and
waited. She glanced up at him with an annoyed look on her face. "Get
back in the kitchen Jackie. Cook will tell you what to do next."
Cook, which is the only name Jack ever heard her called, told him to
serve the soup course first. She handed him a pot of soup and he got
the appropriate spoons and bowls from the cabinets. When he returned
to the dining room he was surprised to see Nurse Smythe seated at what
he had incorrectly assumed was his place at the table. He served the
soup course and returned to the kitchen. He was handed a pitcher of
ice water and told to fill the diners' water glasses.
Jack continued to serve the two women for the next hour, plating the
entrees, pouring coffee, and clearing dirty dishes. At one point
while he was in the kitchen he heard the sound of a bell ringing.
Cook immediately pushed him toward the door. Mistress had rung the
bell to summon him. She wanted her coffee warmed up.
After seeing and smelling all the food as he played waitress to the
Professor and the Nurse, Jack was becoming quite hungry. As he was
clearing the last dishes from the luncheon table Professor Dowling
turned to him. "You will eat lunch in the kitchen Jackie. Cook knows
what to feed you. When you are finished, report back to my office."
"Yes Mistress."
Unlike the soup, veal and potatoes he served his superiors, Jack's
lunch consisted of a small tossed salad with no dressing and a glass
of water. He had to eat standing up as there was only one chair in
the kitchen and cook was using it. The salad did relieve his hunger
pangs, but in no way could he say he was full. He then left the
kitchen, used his key card to open the locked door to the Transgender
Research sector, and walked the halls back to Professor Dowling's
office. He knocked on her office door and waited. After several
minutes he knocked again. Finally he was summoned to enter. He stood
facing her desk and waited. She again seemed preoccupied with
whatever she was reading and he must have stood in silence for a good
ten minutes. He thought about sitting on the stool but felt that she
would have given him permission to sit if that was her desire.
Finally Professor Dowling closed the folder she was reading and looked
up at Jack. "You did a nice job serving lunch today Jackie. You seem
to pick up on things quickly. I am sure in a few weeks you will be a
well trained server."
"I don't understand Mistress. Do you mean I will be serving in the
dining room on a regular basis?"
"Well duh. I told you the scholarship was really just a tax efficient
way to compensate you for the work you'll be doing for the Institute.
Didn't you even read your employment contract?"
"Um ... well actually I never really got around to reading it all
Mistress."
"It quite clearly spells out your duties which include among other
things serving three meals a day in the Transgender Research dining
room."
"Yes Mistress. I guess that will be ok, as long as it doesn't
conflict with my class schedule."
"Since I will be putting together your class schedule I can assure you
there will be no class conflicts with your serving duties Jackie.
Now, they tell me that your isolation hood is finished so you can
begin wearing it tonight. I want to go to the shop and do a test fit
to make sure everything is in order. It is crucial that your
isolation training begin as soon as possible since that is such an
integral part of the study."
"Nurse Smythe said something about an isolation hood when she made the
molds of my face and head. But I have no idea what she was talking
about."
"That will soon become clear. Follow me Jackie."
"Yes Mistress."
They returned to the shop room. A spherical object about the size of
a bowling ball (or a human head) sat on the workbench. It had a shiny
black plastic finish and was rigid. Professor Dowling fumbled with
some latches and opened the sphere which was made in three sections.
Once opened, Jack could see the reverse outlines of a human face and
skull, which he correctly assumed corresponded to his own features.
"It is called an isolation hood because when worn, the hood isolates
the wearer from external inputs such as sight, sound and touch or
feel. Previous subjects who have been hooded initially expressed
feelings of mild claustrophobia, but with extended wear time those
feelings passed and the subjects soon began to appreciate the tranquil
calming effect which accompanies sensory deprivation. Let's try it on
now Jackie."
"Yes Mistress. Go ahead please."
Professor Dowling carefully picked up a section of the hood which was
one quarter of the sphere. It covered an area from just in front of
Jack's left ear to the centerline of the back of his head. The inside
of the hood was molded from a foam rubber-like material. It fit
snuggly. There was a bud on the inside of the piece which slid into
his left ear canal. A corresponding quarter sphere fit the right side
of Jack's head. The remaining hemispherical piece covered Jack's
face, running from the middle of his neck to the top of his head.
Built into the front piece were two short rubber tubes which slid into
his nostrils. There was also a flared piece, rather like a small
doorknob, which went into his mouth, forcing him to open his mouth
fairly wide but not uncomfortably so. The mouth piece was hollow
which made it possible for Jack to breath through his mouth but which
effectively gagged him and prevented speech. The three pieces latched
together at three points around the base of his neck and at the top of
his head where all three segments met. Each of the four latches could
then be secured by small padlocks.
When the isolation hood was latched Jack was in total darkness and
could hear no sounds. He could breathe through his nostril tubes or
through the mouth piece, but could not utter a sound. Professor
Dowling stood directly in front of Jack and shouted quite loudly,
"Jackie, if you can hear me raise your right hand."
Jack's hand remained at his side. The professor knew the hood was
working. As Jack sat nervously at the workbench, Professor Dowling
plugged a USB cord into a receptacle at a point which corresponded to
the bridge of Jack's nose. The other end of the cord plugged into a
port on a PC. Using a microphone, the Professor repeated her question
and this time Jack immediately raised his right hand. Satisfied that
everything was in order, the Professor unlocked the four padlocks and
unlatched the hood, carefully pulling the face piece off first,
followed by the right and left back pieces. Jack blinked rapidly as
his eyes adjusted to the shift from total darkness to room lighting.
"How do you feel Jackie?"
"I ... I'm ok Mistress. Like you said I felt kind of claustrophobic
at first and it gets kind of warm in the hood, but otherwise it was
ok. But I'm still not clear on what the point of me wearing that
thing is Mistress."
"There really are two points to it Jackie. The first objective is to
remove all external visual and aural inputs which might interfere with
your sleep patterns. Even though you will be sleeping in a private
room there are always some sources of light and sound which can
distract you. The Isolation Hood eliminates those distractions. The
second point is that we can then transmit desirable sounds from audio
files on your computer to the ear buds built into your hood."
"What kind of desirable sounds Mistress?"
"There may be the sound of a babbling brook or the wind or some other
sounds from nature which help you relax and sleep better. There will
also be spoken words; sounds which will help you to learn, even as you
sleep. We spend some seven or eight hours a day in bed Jackie. While
the body requires this resting period, the mind can still function
quite well during sleep. That is why we dream while asleep. But with
the hood, instead of your mind generating random and meaningless
dreams, it will be receptive to educational inputs. The hood will
allow you to study while you sleep Jackie."
"Wow that sounds really cool Mistress. So how often will I have to
wear the hood?"
"You will wear it every night Jackie. It will be locked on when we
put you to bed at night and removed the next morning when you are
released."
"I'm not sure I want to do that Mistress. Frankly the hood was kind
of uncomfortable what with that knob thing in my mouth and being in
total darkness."
"Don't worry Jackie. We can try it for a few nights and if you decide
you would rather not wear the hood then we will put it aside."
"Yes ok Mistress. I'll give it a try. And if I don't like if, I can
stop wearing it. I couldn't ask for more than that."
Professor Dowling handed Jack his new isolation hood. "Take your hood
to your room Jackie. Then report to cook in the kitchen."
"Yes Mistress."
Jack put the three piece hood and USB cord on his bed and returned to
the Transgender Research kitchen. Cook told him to peel potatoes,
wash vegetables and generally assist her in preparing the evening
meal. She told him to set the table for three. She explained to Jack
that wine would be served with the evening meal and instructed him as
to how to uncork a bottle in front of the dinner guests and then pour
a sample for the hostess to taste and approve. Jack was surprised
that alcohol would be served on campus, but remembered that the
Institute was independent of the University and could probably make
their own rules about such things.
The dinner guests that evening were Professor Dowling, Nurse Smythe
and a woman introduced to him by the Professor as Mistress Carson.
Jack managed to serve the meal without any real incidents. The three
women chatted among themselves as Jack kept their wine glasses full.
The entr?e was chicken breasts with green beans and scalloped
potatoes. Jack was very hungry having eaten nothing all day but a
little salad. The food smelled wonderful and he knew there was more
than enough for the three diners plus himself. When the meal service
was finished and the table cleared, cook prepared a plate for Jack.
He got a modest piece of chicken breast and a few beans but no
potatoes and certainly no wine. She offered him a cup of black coffee
which he accepted, though he had not really acquired a taste for
coffee yet, but he thought it might be better than just water.
It was nearly eight p.m. when his serving duties were completed. Cook
told him to go back to his room and wait to be put to bed. Jack felt
like he was being treated like a child when she said he would be 'put
to bed', but he realized that he would need help putting on the
isolation hood and hooking it up to his computer.
Back in his room, Jack turned on his computer for the first time.
When it booted up there were icons on the screen for a word processor,
a spreadsheet program, something called Audio Files, and one labeled
Calendar, but Jack couldn't find a web browser. He had planed on
going on line to check his email and take a look at Facebook, but
there didn't seem to be any way for him to do that without a browser.
He shut down the computer and decided to explore his new quarters in
more detail.
He went through the desk drawers. There was an ample supply of paper,
pens and the usual office supplies but nothing of real significance.
He looked over on his bed. The hood was still there. He really
didn't like the idea of being so confined in that odd contraption, but
knew that he needed to at least give it a try before telling Mistress
that he didn't want to wear it anymore.
He checked out his bathroom in more detail. It was well stocked with
toothpaste, a new tooth brush, mouth wash, soap, shampoo and an ample
supply of towels and wash cloths. He entered the walk in closet,
which had been empty that morning. It was still empty. He wondered
about what he would wear to bed, and what to wear tomorrow as there
were no clean clothes in the closet and Mistress had made him toss out
the ones he had brought from home.
He walked over and sat at the mirrored vanity table. He looked at
himself in the mirror. He could see the Steel collar welded around
his neck and the pendant it held which would let them track his every
movement. He put his hand on the collar and rotated it slightly. He
tugged at it as if that would somehow release the clasp. He felt a
bit paranoid, knowing that others could monitor his activities, but
then realized that they had to do that as part of the study. He
opened the drawers of the vanity. There was a comb and hair brush and
some hair clips in one drawer. He noticed that his hair was getting
rather long and shaggy and thought he should find a barber shop and
get a haircut. The other drawers in the vanity were empty.
He went to the chest of drawers, opening each drawer. They were all
empty. There were several magazines on top of the chest of drawers.
He picked them up and went over to stretch out on his bed. The
magazines were all ones that a girl might read. They dealt with
fashions, hairstyles, makeup and that sort of stuff. Jack had no
interest in the content of these magazines but he was bored and there
was nothing else to read. He wished there was a TV in the room, or
even a radio, but realized once more that he was going to be living in
a tightly controlled environment that a TV would probably mess the
study up somehow.
He was flipping through a fashion magazine which seemed devoted to
footwear. He liked seeing the photos of pretty models wearing sexy
high heels and short skirts. He wondered what it would be like to
have to actually wear shoes like that and was thankful that men's
clothing was so much more practical and functional than the stuff
girls had to wear to look pretty.
He was startled when his door opened. It was the third person he
served in the dining room; Mistress Carson. She was carrying a canvas
bag.
"Hello Jacquelyn. I'm here to tuck you in."
"Er ... hello Mistress Carson. My name is Jack ... Jackie, not
Jacquelyn."
"Of course Jackie, how silly of me. Now it is almost ten and time for
you to go brush your teeth and get ready for bed."
Jack got up and put the magazines away. He went into the bathroom and
brushed his teeth. He returned and stood next to his bed wondering
what would happen next.
"I brought you some pretty new pajamas Jacquelyn."
Mistress Carson handed Jack the pajamas. There was a top and a
bottom. Both were made of a thin black nylon material. In Jack's
mind they were unmistakably girl's pajamas. Jack felt a rush of
embarrassment as he took the pajamas from Mistress Carson. He went
back into the bathroom and closed the door before undressing and
putting on the flimsy night wear. Red faced, he returned to the room.
"Those pajamas look very cute on you Jacquelyn."
"My name is Jackie, not Jacquelyn."
"Please sit on the edge of your bed like a good girl so I can put your
hood on."
Jack was taking a strong dislike to this Mistress Carson who he felt
was very demeaning in her treatment of him. He didn't appreciate
being made to wear girl's pajamas and being called a silly girl's
name. He wanted to say something but held back, knowing that if he
was not cooperative they could possibly take his scholarship away and
his college career would be a very short one. So he sat passively
while Mistress Carson fastened the three sections of his hood
together, plunging him into total darkness and silence.
He felt her hands at his shoulders, pushing him down onto his bed. He
then felt her take his right hand and pull it to the edge of his bed
where some kind of cuff or band was attached to his wrist. When she
released his right hand, Jack tried to move it and discovered that it
was fastened securely to the bed frame. His left hand met a similar
fate, as did both ankles. He then felt pressure on the hood and
guessed that she was hooking it up to his computer. Then there was
nothing; just absolute silence and darkness. He could move a little
on the bed and managed to roll from flat on his back to one side, but
that was uncomfortable as one arm was pulled behind him. He concluded
it was best to just lay flat on his back.
The hood felt warm as it had the first time. The mouthpiece was the
most uncomfortable aspect of it. It filled his mouth almost
completely and pressed against his tongue. He tried speaking; making
noise but if any sounds came out, he was unable to hear them due to
the ear buds which shut out all external noise. It was impossible for
him to judge the passage of time. He might have lay there for five
minutes or maybe it was an hour. Finally he heard sounds coming
through the ear buds. The sounds were at a low volume, barely
audible. He thought it sounded like ocean waves. The sounds calmed
him and he began to relax and fall asleep. Then there was a voice.
It was the voice of a female. It too was soft and quiet and
comforting. He tried to focus on the words but that seemed
impossible. He drifted; he slept. And while he slept his mind
absorbed what the disembodied female voice was telling him.
In reality the audio file Jack listened to that night was carefully
programmed to put him into a hypnotic state where his mind was subject
to suggestion and manipulation. The first night's program implanted
in his mind the desire to continue to wear the hood. It instructed
Jack that when he woke up he would feel wonderful; he would be totally
relaxed and rested. The program had already been tested on a number
of other subjects so Professor Dowling was confident that it would
work on Jack.
Jack remembered being put to bed in the girl's pajamas and being
fastened at his wrists and ankles but not much else of that night.
Whatever programming had occurred resided in his subconscious mind;
not his conscious mind. He woke when someone unfastened his wrists
and ankles and pulled him to a sitting position in his bed. The hood
was unlocked and the three segments removed. It took a while to
adjust to the light but then Jack saw that it was Professor Dowling
standing over him.
"I trust you slept well Jackie."
"Yes Mistress I seemed to sleep real soundly last night. I feel like
totally rested and refreshed. What you said about the isolation hood
must be true. I got a really good night's sleep"
"So do you think you want to continue with the hood again tonight or
would you rather not Jackie?"
"Oh yes I want to wear it again tonight for sure Mistress. Like you
told me, it really seems to help me relax and maybe even learn stuff
while I sleep. I think I should definitely keep wearing it Mistress."
"That's fine Jackie. I'm sure you will find the hood very beneficial.
Oh, and I love your new pajamas Jackie. They suit you."
"I have to admit they are comfortable; nice and soft and all, but they
seem awfully girly to me Mistress."
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that Jackie. After all you are in a
private room, so no one is going to see your pajamas but me and
Mistress Carson and Nurse Smythe."
"Yes Mistress, I guess they'll be ok. And like I said they are pretty
comfortable."
"It's time for you to hop in the shower Jackie. You are on duty in
the dining room in half an hour."
"Um ... Mistress I don't have anything to wear. The stuff I wore
yesterday is dirty and I threw out all the old stuff I brought from
home."
"Not to worry Jackie. You will find new clothes in your closet. Now,
get going. You don't want to be late for work."
"Yes Mistress. Thank you Mistress."
Jack took a quick shower and brushed his teeth. He combed his hair.
He thought about shaving but he had shaved the day before leaving home
and he only needed to shave about once a week as he had a very light
beard. He walked naked to the closet. Last night it had been empty
but this morning there was a white shirt and a pair of black dress
pants on hangers, and a pair of black slip-on shoes on the floor. He
took those items and laid them out on his bed. He still needed socks
and underwear and there was nothing else in the closet. He checked
the chest of drawers again and sure enough there were underpants and
socks in the drawer.
The socks were a thin black nylon material and knee high. The
underpants were not like his normal boxers at all. They were made of
a smooth satin like material and seemed very elastic and stretchy. He
stepped into the underpants and pulled them up. There was no slot for
going to the bathroom and Jack knew he would have to take his
underpants off to pee. They fit snuggly but Jack liked the feel of
the soft fabric against his skin. He sat on the bed and pulled up the
socks which fit much like his underwear. He put on the white shirt.
It was a cotton polyester blend and was sort of shiny and silky to the
touch. The shirt seemed to fit ok but was a little loose in the chest
and a little tight in the waist. He has some difficulty buttoning the
shirt since the buttons and button holes were on the reverse sides
from any shirt he had ever worn.
The black pants were also some kind of polyester blend. Instead of a
zipper in front, the pants had a zipper on the left side and a button
closure at the waist band. The pants didn't seem to fit very well,
feeling too loose in the seat and a bit too tight around the waist,
but he managed to suck in his stomach and get them zipped. There were
no belt loops on the pants, nor did there seem to be a belt anywhere.
There was no sign of the jeans and other clothes he had worn
yesterday.
He slipped the shoes on. They seemed a little too narrow and tight in
the toes but otherwise fit ok. They had a thick block heel which Jack
judged to be at least two inches high. He tried walking around the
room in them and while he was aware of the difference in heel height,
he was able to walk with no problems.
His cell phone and keys and new key card had been in his jeans pockets
when he undressed the night before. He looked around the room but saw
no sign of them. He knew he would need the key card to unlock the
doors going to the dining room. He checked the rest of the drawers in
the chest and found a dark brown leather bag in one. When Jack opened
the bag, he found his key card inside, but there was no sign of his
driver's license, other keys or cell phone. He took the card out of
the leather bag and started to put it into his pants pocket. That was
the moment when Jack realized there were no pockets in his pants, nor
did the shirt have any pockets. He couldn't very well carry the card
around in his hand all day; particularly not while serving in the
dining room. He put the card back in the leather bag and slung it
over his shoulder. The bag rode at waist level. It reminded him of a
girl's purse in that the design was so similar.
Breakfast service was uneventful. Professor Dowling was the only one
there. After she finished, Jack cleared the table. "Why don't you
get yourself a cup of coffee and join me Jackie."
"Yes sure Mistress. Thanks for the invite."
Jack returned from the kitchen with his cup of coffee and the coffee
urn which he used to refill the Professor's cup. He sat down and took
a sip of the hot beverage.
"How do you like your new uniform Jackie?"
"My uniform? Oh, you mean the shirt and pants. They're nice
Mistress, but they don't seem to fit me very well. It's like they
were made for someone with a smaller waist and a bigger chest."
"I'm sure they will fit much better once you loose a few pounds and
start wearing proper foundation garments Jackie."
"You want me to loose weight Mistress? I was always trying to gain
weight, but never had much success at that."
"Yes Jackie you need to loose about fifteen pounds. For your height,
build and target body mass index, you need to be at 115 pounds, not
130."
"Are you sure Mistress? That seems awfully skinny to me."
"Thin is attractive Jackie. You do want to be attractive don't you?"
"Yes I guess so."
"Have you checked your calendar yet Jackie?"
"What calendar Mistress?"
"Oh I must have forgotten to show you. Your computer has a built in
calendar showing your schedule for each day. It shows the times you
are on duty in the dining room as well as your class schedule and any
other appointments you may have. When we finish you should go back to
your room and check it. I will tell you that today is fairly light.
Other than dining service the only thing is that you see the
ophthalmologist at 2 p.m."
"Ophthalmologist?"
"Yes I scheduled you for an eye examination. And tomorrow you will
see a dentist. We want to make sure everything of a medical nature is
ok before you start classes in the fall."
"Will I have to pay for that Mistress?"
"No, of course not Jackie. Under the terms of your contract we take
care of all of your healthcare costs."
"That's really generous Mistress. I appreciate it."
Professor Dowling excused him and Jack returned to the kitchen with
the dirty coffee cups. Cook also excused him and he slung the strap
of his bag over his shoulder and headed back to his room. He turned
on his computer and found the calendar program. It came up with
today's date showing dining room service from 7:30 to 8:30, lunch from
11:30 to 1:30 and dinner from 5:30 to 7:30. There was also an entry
for 2:00 for Doctor Fine, the ophthalmologist.
He toggled forward on the calendar. The dining room hours were the
same every day. Tomorrow there were entries for Dental Clinic at 9:00
and Hunt Seat Equitation at 2:00. Mistress had mentioned the dental
appointment, but Jack had no idea what hunt seat equitation meant.
With over two hours to kill Jack flopped on his bed and started
reading another of the fashion magazines which had been left in his
room. There was a long article on hairstyles which Jack actually
found informative. He had never really paid that much attention to
fashion or appearance before, but he sensed that Professor Dowling was
going to be a stickler on appearance so thought he should be better
informed about such things, even though the magazine article only
seemed relevant to girl's hairstyles, not boys.
Lunch service in the dining room was routine. Professor Dowling and
Nurse Smythe were both there, though there was no sign of Mistress
Carson; the one who kept calling him Jacquelyn.
Using a campus map, Jack found the Ophthalmology Department in the
College of Medicine. He arrived on time and was given a routine eye
examination. The examining doctor told Jack that he was mildly
nearsighted, had an astigmatism in his right eye and that corrective
lenses were called for. Jack asked about contact lenses but was told
that while contacts could easily correct his nearsightedness, they
were not very effective at correcting astigmatisms and that he would
have to wear glasses.
Jack was a little bummed out about having to wear glasses. He had
been subjected to a lot of teasing and insults as a kid due to his
small size and he thought wearing glasses would make him even more of
an outcast. He was to remain in the waiting room and that the glasses
would be ready in about an hour. Jack thought it curious that he had
not been asked to pick out a frame from the hundreds on display.
An optician called Jack into an empty fitting room and took a pair of
glasses out of a case, sliding them onto Jack's face. Jack
immediately noticed an improvement in his vision which convinced him
that maybe he really did need glasses. However, the frame style was
totally unexpected. The glasses had a pink plastic frame with wide
bows. The bows were decorated with little sparkly things like
rhinestones. There was more sparkly d?cor on the front tops of the
frame which was of a cat eye style. The optician held a mirror so
Jack could see himself and he knew that he had been fitted with
glasses designed for a girl.
"I don't want these," he told the optician.
"I'm sorry but that is the style which was ordered for you. I double
checked the style numbers and there is no mistake. We have already
ground the lenses and fit them. They can not be returned. You best
just wear them. I am sure they will be fine."
"Well, my vision seems a lot better now, so I guess that's really what
matters the most. Sounds like I don't have much choice. I guess I'll
wear them back to my room."
The optician handed Jack the empty case which he put in his purse, for
by this time Jack knew that the leather bag he needed because he had
no pockets was a purse and nothing more or less than a purse. With a
sigh, Jack headed back to the Institute knowing it was almost time to
go on duty again in the dining room. As he walked down the sidewalks
of the tree lined campus Jack was once more aware of the extra height
of the heels on his new shoes. Having always felt he was too short,
an extra inch or two seemed like a good thing to Jack and he began to
feel better about what he was wearing. Looking up in the trees and
off into the distance Jack was pleased that his visual acuity had
improved. Things looked clearer and more in focus now that he was
wearing his new glasses.
That evening Professor Dowling, Nurse Smythe and Mistress Carson all
dined together. Each of them complimented Jack on how nice he looked
in his new glasses. Mistress Carson was the most effusive of the
bunch, saying "Oh Jacquelyn, I do love your new glasses. You look
just darling in them."
Jack was unsure whether they were just toying with him or if they
honestly did like his new look. He decided to give them the benefit
of the doubt and thanked them all sincerely for their compliments as
well as thanking Professor Dowling for having picked out the frames.
After going off duty in the dining room Jack returned to his room
where he read another of the women's magazines. A little before ten
Mistress Carson once again entered his room. Jack wished she would
have knocked first, but that apparently was not to be. The routine
was identical to the prior night. Jack went into the bathroom,
brushed his teeth and put on his black pajamas. Mistress Carson
helped him put on the hood, locked it, and then cuffed his wrists and
ankles to the bed frame, leaving the research subject it total silence
and darkness.
That night the carefully programmed audio files again put Jack into a
deep hypnotic trance. The messages about wanting and needing to keep
wearing the hood every night were reinforced. That was followed by a
discussion of hunt seat equitation which Jack's subconscious learned
was an English style of horseback riding. The audio file drilled Jack
in the basics of the sport to better prepare him for the riding lesson
he would be taking the next afternoon. The last "lesson" on that
night's program dealt with body hair. The sultry female voice talked
about how disgusting and unsightly body hair was and how nice it is to
be hair free from the neck down.
The following morning Professor Dowling once again released Jack from
his nightly bondage and his isolation hood. "How are you this morning
Jackie?"
Jack sat up on the edge of his bed still wearing his black nylon
pajamas. Responding to the subconscious programming Jack said, "I
feel super Mistress. I must have slept like a log again last night.
That hood is amazing. I am so glad you had it made for me."
"It was my pleasure Jackie. You have a big day ahead of you today.
In addition to your maid duties you have a dental checkup and a riding
lesson scheduled."
"Yes Mistress, I'm really looking forward to my first riding class.
Hunt seat equitation is such an elegant style of riding. They say the
riding apparel and appearance are so important. But I have never
actually been on a horse before and I'm kind of scared since they are
such big animals."
"That is all the more reason for you to take riding lessons Jackie.
They will help you overcome any fears you might have as well as teach
you important skills and give you some good exercise."
"Where will the riding lesson be Mistress?"
"At the University stables. You will earn one credit hour of Physical
Education for the class, giving you a head start in fulfilling your PE
requirements."
"That's great Mistress. I think taking a riding class sounds like a
lot more fun that doing jumping jacks with a bunch of sweaty jocks in
a gym."
"I quite agree Jackie. Rest assured I will not be enrolling you in
any PE classes like that."
"Mistress, can I ask you a question please?"
"Yes of course Jackie. What's on your mind?"
"My question is about body hair Mistress. I don't have like a lot of
body hair but I do have some on my legs and my pubes and under my arms
and even a little on my chest."
"Yes I know Jackie, and that is most unfortunate. I personally find
any hair below the neck to be quite repulsive and very unattractive."
"Me too Mistress. It's just so gross having hair like on my legs and
under my arms and stuff. I wish I didn't have all that hair. It
disgusts me."
"Fortunately it is quite easy to remove hair Jackie. They make these
things called razors you know."
"So would it be ok with you if I like shaved off that ugly hair off
Mistress?"
"I would be most pleased to see you hair free Jackie. Please feel
free to shave it all. Or if you want, I can get you an epilator or
some hair removal cream. They all work well though I think the
epilator gives the longest lasting results."
"What's an epilator Mistress?"
"It is similar to an electric razor, but instead of cutting hair at
the skin line it pulls the hairs out by the roots; hence it gives a
longer lasting result."
"Then that's what I want to do Mistress."
"Your schedule is rather full today Jackie. How would you like it if
I have one of the staff get you a pretty new epilator and then tonight
you can get rid of all that nasty body hair?"
"That would be super Mistress. Thanks so much. I can't wait to have
nice smooth skin and not have all that ugly hair on my body."
"Time for you to get dressed Jackie. You will find a clean uniform in
your closet. Your riding apparel will be delivered later this
morning. You need to be properly attired for you riding lesson."
"I'm really looking forward to learning to ride Mistress. Thanks so
much for thinking of that as a way for me to earn PE credits."
"I will see you in the dining room Jackie."
"Yes Mistress."
Jack put on his new glasses. The new clothes in the closet were
identical to the outfit he had worn the prior day. He wore the same
black slip on shoes with the high block heel and a clean pair or
stockings and underpants. Breakfast service was uneventful.
After breakfast Jack walked back to the medical campus and entered the
Dentistry building. He checked in and was escorted to an operatory
where he was given a routine dental examination including full mouth
x-rays. Jack was pleased to hear that he had no cavities and that his
gums were healthy, but that he had what the dentist called a class one
malocclusion that might need to be corrected. When Jack asked what
that meant the dentist said that it meant he would need orthodontic
treatment to re-align his bite. Jack thought back to junior high
school when it seemed that almost every kid wore braces; every kid
except those like him whose parent couldn't afford them. Now, it
seemed that at an age where everyone else had already had their teeth
straightened, Jack would be stuck wearing braces for the next two or
three years. First he had to get glasses, and now braces. Jack felt
like he was caught in an induction ceremony to geek-dom. He was given
an appointment for the following day to meet with an orthodontist who
would make a final evaluation and decide on a treatment plan, but it
sounded to Jack like he was going to be stuck in braces for a good
long part of his college career.
He returned to the Institute in time for his lunch shift in the dining
room. When that was finished Professor Dowling said she would
accompany him back to his room to check out his new riding apparel.
Hanging in his closet was a pair of maroon riding breeches, a white
riding shirt and a black wool hunt coat. On the floor was a pair of
tall black English riding boots.
"Go ahead and change Jackie. I want to see how you look in your
riding apparel."
He was a little embarrassed to undress in front of the Professor but
realized she had already seen him in his skimpy nylon pajamas so he
went ahead and took off his shirt, pants and shoes. He stood half
naked in his black knee high socks and white satin underpants. He
started to put the shirt on first but it seemed backwards. Mistress
showed him that the riding shirt buttoned in back. The shirt front
was sewn with horizontal pleats and the shirt had a very high collar
that came almost up to Jack's chin and completely concealed his steel
GPS collar. There was a silver pin attached to the front of the shirt
collar which served no function but was very decorative. The shirt
was long sleeved and the cuffs were narrow, fitting snuggly around
Jack's skinny wrists. There were four buttons on each cuff and about
eight buttons in the back of the shirt. He looked at himself in the
vanity mirror, still a little shocked about how his new glasses
altered his appearance.
The riding breeches at first glance seemed much too small for him but
they were made of a three way stretch fabric and he was able to pull
them up to his waist. Like his black pants, the breeches zipped and
buttoned on the left side rather than in front like normal pants or
jeans.
There were two packages on Jack's bed. Mistress opened the smaller of
the two packages and took out a pair of boot hooks. She showed Jack
how to attach the hooks to cloth tabs sewn into the inside top of each
boot and pull on the hook handles to pull the boots on. It took some
effort to pull them on as they fit tight around his calves. When Jack
stepped back and looked in the mirror again he was pleased with his
reflected image.
The larger box contained a hunt cap or riding helmet. It had a black
felt finish on the outside which was built around a hard shell. The
helmet was decorative in the tradition of English riding caps, but
also had a safety function in the same way as a motor cycle rider's
helmet. She adjusted the headband until the helmet fit snuggly and
then showed Jack how to fasten the chin strap which would keep the
helmet on his head in the event of a fall.
He next put on the hunt coat which was a heavy wool coat cut similar
to a man's suit coat. The final item of apparel was a pair of black
leather riding gloves. They also fit tightly but would protect Jack's
hands from the abrasion of the reigns he would soon be holding.
"I think you are ready Jackie. I also bought you a hoof pick, a comb
and a brush. You can just carry them in your purse and you will be
off to the stable. Enjoy your lesson Jackie."
"Thank you Mistress. I'm really looking forward to it."
Jack left the Institute and walked toward the edge of campus where the
stables were located. Although the campus was relatively quiet in the
summer, there were still a fair number of students enrolled in summer
classes. He got quite a few stares from other students as he walked
to the stable in his new riding habit.
It was a group lesson. There were five female students plus Jack in
the class which was taught by a woman with an English accent named
Miss Mott. She gathered the six students in a tack room. She took
role reading their names from a sheet of paper. As she called out the
names each girl would raise her hand. The last name she read from her
list was Jacquelyn. Jack thought of correcting her but didn't want to
seem disruptive, so he just meekly raised his hand.
"Jacquelyn, please stand and face the class."
Jack stood up and turned to face the five girls who were sitting on
hay bales in the tack room. He felt his face flush in embarrassment.
"Girls, this is a class in hunt seat equitation. In competitions, the
rider is judged on her riding skill, her form, her poise and her
appearance. This is not some cowgirl show where the saddles have
handles on them. Proper attire is required in my equitation classes.
Jacquelyn is the only girl in this class who is properly attired
today. If you are not properly dressed for class you will not be
allowed to ride. Jeans are not allowed. Sneakers are not allowed.
No one rides without a proper safety helmet. Because it is summer and
the weather can get quite warm, hunt coats are optional. Hard hats, a
proper riding shirt, breeches and riding boots are not optional; they
are mandatory. Any questi