Because Alison and Dorothy asked.

A further dip into Joe's introduction to work.

Message for Stan, Joe only lives in my head, don't worry about him I will keep him safe.

Joe would tell you that something changed in him that day, being taken for a girl was weird at first but not the first time it had happened, it was the first time it happened consistently though, so he just fell into playing the role of Josie. It did not come as a surprise on reflection really when Kay asked if he wanted to try one last treatment as part of the work experience, he looked at Kay's neatly manicured oval nails and asked what it was like to have long nails. 'Don't even think about them now, they make my hands look better than with short nails I think' then turned to look at Joe 'why do you fancy some?'
'was just pondering the idea'
Kay stepped in quickly 'they would look good on you, but they are not just for a day you know I would expect you to keep them on till you go back to school.' Then added 'If I do them I will expect you to work next week for me as Josie'. Joe took a deep breath, this was a rather big step that he was consciously taking,
'yes please, and I thought I had said I would work next week'
'Not as Josie'
'Oh I see' Joe said slowly, but he was admiring Kay's nails and thinking what it would be like to have his own 'as Josie then' Joe confirmed.
Kay told him to ring his mum and tell her he would be late home. He did ring but only told her he was trying out another of the salon's services. She was intrigued but happy to wait and see what he came home with on his last day at the salon.

She was waiting but trying to look busy with the meal. Joe came in with hands in pockets, hood over his head feeling rather conspicuous outside of the salon. Not wishing to appear eager she calmly said 'Your tea is on the table in two minutes' Joe went to his room and removed the hoodie, he stared at his bare hairless lower arms, then at his hands with there now enhanced nails, they were only half as long again as they were before Kay started fixing the acrylics to them, nothing like the really long ones Kay sported, but with the hint of pink on them it would be a mistake to think of them as boys hands, and yes they did make his fingers look longer and more delicate. His mother noticed striaght away, 'let me take a look' she admired 'they do look nice, what sort are they?'
'Acrylics'
'Oh, they take some removing don't they'
'Yes but I can't wash hair with anything that might come unglued, these are bonded to my nail Kay says'
'But you finish today don't you?'
'No, been asked to work next week'
'That's good, well I guess so. Rather makes you feminine looking you know'
'Yes I have noticed, but I was getting called Josie anyway so thought what the heck, and I wanted to find out for myself what long nails are like'
'What do you mean Josie'
'Ever since I had my first hair cut every now and then women called me a girl, and you must remember those times when we have been out and they called me your daughter. Well it got more frequent after I had the highlights, and then I reckon your top did nothing but help that. I have been called Josie all day today.'
'You fine with that?' she was getting concerned that her son though encouraged by her Denise and Kay was becoming the main mover in what had just been fun teasing till then. 'and do you plan on being a girl next week?'
'don't worry mum, it is only for a week, I can't go to school like this can I'
'Just for a week, then?'
Joe then went on to tell of his news that he had been offered a job starting when he finished school and on the Saturdays till then.
'What are you doing tomorrow?'
'I was going to have a lie in, I am knackered'
'Just thought you could spend your wages on new clothes instead of borrowing mine, TK Maxx and Primark will be open and cheap'

After his Sunday lie in he dressed in the blouse and trousers his mum had lent him the day he had been waxed. His mum had grown used to the idea of a girlie son by the morning and happily went with him shopping. Initially nervous, Joe relaxed as they browsed the rails, eventually being brave enough to use the changing rooms. He came away with four tops, three were like t shirts, but with longer sleeves and different styled necks to his usual, one top was a blouse, buttons up the front, small collar and little cap sleeves in a shiny black, no way was that anything but a girls choice his mum said. A pair of tight jeans with a waist band on the hips and some plain white trainers completed his new look.

Once home he changed and gave his mother a bit of a show of what he had bought, ending up wearing the black blouse for the remainder of the day.
'So do you like being a girl?' his mum suddenly asked
'I am not a girl, I just look like one'
'Whatever, do you like it, the extra time needed to get ready, the cleaning of the make up'
'I like taking a bit of care about my appearance if that is what you mean'
'And what else can I expect to see you doing next week at the salon?'
'Not sure what else Kay or Denise would like me to try'
'Oh I can think of lots, just don't let her make you do anything you don't want'
'Been a good experience this, and I know she was teasing me but it is good to know how the customer feels, yes'
'Well if you put it that way, then yes'
Monday when he would in the past have just lounged about all day as it was a holiday, he was up and ready for work, a grey top, new tight jeans and trainers, hair brushed and gelled, eye lashes enhanced and though his mum had not commented some of her lip gloss on as well.
'New clothes?' Kay asked
'Yes can't keep borrowing mum's'
'that is true, and the nails, any trouble?'
'A little awkward at first but no trouble, been fine as long as I remember'
'I think me and Denise will have to think what will be your next experience'
'It's fine, I am just happy like this, no need to put you to any trouble'
'No trouble, and besides we want you to learn what it is like being the female client in a salon, so you can treat our customers better'
Joe was wondering what she meant by all that, but needed to get on with his cleaning jobs while Denise restocked and Kay did some book keeping.

A slow morning and about eleven there is no one in so Kay invited Joe to take a salon chair. It took one pull for Joe to realise what she was doing, plucking his eye brows. 'Just neatening up the lines, and letting you know how it feels, hold still while I get the next one' A few minutes later 'there nothing much different, just neater. Take a look' Joe could not see a big difference but they did look more defined. He thought the plucking would not be noticed but that evening his mum gave him a good look over and commented on how nice his brows were, then asked for her lip gloss back. He picked it out of his hoodie pocket and returned it. 'You can keep it, but next time ask, I spent ages looking for it this morning and ended up buying myself a new one at lunch time' Joe apologised and asked if he could have a play with her cosmetics to see what does what.

That evening the two of them spent their time going through Joe's mother's make up, she would show him a product, he would then try applying it to himself. He was amazed at how much he could change his face with the use of colours, he particularly liked the lipsticks that were near his own colour but added some depth and sheen to his own, his other delight was eye shadow, especially the pale ones giving just a hint of colour next to his long blackened lashes. That was also the day that regular moisturising became part of his daily routine along with cleansing.

Tuesday, and he is wearing a lemon top, and after his time the night before, a pale glossy pink lipstick.
'My word Josie, you are looking more pretty every day now' Denise commented, Joe unused to such comments, blushed.
Kay came in and agreed with Denise, then added 'I think today it would be good if you found out what it is like to have a piercing. Anywhere you fancy?'
Joe a little wrong footed suggested an ear as he had thought of getting one ear stud for a while 'ears have to be in pairs' continued Kay. After a moment, Joe agreed and it was arranged that Joe would take a trip to a nearby shop that did piercing while he was out getting the lunch order.

It all got a little confused as messages got passed from Kay to the shop, and when Joe turned up they were expecting him, well her really. The confusion lay in the way Kay had said pair, so Joe braced himself for the first stud, which he was surprised by how little it hurt, and then not knowing what to expect thought nothing as the girl continued to attend to the same ear, it was as the second hole was made that Joe questioned if they had got it right, he was expecting a pair to be one in each ear not a pair in each ear. The girl got all flustered and asked Joe not to complain, he then explained how Kay had said girls wear there piercing symmetrically, to which the girl offered to match the other ear at no extra cost. Joe was not sure if four studs would look right, so she swapped a stud for a ring sleeper and everything was sorted, at least for the girl. When he got back to the shop, Kay noticed right off and asked why he he got carried away, so he explained it was not meant to be, Kay just said 'oh right' in a knowing tone. It was when he got home that his mum made the biggest fuss, he tried to argue that boys have pierced ears, 'not two in each ear' his mum insisted, Joe just went to his room saying, 'well it is done now, she said don't remove them till they have healed, so that is it, I am stuck with them even if you don't like them'