Mom Always Wanted A Daughter to do Ballet

Printer-friendly version

I'm using a non de plume to lodge this submission, if only to see how easy it is or isn't to do a story with photos/ I also don't want it in with "my stories" under my other BCTS name. Please note that all of the photos (except two from Word clip art) were copied from PinterestUK.com. You may or may not see a few watermarks on some of them. The story's meant as a trial and for a few giggles as I think a lot of readers might see themselves (or wish they did or could) in some of the photos.

**************************

Mom had given dad four sons since they got married and dearly wanted a daughter she could raise. Regrettably my birth didn't go well and apart from giving birth to the world's ugliest baby (I've been told that so many times by relatives over the years, it preys on my mind even today) mom was told medically I'd be the last child she'd ever give birth to. As the following photos will prove, mom never forgave me for not allowing her to have a daughter! Still I'll try to explain it all to you as simply as I can, so the photos won't give you the wrong impression about me.

Now this is most probably the reason why I have such an unusual first memory as a child. Mom reckons she took ages to put on the makeup to make me look this sweet.

w11a.jpg

Very early on and I'm still not that sure how or why, I always wanted to try to and perform ballet.

Bal 2.jpg
To this day I can't remember mom taking this photo although I can remember wearing the ballet outfit to lessons occasionally. Mom adores the photo and whenever I play up threatens to get it enlarged and framed for the gallery in our hallway. Although you might find the photo funny (personally I cringe every time it gets handed around relatives reminiscing about the four of us as young children) I think you might agree with me that I wasn't the ugliest baby ever born or else I'd been transformed into a beautiful swan. If you can hear loud hysterical laughter, my oldest brother just saw the photo once again.

Still unlike every other boy in the street (and the entire area) I found I had a hidden talent for ballet, which mom always encouraged. Because the ballet classes I used to attend only taught girls until mom threatened to sue the school for discrimination, mom told me I had to wear the same outfits too or else I'd look silly(?) as the only boy in a show.

bal 1.jpg

That was kind of embarrassing during staged performances because all the other parents used to turn up to watch their daughters. Still I didn't let something as silly as wearing a girls ballet outfit stop me.

Bal 8.jpg

Actually I really did have good pointe technique and I'd practice for hours to get it right.

Unfortunately for me when I was about 8 y.o, while watching an older age group of girls practicing the splits, I tried to do it as well. bal 9.jpg
To do the splits correctly, you have to be well stretched and loose beforehand, so although I ended up doing it I did so at the cost of my crotch being torn beyond surgical repair. But the good side of the story is that now a few years on I can easily perform the splits, but now with out any difficulties in doing so (like as a pair of nuts and a cock getting in the road)

bal 11.jpg

Pretty neat wouldn't you say. One thing was for sure, no other boy in my school could do this, not even any of the wrestling team.

As I grew into my very early teens, ballet and I were inseparable.bal 12.jpg Always wanting to be more supple in my stance and pirouettes I spent hours on the bars stretching.

I was actually quite chuffed that almost none of the girls my age could be as well balanced as I am or hold this posture position for as long as I can.

bal 14.jpg

OK, so I don't have many masculine friends nowadays Yes, I do have a few "less" masculine friends as well as a number of female groupies I know quite well. And any boy I went to school with shouts out I'm a bloody faggot poof if they see me walking down the street.

Still the jokes on them. Thanks to mom I'm the lead male dance artiste for the Royal Ballet Company

Bal 15.jpg
*********************

If BCTS members like this silly waffle, I have a ton of harmless photos all ex PinterestUK that could make for a number of interesting (read silly) short stories. I still couldn't work out how to place the words beside each photo (instead of under or above them) so I could use some advice through "my messages" explaining "simply" how to do this.

Also, I regularly look at older stories for ideas as well as check up on my own and I'm amazed to find that readers don't put kudos on stories written some time back. I'm not asking for kudos either. But how can some of my chapters have almost double the kudos others have or that some of my old stories no longer receive kudos.

up
86 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

This is unfortunate

The vast majority of the pictures do not appear on my computer, is that the same for everyone else? If so, perhaps you could try again to get them to post as that will make a huge difference to your story.

No luck either

My5InchFMHeels's picture

I had no luck in seeing the pictures, and I gather that they are a huge part of the context.

Same here

Only a few of the photos show, the rest just have the names of the file where the photo should be.

Photos

Dee Sylvan's picture

I've used Pinterest photos and yes some do have watermarks. In order to use them, you need to save the Pinterest photo to your computer first. Then use the 'insert image" tool to upload the photo(s) for the story. Once it is uploaded, you can select and then insert the photo. At least that worked for me.

Lovely little story. I would like to see the images too. Dee

DeeDee

Just a note here on pics

erin's picture

If I notice pics with watermarks, I take them down. The watermark is a declaration of copyright enforcement. No one wants BCTS sued out of existence, so please, don't use watermarked pictures. I would prefer that pics come from places like pexels and pixabay where the license is free or a paid-for license is credited in the story. BC pays $25 a month for access to lots of licensed pictures but there are cheaper ways to get legal pics.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Unfortunately

That is a sensible policy. None of us want to see BCTS put in jeopardy.

OH get off the grass people!

I've read Erin's comment and I agree with the rule in place for pictures with watermarks.
But I warned of those at BCTS from where I copied the photos.

Let me ask any one out their with legal qualifications and is a practicing attorney........

How can Pinterest UK post these photos without fear of being sued for copy-write breaches?

Sometimes the general rule to be followed, needs a closer inspection. I agree no one wants to see BCTS be sued for copy-write breaches.

But people, since the world's coming to an end (again) and we're all going to die from Toyota Land Cruiser or RAV 4WD virus, what is Pinterest's immunity from being prosecuted for copy-write breaches?.

WHY NOT SIMPLY JUST TAKE THE STORY OFF THE WEBSITE AND BE DONE WITH IT?

None removed

erin's picture

I haven’t removed any pictures because I don’t see any with watermarks.

Hugs
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Yes you're right. My bad.

To clarify the last few comments to everyone.
BCTS staffer Piper has contacted me and explained about some difficulties in uploading of the photos. (probably my fault I have a feeling). I simply over reacted to Erin's first comment instead of stopping to check using another form of internet viewing equipment. I have now been able to use my partner's tablet and see the problem wasn't ALL the photos being not able to be seen, only some (probably the most humorous). The lovely Piper has now explained to me that the site is trying to repair the problem.

SORRY ERIN. I most humbly (and genuinely) apologize to you. Hopefully the difficulties in seeing my photos isn't too hard to fix. Regardless of the outcome, I've had a timely reminder about investigating a location thoroughly before deciding to do something acrobatic. AGAIN MY APOLOGIES ERIN. Mark xxx

Loved the story

I for one loved it. As my own ancient and few stories here reflect, I love it whenever a writer uses ballet as a story-point.

It's just plain refreshing to have a shorter, simpler, cuter story with a bit of oomph (the barely-explained surgical part) here; BC writers tend to have very long multi-part stories, so something like this is a delight.

Kudos, and encore!

Great stories

LostNeo's picture

I'm really enjoying your stories I hope you'll do a gymnastic one next.