Jay’s Pageant                 by: Janell Stevens

 

Chapter 2: The Pageant

This year the Student Council decided to add some extra events to the annual Sadie Hawkins Dance weekend. In addition to the standard powder puff football game on Saturday afternoon, the Student Council voted to stage a gender reversing beauty pageant on Friday evening before the game, in which the guys would compete dressed as girls, followed by the annual Sadie Hawkins Dance on Saturday. The overall winner of the pageant would also be presented at the Powder Puff football game, in a manner similar to the Homecoming Queen. Similar events at other local highschools were always a big success.

As with the powder puff football game, all of the proceeds from the pageant would be used to fund the senior gift. However, local businesses were expected to sponsor contestant and donate various prizes for the winning participants. The Student Council felt offering prizes was the only way to ensure enough boys would be willing participants.

Like most pageants, there was to be an evening gown and talent section to the competition, with gag prizes going to both the ugliest and the hairiest contestants, as well as the traditional crown for the most beautiful and talented ‘girl’. There would even be a Miss Congeniality award as well. Cynthia Russell, the class president and head cheerleader, would serve as the MC for the event. The prize list included free dinners at various local restaurants, and electronic equipment, like portable radios, DVD players, and such, typical fare for a small time raffle, but, since Cynthia was organizing the event, she persuaded her father to donate the free use of a new car from his dealership for a full year to the contestant chosen as the most beautiful. Once everyone heard about the grand prize, even the macho athletes considered entering the pageant, and many thought of enlisting their girlfriends in helping them prepare for the contest.

Since they had worked together the previous year as leads in the school play, Cynthia asked Jay for help in staging the pageant with Mrs. Singer, the Drama coach, acting as the pageant director. Cynthia and Mrs. Singer first approached Jay with the idea in the school hallway between classes when he was talking with Kellie.

"Jay, Kellie, did you hear about the Sadie Hawkins pageant? Mrs. Singer and I thought you two might be willing to help in the planning the event. We already have some great ideas and together we can make this better than last year’s class play or even Homecoming. Mrs. Singer thought we could be co-MCs", said Cynthia referring to Jay.

"To get into the spirit of the event, Cynthia can wear a tux and Jay can wear an evening gown, just like the co-MCs you always see in real pageants on TV. Some of the cosmetology students can help with the make up and costuming for you and the contestants. The more it looks like a real pageant, the better," added Mrs. Singer, a plump lady in her late thirties that was just a bit shorter than Jay. It was obvious that she was once quite beautiful before she started gaining weight in college. "I bet we can find something for you to do as well," referring to Kellie who was certainly a bit homely compared to Cynthia.

"Great idea Mrs. Singer", Kellie added thinking it would be great to hang out with a cheerleader and the most popular girl in school.

"Co-MCs reduces my burden and the contestants will certainly feel less self conscious going out on stage if one of the guys starts off the pageant in drag," Cynthia interjected.

"Don’t get carried away. What made you think I could help? There is no way I could ever get up on stage in a dress, and look like a complete fool in front of the entire school, and town for that matter. All of the guys already make fun of me."

"That is complete nonsense, Jay. You seem to get along with everyone and we picked you because we thought it was enough out of character that the guys wouldn’t hassle you so much," Cynthia added trying a bit of flattery. In fact, many of the boys did pick on Jay because he wasn’t very masculine and never participated in sports.

"You have always been such a good sport when it came to the school plays. Besides, your old friend Mike seemed excited when we told him about the pageant. Come on, it will be fun, and I bet you would look great in a dress." Mrs. Singer replied half joking as she inspected the thin boy from head to toe. "Besides, some of the football players will surely enter to win the car. You might even become better friends. With a little coaxing from you, I bet we could get the guys together on stage for an opening production number just like the real thing."

"You know, Jay should consider entering the pageant as a contestant. With a little practice, I think you could actually win," Kellie replied to Cynthia and Mrs. Singer as if Jay were no longer part of the conversation.

"Look, Jay you are just about Cynthia’s size," Kellie added, demonstrating her point by pushing the nervous boy in close to Cynthia for a physical comparison, "just a little bit taller, but that’s good because he has such long legs that would look great in stockings and a pair of strappy spiked high heels. I bet Cynthia’s clothes and even her shoes might fit him," Kellie added, drawing attention to Cynthia’s knee length skirt and heels. Kellie always admired Cynthia’s wardrobe and style, and today was no exception. If only her parents were not so unreasonably strict and old fashioned.

"And Jay has great fashion sense for a guy. I remember what great help he was in developing the costumes for last year’s drama production." Jay noted that he was now eye to eye with Cynthia in her heels. She was always the best-dressed girl at school, one of the few girls in high school that would regularly wear skirts or dresses with heels. Jay was always intrigued by the way women continually shift their weight from one leg to the other when standing in a skirt and heels, and Cynthia was no exception.

"In eight weeks I bet his hair will be long enough so that he wouldn’t even need a wig. He doesn’t have much hair on his arms or legs either, so he wouldn’t need to shave as much as some of the other boys. If he has to get up on the stage in drag, he might as well try to win the car." Jay hated that his girlfriend Kellie could so easily discount his masculinity.

"Good point Kellie, he is a good actor, or actress in this case," Mrs. Singer replied making a bad joke, "but we sure could really use his help, and the MC’s should be two of the best looking people on stage as well. I might even have an old pageant gown from back when I was single that would look perfect on him, a perfect color for his blue eyes."

With that Jay finally decided it was time to re-enter the conversation. "Enough, people tease me as it is without getting up on stage and prancing around in a dress and high heels," Jay interjected trying to appear repulsed by their suggestions. "Besides my mother would never approve," which he knew was not the case since she always pushed him to become more active in extra-curricular activities at school.

"Don’t be silly. You really should consider entering the pageant. It will be great fun. If you decide not to enter we could sure use your help in organizing the pageant, even if you won’t get up on stage. If you want, I could talk with your mother to make her feel more comfortable about you participating in the pageant. I can’t believe she would disapprove. She has always been a big supporter of the drama productions and other school events. She helped out so much last year with the costumes and scenery, that I can’t see her not helping with this", Mrs. Singer added as the conversation drew to a close.

Jay agreed to reconsider and promised to ask his mother’s permission, knowing that he never would approach his mother for permission to participate for fear that she would think it was a great idea to get him up on stage in a dress. Cynthia and Mrs. Singer pledged to help him in any way necessary if he changed his mind. And with that the conversation ended. Once the panic subsided, Jay was actually flattered by Cynthia and Mrs. Singer’s invitation to participate in the pageant and their assessment that he would look good in a dress.

Jay was certain that Kellie’s interest in the pageant somehow reflected that fact her parents would not let her wear make-up or stylish clothing. In some manner she wanted to live vicariously through his experiences and possibly become friends with the popular kids at school.

 

 

 

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© 2001 by Janell Stevens. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.