How I Spent My Summer Vacation

by C. Sprite

 

Chapter Nine

 

The receptionist at the station's front desk had someone escort us to the same room where we had waited yesterday and I got to see who the two other finalists were. They were the two most beautiful women from the initial interviews, and both were from the short list that I'd selected in my mind. I suddenly felt very inadequate. I wondered what had happened to the two others that I had expected might be among the finalists.

The looks that I received when I entered were anything but friendly. Both women appeared to be in their early to mid-twenties and I had to wonder again what I was doing there. If they were looking for a mature woman, they wouldn't hire a teenager. Was it simply some sort of concession to Mr. Souter that I was among the finalists, with the intent really being to hire one of the other two? As the time passed I managed to convince myself that I wasn't really a serious contender, so I could go to the interview and then go home, confident that this would be my last trip here.

The clock in the room indicated that it was seven twenty-five when a female station employee arrived and escorted one of the other two women out. The employee returned a few minutes before eight and took the other woman, leaving just Lizbeth and myself. It was almost eight forty-five when my turn came. We stood up when the employee gestured to me, but the woman told Lizbeth that she couldn't come. She sat back down to continue waiting in the room until I was done.

I was escorted down the hall, and through a large room with a dozen desks, to a medium-sized office walled on two sides by floor-to-ceiling glass panels. The women told me to go in and then closed the door. A strangely familiar man sitting behind the desk stood up, walked out from behind the desk, and extended his hand.

"I'm Rob Graham, the station manager. Welcome to KBXF." He continued to hold onto my hand after we had shaken hands. In fact he put his other hand on top of mine, sandwiching it in.

"I'm pleased to meet you Mr. Graham. I'm Ashley Michelle James."

"Yes, I know."

I smiled. "Of course. Sorry."

"You're a very attractive young lady, Miss James. Turn around please. Slowly."

He let go of my hand and I turned slowly so that he could look me over.

"Thank you, Miss James. You know, I couldn't ask you to do that if this wasn't the entertainment business, but looks and talent form the basis for hiring here. Have a seat, please."

I sat down where he indicated, and immediately crossed my legs because he'd be able to see every inch of me from where he would be sitting.

"I was very impressed with your tests; both of them. When everything worked properly, you did a splendid job for a neophyte. And when everything got screwed up, you came through as well as a ten-year veteran. What were you thinking when things started to go wrong?"

"I was thinking that the control booth was having serious problems and it was up to me to continue on as though everything was running smoothly."

"Very professional, Miss James. You're what, fifteen, sixteen?"

Here was my way out without quitting. I just had to be honest. The job required the applicant to be eighteen, and I had lied on my application. If I lied right now, I would be compounding the lie, and since it sounded like he already knew my age, lying wouldn't help anyway. "I'm sixteen."

"Yet you put eighteen on your application?"

"I didn't think that I'd get the opportunity to audition if I put down my true age, since the advertisement in the paper said that you must be eighteen to apply for the job."

"That was just for the open call. We didn't want every high-school kid in town down here. You were invited by Mr. Souter after he saw you on stage at the community center. He felt that you were mature enough for the position. That was quite a dress you wore."

I looked at him questioningly.

"I watched the clip last night. The one filmed by the news crew."

I nodded. "I didn't know there was a clip, and I wasn't aware that the age limit wouldn't apply to me. I expected that I'd be immediately dismissed if anyone knew my real age. After seeing the competition, I didn't believe that I had a chance anyway, but since I had taken the time to come here, at Mr. Souter's invitation, I at least wanted to see what the audition was like."

"I'm glad that you've told me the truth instead of trying to lie your way out."

"It wouldn't have done any good. As soon as you mentioned it I knew that you were on to me."

He chuckled. "And I thought that I was being so clever by sneaking it in right after complimenting you. I can't get anything past my wife either. You women seem to have built-in radar that detects subterfuge. Mr. Souter told me that you mentioned, at the dance, that you were going to be a high school junior next term. Since you appear very intelligent, it's unlikely that you'd be repeating a grade. I must say that you certainly look eighteen though, maybe even nineteen, yet your face also has a remarkably sweet innocence about it. It's almost angelic."

I smiled, but not for the reason that he would think. "Thank you for your compliment about being professional, but I've never worked in broadcasting. In fact my only job has been waitressing for my cousin's catering service."

"And you do that very well also."

"Oh? Did you call Nicole?"

"No. I was at the Taylor wedding last weekend. You really stood out among the waitresses, even in that sack dress uniform. You served me a chicken dinner. I was almost tempted to ask you to come to the station myself, to test for the job, but I had way of knowing if you could pull it off. The position requires a lot more than beauty. Souter had an opportunity to see you on stage and recognized your talent immediately."

"Ahh, that's where I saw you. I've been trying to place you since I came in, but I couldn't make the connection. When we're serving, we don't really have time to look at faces carefully because I have to concentrate on what I'm doing. And we aren't allowed to strike up a conversation."

"You work hard and obey the rules, I like that. You're extremely attractive, very personable, intelligent, expressive, sensitive, and-- entertaining."

"But…"

"What?"

"In the movies, this is the point where you get 'butted.' For example, 'but you're too young', or, 'but you don't have the experience that we're looking for.'"

He laughed. "You're right, but-- not this time. I want to talk some more. Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do in your spare time? What are your career goals? What are you hoping to get out of a job with KBXF?"

"I'm just your average high-school girl. I want to go to college but I haven't decided on a major yet, much less a school. I've spent a lot of time playing video games in the past, but I seem to spend most of my time shopping lately, and I like to swim when I have the time. My career goals are to have a satisfying job that allows me to live a decent life. All I expect out of KBXF is a weekly paycheck that I can put into my college fund."

Mr. Graham smiled. "Very direct and to the point. The previous two women took at least fifteen minutes to answer those simple questions. You talk like a reporter, cutting right to the heart of the matter. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Have you ever considered a career in journalism?"

"No, I haven't. I've never even known anyone who's worked in the field."

"You should consider it. I think that you'd be good at it. Perhaps after working here for a while, you'll consider pursuing it."

"Excuse me. After working here for a while?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I've just decided that you're going to be our new weather girl. Can you start tomorrow? You won't go on air until Monday, but you can start practicing in the backup studio with the actual scripts that we're using each day."

"Which days? I work on weekends with the catering service."

"No problem. We're filling the Mon-Fri, nighttime slot. The girl who left on maternity leave was working the early morning-noon broadcasts, but our weatherman from the nighttime broadcasts moved to take her spot until she returns. Our staff meteorologist, who prepares all the scripts and weather map graphics, is doing the nighttime broadcasts right now, but he keeps threatening to quit if he isn't relieved soon."

"And how much does it pay?"

"Starting salary for the position is-- four hundred per week. If you were experienced we could go higher, but I can't justify more than that for someone who has never been in front of a live camera before."

"Four hundred is satisfactory. Thank you, Mr. Graham. May I ask why you selected me over those two very beautiful women that preceded me?"

"First of all, you're every bit as lovely as they are, if not more. Their looks are slightly more mature, while you have youth and exuberance. I think that you'll be a definite asset to the evening news team. The main reason is that your second tape was one of the best we've ever seen here, of all the people that have applied for this job, past and present. You were so relaxed in front of the camera that it seemed like you had been doing it for a lifetime."

"Thank you."

"If you can be that relaxed and self-confident on the air, you'll be a definite success. Wear something nice tomorrow because we'll be taking some publicity stills against a medium aqua-blue/green background."

"I guess that I'll have to spend my first few paychecks on clothing suitable for being on the air."

"Not at all. We have merchants that provide clothes for our anchors and weather persons. The stores get free advertising credits, and the news people never wear the same clothes twice. You don't get to keep the clothes though."

"That's understandable."

"We'll get you all fixed up tomorrow. You'll have to fill out a hundred payroll forms so be prepared to write for a while."

"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Graham."

He stood up, so I did also. "Do you know your way out, or do you need an escort?"

"I'm sure I can find my way easily enough."

"Good. Welcome to the KBXF team, Miss James." He extended his hand.

I took it and we shook as I said, "Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Graham. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I turned and opened the door. As I closed the glass door behind me, I saw out of the corner of my eye that he was staring at my legs and tush. 'If he only knew', I thought, and then, 'and I hope that he never finds out'.

Walking through the newsroom, the enormity of what had just happened began to sink in. I was the new nighttime KBXF weather girl. I was going to be seen on thousands of television sets every night at six and ten. People were going to rely on me for accurate weather, and they would blame me if it didn't come out as predicted. Strangers that I didn't know, would know who I was and call me by my first name, or at least my current first name, or maybe they would just call me other names if their picnic was rained out. I was too young for this kind of responsibility. Wasn't I?

I had reached the room where Lizbeth was waiting and I entered slowly. Lizbeth stood up. "I can see the answer to my question in your face", she said. "Well, it was worth a try. I have to admit that those two other girls were gorgeous."

I nodded. "Yes, they were, but I got the job, not them."

Lizbeth just stared at me. "You got the job? YOU GOT THE JOB?!"

I nodded again. Lizbeth started laughing and hugging and squeezing me. Her enthusiasm was infectious and although I was still numb, I started to jump with her. But I quickly ran out of breath and had to stop because I was getting dizzy. A corset does not lend itself to athletic activities. Lizbeth realized my predicament and stopped jumping.

"Just breathe slowly and evenly."

After a couple of minutes I started to feel better. "I'm not going to be able to do this if I have a wear a corset every day. What happens when you're not around? I can barely bend over to put on my shoes or pick up a dropped paper."

"You're right. I'll have to rethink the situation. Let's go call Suzanne and we can talk while we wait."

We picked up our things and walked to the front of the building. Lizbeth asked if she could use the phone. The receptionist was different than the one we had seen last night when we left.

"I'm sorry. I can't let the general public use the phone. There's a pay phone out on the highway."

"But I used it last night," Lizbeth said. "It's just a local call. I just have to call my sister."

"I'm very sorry, but the rules are very specific. The general public is not permitted to use the phone."

"How about member of the station staff?" I asked.

"Staff members are permitted to use the phone at any time for local calls. Are you related to one?"

"I'm a member of the station staff. I was just hired by Mr. Graham."

"Mr. Graham only hires techs and talent. Mrs. Wicks hires all the staff. If you're staff, you couldn't have been hired by Mr. Graham."

"Call him," I said. "He's probably still in his office."

She picked up the phone as if to call my bluff. "What's your name?"

"I'm Ashley Michelle James, the new KBXF weather girl for nighttime broadcasts. Monday through Friday."

The woman looked at me and slowly put down the phone and pushed it towards me. "I'm sorry, Miss James. Of course you may use the phone."

"Thank you."

I picked up the phone and dialed the house. Suzanne answered.

"Hi Suzanne, we're done at the station?"

"How did it go?"

"I got the job. I'm the new weather girl."

Suzanne immediately screamed and then yelled the news to Nicole. In a few seconds I could hear them both yelling. Finally Suzanne came back on the phone and told me that they'd be there in ten minutes. I hung up the phone and pushed it back towards the receptionist.

"Thank you."

"You're most welcome, Miss James. Congratulations, and welcome to KBXF. You beat out some tough competition. One of the applicants had even worked at another station doing the weather."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But when the teleprompter stopped working she let loose with a string of four letter words that turned the cameraman's ears blue. She said later that she wouldn't have done it if they were really on the air, but it was too late. She was supposed to be treating it as if it was a real broadcast. I heard about you, but I didn't know what you looked liked. You're the one that adlibbed a joke when the smiley face appeared instead of the weather map. Most of the others just ignored it, or tried to ignore it, if they were even still trying to make their report, with the teleprompter dead."

"What's your name?"

"I'm Janice, Miss James."

"Call me Ashley, please."

"Okay, Ashley. I'm sorry about the phone thing but Mrs. Wicks is really strict about that rule and if she found out that I violated it, she'd have me on the carpet tomorrow."

"I understand, Janice. Did you try out for the weather spot?"

"Yeah, a couple of years ago when the girl who just left on maternity leave was hired. I stunk. I mean r-e-a-l-l-y stunk. I got to see my two tests because I was already working here. I certainly wouldn't have hired me, so I can't blame Mr. Graham when he didn't."

"I wonder if I'll be able to see my tests?"

"Sure, just ask one of the techs. They'll make you a videotape copy that you can take home to watch, if you want. The talent get anything that they want around here."

"You used that term before. Who are the talent?"

"You are. Anyone who stands in front of the camera is referred to as the talent. Our talent pool consists of eight news anchors, four weather people, and four reporters who cover local stories. Four of the anchors and two of the weather persons are part-time people who only work weekends. Then we have management, who include Mr. Graham and Mrs. Wicks, the production people and techs, who actually keep the place running, and the rest of us, who are referred to as staff."

"How long have you been here, Janice?"

"Three years this month. I came here right after I got out of high school. I had dreams of getting on camera, but I know now I'm not cut out for that. Then I tried to become a production person, but I'm not cut out for that either. I get confused and lose track of the production sequences. It's okay, though. I like working here and talking to people, most of the month."

"Most of the month?- Oh."

"I'm a real grouch on those days, but they put up with me because I'm fine the rest of the time. On those days I work in the upstairs office doing data entry. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm usually okay. I cover it up pretty well."

"You're lucky, and you need to be able to do that to be on camera."

We continued talking like that until I realized the Suzanne had pulled up in front. We said goodnight to Janice and walked out of the station. Both Nicole and Suzanne were outside the car and they ran at me when we emerged. We hugged and celebrated for a few minutes before getting into the car. To celebrate more formally, Suzanne drove us to an ice cream store and we each ordered a large Sunday. I hadn't eaten dinner and the ice cream helped to kill the hunger pangs that I was feeling. Lizbeth hadn't let me eat very much for breakfast or lunch.

While we enjoyed our ice cream, I told them about the interview and as much about my new job as I knew. I was feeling more than a little bit of apprehension but they were excited and I guess that a little of it started rubbing off on me. I was still worried about what would happen the first time that the camera light winked on and I knew that thousands of people were looking at me at that instant.

 

Lizbeth came with me to my bedroom after the evening news was over. I knew why she was there and I swore to myself that I wouldn't protest or resist.

After helping me undress, she wrapped the sleeping corset around me. She pulled on the laces until I could barely breathe, and then helped me with my nightgown. Afterward she turned me around and we hugged. "Congratulations, weather girl. I'm proud of you. You did good today. Break a leg tomorrow."

"What does that mean? Somebody at the station said it to me."

"It's a show business term that I've heard used. You never wish an actor good luck before they go on. Many are superstitious and believe that they'll have an accident if they receive good wishes. So you say 'break a leg'. It really means 'good luck'."

"Oh, okay. But I'm not going to be on-air until next week. I'm only going to be practicing in the backup studio."

"I'm sure that you'll do great."

"I was only okay in the audition because I didn't think that I had a chance to get the job. I'm afraid of what will happen when I first go on the air Monday. I might freeze up."

"Why? It's not a live audience. Just practice so much that you go into automatic mode on Monday. Forget about the television audience. There will only be a couple of dozen people around, at most. Just forget the camera and everyone else in the room except the cameraman. Talk to him or her as if there isn't a camera between you. You'll do great."

"Thanks, Lizbeth. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, hon."

After I was in bed, I lay awake thinking about the string of events that had brought me to this point, and I wondered what lay ahead. Would anyone find out that I was once a boy? What would I do if they did learn my secret? Thank God that I lived in another state. I could simply go back home if anything happened. I eventually drifted off to sleep.

 

Many of my dreams involved the television station, but again, none of them involved me as a male. I also relived many of the camping trips with my cousins, but I was always a girl now. There was no doubt that my subconscious was moving me further and further away from my male identity, and my conscious identity seemed to be going with it. I had a new dream tonight. I was a captive of King Kong, the giant monkey. He held me tightly gripped in his hand as he climbed the Empire State Building, and after he set me down near the top, George appeared and rescued me. That was my last dream, or nightmare, and I woke up just as King Kong fell from the tower. It was light outside and the clock indicated that it was after eight.

It was a struggle getting up with the longer corset, but I finally made it and went into the bathroom. It was another struggle to use the toilet because the corset dug into my thighs when I sat down, so I did my business as quickly as I could. After washing up, I put on my robe and went downstairs. I was still using the pink nightgown, robe, and mules that I had 'acquired' that first day. It was hard to believe that I had only been here a week. It seemed like half a lifetime already.

Lizbeth wasn't around, so I fixed myself two eggs, six strips of bacon, and two pieces of toast, but the joke was on me. The corset was so tight that I could only eat half of it, and I had to do that standing up, but I didn't dare try to remove it or even loosen it. Lizbeth came down as I was finishing what I could eat.

"I can't eat this. Do you want it?"

"Sure. How much did you make?"

"Two eggs, six strips, and two pieces of buttered toast. I couldn't eat more than half."

"That's good, because that's all you should be eating. You're in a job that requires you to take extra special care of your looks now. Your goal should be to learn everything that you can about television reporting, while still keeping your looks."

"Lizbeth, this is only a weather person job. And a temporary one at that."

"Don't think of this as a temporary job, think of it as an opportunity. As your agent I'm going to keep promoting you for something better."

I groaned. Lizbeth had stars in her eyes. I had no delusions that this job would lead anywhere else, just as I had told Mr. Graham. Still, I looked forward to learning how a television studio operated. The small introduction that I had already received had been absorbing. 'I wonder if I can get into the control room one of these days?' I thought to myself. Then I realized that if Lizbeth pushed too hard, I'd be dismissed. 'Maybe I should encourage her to keep promoting me?'

 

Lizbeth insisted that we alter the rest of my clothes to fit my smaller waist, so we spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon doing just that. While she was altering the waist, she also altered the rest of the garment to hug my new shape. She left me just one summer dress with a full skirt. Everything else seemed to restrict my movement to small steps. 'Ladylike' steps, she called them.

Selecting a red dress with a narrow black belt for me to wear to my first day of work. Lizbeth made sure that it looked perfect since my picture would be taken today. The V-neckline highlighted my bust where the breast forms tugged on my skin and the corset pushed everything up and out, and Lizbeth decided that a double strand of pearls would be best, along with the teardrop pearl earrings that I had worn for the first interview. I wore my red pumps with the, now normal for me, four-inch heels, and we waited until it was almost time to go before taking my hair out of the rollers and combing it out.

Nicole picked us up and brought us to the station, and I felt like a small child being sent off to my first day of school by an anxious parent as Lizbeth adjusted and examined me. I finally had to tell her that I had to go in and she reluctantly stopped. We touched cheeks and I turned and walked towards the station door. I turned and waved just before disappearing inside.

I didn't recognize the woman at the front desk but she knew who I was as soon as I told her my name.

"Oh, yes, Miss James. Mrs. Wicks told me to expect you. Let me page her office while you sign in."

"Mrs. Wicks? I'm not on her staff. I was hired by Mr. Graham."

"Yes, of course, but you'll have to complete forms for personnel, payroll, health care, and whatever. Mrs. Wicks' office oversees those departments."

"I see," I said, as I entered my name and the time in the logbook on the counter.

After returning the phone to the cradle, the receptionist pointed to the hallway that led towards the rear of the building and said, "Just walk down this hall and someone will meet you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, and welcome to KBXF, Miss James."

"Please, call me Ashley."

"Okay, Ashley. I'm Corrine."

"It's nice to meet you Corrine. Have you been with KBXF long?"

"About twelve years now. I think you'll fit right in here. It's like a big family."

"Everyone that I've met so far has been wonderful. Thank you, Corrine. I guess that I'd better go meet whoever has been sent to find me."

"Bye, Ashley. See you later."

As I walked down the corridor a young woman exited an elevator. She stopped, looked around, and smiled at me? "Miss James?"

I returned her smile. "Ashley."

"Hi, I'm Sarah. I'll show you to personnel."

We boarded the elevator and went up to the second floor. Sarah took me on a small tour around the second floor hallways, pointing out the different departments as we walked, and we wound up at Personnel, which was actually close to the elevator that we had taken up. I was introduced to the personnel manager, who had the application that I had originally completed, with the age amended. Over the next hour I completed a dozen different forms. I was also given a contract, to be co-signed by my guardian since I was under eighteen. Being sixteen, I didn't need working papers, but I wasn't legally old enough to sign a contract on my own. I would get Suzanne to sign it, since she was the oldest at the house. The last step was to have my picture taken for my employee ID.

When I was done in Personnel, I was taken back downstairs and shown to a desk in the large newsroom, near the back, and away from the news people.

"This is your desk," Sarah said. "You share it with Will Arledge. He's usually gone by two o'clock so it may be a while before you meet him. The morning group comes in at five a.m. to prepare for the seven a.m. broadcast." Pointing to another desk, she said, "That desk is shared by the weekend weather people." Sarah pulled open a drawer on the right side of my desk. Seeing some things there, she pushed it closed and said, "I guess you have the left side." To confirm that she opened both drawers, a regular one and a file drawer, and determined that both were empty. "Yep, you have the left side. If you'd like to leave your papers here, I'll take you to get your promo pictures taken."

Sarah took me to the backup studio, where a photographer had his equipment already set up. I spent the next hour with him, being posed in various ways, including several in front of a weather map made to appear like the one seen projected on the blue screen. He was funny and he managed to keep me smiling as he took picture after picture. By the time he was done, I was seeing stars from the several flash strobes that constantly bathed me in light.

As the photographer disassembled his equipment, a technician arrived to work with me. Equipment had been set up at the weather broadcast area in the backup studio so that I could practice. The technician showed me how to operate the VCR so that I could record my report and then play it back. He showed me how to reset the computer for the teleprompter, and how to control the weather maps using a controller like one used for a slide projector. He hung around while I went through the script once, then gave me a thumbs-up sign and waved as he left.

I spent the next four hours practicing over and over, taking time between each report to view my progress. I felt that I was slowly improving as I carefully examined the playbacks. I started moving with more purpose while doing the report and enunciating more clearly. I paid careful attention to the way that I moved my arms and gestured. I was glad that I didn't have to worry about what I was going to say, as a newsperson conducting an interview might. I had my hands full just keeping track of everything else.

I guess that I had just completed my fifteenth or sixteenth practice report when someone started clapping from the shadows. Judging from the sounds it was a man, but I couldn't see him because I was practicing under full lights, since that would be the way that I would have to do the live report. I smiled and said, "Thank you, but I certainly don't deserve applause."

"Oh, but you do," a male voice said. "Your report was excellent. You're moving right, gesturing right, looking directly at the camera, speaking clearly, and most important, you're conveying the information correctly. You're doing wonderful. I'm ecstatic that you've joined the team."

The man, walking forward as he spoke, had moved to a spot where I could make out his features. It was the man that I had seen doing the evening weather reports; the meteorologist who was anxious to return to his normal duties.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Miss James," he said. "I'm Keith Lewiston, KBXF meteorologist." He extended his hand.

"I'm Ashley, Mr. Lewiston," I said, smiling and shaking his hand.

"Keith, please. I usually feel very old, and I enjoy having beautiful young women call me by my given name."

"Okay, Keith." I said giggling. "Uh, do you really think that I'm doing okay?"

"Much better than okay. You're doing wonderfully."

"Thanks. I'm a little nervous about doing it live."

"It's no different than doing it in here, but I know that the first time can be a little scary. You just have to stand in front of the camera and talk. Stick with the script and you can't go wrong."

"Thanks, Keith."

"It's almost time for the ten o'clock broadcast. Why don't you come over and watch?"

"Okay, I think that I could use a break. I've been practicing for hours." I turned off all the equipment.

"Allow me to escort you." He extended his elbow towards me and I took his arm. As we walked, he told me about his first days on air and also about some of the experiences that he'd had over the years. When we entered the main studio, all eyes seemed to turn towards us, but I pretended not to notice. The anchors were just coming in a door at the other side of the studio and Keith steered us on an intercept path.

"Donald Baden, Kay Peterson, I'd like you to meet our new associate. This is Ashley James, our new weather person."

I had met Donald the previous day when he had come over and wished all the job applicants 'good luck'. "Congratulations, Ashley," he said, as he extended his hand and I accepted it. "Welcome to KBXF. Call me Don."

"Thank you, Don."

Kay Peterson smiled and held out her hand also. "Congratulations, Ashley. You had some tough competition for the job. I knew one of the applicants when she was a weather person at another station. I thought she had a lock on it. She might have if she could control her temper, and if her mother had washed her mouth out with soap when she was younger."

"Uh, thank you, Miss Peterson."

"It's Kay, honey. We're all on a first name basis around here. It's not like the big city-- unfortunately."

"Ashley," Don asked, "are you starting tonight?"

"No. Mr. Graham says that I'll start on Monday."

"He's giving you the weekend to get your nerves all tensed up, eh?" Kay said.

"I don't think so. He just wants me to get some practice using the equipment in the other studio."

An announcement suddenly filled the air in the studio. "Five minutes to air."

"Gotta go, Ashley," Don said. "Talk to you later."

He and Kay both turned and walked to their desk and took their seats. Keith took my hand and led me to a technician that was talking to a cameraman.

"Phil," he said, "Fix Ashley's receiver so she can hear what's comings from the control booth."

Phil stepped behind me and adjusted something on the box that was mounted on my belt. I had been using the equipment while practicing. Although there hadn't been anyone to say anything to me, the microphone provided the audio to the tape recorder.

"There you go, Ashley. You're on Keith's frequencies for transmit and receive. Remain quiet while he's on camera or the booth will pick up your voice."

"Thanks, Phil," I said.

"Now you come over here where you'll have a bird's eye view of what I do," Keith said. He showed me where to stand and then walked to the weather station and took his place. I stood there, just five or six feet away from Keith, and watched as all three looked over their notes or prepared themselves for the broadcast.

After a few minutes, the news broadcast began. Don and Kay alternately introduced the headlines, and then broke for opening credits and commercials. In two minutes the broadcast resumed and they started reading the news stories from the teleprompter.

I watched, fascinated, as Don and Kay worked like a team that had been doing this forever. They didn't step on one another's story even once. The stories ran the gamut from global to national and regional to local. I was used to watching the television studios back home where a network broadcast would fill the first half hour, then the local station would fill the second half hour. At this station they did it all, but they used network and news service reports for the global and national stories. Twice during the broadcast, Don and Kay mentioned that the weather was coming up shortly, and cut to Keith for a quick comment, but then went back to news after a commercial break.

Finally it was Keith's turn. As the commercial was finishing, I heard the control booth cue him and he started a second later.

"Good evening. We're going to have the kind of weather this weekend that picnic enthusiasts dream about. But first I have an announcement. I've only been filling in as a weather person because our dear Paula has taken leave to have a baby. I've been putting in long hours for the past two weeks and I'm finally about to get some relief. The station has hired a young lady to fill in until Paula returns and you'll be seeing her every Monday thru Friday at six and ten. She wasn't due to start until Monday, but I'd like to introduce her to you tonight."

Keith came over and took my hand, and pulled me on camera. I didn't dare refuse to go.

"This is Ashley James, and I just hope you men out there will be able to concentrate on the weather maps when you have Ashley standing up here. This is Ashley's very first time on camera, and we long-timers know that the first time is the most difficult, so what I'm going to do is let Ashley tell you all about the upcoming weather. Since she wasn't prepared for this at all, no one can criticize her if her first time is less than perfect. It's all yours Ashley."

Keith backed away until he was off camera.

I was shocked, but I couldn't allow too much of it to show. I had, of course, been studying today's script all afternoon, so I was very familiar with it, even though Keith had sort of implied to the audience that I wasn't. I knew that he was trying to give me a built in excuse in case I bombed, and hadn't actually lied. I smiled into the camera, giggled nervously, thanked Keith for the introduction, and started the report, just as I had practiced it. I had to speed it up just a little to make up for the time that Keith had used when introducing me, but I finished right on time. Instead of just stopping, as I had when practicing, I was told in my ear to send it back to Don.

"… And that's our weather report for tonight. Don?"

Don waited one second as the control booth switched over to the camera facing him and said, "Thank you, Ashley. Well done. Welcome to KBXF. And in our closing story for tonight…"

I tuned out the rest of the news as the light on the camera winked out, and I breathed a deep sigh of relief. Keith came over smiling and patted me on the shoulder. We couldn't talk until the broadcast was over.

As the news ended, the studio lights dimmed and that was our cue to walk over to the news desk to act as background while the credits rolled. The audio was off and we could talk. Don and Kay congratulated me again and told me how well I had done, especially since I had just been thrown into the deep end of the pool by Keith.

"It's the way that I was taught to swim," Keith said. "My father picked me up and threw me into the deep water. Ashley did a lot better than I did though. I dog-paddled my way to shore. She swam with the grace of an Olympic champion."

"Only because I had worked with today's weather script for hours in the other studio."

"I knew that you had it down cold," Keith said, "and that you could have even done it without the teleprompter. I felt that this was the optimal time to get your initial broadcast out of the way."

"I suppose that I would have been more nervous if I had the weekend to think about it, as Kay said earlier."

The lights suddenly came up again. I heard in my ear, "We're off. Good job everybody."

A technician came and collected the audio transceiver that I was wearing. I'd remove the wires that I'd routed through my clothes by myself, and put them on again tomorrow, although I'm sure that he'd like to help me, judging by the way that he looked at me. Many of the people in the studio came over to congratulate me and welcome me to the team. Don and Kay excused themselves, said goodnight, and hurried off. After everyone dispersed, Keith walked back to the newsroom with me. I had to get my purse and call Suzanne. They had seen my premier and were tremendously excited. Suzanne said that they'd be right over to pick me up.

It turned out that Keith's office was near the desk that I shared with the daytime weather person, and he gave me a tour after I had called Suzanne. He had half a dozen large computer monitors and printers arrayed around the room. A large ink-pen printer could draw huge weather maps, reproducing the isobars that showed pressure ridges used to predict weather, although Keith admitted that the computer software and monitors had improved so much that he rarely printed maps anymore.

It was almost time for Suzanne to arrive, so I thanked Keith and explained that I had to leave. We said goodnight and I left, walking to the front and signing out. Janice was working the desk and she congratulated me. I thanked her, said goodnight, and walked outside, where Suzanne, Nicole, and Lizbeth were just arriving.

I was smothered by hugs as I was congratulated for my wonderful debut. I tried to explain that I hadn't done anything except read off a teleprompter, but they wouldn't hear it, so I gracefully accepted all the accolades.

On the way home, Lizbeth said, "I thought that you weren't going to be on until Monday. We didn't even have a tape ready to record your first weather report."

"I'll get one made by the station. I'm sure that they'll give me a copy."

"Get your interview also," she said. "I think that I'd like to see the smiley face that you talked about."

"Okay. I'll ask for it."

"Are you hungry?" Nicole asked.

"Starving. I worked right through from the time that I got there this afternoon."

"I have to tighten your corset down a notch so you don't eat too much," Lizbeth said, smiling.

"Not much danger there. I'm usually almost full as soon as I start eating."

 

Lizbeth didn't tighten down my corset, but I still couldn't eat very much. The corset was already compressing my stomach and internal organs. It was midnight by the time that I had finished my light dinner, and I was exhausted, so I went to bed as soon as Lizbeth had laced me into the sleeping corset.

My dreams were a continuation of previous nights. I had a few dreams about the station and my new job, but most involved me as a girl in the familiar surroundings of my hometown. Again, it was as if I had grown up as a girl. I not only didn't dream about ever having been a male, I had a number of dreams about being with George, kissing George, and being seduced by George. The fact that I was physically incapable of doing the things I did in my dreams, because my anatomy was wrong, never intruded into my subconscious mind. In my dreams now, I was always a real girl.

 

(continued)

  

  

  

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