I wrote this over ten years ago. It was essentially finished, but I somehow never considered it ready for posting. Or, at least, it had gone as far as I was inspired to take it. It kinda begs for a sequel, but it's fine as it is.

It's big. It took some time to edit. Especially since I needed to change the dates so that it wouldn't be so... well... dated.

Much thanks to Terry Volkirch for test reading it way back when. She might even remember the story.

One fine day, Joe wakes up and finds that his whole life has been turned upside-down.

I added the caution because there is an attempted rape. It is not explicit, and the would-be rapist ends up ruing the day he ever tried.

Day 63;
Wednesday, June 2, 2021:

Has it really been two months? Two periods, two months... I guess it makes sense. In that time, I have come to figure out a few things.

First of all, I am Joe. I have four decades of male memories, and my innermost 'me' is still Joe. Still, I am truly enjoying being Tiffany. My body is female. As far as I can tell, all of my neural pathways are those of a female. For instance, when I have a problem, my first instinct is to go crawl off into my cave and stew over it. Soon enough, Jan sees me doing that and comes to ask me questions about it. When I was Joe, I could successfully resist all attempts to draw me out. I really, more than anything else, just wanted her to go away and let me stew in peace.

I tried that as Tiffany, and failed utterly. Jan soon had me telling her everything, right down to the smallest details of how I feel about it. And I enjoyed doing that. I needed to do that. It was the right thing to do. After a while, I just started going to Jan whenever I felt like venting. It was the most natural thing in the world.

But still, deep inside of me, the part of me that is still Joe wanted to have nothing to do with it. This experience has also given me insight to my original attitudes. For instance, it has definitely highlighted the difference between aesthetic appreciation and sexual attraction.

My Joe mind has lost nothing when it comes to the appreciation of the female form. There is no arousal when inhabiting this body, however. I had already experienced that, but it comes to clearer focus now that I have seen things from the other side.

In this body, much to my chagrin, I now recognize what the young girls are talking about when they see a cute boy. I can see what they are talking about, so I am thankful that my mysterious benefactors have spared me the experience of becoming aroused. It is, in fact, similar to when I see a pretty young girl John's age, and note to myself that she and John would make a cute couple.

So, while I still remain the same person that I have always been, I have added to that person. I am comfortable in my new Tiffany body and persona, but I also want to be Joe again. Honestly, if I had to choose one over the other, I would have a difficult time making that decision. In the end, I would have to choose to be Joe for the sake of my marriage and my boys, but it would be difficult to give up being that young girl that I, and Jan, have learned to love.

Day 64;
Thursday, June 3, 2021:

I woke up this morning and felt a weight embedding me into the mattress.

Wait a minute. I just got over my period. It's not time for another one yet. Then my mind cleared. I'm back!

This doesn't feel as good as I thought it would. Still, I looked myself over critically. Yep, all the body parts are there. The scars are gone, though. Even my appendectomy scar is gone. There is no sign of facial hair, not even the stubble that I normally have by the time I hit the sack. In the mirror, I saw a nice brush cut. The hair line was a little lower than before, and my hair is a little less thin on top. I wonder how long I'll have to stay male in order to get a mustache. Is it cumulative, or does it start fresh every time I switch?

I thought about what the note said. I get an hour of manhood for free. After that, it starts dipping into the extra hour that I might otherwise bank away for a rainy day. No time to waste!

Jan was sitting up and watching me when I turned around. I really liked the look in her eyes. I'm sure that the same look was in my yes. I felt desires that I haven't felt for two months. Yep, Jan looks really good! It goes beyond aesthetic appreciation, too.

I won't go into detail about how we spent that hour. Suffice it to say that our marriage is alive and well.

When my hour was up, we were still relaxing in the afterglow. I wasn't watching the clock or anything, but I somehow knew that the hour was up. I closed my eyes and imagined myself in my Tiffany body -- and there I was. I was Tiffany again, as clean as if I had just taken a shower.

Day 65;
Friday, June 4, 2021:

I was wondering if I was going to wake up in my Joe body again. I didn't. Apparently, that was just something that happens the first time.

It was a warm night, so I really felt like I needed a shower. I went into the bathroom to do just that, but stopped. I wonder...

I closed my eyes and thought of my Joe body. Instantly, I was a man again. In the mirror, I saw a perfectly shaved face, a little more hair on my head, and a little less gut. I grinned at myself, and noticed that I have no more fillings or crowns. Come to think of it, the fact that I could see myself clearly means that I no longer need glasses. I was also as clean as if I had just showered. This could be quite handy. I switched back, dressed, and worked on yet another sales report for Mudslinger 4WD Auto Supply. By the time I came up for air, everyone was eating breakfast. I joined them. Jan wondered why I was in such a wonderful mood.

I had some particularly heavy yard work that I had been putting off. I had to haul some heavy landscaping timbers around and make a nice raised bed flower garden for the front of the house. I have been putting this off for way too long. I dug through some of my old clothes until I found some shorts and a loose t-shirt. This could be awkward. I went out to the front of the house and thought things through a bit. I loosened the draw string on the shorts and shifted to my Joe body. This is going to be even more awkward when I get old enough to really need a bra. That time is coming soon, too, judging by how tender that area is.

I worked my tail off to make the best of my time. I started to get hot, so off came the shirt. That's a luxury I hadn't had in a while. I worked right through the hour warning, and was well into my second hour when I finally got everything stacked properly. I was sore and sweaty. I was in such a hurry to change back that I almost forgot to put my shirt back on.

But wait a minute. Why change back in these nasty, sweaty clothes? It'll take less than a minute to run to my room.

So I ran to my room, stripped, and shifted back, enjoying the feeling of lightness and the sudden lack of sweat and grime. To my surprise, the soreness was gone, too. Come to think of it, so are all the inevitable cuts and scrapes that I had earned from all that hard labor. And hadn't I managed to scrape my knee yesterday as Tiffany? It's gone now. This is great!

Day 67;
Sunday, June 6, 2021:

I'm still getting used to this shape-shifting stuff.

Putting it that way, it sounds like I'm a werewolf, or something like that. I should count my blessings, I guess. They could have turned me into a catgirl or something.

But it's interesting that we already have words and concepts for this. The idea that one can switch or transform or shift shapes has been around for a very long time.

But the old stories have it wrong. If a werewolf gets injured, that injury stays with him after he shifts. This technology, however, seems to build a brand-new body for you each time. If you get hurt, just shift and it's all better. I really like being able to switch at will. If I get hurt, or just get dirty, I can switch bodies and all is well. I tried that when I got tired while working last night, but it only worked a little. The physical fatigue would go away, and I could stay up for a long time by switching bodies. Still, after a while, I started to get mentally and emotionally fatigued. I don't think it's a matter of my spirit needing sleep. Rather, the brain requires sleep to reintegrate and sort through everything that has happened during the day. Of course, the status of my brain has to be preserved when switching bodies, or I really would end up being two different people.

So, I can get rid of physical fatigue or injuries easily enough. That probably means that I can drink a cup of hemlock and save myself by shifting. I wonder if it'll happen automatically if someone shoots me or I get hit by a truck. I don't think I'll be experimenting.

Day 69;
Tuesday, June 8, 2021:

Jan and I were laying side by side enjoying the after glow when she said something really interesting.

"I'm really glad to have you back, Joe!"

"But I never left! I have been here all along."

"Now, don't get me wrong. I love Tiffany dearly. I missed you, though."

I don't remember the conversation exactly. Jan almost considers Tiffany and Joe to be two different people. She knows that we are the same, but there is a definite difference in personalities, especially after we got that letter and I started to relax about losing myself. I told her that I can perfectly express my Joe personality when Tiffany is typing on the computer.

"That's because you don't have to worry about body language when you type. When you're typing as Joe, your body language is still Tiffany's. It's not just a different appearance. It's a whole new set of mannerisms. Even the cadence and word choice in your spoken language is different."

I never noticed that. I guess it's something you can see better from the outside.

I still haven't created a 'Tiffany' identity for the web. I will probably have to at some point. It'll be interesting to see how well I can express myself as Tiffany while typing.

Day 72;
Friday, June 11, 2021:

I have to fix the big Jeep. I both love and hate working on the Jeep. I love knowing how it works and modifying it so that it'll work better. I hate wasting time just getting it to work the way it was before. I truly despise getting all dirty and greasy. The mosquitoes always seem to want to take advantage of the fact that you're unwilling to swat your face with a greasy gritty hand.

In this case, there seems to be something wrong with the transfer case linkage. I can't get it to shift into four wheel drive. What's the use of having a Jeep if you're stuck in two wheel drive? I hate working on the linkage. It's really greasy, and it's hard to reach. I always end up scraping my hands when working there.

I decided to wear an old pair of mechanic's coveralls so that I could shift to my Joe body if I need the strength. It turns out, though, that I didn't really need much strength to do the job. Leverage is more important than strength, and I can reach places with my small hands that I could never reach before. Another plus is that I could see better in the shadows. I had kind of noticed that I was losing that ability with age, but this confirms it.

So, the job was done quickly. I got out from under the Jeep and started to climb in. I thought for a second, then switched to my Joe body for a second to get rid of the grease and grime. I used to wonder where all that stuff goes, but the fact that there is a big difference in mass between the two bodies is a bigger mystery.

Anyhow, I started the Jeep and drove it around the farm (with the seat all the way forward and the steering wheel tilted down). It worked great in all ranges.

Day 75;
Monday, June 14, 2021:

The kids were all invited to a birthday party. I was invited belatedly, too, but I begged off. After all, Tiffany doesn't even know the birthday boy. Jan dropped the kids off, then sequestered herself into her office to do some paperwork. She promised me that we would spend some time together after she's done, and it should only take an hour or so. I decided to take a walk along the road so I could check the fence line and pick up any trash that people might have tossed out. I could have taken the ute, but it was a nice day for a walk.

I saw a car coming from the other way, so I started to move to the side of the road. He was going way too fast for this road. He hit a loose spot, slid a bit, over corrected, and spun out -- right into me.

They say that everything plays in slow motion when you have an accident, but that wasn't the case with me. It all happened quickly, and my brain was overloaded with details that it took me a while to sort out.

I remember the rear end of the car looming big as it was about to run into me sideways. I remember blinding pain, and the sound and feel of broken bones. Air escaped from my lungs, there was a roaring in my ears, and my vision started to blank out.

Then, the pain was gone. I was flying through the air toward that tree with a broken branch that I had intended to saw off. Oh crap!

I was also vaguely aware that I was in my Joe body, though I don't recall shifting. It probably happened when I passed out.

So, it was my Joe body that got impaled in the rib cage by that broken and jagged branch. Red hot pain coursed through my body as the branch broke through my rib cage and went through my lungs. I felt myself slump and dangle from the branch. Then I passed out.

Then I was falling. By reflex, I straightened myself out and landed on my side with a slight roll. Bless those old martial arts classes I used to take.

I was tiffany again, slightly bruised and scraped from a six foot fall on to the stick-strewn ground. I'm glad I had previously cleared away most of the fallen branch.

The driver of the car jumped out and ran to me. "Oh my God! Are you OK?"

I was a bit disoriented, but fine. I got up and assured him that I was OK, but he insisted that I need to see a doctor. Maybe my torn and blood-smeared clothes had something to do with that.

I told him that I'm fine. Really. He wouldn't hear it, though. He finally agreed to drive me home. After all, my foster mother is a doctor.

Jan, understandably, was upset. I assured her that I was fine, and suggested that she examine me. The driver of the car sat in the living room while Jan and I went to her office. I stripped down so that she could see that there weren't any major injuries. I switched to my Joe body and back to clear up the bruises and scrapes. She went up stairs and got some clothes for me. Once I got dressed, I handed her a stethoscope and asked her to put it around her neck. Sometimes, a simple prop makes things more convincing. Doctor Jan went out to reassure the poor guy that she had examined me thoroughly, and that I am just fine. He was kind of dumbfounded, but he left readily enough.

So, this experience answers one of my earlier questions. And, I don't even have to get shot to find out.

Day 77;
Wednesday, June 16, 2021:

Now, it's time to face the rest of my family.

My parents like to spend their winters in Florida. I don't blame them, really. Around the end of April, they start working their way north. They visit friends and family along the way, and stay at various campgrounds. They call it camping, anyhow. What do you call it when setting up camp consists of leveling your motor home with hydraulic jacks, pressing a switch to expand the side, pressing another to put up the TV dish, and hooking up the water and electricity?

But now, they have finally made their way up here to their lake home. I want a lake house when I grow up. Up here, it's nice and cool during the summer, and you can't beat the view.

So, how do we tell them about Tiffany? They know the cover story, of course.

It turned out to be easier than I expected. My mother welcomed Tiffany with open arms. They didn't react at all when we told them the story. I think they were trying to decide if we were off our rockers, perpetrating a joke, or maybe just explaining the unbelievable. When I excused myself to put on some loose clothes, then shifted in front of them, they accepted everything readily enough. They still couldn't resist the urge to treat their new 'granddaughter' Tiffany different than they treat me.

But then, I'm used to that. I love them as 'Grandma and Grandpa and Grandpa' as much as I love them as 'Mom and Dad'.

Day 80;
Saturday, June 19, 2021:

It's our family custom to get together at Mom and Dad's lake house a little after they are settled in. There is some room at the house, and plenty of space down by the lake for campers and motor homes.

As each family came, there were hugs all around. Everyone was happy to see Tiffany. It's wonderful how my family welcomed this newcomer. Everyone asked about Joe, too. We told them that Joe had a few things to do, but that he would be along soon enough. When everyone was getting together for dinner, I excused myself and shifted when John was telling one of his stories. While Jan and the kids were doing the final preparation, I asked for everyone's attention and stumbled through the spiel that I had half-prepared.

I told them how blessed we feel that Tiffany has come into our lives. I told them that there is more to the story, though. I really stumbled through the explanation, and finally just shifted right in front of them to make my point. I purposely chose some clothing that wouldn't fall off. I had only used up about ten minutes of Joe time. That's good, because I really would like to use the rest of that time tonight.

Day 81;
Sunday, June 20, 2021:

We went straight to the lake house after church today. After saying hello to everyone, I noticed that my dad and brothers were down by the dock working on some project. It isn't unusual at all for Dad to find some project or another for us all. This year, we were repairing and expanding the dock. I changed out of that cute dress I was wearing for church, put on some work clothes, and went down to help.

I always loved those work sessions with my dad and brothers. The one down side of leaving the rat race is that I moved several hours away from my brothers. When we all come up to the lake house, it's like old times. We talk about tools and guns and hunting and fishing and boating and camping and all those guy things, while putting our skills to use patching up or building whatever needs to be built at the lake house.

This time was different. Whenever I tried to lift something heavy, one of my brothers would rush to help. The language was considerably less rough, and if someone slipped up, he would look embarrassed. I was in definite 'guy' mode, but some of my mannerisms were Tiffany's.

Finally, exasperated, I looked at them all and said, "Look guys, it's me in here! Me, Joe!"

They just kind of mumbled a bit and didn't really know what to do.

I came to the realization that it wasn't really fair of me to go out there looking like a little girl and expect them to treat me like a man. After all, I have been spending almost three months trying to develop my 'Tiffany' personality and keep it separate from my 'Joe' personality. I finally sighed, touched my index finger to my chin, curtsied, and said, "You strong men look like you could use a bite to eat. I'll be right back!"

I ran up to the house and made a stack of sandwiches. Then, I quickly changed into a rather over-sized pair of work coveralls, grabbed the sandwiches and some other food and drinks, and ran back down to the dock. It really was time for a break. Everyone was hungry, so we chowed down. Once we were done, I shifted to my Joe form and went to work with the guys. It was just like old times.

Day 85;
Thursday, June 24, 2021:

Yuck! Right on time, of course. This is not fun.

I shifted, then shifted back. Sure enough, I was clean again. I could feel the blood starting to work its way out, though. This sucks. So much for that idea.

Day 94;
Saturday, July 3, 2021:

The note was right. I am growing quickly. I'm barely fitting into the clothes that we purposely bought too big. There is no bony 'Olive Oyl' look about me any longer. Instead, my body is a study in contrast between soft curves and hard muscles. Those stories I have been reading always talk about getting weaker when a man gets converted into a woman. That happened, of course, but largely because I became a kid. I'm working hard to reverse that part of it, though. I refuse to be a weakling.

For the sake of modesty, the bra is pretty much a necessity now. My hair is shifting from its original child-like candyfloss blond to a rich honey blond. Part of me is uncomfortable with the changes. Part of me really likes it and would like to spend some quality time in front of the mirror. Am I becoming a narcissist? I try to tell myself that I am making the giver happy by appreciating the gift.

There are some interesting differences. While I am growing pubic hair, there is no trace of hair on my underarms or legs. Even the pubic hair is limited to a smaller area than one might expect.

Meanwhile, my Joe body is losing fat, gaining muscle, and even gaining some head hair. I think Jan likes the changes. I certainly like the changes I am seeing in Jan. She is now very curvy and shapely. She has managed to lose all of her excess fat, and even the cellulite that has been plaguing her for years. I still haven't been able to talk her into wearing a bikini, though.

Day 95;
Sunday, July 4, 2021:

Happy independence Day!

After church, we went to the lake house and had a wonderful time. The weather was calm and warm, but not hot. I spent some quality time paddling around the lake in the canoe. I also went fishing with my brothers and nieces and nephews. The nieces and nephews are more like cousins when I'm in my Tiffany form, of course.

At night, we watched the illegal fireworks that some of the other lake residents like to send up. Jan and I paddled out in the canoe and watched from the lake. The boys and some of their cousins went out in the pontoon boat. Mom and Dad took the paddle boat out.

Day 96;
Monday, July 5, 2021:

Why do these things happen to me? Really! Do I have a target painted on my back? I would hate to think that our mysterious benefactors are arranging this in order to give me opportunities to use my new abilities. Maybe the Devil is trying to knock me down. I'm used to showing up as a blip on his radar screen, so this is really nothing new.

Anyhow, I got to feel one of the really frightening sides of being a girl today. Now I understand why so many women are paranoid about where they go and who they see. You can't be too careful.

I decided to do some shopping at the mall today, so I went to work with Jan. We ate breakfast together in the hospital cafeteria, then I hoofed it on over to the mall. It's less than a mile away; an easier walk than the route I usually take when walking around the property. Still, I decided to take a short cut through an alley. I had done that a number of times before, so what's the big deal? I was just strolling along and listening to some music on my old cell phone. (I like to use my old cell phone for videos, music, reading, and browsing the web so that I don't run down the battery on my current phone.)

I was about half way through when someone grabbed me from behind and put his hand over my mouth. I struggled and tried to scream, but this guy is big and strong. He dragged me through a side alley and threw me roughly into the back of a van. He slammed the door shut. It wouldn't open from the inside. It must have been a cargo van because there was a big barrier between the inside of the van and the seats.

I felt the van moving. Cargo vans have no windows in the back, and this one was no exception. There was a filthy mattress in the back. His intent was clear. There have been a number of rapes in the area. I knew the score. I fought back panic.

Calm, calm... you're not the dewy-eyed little lady that you appear to be. Think, girl, think! You can get out of this.

I was shaking like a leaf, but I was at least in control of my mind. It's time to survey my options. The first thing I did was to set both of my cell phones to record and tuck them deep into my pockets. Then, I loosened up my clothes a bit so that I could shift in an instant if necessary. I cowered in the corner at the back of the van, and did my best to look scared. It wasn't difficult. He got out and went in through the side door. He was wearing a mask, just as reported in the news. He looked big and strong and scary.

"W-what are you going to do?" I wanted to get him to speak. "You'll never get away with this!"

He just laughed. Then, he told me in gruesome disgusting detail exactly what he planned on doing, getting more and more excited with each word. A part of me was scared spitless, but the calm rational part of me noted that he was losing control of himself. His lust and excitement was taking over. If I bide my time, he will be mine. He grabbed my blouse and ripped it off, popping all of the buttons. Then, he pawed at my bra, leering all the time and getting more and more aroused. His breath reeked. He gathered both of my small hands into one big fist, held them over my head, and grabbed at my skirt.

Now!

I shifted and kneed him in the groin. He howled and let go of my hands, which were now too big for him to hold. The adrenaline was flowing. I was mad. I had never been so angry in all my life! I kneed him in the face and slammed him to the floor. Then, I belatedly remembered to pull out my can of pepper spray and gave him a good blast in the face, then another in the groin. I emptied the entire can on him, and tossed it aside. That should keep him incapacitated for a while. I shifted back, grabbed the remnants of my blouse, held it over my chest, and ran screaming from the van. Fortunately, he hadn't locked the door. I cried and sobbed and managed to communicate that there was a rapist in the van in the alley. Two guys ran to the van, and a lady called the police on her cell phone. Why hadn't I thought to use mine?

The police were there incredibly quickly. Soon, they were dragging a handcuffed and sobbing man from the van. He didn't look nearly as big and frightening now.

I calmed down considerably on the ambulance ride. The nice police lady was very comforting. She assured me that the detectives were even now crawling all over the van and gathering evidence. It was then that I remembered my cell phones. It made me smile when she congratulated me for being so quick-witted.

We were at the hospital in a flash, and Jan was at the emergency entrance waiting for me. I sobbed and hugged her tight. If I was putting on a show, I was doing a good job of it.

It wasn't a show, of course. All I had to do is to let my natural feelings express themselves fully. No show. Not really.

Another neurologist took over for Jan and she walked me through the entire process. It was a process, too. They took samples of everything -- and I mean everything. I ended up having to experience my very first pelvic exam. They assured me that my hymen was still intact; that I was still a virgin.

The fact that he hadn't actually succeeded in raping me deprived them of some samples, but nobody complained about that. They all just kept telling me about how I'm a hero, bringing that guy to justice.

The court case is going to be ugly. Really ugly. It's going to be uglier for the girls who were raped and tossed out; bleeding, naked, and crying. The defense lawyer is not likely to be nice to them -- or me. I'll be working on some well-worded rants. This pervert isn't going to escape justice if I have anything to do with it!