A Christmas Star 2
by
Paul G Jutras
"Paula wake up." Paul's mother said in a soft voice. "You don't want to be late for the bus."
"Paula?" Paul thought as he kicked off the covers. He sat up and stared in disbelief as how far the end of the bed suddenly seemed. He looked at his tiny hands, feet and peppermint stripe night shirt he had on. As he reached down between his legs and found nothing, a smile had spread across his face. A dream come.
"Coming, mother." Paul said in his now little girl voice as he slipped out of bed and ran to the dresser. He soon got out a pair of panties, Taupe pantyhose, a red dress with puffy sleeves and yellow and blue polka dots on it.
"Need some help, dear?" Paul's mom said as she came upstairs and watched her daughter get into the dress. "Let me zip up the back for you. I've been all morning with the radio. What with the snow last night, I didn't know if they'd be school today."
"Thanks." Paul said, finding himself so short now that his mother had to get down on her knees to kiss his forehead.
After some fruit loops for breakfast, his mother handed him his Disney school bus shape lunch box and sent him out to the bus stop. Opening it up before leaving, he found it had a Apple, a BLT sandwich and a container of Kool Aid inside. Paul loved the sound of his wooden clogs on his feet as he made his way to the stop.
"Come on." Paul said waiting for his friends to show up at the bus stop. He couldn't help but wonder if they'd remember the old him or not. He looked over at a patch of ice on the neighbors lawn that looked right for yard hockey with boots instead of skates like his friends and him often do.
"What the..." He began as he stared in the sky and saw a circle of rainbow lights that seem to head straight up. "Was that a UFO? Was it aliens who changed me?"
As the bus arrived, Paul saw his friends running out of their houses in snow suits and heavy boots. Despite the breeze blowing up his dress, Paul's hose kept him pretty warm. Though he realized the shoes may of been a mistake as he almost walked out of them going up the steep bus steps.
Paul decide to keep the shoes off in his class room as he enjoyed the feeling of the classroom rug under his nylon encased feet. William and Tommy was reading a magazine about The Empire Strikes Back coming to theatres for the first time. That made him think of how his Star Wars action figure collection had changed into a Barbie one this morning. He wondered if George Lucas was pulling the fans legs about Vader being Luke's father. Seemed more like fan gossip that truth.
Outside at recess, Paul watched the kids on the teeter- totter, slide, basketball court and jungle gym on one side of the playground. One swings, baseball and kick ball area on the other side. Those who brought their sleds had climbed the school fence to the large Church hill next door; which was perfect for sledding on.
As Paul grabbed the jungle gym he swung upside down, sliding right out of his shoes and trying to keep the dress from raising and revealing his new sex. Something he'd have to learn to do if he wanted fun on the playground.
While the teacher played the piano, Paul was glad to not to have boots to pull off to practice his sugar plum fairy dance for the school play. Work that his ballet teacher helped continue after school when his mother picked him up and drove him to ballet practice.
That evening Paul went out in stage in his pink leotard and ballet shoes along with white tights. Paul was never more happy in his life. He even curtsy like a lady after the play was over and the curtains closed.
Paul and his mother talked about how the play went during the drive home and as they pulled into the driveway, Paul dug his keys from his purse. It was strange not to be able to drive himself anymore or have his car keys on the same key chain as his house key. Mom let Paul out in the drive way before pulling into the garage and Paul unlocked the door to see his cat jump down from the coffee table and rub again his legs.
"I missed you too." Paul said as he scooped Puff the magic cat (who appeared in his parents motel out of nowhere one day like magic) and carried her to the bedroom. As Paul turned on the television set a new animated version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas was just starting. Paul sat on the floor, rubbing the cat and watching while thinking back on the happiest day of his life.
As Paul woke up the next morning and kicked off the covers a smile spread over his face. "It wasn't a dream." He thought to himself. (WISH THIS PART COULD OF HAPPENED.) As he turned the television on to Saturday Morning cartoons such as Goldie Gold and Action Jack and Rubic The Amazing Cube, he got himself dressed in a pretty pink dress with white lace, white pantyhose and a pair of black Mary Janes shoes.
After the morning cartoons finished, Paul's mom took him to Sears studio where they had his picture made into Christmas cards to sent to the whole family. Afterwards they stood in line for Paul to sit on Santa's lap.
"What would such a little girl want for Christmas?" Santa asked.
"I already got the best gift of all already." Paul replied as he looked at his mother and then at Santa. Could there be a real Santa and he be the one who changed him. He figured he'd never know the truth and it would be best not to try to figure it out. "I would like a Susie bake oven, a new Barbie for my collection, a new blouse and skirt, and that pretty shoulder bag I was looking at in Sear."
"I'm sure you'll get all you want." Santa said as Paul got a gingerbread man cookie and was sent off into a new life.
THE END
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