Ever read a story where the ending is told at the beginning, and the beginning is told at the end? That’s what happens in this story of the Twenty Dollar Bet. Jimmy Horton is just another, smart, high school student who tries to get along with everyone. He’s well-liked and will take time to help anyone with a math problem. But he never expected his life to take the turn it did when Roy, Billie, and Robert got to him one day at school. And he never expected that those three would give him the opportunity he actually needed to finally tell his parents something he has known for a long time. Something his girlfriend, Terry Surlowing, has been encouraging him to do for a long time, ever since she dressed him one day at her house and instantly fell in love with her.

Author’s Note: This is another story that was wandering around my gray matter and refused to stay quiet, so I finally decided to get it out into the open in the hopes it would stop reminding me it was there. Just remember, this is Jimmy’s story, not mine. So any omissions are his and not mine. As usual, public comments about the story are welcomed, technical comments should be PM’d to me.

My name is Jimmy Horton, I’m 15 and I’m in a rather tight spot at the moment. Literally. I’m in the woods in our area, hiding in an abandoned fox den that’s obscured by bushes, so if a person didn’t know the location of the den they’d walk right on by. Thankfully. And why am I hiding in an abandoned fox den? Because three gelatinous masses who go by the names of Roy Staples, Billie Dolle, and Robert Filler are looking for me.

And why do I call them gelatinous masses, you might wonder? Because I’m not really a PC person, but calling them extremely fat is rather cruel. Don’t you think? And how big are they, you may be wondering? All three are 15 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, and that big around also. They are so big around that if they walk shoulder to shoulder down the hallways at school they completely block the hallway. When they do this, the students have three choices to get out of the way. They can duck into an open classroom, cram themselves into the short alcoves to the classrooms, or turn around and go to the other end of the hallway and use the doors to get out of that hallway. The administration tried warning them several times, but when that failed to produce results they started suspending the three. But even suspending the three didn’t produce the desired results since they are still doing it.

Roy, Billie, and Robert were not this big in elementary school. They were like the rest of us, still growing, skinny, and could run around for hours and not get tired. But something happened to them between elementary and middle school, something they refuse to talk about. Even when our parents ask each boy’s parents, no one will say a thing. The parents would just offer a lame excuse of eating too much, glandular problems, etc. Another thing that happened was the bigger they got, the meaner they got, hateful even, and became bullies, what with their current body size. I always liked the three guys, but I sure hate what they have been doing.

And why are they looking for me today? Um...that’s a story I’ll get to in a moment. Right now I’m looking through the voids in the bushes hiding the fox den to see if the three have entered the woods. Guess I better back up a bit and tell you more about where I live and the three gelatinous masses.

When the developer decided to build a new subdivision, he wanted something completely different. Usually, when subdivisions are built, the land is laid bare of all vegetation, then plats are laid out and the infrastructure is put in. Then the streets are laid and you end up with a street with houses on both sides, an alley, another street with houses on both sides, another alley, ad infinitum. You get the picture, it’s nothing but streets and houses.

This developer had another vision, plats that butted up against a woodland that would give each homeowner a bit of nature right outside of their backyard. His idea royally pissed off the City Council because all they could see was the loss of revenue if only a few houses were built on the amount of property being developed. There was a big battle, with the City Council refusing to provide any permits to build, and of course, the developer took them to Court and when the truth came out, what the City Council was trying to do, it was the City Council who got it in the end. He got all the needed permits, told the City to shove the monies they were going to chip in, in an attempt to try and get a say how things would be done, and paid for everything out of his seemingly endless bank account. I found out later he was one of those who was able to make money hand over fist and never knew what to do with it all.

So now, everyone who lives in this area has woodland that butts up against their property and can sit in their backyards and watch the wildlife. Oh, I forgot. Every so many houses he had a dead-end street laid and trails cut from those dead-end streets from one side of the woods to the other. There are about five per area and it can save a lot of time using the trails to reach the other side of the ‘block’ instead of walking down the sidewalks.

What else was I going to say...oh yeah, the gelatinous masses. You know how Flash Gordon can outrun any normal person? Even if that person is running? Well, Roy, Billie, and Robert are so big that if a person is just walking, it seems like the person is running to the three boys. And if the person is running, well, think of Flash Gordon here. Ho boy, they have arrived. And it only took them about twenty minutes to walk from where I saw them, two houses down from mine, to get here now.

Roy has stopped by a fallen tree trunk; Billie and Robert walked on past that point. What the heck is Roy going to do? Ah, now I see, he’s found a way to get his enormous bulk up onto that fallen tree trunk, which now puts him about three feet above the ground. He’s gingerly walking towards what appears to be the middle of that fallen tree trunk and now seems to be searching the area in front of him.

Something else I forgot to mention. Because of their size, they can’t turn their heads the normal 90 degrees left or right. So if they want to look more than 2 degrees left or right they have to turn their whole body, which is what Roy is starting to do now. He’s turning to his left...whups, he almost slipped...and is now looking in this general direction.

Where’s Billie and Robert? Billie’s stopped before a depression in the ground. Robert has stopped in front of a bush.

What’s Roy doing? Guess Roy didn’t see anything because he’s turning to his left again. Ooohhh...I bet that hurt. Yep, it hurt. As Roy was turning to his left again, his feet slipped out from under him and he fell straddling that fallen tree trunk. I don’t think I have to explain what the bulk of his weight fell on, do I? Yep, it hurt alright. Roy’s screaming and crying, he’s also holding himself while he screams and cries. Oh, my, I’ve never heard those words before. Or that combination of words. My mom would have gone through a half a box of bar soap had she heard what he was saying. Now what’s he trying to do? Oh I get it now. He’s trying to get off that fallen tree trunk by swinging his left leg up and over so he can get off. Except, maybe he’s leaning way too far to his right? Ooohhh, ouch! He did lean too far to his right. His overweight pulled him right off that fallen tree trunk and caused him to roll as he fell, face-first onto the ground. He isn’t moving or screaming or crying, I sure hope he’ll be alright. You must think I’m contradicting myself here when I say I hope he’ll be alright. I may hate what they are doing since they ballooned up but I never want to see them get hurt, that’d be just cruel of me.

Why is Billie standing before that depression in the ground? Oh he wouldn’t, would he? He can’t be serious, right? He could walk to his left or right and get around that depression, but I think he’s about to walk down into it. It isn’t very deep, maybe three feet, but he can see I’m not there so why would he go down into it? Plus, two days ago it was full of rainwater that’s now soaked into the ground. Still, without much sun the past couple of days, the only thing at the bottom of that depression is...whelp, there he goes. And down he went. Like Roy, his overweight pulled him too fast down into that depression and he fell face-first into the mud. Oh, gads, he is mad. I can’t hear all he’s saying because it’s muffled, but just the sound of his voice is furious. Wait, he’s pulling himself up by grabbing a couple of tree roots that have grown down into that depression. Oh, my, now I can hear what he’s saying. Whoa, where did he learn those words? Or that combination of words? He and Roy must have had the same vocabulary teacher. Come on, pull hard, just a bit further. He’s out! He is covered with mud from the top of his forehead to the tops of his shoes. And spitting mud, and a few other things. Mom would have gone through a case of bar soap on him. Now he’s trying to wipe the mud off his hands on the back of his jeans, I’d guess so he can wipe mud off elsewhere.

How’s Roy doing? Let’s see. It looks like he’s starting to move around, and he’s started crying again so that’s a good sign. Is Robert still standing in front of that bush?

Yep, Robert is still standing in front of that bush. Oh no, he isn’t going to do what I think he’s going to do, is he? And this isn’t good. He stuck his hands into the bush to try and separate them so he could walk into that bush. That is NOT a good idea since that’s a prickly bush. The leaves are serrated and have little thorns at the ends. They won’t break off, but they will scratch the whale out of you. If he’d only look he’d see the leaves start about eighteen inches up on the stalks, making it easy to see if anyone is in that bush just by bending over and looking. But, none of the three can bend over. Oh this is going to be messy. Robert is wearing jeans, which will provide some protection to his legs, but he’s not wearing anything that will protect his arms, neck, or face. I wish he wouldn’t do this. There he goes, and he’s already finding out why it’s best to stay out of that bush. And he must have been at the same vocabulary lesson as Roy and Billie, ‘cause he’s using just about the same words. Mom might go through a box and a half with Robert. Oh man, he just came out the other side, and he’s a mess. His arms, neck, and face are a mass of bleeding scratches. And I can see what looks like red pinpoints on his jeans. That poor guy, it hurts just looking at him.

Now what? Billie’s screaming and pointing. Oh, he’s pointing to one of the trails that were cut through these woods. He’s also telling Robert what he thinks of his mother--Robert just flipped Billie off. Where’s Roy? There he is, using a branch on that fallen tree trunk to pull himself up--he’s only using one arm, the other is holding himself. Robert is walking towards Billie, as is Roy, now that he’s standing. Roy sure is walking slower than usual, and holding himself as he walks. Billie’s now screaming at both Roy and Robert and pointing to that trail again. Wow, Roy just slapped Billie upside his head. Boy, this is getting mean, Billie just spit in Roy’s face and again pointed to the trail. Now all three are screaming at each other. Billie just flipped both Roy and Robert off as they scream at each other and is slowly walking towards the trail. Roy yelled something I didn’t catch, but Billie did and flipped Roy off again. Now Roy and Robert are headed towards the trail, and they are still screaming at each other. That must have been some vocabulary teacher those three had.

Well, it looks like they’re far enough away that I can try and get out of this abandoned fox den. I sure hope I didn’t tear my dress. Oh, um...that too is part of the story I’ll get to after I get out of this old fox den.

Finally, fresh air and I can stand up. Well, my dress is sure dirty, but it doesn’t seem torn anywhere. Where are those three now? Ah, they’re almost to the dead-end street, and where all the trails meet; can’t say start because someone could argue they start on the other side of this area. But just to be safe, I’ll stand behind that same bush Robert walked through, it’s tall enough to hide me. Wait, what’s that? There’s one...two...three...four...five...six, police cars headed in the direction of my house. Oh, and there goes a police panel van. Um, did I forget to tell you Roy, Billie, and Robert are under house arrest? That all three are wearing ankle monitors? And they’ve been suspended from school for beating a boy who had to be hospitalized? Or that the boy was...me?

Guess now would be a good time to tell you what happened and how I ended up wearing a dress since it’s going to take those three close to half an hour to get back down to my house, where I imagine the police are waiting for them. They may see that police before they get to my house, but as big as they are they won’t outrun them. Wonder if the police found them because of the ankle monitors or if someone saw them and knew they weren’t supposed to be anywhere near my house? Guess it doesn’t matter, their goose is well done this time. My story, yeah, I haven’t forgotten it.

I was standing in front of my opened hall locker at school trying to decide if I should take my calculus book with me to English or fight the downstream traffic to come back and get it. I hated carrying that book because it weighed a ton, but if I took it with me now then it would be an almost easy matter of working my way across the current of students to the hallway leading to my calculus class. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. How can a Sophomore student be taking calculus instead of geometry? Well, I sort of already took geometry my Freshman year. I tested out of algebra and was placed in geometry, I have a thing for math. What can I say?

Anyway, as I was standing in front of my locker at school, and I emphasize standing, something hit my right shoulder and threw me into the inside side of the locker door. I turned to my left to see who pushed me but saw no one. I turned left again and saw them, Roy, Billie, and Robert walking shoulder to shoulder down the hallway. I just shook my head ‘cause I knew they’d get suspended again and turned back to my decision making about my calculus book. I had decided to take it and had just started reaching for it when a hand grabbed my right shoulder, spun me around, and shoved me into the locker to the left of mine. I banged my head at the time I was shoved into that locker and it took a few moments for my eyes to settle down. When they did I saw Roy standing in front of me and staring at me. I had to mull over what he said next because I couldn’t see how he came to his conclusion.

“You owe me an apology for running into me,” was what I heard him say to me.

I think I may have made a face as I ran what he just said over and over in my mind. If I was STANDING in front of my locker, not moving, how is it I owe him an apology for running into him when it was Roy who ran into me? After I ran that thought around several times in my mind, this is what I told Roy.

“Roy, since I was standing at my locker I wasn’t moving. You, Billie, and Robert, on the other hand, were moving and it was you who ran into me. If anyone owes anyone an apology it’s you who owes me one. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a class to get to.” I wasn’t afraid of Roy or the other two, so I turned back to my locker and started to reach for my calculus book again. The next thing I knew, a hand again grabbed my right shoulder, spun me around and someone must have overloaded the electrical circuits because suddenly all the lights went off.

When the lights came back on, a few things occurred to me at the same time. Why did my face hurt? Why did my chest hurt? Why did my groin hurt? Why was there a plastic bag with light yellow liquid in it hanging on the side rail on the left side of my bed? Where was that beeping sound coming from? Why was I looking through something that was like those old Knight helmets with the slits for visors? And...OH MY GAWD, I’M IN A HOSPITAL!

I rolled my head to the left and saw the monitoring machine that was where the beeping noise came from. The leads came over to me and disappeared under the covers. That bag, with the light liquid, OH MY GAWD, I’VE GOT A CATHETER IN ME! There’s a plastic tube that goes from the bag to me and under the covers. Why?

I roll my head to the right and see my mom sitting in one chair and my dad in another, both seemed to be asleep. Then I saw Terry, sitting in a third chair, doing something on her tablet. Gads I hurt. What happened next made me think someone had wired the chairs my mom and dad were sitting in with 120 volts, because they suddenly seemed to be related to Flash Gordon.

“Mom, dad,” I croaked out ‘cause my throat was really dry. I don’t think either of my parents touched the floor as they seemed to instantly appear beside my bed; mom on the right and dad on the left. Mom took my right hand and dad took my left hand, Terry had walked over and was standing next to mom, putting her hand on my upper left arm. “Why am I in the hospital? How long have I been here?” I looked between my mom and dad for answers, but it was dad who said something but didn’t answer my questions.

“Easy, Jimmy. Lay still, you’ve had some serious injuries. We’ll answer all your questions after the doctor has examined you. He wanted to be notified when you woke up.” I watched as mom patted my hand then walked out of the room. A few moments later I heard, “if you folks will give me a moment to see how Jimmy is doing.” Dad patted my hand, Terry moved an errant piece of hair off my forehead, giving me a quick kiss on my forehead, before they both left the room.

A man in a white coat next appeared on the right side of my bed. “Hello, Jimmy, I’m Dr. Droll, yeah, I know, my name makes you wonder, doesn’t it. We were really worried about you. I’m glad to see you’re awake now. Jimmy, I want to look at everything we had to do to make sure everything is fine. The young lady with me is nurse Angela, she’s going to take your pulse and temperature. I was about to start asking questions, I guess Dr. Droll saw this and told me, “I want you to hold all your questions, I’ll answer everything I can. Please lie still and I’ll try not to cause you any more stress.”

Nurse Angela walked around to the left side of my bed and took something off the wall. She then put a cuff around my left upper arm and my arm started going to sleep as she pumped up the cuff. She told Dr. Droll some numbers, he just said, “good,” as she held something up to my forehead. She again said some numbers, this time I knew they were my temperature, and she pressed a clamp on the plastic tubing, then unhooked the plastic bag with the light yellow liquid in it, from the tubing running to me and went into the restroom. It wasn’t long until I heard the toilet flush. And it wasn’t long until nurse Angela was back with the bag and had reattached it to the tubing and released the clamp.

As nurse Angela was doing her thing, Dr. Droll had started examining me by palpitating my face. He was gentle, but I winced several times as he felt in different places. Then he pulled down the top of my hospital gown, and I could see not only the leads from the monitor on my chest but a very large bandage running from the top of my sternum to my abdomen. I guess he could see the question about to be asked because he said, “I’ll answer that question after I’m finished.” He gently removed the bandage and hummed and hawed before he had nurse Angela to put on a fresh bandage. After he pulled the top of the gown back up he said, “Jimmy, I’m going to look at your groin now. I know this may seem embarrassing but it’s important. OK?” What was I going to say? I don’t know why he had to look or why my groin hurt. So I just nodded and Dr. Droll pulled down the covers to the foot of the bed before he pulled up the bottom of my hospital gown. I guess I was in a lot of pain, ‘cause I felt nothing stir as nurse Angela also looked at my groin. I felt some gentle tugging then Dr. Droll humming and hawing again before telling nurse Angela to apply a lighter bandage. When they were finished, down there, my gown was pulled down and the covers pulled back up, Dr. Droll pulled over one of the chairs next to my bed as nurse Angela stood behind him.

“Okay, Jimmy, shoot, ask your questions.” He actually chuckled when I asked, “may I have some water?” They both almost tripped over each other getting me a glass of water with a straw in the glass. I drained that glass and asked for more before I started up my question generator.

“How long have I been here,” was my first question. The answer I received was, “since yesterday morning.” “What happened to me,” was my next question. I was told I had been beaten up at school by some boys; he didn’t know the specifics. Dr. Droll then gave me a rundown of all they found.

“Jimmy, I don’t know who the boys were, but they really hurt you. The reason you’re having trouble seeing is due to your face being swollen. Your right cheekbone is cracked, thankfully your nose isn’t broken, and you aren’t missing any teeth. We’ll get you some cold compresses and that should help bring the swelling down.”

“Now to the more serious problems we found,” Dr. Droll continued. “Almost all of the chest ribs were either cracked or broken. Two of the broken ribs almost cost you your life. One had been pushed down and almost pierced your left lung. Another was pushed down and was a few centimeters from your heart. Because of all the severe breaks, we had to open your chest to wire the broken ribs back together. Those cracked ribs will heal on their own.” I watched as nurse Angela walked to the left side of my bed, took my left hand, and gave me a sympathetic look. She saw my question and pointed to Dr. Droll, he didn’t look much better. I could see he was picking his words, then decided straight forward was best. “Jimmy, there’s no gentle way to say this, but we had to remove your testicles because they had been severely damaged. It was decided to remove them now instead of leaving them, for fear they’d become infected and cause you trouble down the road. If that happened, you’d be back here having another operation. I’m truly sorry, Jimmy. After your body has healed, we’ll get your evaluated for hormones that you’ll have to take the rest of your life.” I think he could see I was in shock, but it wasn’t the shock he thought it was. “You have a lot to consider, Angela and I will go and I’ll send your parents and girlfriend back in.” I just nodded my head, as Dr. Droll moved the chair back where it had been, and walked out of the room with nurse Angela.

I didn’t even notice my mom, dad, and Terry come into the room until I felt someone take my left and right hand, and a hand on my left upper arm. I looked at all three before asking, “you all know what happened to me? You know what they did during surgery?” Sad faces looked back at me as three heads nodded. Terry reached up and gently wiped a tear off my right cheek that slipped out of my right eye. “How did all this happen,” I asked next, hoping to find out how I ended up where I was.

As I watched, Terry took her tablet and punched a few places on the screen before gently sitting it on my chest where I could see the screen. As I watched the screen, I started remembering that morning.

There I was on the screen, getting thrown against the locker to the left of mine, and Roy telling me I owed him an apology. I remembered that. I watched what I said to him, how I turned back to my locker again, watched as he spun me around again and hit me in the face with his fist. I went down like a sack of gravel. I couldn’t believe what I saw next, as Roy started kicking my face, Billie started kicking my chest, and Robert started kicking my groin. I felt someone wipe more tears off my face. What happened next shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.

Mr. Smith, one of our History teachers, and Mrs. Lether, one of our Social Studies teachers, both pushed their way through the students that had gathered there and tried to stop Roy, Billie, and Robert. Both teachers were pushed backward and were caught by the students behind them, who kept them from hitting the floor. Somewhere off camera was heard, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?” Like God parted the Red Sea for the Hebrews, Mr. Field’s voice parted the students standing to the left of the camera. Mr. Field, Thomas Field, played pro football for fourteen years before an injury caused him to retire. He stands about 6-6 or 6-7 and it’s all muscle; we saw him bare-chested during football practice. We also saw him bench 550 one day during weight training, talk about jaw-dropping. I think it’s because of him I love math. He got his bachelor in Mathematics before being drafted into the pros. Then on his offseasons, he got his masters. He can explain math in more ways than other teachers I’ve had and he stays at it until the student understands it. And while he’s tough in football practice, he’s very fair and encouraging. Of all the teachers in our school, he’s likely the best liked. So what he did on the screen shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Robert was kicking my groin, and he was first. Mr. Field grabbed him by the back of the neck and actually threw him across the hallway, where Robert slammed into three upper and three lower lockers. I watched as Robert slid down to the floor and didn’t move, he was out cold. The doors on those six lockers will have to be replaced.

Billie was next, standing there kicking my chest. Billie made the mistake and turned towards Mr. Field. Using both arms, Mr. Field put his hands on Billie’s chest and pushed, sending Billie flying where he hit the floor flat on his back. He too stopped moving when he hit the floor. You should have seen the students scatter as Billie went flying.

Even when Robert and Billie were sent flying, Roy kept kicking my face. When Mr. Field approached him Roy made the big mistake and tried to punch Mr. Field. Mr. Field blocked Roy’s punch and gave him one of his own, dropping Roy to the floor. With all three out of action, Mr. Field knelt next to me and said, “Jimmy, can you hear me, son?” I chuckled when I saw myself give him a thumbs up with my right thumb. “Good. Now don’t move, we’ll get you help,” Mr. Field told me.

I watched the screen and saw the school nurse excuse her way through the students and knelt down beside me. She can be a right bear, at times, but this wasn’t one of those times. “Hi, Jimmy, please don’t move until we find out how badly you’re hurt. Okay?” I again chuckled as I watched myself give another thumbs up. The nurse asked where I hurt and had to get close to my mouth to hear what I was saying. I watched as she looked closely at my face, a face I could see starting to swell. She then gently unbuttoned my shirt and looked at my chest, even I could see it didn’t look right. She carefully buttoned up my shirt and got real close and asked me about my groin, I guess, since I don’t remember her asking and it was the only place left that hurt. Then as I watched, she pulled out a cell phone and I could hear she’d dialed 911, giving the location, my name, what happened, and the possible injuries. She sure got all that right, especially the last part. I winced when pain shot up from my groin, causing everyone to ask if I was okay. I explained it was just a pain and I’d had them before now. And no, they didn’t need to call the doctor because he told me I might get them now and again.

By now Mr. Tows and Mrs. Swarm had arrived; they are the principal and vice-principal. And they weren’t alone, six school security people were with them. Mr. Field explained what he saw as he came to break up the gathering. When asked about Roy, Billie, and Robert, he told Mr. Tows, “Aw, let them sleep. We’ll take care of them after we take care of Jimmy. He’s hurt much worse.” Mr. Tows is sort of like Mr. Field, in that he’s tough but fair, and encourages any time he sees a student having troubles. He’ll deny it, but he’s also helped several students who had been having trouble at home. Some of those students now live with their relatives. I think most principals, and teachers, would tell the gathered students to move along, get to class, but all Mr. Tows asked was, “those of you who videoed what happened here, please send me a copy of that video to my office.”

Not long after Mr. Tows and Mrs. Swarm arrived, the paramedics were there, along with a gurney and other equipment sitting on the gurney. Everyone was asked to back up so the paramedics could work. Even Roy was dragged back by the security people to get him out of the way; I never heard so much grunting and groaning in my life. One of the paramedics got out some type of phone in a box and I heard her call the hospital. I only know what the hospital said because she repeated everything back to them. I hate needles, but guess I wasn’t in any condition to object as I watched her start an IV in my right arm; my left was still under me where I’d fallen. Since I was on my left side, it was an easy matter for them to get me on the backboard they’d brought with them, hold me as they gently laid me and the backboard flat on the ground. Glad I was out of it then because I don’t remember why I groaned as they laid me flat. Now the paramedics really went to work, examining me, taking my blood pressure, and checking my pulse; again I only know that’s what they did because the lady paramedic told the hospital all of the readings. Then they stabilized my neck with some kind of collar, did something to protect my chest, and decided the other injury I suffered in my groin should be examined at the hospital. Then they tied me down to the backboard and the two paramedics, with the help of Mr. Tows and Mr. Field, I was lifted up and put on the gurney. This time straps were put through the handles on the backboard to secure it to the gurney, and I watched as they wheeled me out of the video frame. Another pair of paramedics, and several police officers, arrived and started looking at Roy, Billie, and Robert, who were just now coming around. One of the police officers asked Mr. Tows if the boy’s parents had been notified, and they had. Another officer started passing out business cards, asking those with videos of what happened to please email a copy to the email address on the card.

Roy, Billie, and Robert were finally totally awake, you could tell by the language they were using. They were told their rights and told they were under arrest for assault and battery. They were also told that no questions would be asked of them until their parents were present; I think this was a case of CYA. It took four to a boy, but between the police officers and the school security people, all three were helped off the floor before being handcuffed. I again chuckled when I saw the officers had to use two sets of handcuffs per boy. Guess I was feeling a bit ghoulish right then because another shot of pain hit.

The video ended and Terry shut off her tablet. I think she knew what I was thinking because she gave me that sweet encouraging look. I guess my parents saw it too because my mom asked, “what is it, sweetheart?” I looked again at Terry and she gave me a firmer nod this time.

“Um...mom, dad, there’s something I need to tell you both.” I must have shown some fear because Terry said, “it will be okay, just tell them.”

“Um...I’ve known for some time that I should have been...born...a...girl. TerryknowscauseIhadtotellsomeoneorIwasgoingtogonuts.” I sped through that last part, thinking the big rock in the sky was going to drop on me at any moment but didn’t expect what my dad said. “Jimmy, slow down and tell us again, please.”

“I’ve known for some time I should have been born a girl. I was scared to tell you two so I told Terry. I had to tell someone or I was going to go nuts.” I guess you could say I was shocked when my mom held out her hand and did the finger move telling the other person, give. I was equally shocked when my dad took out his wallet and gave my mom a twenty-dollar bill. I looked from mom to dad, and back again before saying, in maybe too loud a voice, “you two bet on me telling you? You knew and didn’t say anything to me about it?” Terry put her hand on my arm and simply said, “easy, Jimmy, be calm, let them explain.” I must have given Terry a strange look because she nodded her head, she knew they knew.

“Jimmy,” my mom started, “your dad and I had a bet when you’d tell us. He said you’d wait until the summer, I said you’d tell us sometime during the school year. Also, we didn’t come to you because the counselor we’ve been seeing, for a few years now, advised us to wait for you to come to us. That way we wouldn’t put any undue stress or pressure on you. And yes, we talked to Terry, or rather she came to us because she was worried about you. That time she helped you dress at her house she saw how happy you were, and how depressed you got when it was time for you to come home. And yes, we knew about you being different and didn’t care because we both love you very much. We saw when you were young that you were different, and it didn’t change as you got older. Your nature wasn’t what other boys had, you were ‘leaning’, if you will, more towards the feminine side of things. I’m just sorry you had to be in this situation before telling us.”

As I did with what Roy said to me, I did the same with what mom just told me. And I could see the reasoning behind what my parents were told by that counselor. I had been depressed, but trying hard to hide it; guess I can’t put anything over on Terry. I had been ecstatic when Terry helped me dress at her house. And again depressed when I had to go home, but that was some kiss she gave me before I left, toe-curling in fact. And as I looked at my current situation, I was basically now forced to face plain, spit in your face, facts. I should have been born a girl and now was the perfect time to admit it and let those I love know it. And because my testicles had to be removed, a perfect time to talk about female hormones.

Whatever expression I was able to muster on my swollen face must have been understood by my parents and Terry, because it was dad who told me, “it appears you agree with what we were told. And more than happy Terry came to us instead of someone else. Eh?” I slowly, and somewhat painfully, lifted my right forearm and gently put my hand on Terry’s hand holding my right upper arm. “Yeah, I am,” I said as I lightly squeezed her hand. Believe it or not, I felt a sense of peace wash over me at that very moment because I knew everything would be alright, that I’d become the person I should have been born too. It didn’t hurt that mom, dad, and Terry also had contented looks on their faces as well.

“So, have you decided on a girl name yet?” I looked at mom and she seemed way too cheerful with that question. When I looked at dad, he looked worried. And Terry, she was trying to stifle a laugh by covering her mouth with her other hand. I looked from mom to dad to Terry, and back again. Something was up, again.

And when I said, “Jacqueline,” dad almost hollered, ‘yes’ before holding out his hand and doing the finger wave that said, gimme. Terry just snarked as mom pulled the twenty dad had given her out of her pants pocket and handed it back to dad. They’d bet on me again. Parents...where did I get these two?

The slight comedy routine between my parents was put aside as my did said, “Jimmy, or should I say, Jacqueline, our counselor gave us an open appointment for you when you told us about your feelings. We’ll call her and let her know you’ve told us but will explain why meeting her will have to wait. Also,” and here he looked at mom and Terry, “the girls have decided to take you on a shopping trip once you’ve been given the go-ahead by the doctor. And don’t worry, the trip won’t be local, but a few miles away. One other thing, and because we love you take this to heart right now, Jacqueline can only be out and about at home. Or going to the counselor. You have two teachers who have decided you have a lot to learn about being a girl. And until Jacqueline can walk the walk and talk the talk, she gets to be at home or at the counselors. Okay?” I still had my hand on Terry’s hand and when I looked at her and mom, both nodded their heads asking, please.

“Sure, dad, that’s fine by me.” I thought mom and Terry were going to start acting like two teens at a rock concert when I agreed to dad’s terms. I don’t know all they had planned, but I planned to dive into it like it was a bowl of cherry Jello.

I was kept at the hospital for the rest of that week, in order to make sure no complications set in. Terry visited all my classes and brought me what work I had to do for each class. By Friday, Dr. Droll was satisfied I was on the mend without any problems and allowed me to be released from the hospital, but with stipulations. No heavy lifting of any kind. No sports of any kind or any activity which put torque on my chest. I could go back to school but would need someone to walk with me to carry my books from class to class. That would be no problem since Terry had already made that chore her chore until I was given the go-ahead to carry my own books. Also, he showed us a hard plastic chest protector he recommended I wear at school since it was possible to get jostled by other students. And he wanted to see me once a week, after school, to make sure I hadn’t ruined his handy work.

A funny thing happened when I returned to school the following Monday. I was worried about fighting my way through the throngs of students every time I changed classes. Worried that my chest would be bumped, thumped, and just plain hurt every time this or that student bumped into me on their way to class. But that didn’t happen. Instead, every time I changed classes, a bubble was formed around me by the other students. I mean, as I walked every other student I passed kept at least two steps away from me. And when I got into the stream of students going to their classes, the same thing happened. No student ever got near me the entire time, unless we were just standing around. I don’t know who put the word out, but I’m glad they did. And something else I noticed, I seemed to have garnered more respect from the whole student body. I used to hear snide comments about ‘there goes Mr. Brain, the snob’, but never heard any of those comments ever again. In fact, I found out I had more friends than I ever knew I had. Guess everyone saw the video about me getting beaten and heard about my injuries, it’s the only thing I can think happened.

A month after I was put back together, not the Six Million Dollar Man type being put back together, Dr. Droll was real happy with my recovery and decided once a month would now be sufficient for visits to him. After three months, I was proclaimed healed, but with caution to take it slow to make sure I didn’t experience any pain as I started back into my regular routine. And should I experience any pain in my chest or groin, or develop a fever, I was to get my butt to the hospital yesterday, last week, two years ago. By the look on Dr. Droll’s face, I knew he was very serious, so I didn’t try to joke around with him.

Remember I said mom and Terry acted like two teens attending a rock concert when they heard we’d have to go shopping for Jacqueline? Well, when Dr. Droll pronounced me healed, those two teens reappeared, and we went shopping that very day. Oh, mom and Terry had done a bit of shopping for Jacqueline so she’d have something to wear around the house, but this shopping was the three of us, Jacqueline included, with dad’s permission, hitting the stores. Mom had purchased Jacqueline false breasts until her real ones developed, so mom actually buying her daughter her first bra, with her daughter present, was like a religious experience for the two of us. And it was very sweet how mom acted. Even Terry denied she had tears in her eyes as she saw how mom and I bonded while shopping. Terry claimed it was something coming from the clothing they had me try on. Uh-huh, Terry has trouble keeping a straight face whenever she lies. So I kissed her and told her so. Good thing we were in the changing room when she kissed me back, it was another toe curler.

During my recovery, the counselor my parents had been seeing, and who made an open appointment for me, made house calls each week. I’d never talked to anyone outside my family, or with Terry, about my feelings, what I was thinking, and how I felt about this or that. And when Dr. Droll had totally released me, I started visiting her office. Sometimes she’d meet with me and then with me and my parents or me and Terry and yes, Terry was included in our counseling sessions. She was after all, in love with me and I with her, and we were going to spend our lives together.

One week she had all four of us meet with her and surprised me with a reference to an endocrinologist who would evaluate my needs for hormones and gave her blessings to start on what was needed. She still wanted to see me once a week just to make sure I was doing okay but told all of us that Jacqueline was here to stay.

With a bunch of doctor documents, mom and dad went to the school board and Mr. Tows, and I was given the green light to start my Junior year of high school as Jacqueline. The usual warnings were given, like ones I’d read about, I didn’t have to worry about gym class because my parents were still concerned about my ribs not fully, completely, healed; despite what Dr. Droll said. Restroom use was a sticking point until several of the girls spoke to Mr. Tows and told him they would have no trouble with Jacqueline using the girl’s restrooms. They even told him they’d known for some time that Jimmy wasn’t really a boy at heart. Talk about a shock to me, I was taken under their wings like a new chick.

Maybe you’re still wondering how I ended up in that abandoned fox den, the one where I hid from Roy, Billie, and Robert? It was stupid on my part, really stupid. I told you about Roy, Billie, and Robert being put under house arrest, having to wear ankle monitors, and were suspended from school. I didn’t mention there’d been an injunction issued which made it mandatory they stay away from me and where I live when not in school. It was hard to stay away from me in school, but they were told to do it just the same. If they saw me they were supposed to turn around and walk the other way. All three had been in the same classes together, that changed when two of the three were assigned different teachers so that they weren’t together in one class. They weren’t even allowed to sit together at lunch.

Anyway, I’d been given the green light by Dr. Droll and was in Jacqueline mode when the mail came; everyone’s mailbox is out at the curb. Not thinking, as sometimes happens, I dashed out to the mailbox to get the mail and was dressed as Jacqueline; I was expecting some important papers. Well, I took the mail out of the mailbox, turned, and saw Roy, Billie, and Robert walking down the sidewalk heading my way. I ran back to the house only to find I didn’t unlock the front door before coming outside. Thinking the backdoor was unlocked, I dashed around to the backyard, tried the backdoor, and found it locked. I then ran back around to the front yard only to see Roy, Billie, and Robert were now only two houses away. So, with no other options, I ran to the one place I thought I’d be safe, the abandoned fox den. Why I thought of that place, I couldn’t tell you. Why, you might be asking, didn’t I go to any of the neighbors? Maybe because the neighbors don’t know Jacqueline, yet? Or maybe I didn’t think of it at the time?

And what happened to those three when they got back to the street? I crept back to the house next door to mine and was able to hide in one of the bushes near the front of that house. You should have seen all the police officers waiting in front of my house. I know Roy, Billie, and Robert didn’t see them because they were still arguing and yelling at each other. But they saw them the minute they reached my house, and boy were they shocked. And the funny thing, none of the three put up a fight, as they once might have done. Roy was still hurting and holding himself. Billie was still covered with mud and still steamed. And Robert, that poor guy was still bleeding from his walkthrough that prickly bush. I think they were finally defeated because that’s how they looked. One of the officers had called for the paramedics once they saw how the three looked, and after Roy was examined, Billie cleaned off, and Robert’s scratches tended to, the three were cuffed and placed in the police panel truck. I never did hear what became of them because of breaking their house arrest. No one ever saw them at school again after all this.

Well, this had been my story of how Jacqueline was finally able to exist after all the years of keeping her hidden. And the events surrounding her coming of age. I went on to finish high school, got the Valedictorian spot, made the obligatory speech, and joined my classmates at the graduation party. And no, I didn’t get drunk, if that’s what you’re wondering. My parents laid down the law, NO ALCOHOL, PERIOD!! Besides, I was taking meds so was worried how they would be affected by alcohol. Terry and I had a real good time even without any alcohol, and then some more after the party. I did say she can curl my toes, right? She showed how good she was at something else that night. And it was more than my toes that curled.

The university Terry and I attended in the Fall wasn’t too far from home, so we commuted the days we had classes. Some days we could go in together, taking turns driving on those days. Other days we had to go in separately because our classes were at different times. And after four years, I received my Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, with a minor in physics, and Terry received hers in computer science, with a minor in graphic design. I went on to get my teaching certificate and got a job teaching math at my old high school. Terry, on the other hand, had to fight off job offers because she was that good of a graphic designer. In the end, she took an offer with the small firm she worked for during the summers, and it wasn’t long before that small firm began to grow because of Terry. It was two years later they made her a partner and ended up having so much work come their way that they had to hire several more people.

And Terry and me? We found a nice little house to buy and moved in together; it would be several more years before the law was changed and we could get married. Because of my injury, and the resulting surgery, I couldn’t store any sperm so we talked about adopting, but Terry wanted to actually give birth so we went to the sperm bank and now have a very pretty, and healthy little girl. The delivery was hard on Terry so our next child, a boy, was adopted. And we love the dickens out of them both.

It was two years after I received my Bachelor’s degree that I was back at the university working on my Master’s degree and as I was walking back to my car I heard someone call my name. It was a man’s voice, but when I turned and saw the man who called my name, it took me several moments to recognize him. It was Roy Staples, but it wasn’t. Standing before me was a man about 6 feet tall, not rail-thin but well kept, not the Roy Staples of high school days. And talk about a gorgeous smile, it was.

“Hi Jacqueline, how have you been? If you have a few minutes I’d like to talk to you, explain some things to you. I know I was an ass all those years ago, and how bad we hurt you, but I would like it if you’d let me answer that question which we couldn’t answer back then,” Roy told me, with a pleading voice and a look to match. I really couldn’t refuse to listen, after all, if not for those three Jacqueline wouldn’t be here today, maybe. I agreed and we decided to talk in the student union, where we could get something to drink.

“First off,” Roy started, “I know an apology isn’t enough for what we did to you back in high school. Nothing I say can make things right, but I’m offering an apology anyway.” He held up his hand as he saw I was going to respond and went on with, “please, let me get all this out before you say anything. Okay?” I nodded and he continued.

“Billie, Robert, and I really screwed up during the summer between the end of sixth grade and the beginning of seventh grade. We were walking down to the theater to watch a movie when we spotted this enormous woman walking on the sidewalk. I don’t remember who started it, but we began shouting insults at her until she finally had enough and told us we were going to see how it felt being huge. Well, we blew her off as a crackpot until a few days later when all three of us started gaining weight. The rest you know, and how big we got. We became angry at ourselves for what we had done, because it kept us from doing much during that or any summer afterward. And we took out our anger on you and others. We were so damn wrong, but they say hindsight is 20/20.”

“After that day we looked for you in the woods, you remember, well we were beaten, we’d had enough. We ended up in juvenile hall because of breaking house arrest and stayed until we were 18. We got our GED while there and because we were minors at the time, our records were sealed and we were released. The three of us were sitting in the park talking when a lady walked up to us and asked us the strangest question.

“Well, boys, how does it feel to be huge? Learn anything from it?”

We must have had blank looks on our faces because, in the next instant, that very attractive lady turned into the huge lady we’d insulted all those years ago. It was the same huge lady who told us we were going to find out how it felt to be huge. The only answer we could give her was, “yes, ma’am, and then some.” As we watched, she went back to being the lady who walked up to us and proceeded to sit down and explain a few things to us.

“Boys, I am sorry you had to go through this, but it was the only way you’d learn how it felt to be on the receiving end of insults like those you said to me. You walked a mile in someone else’s shoes. You see boys, I’m a witch, and a darn good one too. That day I had tried a new spell and went out to see how others would react. Most just looked and walked on, some asked if I needed any help when they saw me struggling with something, and then there were you three, who thought it was funny insulting someone different than yourselves. And the only way I knew you’d understand how wrong you were at that time, was to let you experience the insults for yourselves. Didn’t feel so good, didn’t it? Hearing all the fat jokes and jibes. Being laughed at because you could hardly do anything including walking. I also made sure you couldn’t talk about it, which no doubt angered you all the more. Right? I’ve watched the three of you over the years and can see you’ve finally learned the lesson I intended. So gentlemen…”

Roy continued with, “and right after she said gentlemen, we started getting slimmer until we were down to the weight we’d be at 18. I hadn’t cried since I was little, but I bawled like a baby after she changed up back, as did Billie and Robert. We thanked her for changing us back and assured her we had learned a very hard lesson. And we had. Like you, and yes I’ve been keeping tabs on you, I’m working towards my Masters in psychology. Billie got his Bachelor’s degree in history and found a teaching job in the next town over. Robert, if you can believe it, went pre-med and is now in medical school. He wants to specialize in psychiatry. Yeah, we learned a lesson, the hard way, and we want to make up for everything we did during those years by helping others.”

I sat there stunned listening to Roy’s story, especially the part about what they chose for careers. Guess I should have been more stunned hearing about a witch but anything is possible, right? I smiled when Roy finished his story and told him,

“Roy, believe it or not, I never stopped liking the three of you. But I came to hate what you three were doing. That said, and again you may not believe this, but, thank you for what you did to me. I, Jacqueline, wouldn’t be here today if not for what the three of you did to me.” This time it was my turn to hold up my hand and ask for him to let me finish.

“You see, Roy, for the longest time I knew I should have been born a girl. But didn’t have the courage to tell my parents. Those injuries I received made it possible for me to finally tell my parents and allow Jacqueline, me, to finally exist. So you actually did me a favor, though it was a painful one. And I have to thank you for the kick in the pants. Literally.”

We talked more until it was time for both of us to leave, Roy had to pick up his kids from practice. Yeah, he got married, as did Robert; Billie and his girlfriend have yet to set a date. I saw more of Roy around the university now and then and eventually ran into Billie and Robert, both offering their profuse apologies. I told them the same as I told Roy, “no, thank you.”

I often wonder why Fate has to make life’s lessons so hard at times. I could have gone for the gentle nudge that helped me tell my parents, but would they have been in the same frame of mind? Or would Terry have fallen in love with Jimmy instead of Jacqueline the day she helped me dress? Life can be real funny at times, it’s like a lot of slots have to line up at the right time so all the balls fall at just the right time and just the right speed. Um...maybe talking about balls isn’t the right thing to do right now? Mine dropped through a slot several years ago.