Changing my life, what joy. To Joy.

It was the rite time ….. and the rite place. As Annis said, “It’s a kind of magic.”

And another AP-500 story - hooray me.

It may be the difference of a better-chosen title, but some recent stories have hit new heights - 1000 hits in a day; 100+ kudos too. But still nobody has been triggered to take one of my offerings to adapt, grow, build or whatever (as far as I know). Oh well. maybe sometime soon what with the suggestion by Angela Rasch and others for MORE STORIES.

Magic isn’t real. I knew. Miracles maybe – and they’re a sort of magic. And it’s not true what they say about God – well one of the things they say. That God never makes mistakes. How can that be true?

If God is responsible for ‘everything’ – then he’s responsible for the mistakes too. The boy with the cleft palate. The girl with no arms. The deaf, the blind, the ones with heart problems or brain damage. If, to take one example, there are about 700 babies for every one with a cleft palate – does God just not notice the 700th one? Or is it some cunning arrangement between him and Satan? I don’t know and despite what they say, the priests and know-alls don’t know.

So, you get talking with people and sometimes you open up in ways you never expected. And, more rarely, they fit with you and they know what you’re talking about and they know what to tell you and what advice. And you can give back too.

I had met Annis, Annis Thilykos, in Greenwich near the Cutty Sark. A blind date , in effect, as there was a group of six of us and there were two couples and us singletons. We clicked instantly. We liked the same things, hated the same things, thought the same about the guys who passed by, and the girls. It was wonderful. Then she asked the big question. Albeit very indirectly.

“You’re really good at this. For a girl, you really know how boys think. Did you have a big brother you hung out with – and you learned from him?”

“I’m sorry if it wasn’t clear. I’m the brother. I learnt like all the boys do.”

“Wow, difficult to believe – especially with that glossy long hair. How do you get it so right about the girls?”

“Let’s say I’m really interested in girls.”

“Do I detect a certain emphasis there?”

“Wh.. what d’y mean?”

“That you have an interest in the girls but not in the usual boy style. Y’not wanting to cuddle, kiss, fondle and get into their panties …. Your vibes aren’t ‘Me, boy – want sex’.”

I blushed. I stammered. I demonstrated maximum-unboyness. And Annis' eyes opened wide.

“That’s it – isn’t it. You’re not really a boy! Now I can see.” She gestured weirdly with her hands “And your true name is Rosalie. Unusual, but not the strangest!”

“How did you guess that?"

“First off, nothing I say is a guess. I have ways of knowing things – and that’s an example. Yes?”

She looked sideways at me – her hands flickered as if knotting and unknotting unseen strings. “You’re coming with me tonight. Equinox, full moon – and 13 women. But let’s just walk and look – learn what really attracts you. What you really want to be.”

We wandered and wondered. I spoke of loving silks, satins, velvet and fur. Of glowing colours.

It’s midnight – and I’m promised that after the pain I’ll be Rosalie. Joy. Maybe Rosalie Joy?! Please?

Annis Thilykos approximately translates to Female Wisdom