Dot and Sam 21

Dorothy Philpot. Landlady of The Harbour Light pub
Sam Philpot. Drag-queen.
Billy Parkins Doorkeeper.
Jessica Merlot The town’ and county archaeologist.
Josephine MacDonald The town and county archivist.
Richard Drummond Town planning inspector
Robert Vincent. Junior planning inspector.
Georgina. (Georgie) Homeless Transgender girl previously known as George.
Bobby Gay boy on the school bus.
Marty Girl on the school bus. (She becomes Georgie’s best friend and lover)
Jack. Marty’s twin brother (Keen runner).
Trevor Aitkins, Georgie’s Biological father.
Lucinda Aitkins Georgie’s biological mother
Terence Georgie’s step-dad
Allison. Old school friend of Trevor
Fred Allisons husband
Elizabeth Aitkins (Beth) Georgie’s younger sister. Later proves to be sympathetic to her ‘sister’
Jonathon Aitkins (Johnny) Georgie’s younger brother.

For the rest of that first week in college, Marty and Georgie pretty much kept to themselves except that Georgie installed a closed-circuit camera system and cautiously replaced the ‘spyhole’ in the door with a tiny surveillance camera.

“What if the college finds out?” Marty asked.

“We’ll change it back. I haven’t damaged the door. Every student door has got a spyhole anyway.” Georgie explained. “It’s simply a matter of unscrewing the ferrule around the back of the viewing lens and removing the camera. It means we can not only check who’s outside the door but record them as well. It also covers the top of the stairs and the lift shaft. That’ll be useful if there’s any complaints or incidents and stuff.”

Marty shrugged and nodded. “Provided we don’t damage anything or get accused of invading people’s privacy.”

“There are already cameras in the foyer the refectory and on the landings so they can’t accuse us of doing anything they are not doing. Besides it’s little more than an ordinary door camera.” Georgie argued as she tested the system.

“Why three screens?” Marty asked.

“It’s the same system as we have at The Harbour Light but not so many cameras. Just one in the door, one for our room and this last one points out of the window for now, where those bushes lean over the corner of the path. That’s a perfect mugging spot.”

Oh, you’re an expert at mugging are you?” Mart grinned

“Just look at those thick bushes and dark shadow on the path.” Georgie snapped back a little irritably. “I’m watching my back all the time!”

“Well, at least we’ll be safer and you never know.” Marty conceded as she returned to her interrupted studies.

The friends did not emerge again to socialise until the Saturday. They had been into Oxford street on a Saturday shopping spree but London was expensive and they returned with little more than some fancy tights before changing for the regular union dance.

As they entered the Student’s Union, Georgie spotted a few of the Terfs gathered by the stage where they had laid claim to some floor-space. Consequently, the pair chose to dance on the opposite side of the dance-hall. They were contentedly embraced in each other’s arms during a slow, romantic song when their pleasure was disturbed by a trio of the Terfs who started dancing so close to them that it became difficult to ignore them.

Even when Marty gently eased Georgie further to the back, the trio stayed with them until Georgie murmured in Marty’s ear.

“Let’s wait this one out and go to the bar.”

“They haven’t actually bothered us,” Marty murmured back.

“They’re manoeuvring to,” Georgie replied, and so the pair broke their embrace to buy some drinks.

Next they found a table but almost immediately, the Terfs approached them.

“Have you thought about what we spoke of on Tuesday?” The gang-leader asked Georgie.

“No.” Georgie replied.”

“What about you?” she asked Marty.

“What about me?” Marty challenged.

“Are you prepared to join us to protect women’s spaces?”

“What? You mean like on Venus?”

“You know what we mean.” Her expression became a scowl.

“Yeah. I know exactly what you mean, but I don’t have a space-ship so the answer’s no.” Marty bristled.

“So you’re happy if men invade our safe spaces and then try to attack us?” The Terf persisted.

“I’ll cross that bridge if I ever come to it. So far I’ve never been attacked in the loo.”

“Others have.”

“Well, so far I’ve never met anybody who was attacked in a ‘woman’s space’! However, I’ve met plenty of people, -men and women-, who’ve been attacked in plenty of public spaces. And that’s twice as many men attacked and killed than women.”

“How d’ you mean?”

“I mean precisely what I said; twice as many men are attacked and killed than women every year,”

The Terf fell silent as she searched her head for all the standard, rehearsed answers but a suitable answer escaped her. Eventually she accused Marty of disingenuity.

“You’re being deliberately obtuse. The concern is women’s safety.”

“My concern is everybody’s safety.”

The Terf did not detect the deep irony of Marty’s words because she did not know that Marty’s partner Georgie was trans. She simply sniffed angrily and stalked back to her friends who had resumed dancing. Georgie returned with their drinks and sat watching the Terfs who were glaring at another group of LGBT trans-girls who did not pass too successfully; mainly because their outfits and makeup were slightly OTT. Marty quietly suggested that Georgie introduce herself to the trans-girls and suggest they take lessons in ‘passing.’

“Not here darling,” Georgie replied. “Another time, another place perhaps, but reading the room, I think things might ‘take off’ if I did a reveal here and now.”

“Aye, I suppose so,” Marty sighed. “These Terfs are making life shit for trans-girls.”

“Well, they look capable of defending themselves if the Terfs make trouble. They’re not exactly dockers in frocks, but they’re pretty close.” Georgie smiled as she and Marty took the floor again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By now, the night had matured and the inevitable late crowd of male drunks had started to enter the hall. Georgie and Marty exaggerated their relationship and sexuality by tightening their embrace and smooching earnestly but inevitably a pair of drunks approached them and tried to peel them apart. Georgie and Marty had a well-practised technique to block drunken attempts in that they quickly broke their own embrace then span apart in opposite directions and ducked low as they rejoined behind the drunks.

“Not tonight boys, we’re gay!” Georgie declared loudly enough for the immediate dancers to hear and understand.

“What a waste!,” one of the drunks observed equally loudly but he was not too drunk to sense the many eyes upon him as he shrank from any further censure muttering. “It’s a bloody crime!”

Marty angrily snapped back.

“If you were sober, you might have more luck. You’re not a bad looker and you could be fanciable if you weren’t so drunk!”

This insightful riposte caused the drunk to pause but before he could respond, Georgie and Marty had made their way to another part of the dancefloor and started dancing in earnest. It was obvious that their routine was well polished and far above the drunks’ shambolic endeavours so the men turned away for easier pickings.

Their dancing however, soon attracted the notice of some experienced eyes across the floor and later, a lady who Marty recognised as one of her Performing Arts lecturers, approached them from across the hall. As the pair slumped on some unoccupied chairs the lady addressed them.

“You dance well.” The lecturer opined.

The pair looked up but remained expressionless until Marty declared.

“Yeah, but we only dance together.”

“That could still work, - for us. I help run a dance troupe for the college theatrical society. We’re always looking for innately skilled dancers.”

“What sort of dance troupe?” Marty dug deeper.

“We help other societies to put on shows and supply extras for local theatre groups and such. We also put on our own shows for charity and stuff about two or three times a year.”

“What? You mean like chorus lines and such?”

“Yes, for pantomimes mostly.”

Marty turned to Georgie and asked. “What d’ you think?”

“How much practice a week?” Georgie asked the lecturer. “High kicking and stuff means you have to keep flexible and fit.”

“The lecturer nodded and grinned.

“I’ve seen Marty jogging most evenings, - to and from the running track. Do you keep fit?” She asked as she eyed up Georgie’s slender athletic body.

“Yes, I go street jogging in Hyde Park mostly, with a group of friends. Marty’s got a tighter study schedule than mine so we can’t jog together much.”

The dance lecturer smiled encouragingly.

“Well we rehearse about three or four times a week. If you’re interested come by the gymnasium next Monday evening.”

So saying, the lecturer gave a brief warm smile and left. The pair were left sipping their drinks and Marty turned thoughtfully to Georgie.

“What d’you think?” Marty asked her partner again. “I think it might work.”

“I’m thinking of your study schedule.” Georgie mused. “You have to get through a lot of reading material while I simply have to solve the maths problems the professor sets. I’m his blue-eyed girl.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard. But maths is a gift, you’ve either got it or you haven’t.”

“I still have to read stuff, and learn new stuff every week, it’s just that; well, the maths comes easy. I can’t help that, it must be from my dad.” Georgie replied a little defensively. “Do you want to go on Monday?”

“Well, it’s another string to my bow on my CV.” Marty smiled.

“Okay, let’s give it a whirl.,” Georgie grinned as she stood up to dance gain.

After exhausting themselves for another hour, the pair dragged themselves off the floor and limped contentedly out of the union building towards their hall of residence. They were immediately approached by a girl who asked where they were going and if she could accompany them. Both Marty and Georgie tensed and paused as they cast around for any other suspicious people while they moved towards a street-light’s protective glare.

“Which Hall?” Georgie asked the girl as Marty continued looking around.

She gave the same name as the hall of Marty and Georgie as she explained. “I’ve seen you going in and out. You live on the third floor at the end by the main stairs and the lift. How do you stand all the noise and traffic?”

“We’re heavy sleepers.” Georgie smirked as she wrapped her arm around Marty’s waist and they resumed walking while pausing for the occasional snatched snog.

The girl kept looking at them and frowning slightly.

“Aren’t you worried about people attacking you, being gay and stuff?”

“Yes,” Georgie replied. “That’s why we stick together and usually leave early before the main crowd stagger out after closing.”

“There’s talk of the halls organising escort groups; there’ve been two attacks already this term.”

“Yes. We know.” Marty agreed as they entered the lift.

“Do you think it’s a student or some external prowler?” The girl asked as they stepped out on the same floor.

“Who knows.” Georgie sighed as Marty whipped out her key and quickly opened the door.

The pair were inside with the door locked again before the girl realised she was alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What d’you think?” Marty asked as Georgie checked the cameras.

“Could be genuine, could be a honey trap.” Georgie opined as she expanded the field of the hidden door camera. “Look there’s two more girls with her now. Where did they come from?”

“They must have been bloody waiting for us!” Marty cursed.

“Yes. But why?” Georgie wondered. “It was definitely some sort of reception or ambush.”

“More Terfs?” Marty asked.

“Let’s listen to what they’re saying.”

As she spoke, Georgie adjusted the sound and they both listened in to the group still assembled outside their door. The girl they’d accompanied back to hall was explaining to the others.

“They’re bloody cagey. They disappeared in a moment as I was getting my call button out of my bag. When I turned around, they’d gone.”

“Which room?” Another asked

“It’s got to be 301. 302 would have brought them into my line of sight.”
“Shall we try to talk to them?”
“It’s pointless, they’ve made it obvious they’re not interested. We’ll call it a night and try again another day.”
So saying, the group disappeared out of camera shot as they dispersed up the corridor.
“They’ve probably gone to miss ‘Please escort me home’s’ room.” Georgie suggested as she transferred the video record of the incident to a memory stick.
“If this gets more invasive, I’m going to the Uni!” Marty declared emphatically
“Let’s see where it goes. I’ll get some body cameras tomorrow.”
“It doesn’t look as though it’s going anywhere nice.” Marty replied.
Georgie felt bound to agree as they prepared for bed.
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