A Better Solution Than Divorce

by Jennifer Allison

part 15

  

Vanessa

Ever since I talk with my Aunt Hillery all I could think about was how she could help me. I knew surgery couldn't help, also letting me dress-up and treating as a boy wouldn't help since I would still have a girl's body. It was after ten when my parents and Aunt Hillery walked into my room. The first few minutes were spent having everybody say they were sorry along with a lot of hugging and kissing. Finally Aunt Hillery got down to nuts and bolts.

"Vanessa how would like to live in a man's body for a month?" she asked.

"A Month!" I said. "How can it be for a month? The surgery is permanent and the only other option I know of I will be still be in this old body of mine."

"There is a third option," she answered. "So if you could do this would you try it?"

"Yes I would," I said. "But I do want to know more of what you have in mind?"

"It simple," She replied. "A mind swap."

"That can't be possible, can it?" I asked.

"Yes it is," I told her. "I been doing it for over ten years. Helping families stay together."

"I don't see why any boy would want to swap with me," I sounded a little down hearted.

Aunt Hillery just looked down and smiled and then said. "Someone has already volunteered."

"Not you dad?" I asked.

"No, it isn't me," Ben said. "I would, if I was allowed to, but I am not."

Aunt Hillery must have seen the look on my face, "That is one of rules. No swapping between parent and their child."

"When can we do it?" I wanted to know. "Today!!!"

"Not so fast. We need to have the four of you together to work a few things out first and then have your family move out West where you will live during the swap."

I then asked another question I needed to know. "Will I have to switch back?"

"I can't promise you anything, but that will depend you, your folks and Randy." Aunt Hillery told me.

"Randy, is that the boy's name?" I asked.

"He isn't a boy, he is a twenty-four year old man," She said.

"Why a man? Why would he want to switch with me?"

"Eight years ago Randy and his sister switched along with their parents," Aunt Hillery told us. "Randy's sister wanted to switched back. So, as of right now, he is like you in some respects. He too is trapped in the wrong body."

"So what do suggest about how we handle this?" asked Martha.

"Meet, talk and spend some time with Randy," replied Aunt Hillery. "Get to know him. There is one thing that I will best for all concern. During the the time Vanessa and Randy are in each others bodies. The four of you should live in the same house. If Randy lives by himself, someone might try to take advantage of a fourteen year-old girl if they don't know the truth."

I then said, "I have a picture of Randy in my head. He stands between 6-2 to 6-3 and around 190 pounds,"

"I am sorry, but you out of luck there. Randy stands 5 foot 4 and weighs in at 120 soaking wet."

"Could have you someone just a little bit bigger?" I asked.

"Vanessa, you are not the only one with this problem. Randy has been dealing with his for eight years. This way, I help both of you at the same time."

"So what is happens after the switch?" I wanted to know. "Does this mean I get to miss school?"

"No such luck. You will have to attend Tolerance Junior High School as a as an eighth grader in Randy's body. While he will be teaches in the high school in yours."

"Won't that cause a bit of confusion?" Asked Ben.

"No, it won't. As of right now, I have six sets of brothers and sisters attending the Tolerance school system in each other's body. There is a boy who will graduate this year in his sister's eleven-year-old body. While she attends school in his eighteen year-old."

"Don't the townspeople have a thing to say about all this?" asked Martha.

"Before my program, Tolerance was a very small step away from becoming a ghost town," Aunt Hillery told us. "My program has brought businesses and people to the town. Even the two doctors in town are part of my program. Before Dr. Blaylock arrived, the nearest doctor was seventy-five miles away on a two-lane road."

"The town is happy and the people of my program are happy. Over 50% of them have stayed on after they swapped back. Also the ones who decided not to swap back find it is a lot easier to live in Tolerance."

"I find it hard to believe people would decide not to switch back," said Ben.

"What if I don't want to switch back?" I needed to know.

"Like I said before," Aunt Hillery replied. "It isn't just your decision. Your folks, Randy, you and I will have a say in the matter."

We continued to talk for another hour before Aunt Hillery finally had to go to her office. Before she left, she gave me Randy's e-mail address and I gave her something in return.

 

Wally Claxon

After the first tackle dummy drill Brad walked over and told Tommy and myself something very important. "For the rest of the football season we, the side betters, will play like we have all season. Any other time, the two of you no longer exist."

Where once Tommy and I were class leaders, we are now the class outcast.

We spent most the week after the incident trying to find out who the two girls who volunteered to switch with us are. This all stopped the following Monday when Mr. Brown confronted Tommy and myself in hall between classes. "I heard you are trying to find out who the girls are?" I didn't like the sound of his voice. "Stop, or would you like to spend more time in their bodies."

This week Tommy, the side betters and myself found ourselves on the back burners on the rumor circuit. Mr. Wolf had left Tolerance Saturday morning and no one had seen him since.

 

Martha

I had known for two days Randy Wolf was coming, but I was not ready for the person I met at the front door.

"Martha Bream, I am Randy Wolf," The person standing on my front porch announced.

I had expected someone more feminine looking. Randy looked more like Tom Selleck and Burt Reynolds.

Randy saw the confused look on my face and cracked a joke. "Appearances can be deceiving."

I knew right then and there that the program was the best thing for my family.

We spent most of the week before our move packing and talking. I don't know what the future will bring, but one very important thing has happened. My family, for the last couple of years, has never really sat down and talked with each other. But that has changed and so here we sit, with an almost complete stranger, doing so. Another major point is we aren't just talking but we are also listening to each other.

Vanessa and I did go out shopping, especially after she found out about Randy's feminine wardrobe. "When I am in his body, I don't even want to see anything feminine." she announced.

 

Randy Wolf

You can use your imaginations about the look of my first period class when I walked in as Vanessa. A few of the students didn't figure out something was different. One even said, "Hey kid you are in the wrong school."

"This is my class and for the less bright students of mine, I am Mr. Wolf," I announced.

A very loud, "WHAT!!!" was heard.

"Let me explain," I said. "A young girl was in trouble and Dr. Knox ask me if I would switch with her for awhile."

I knew, just from the looks I received back from the students, that I had to explain more. "I have expressed interest in trying to see the other side, but I had no one to do so with. Also, since I wasn't a minor, I wouldn't need my parents' permission."

"What about the girl?" one of my students asked.

"She attending her first class here at Tolerance Junior High," I replied. "One other thing, I would like you to refer to me as Miss Wolf please."

"Will the switch be permanent?" asked another student.

"That is still up in the air." I answered.

**I will refer to Randy Wolf as Vanessa Wolf from now on**

 

Randy Bream

It was my deepest and dearest dream come true. I was attending school in the body I was meant to live in. I didn't care I stood 5 foot 4 and weigh in at 120 All I cared about was that piece of equipment between my legs.

My parents wanted to come with me the first day, but I finally talk them out of it. It helped when Dean McLean volunteered to help me.

Walking down the halls, I didn't really feel out of place. The only thing out of place was my face. It was that of a twenty-four-year-old man. But, the rest of me fit right in with everybody else. My first stop was the Principal's office.

"Vanessa, Dr. Knox explained your situation to us," He started the conversation.

"May I interrupt for a second?" I asked. "My name is Randy and that's the name I would like to be refer to as."

"Certainly Randy," he replied. "There will no special treatment for you, you will be treated as any fourteen-year-old boy attending this school. You will be required to attend gym with the boys and use their locker room. We have had over a hundred students that have switched attend this school, so most of the students have seen it all before."

"That's all I ask for," I told him.

"I have checked out your schooling. You have meet 95% of requirements for the eighth grade. With a little help from the teachers, fellow students and tutors we should have you up to a 100 before the end of the school year."

"Hey, I met all the requirements at my old school," I told him.

"Not according to your records. Your old school covered up for you. Here, there is no cover-up and each student is required to attend class, do the work and pass each of their classes."

"Is this because I am a boy?" I needed to know.

"No, certainly not. Ask any student, from those in Dr. Knox's program to those whose families have lived in Tolerance for generations."

In every class, I had to hand the teacher a note, who then read it to the class explaining my situation.

By lunchtime, everybody in school knew that a week before I had been a girl, but it didn't matter to anyone. I was being treated like any fourteen-year-old boy.

I didn't want to miss a day of gym, so I brought my gym clothes with me the first day.

And I LOVE it.

 

Wally

Our last football game was last night. Tommy and I are heading east for the last part of our punishment. To tell you the truth, we are looking forward to it.

If you any of you readers have gone from a class leader to class outcast in a 24 hour period, you know what Tommy and I have gone through. The rest of you can use your imagination. To give you an example, before the dance, people used to gather around me to listen to what I said. Now, when I try to join a group around someone else, the group will break up and leave me standing there by myself.

Tommy and I knew we would never get back all of that we lost because of one stupid mistake. We just hope that we get a third of what we lost.

We both realize what we did was wrong. This mistake simply didn't ruin our lives. With the help and understanding of everyone involved, I have accepted my punishment and will make sure that anything like this will not happen again, if there is anything I could do about it. I promised Jennifer, when I apologized I promiced her that if I ever had a chance to stop something like what I did from happening to someone else I would.

With all the help I received, I was able to sign a letter of intent to play football for a major university.

end of part 16

  

  

  

*********************************************
© 2003 by Jennifer Allison. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of StorySite and the copyright holder.