Most often people talk about being in the right place at the right time. Maybe they achieved a beautiful photo of a sunrise, or the antics of children or animals. Maybe they found something someone lost and received a big reward when it was returned. But how often do they talk about being in the wrong place at the right time? If they do, it’s often about the death of someone or maybe witnessing a crime. And if this is the case, they are sad or horrified. Walter Williams often is in the wrong place at the right time, though his reaction to the incidents he encounters is much different than anyone would expect. And, life-changing.

“Oh, right, the conjecture,” Kathy said. “Well, best guess was that Robert Bakes was at the dance to get his revenge on me for humiliating him earlier in the week. Only he didn’t get the chance. No one knows when it happened, but a group of people, students or adults, no one knows, grabbed him, put a cloth bag over his head then dragged him off somewhere before stripping him naked, then taping his hands behind his back and putting tape over his mouth. They then put him in some kind of harness and hoisted him up to the very top of the flagpole at school. The two police officers were making their usual rounds at the school when they spotted him suspended up on the flagpole. They guess he’d been up there since the dance let out at 11:00 that night. Robert couldn’t identify anyone because the people were completely covered with black clothing and were wearing full face masks. They never spoke so he doesn’t know if they were girls or boys, adults or students.”

In telling her dad the story, her voice had been rather calm. But it changed as she went on with the story. “No one bothered to tell me what happened, not even mom. I had to find out about part of it, the wrong part of it, from a rumor that was flying around school today. I say wrong, because according to that rumor, I’d been raped after the dance.” Shelby sat up so fast to look at Kathy that Terry slid off his shoulder and flopped down behind Shelby onto the cushion. “Gee, thanks a bunch, dear,” Terry said in a muffled voice. Terry sat back up as Shelby asked Kathy, “What do you mean raped after the dance? Who raped you?” Terry put her hand in the middle of Shelby’s chest, pushed him back against the back of the couch, put her head back on his shoulder before telling him, “It was part of the rumor that was floating around school. No one got raped. You should know about rumors, Shelby, how one person says something, then the next person adds a bit more, and more is added, until the whole thing is nothing but a lie. That’s what happened to that rumor. Now, be quiet and let Kathy continue.”

“As Marge and I were walking to our lockers, then to our first period science class, everyone was looking at us. And we didn’t know why.” And Kathy’s voice got even angrier as she told Shelby, “We didn’t know why until in our science class I asked them what was going on. Then good ol’ Tonya Springer blurted out that rumor had it that I’d been raped by Robert Bakes after the dance. Guess you don’t have to imagine how hot I got when I heard that. And I told them so. I called them some names I shouldn’t have, and even got called a liar for trying to deny I’d been raped. I’d had enough of the BS so I stormed out of class, Marge came with me. I just started walking, Marge was having a time keeping up with me, I was walking so fast. I just had to get away from it all. Well, we ended up sitting in the bleachers at the football field when the head of school security found us, said they’d been looking for us, and Uncle Peter wanted him to take us to his office. I’ll be right back,” and Kathy got up from the couch and walked upstairs this time.

While Kathy was in the bathroom, Shelby turned his head so he could see Terry’s face and asked her, “You knew and didn’t bother to tell Kathy about all this? How’d you find out?” Shelby watched as Terry shook her head slowly before telling him, “Peter called me the next morning and told me. And no, I didn’t tell Kathy because I thought it’d be better if she didn’t know. I found out I was wrong not telling her. Maybe if I had things would have gone better for her today.” Shelby saw the tears falling down Terry’s face, before he realized Kathy had sat back down, was pulling her mom to her and telling her, “It’s okay, mom. I know you thought it was for the best. I still love you though.” Terry held onto Kathy and openly wept. Muttering as she did, “I’m so sorry, hon, I’m soo sorry.” Kathy could no longer keep her tears bottled up, and just held onto her mom as she let hers fall.

“When Marge and I got to Uncle Peter’s office, Uncle Peter was there along with mom. Mom started to give Marge and I the riot act but Uncle Peter stopped her, pushed her into a chair and told her to be quiet, it was his ballpark and his rules. Then he gave us the riot act. I’ve never heard Uncle Peter talk like that, and it kind of scared me. He then called the school shrink and asked her to come to his office, and some more things were said, and again I’d had enough of the BS and tried to storm out of his office, only to be told by Principal Stepel, if I left the office I’d get four weeks of suspension. And would receive an ‘F’ for each day I was absent. Still hot under the collar, I slammed his office door and sat back down. I um, said a few things rather unlady-like then too. Jenny, the school shrink, talked to me then, pointed out a few things, and after lunch mom, Marge, and I went to Jenny’s school office and talked. Marge and I have a standing appointment with her every day after school. Mom and her are going to talk sometime in the evenings. And while we were talking to Jenny, Uncle Peter was in the gym with the rest of the school, telling them what, I didn’t hear. Yet. And that’s about it, dad. Any more questions?” It was Shelby’s turn to say, “Um, yeah, one. But I’ll be right back.” It was Terry and Kathy’s turn to laugh.

When Shelby returned from the bathroom, and sat back down on the couch, he asked, “So...what happened to Robert Bakes? Did he get kicked out of school?” Kathy chuckled before telling her dad, “Ah, no. His parents withdrew him. They were taking him that Saturday to a boarding school, one where the teachers won’t put up with his BS. And if the bits and pieces Uncle Peter caught are right, Robert isn’t going to be going by Robert while there. It will be more like Roberta.” Shelby gave Kathy another puzzled look until the light came on. “Oh, Roberta, a girl. Oh, I’ll be that’s going to come as a BIG surprise to Robert. I seem to remember hearing about schools of that type. Seems they’ve helped straighten out many a boy or young man.” Shelby looked at his watch, it was 6:00 p.m. He looked at his two girls, still holding each other and asked, “Would Chinese take out be alright with you two ladies? I can call and have all our favorites delivered.” Terry looked up at Kathy, who looked at her mom. Both shrugged their shoulders and almost said together, “Yeah, sounds like a plan.” Shelby patted Terry on her butt before getting off the couch, going to the kitchen and getting out the menu from their favorite Chinese restaurant. He picked up the phone, dialed their number and placed their order. He added a bit more of Terry’s and Kathy’s favorite things, since he felt they needed all the comfort they could get.

Thirty minutes later the doorbell rang and when Shelby opened the door, instead of the delivery, Marge, Dorothy, and Thomas were standing there. Shelby asked, “Have you all eaten yet? I’ve ordered Chinese take out.” The three laughed, because as Thomas told Shelby, “We just came by to see if you all wanted to go out to dinner with us.” Terry and Kathy had gotten up off the couch and walked over to the front door, heard what Thomas said, and laughed along with everyone else. Thomas then asked Dorothy and Marge, “Chinese alright with you two?” When both said yes, Shelby then told them to come in and make themselves at home. He then went to the phone and called the restaurant again, asking them to double his order. Thirty minutes after Thomas, Dorothy, and Marge had arrived, their take out was delivered. It turned out to be a wonderful evening, with three women getting the slow down they so desperately needed, even though Thomas and Dorothy brought up what happened Friday night, and at school today. The perspective Thomas and Dorothy gave on the subject helped Terry, Kathy, and Marge see things in a different light. And hopefully help Kathy and Marge deal with what might be waiting for them tomorrow at school, after Kathy’s explosive response.

When the six finally said their goodbyes, and Kathy and Marge in their own way, there was nothing left of the take out Shelby ordered except empty containers. Terry suggested Kathy go take care of what homework she had, given the circumstances of the day, before bathing and getting ready for bed. Before Kathy went up to her room, she walked into the kitchen where Shelby and Terry were bagging the containers to take to the trash, threw her arms around a surprised Terry and told her, “I’m sooo sorry for causing so much trouble today, mom. I didn’t handle things very well. Guess I’ll have to pay the piper tomorrow.” Terry had put her arms around Kathy and listened as Kathy spoke. When she did speak she reminded Kathy of a few things. “Honey, just a few weeks ago you were Walter, a boy. Then you had that accident and now you’re a girl. Basically a brand new girl, ignorant of all the experiences a girl would gain as she grew up. You’re still coming to terms with the change, and how people now see you as Kathy instead of Walter. Those kids grew up with Walter, they’re just getting to know Kathy. I have a feeling after what Peter told them during that assembly, they’ll be more forgiving than you think. Especially if, as I believe you will, as you usually do, apologize for how you acted and what you said. I think you’ll find that everyone would want a do over, make up and move on. Chalk it all up to another ‘Walter’ moment and go from there.” Terry kissed Kathy on the cheek before telling her to go on and get at what homework she had. Kathy kissed Terry back then headed up to her room to see what homework she did have, which ended up being nothing since she basically missed school today.

The next morning Shelby had just finished his breakfast, before heading to his office, as Terry walked out of the kitchen, heading to Kathy’s bedroom to make sure she was up and getting ready for school. She had put her right foot on the bottom step when Shelby grabbed her left arm, pulled her around, and tried to find out if her wisdom teeth had regrown. Terry put her arms around his neck and reciprocated, kissing him passionately. Terry stood there and watched Shelby start to go out of the front door, but stopped, turned to face her and told her, “Marshall and Marshall called me yesterday and want to see us at 4:30 this afternoon. Then afterwards I thought the three of us could go out to dinner. What do you think?” Shelby had seen the look in Terry’s eyes many times before, as she seductively walked towards him. When she reached him, her left hand went around to the back of Shelby’s head, pulled it to her and gave Shelby’s tongue a thorough inspection. As this was occurring, her right hand was inspecting the center seam where the left and right sides of his dress slacks met. When Terry broke the kiss, and her right hand continued its inspection, she told Shelby, “Only if I get to choose the after dinner entertainment.” She could feel how aroused he was, and knew from past times his brain would have trouble controlling his vocal cords. And Shelby knew it too, so just nodded before backing out of the embrace and cautiously walking to his car. Terry was chuckling as she watched him walk, trying hard not to appear as wound up as he was. She blew him a kiss just as he started backing the car out of the driveway and again as he drove away. She closed the front door then stood with her head against the inside of the door, trying to let her blood pressure come back to normal. “Hopefully I don’t look as flushed as I feel at the moment,” Terry said to herself, as she turned and went up the stairs.

When she reached Kathy’s bedroom door, she opened it as quietly as she could, in case Kathy was still asleep, no sense startling her, but was surprised by what she saw. Kathy was awake, and sitting on the side of her bed, feet dangling, her hands in her lap, and her head down. Her long hair had fallen forward, hiding her face so Terry was unable to see the expression on her face. Terry stood in the doorway for a few moments before walking over to the bed and sitting down next to her daughter. She didn’t speak, but waited to see if Kathy had something to tell her. And she did, and it was similar to her first day at school as Kathy.

“I’m scared, mom,” Kathy explained. “Really scared. I really messed up yesterday and can’t see why anyone wouldn’t still be mad with me because of it. Why didn’t I go get Mrs. Stokes to help get that bottle of alcohol so none of this would have happened? I’d still be Walter, your son.” Terry reached over and gathered Kathy’s long hair and pulled it back behind her shoulders. Doing that allowed her to see that Kathy had been crying, and still was, given her puffy eyes and tear streaked cheeks. She put her arms around Kathy, pulled her in close to her and told her, “Yeah, but my beautiful, smart, daughter wouldn’t be here with me now. I’d have that smelly old boy sitting here trying to think of some smart aleck thing to say.”

Kathy slowly pushed herself out of her mom’s embrace, turned to face her, and blew her a long raspberry. Then told her mom, “Yeah, I love you too, mom.” And blew a raspberry at her mom again. Despite the fear she could see on Kathy’s face, Terry started laughing. Not a chuckle, or titter, but a belly roaring laugh. And Kathy joined her, reaching for her mom to reacquire her mom’s hug. When they both had slowly stopped laughing, Terry told Kathy, “Listen, Peter called me earlier this morning and told me everything he told the entire school. Even though you blew your top, even though you used some rather unlady-like language, I’ve a feeling things will be better than you think.” When Kathy looked up at Terry with a questioning look, Terry shook her head and said, “Nope, you don’t have time to hear it right now. YOU have to get breakfast then dressed for school. Don’t forget we’re picking Marge up this morning too. Now scoot.” And with that, Terry kissed her daughter, got up off the bed then pulled Kathy after her, before heading out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen. Kathy followed a few moments later as she grabbed her robe then visited the bathroom.

The greeting with Marge, when they stopped at her house and picked her up, was light and quick between the two girls. Terry had no trouble reading Marge’s face, which was the same Kathy was wearing. Terry also noticed they were holding hands, and had been doing so ever since Marge got into Terry’s car. When they arrived at the school, at their usual stopping point, no one saw any of the students standing around holding ‘kick Kathy out’ placards or pitchforks or tar and feathers. They saw the usual groupings of students waiting for the first bell. With trepidation, Marge and Kathy got out of Terry’s car, after Kathy gave her mom a kiss. Terry sat and watched her girls walk hand in hand towards the main door, saw a few students look at them but none going towards them. A girl standing near the main doors said something to Kathy, which caused Kathy to hug her, wipe her eyes, then the two went into the school. As Terry watched the girl, she saw the girl wipe her eyes several times, before a boy took her into a hug and it looked as though she was crying on his shoulder.

As Marge and Kathy walked down the hallway towards Kathy’s hall locker, they saw a boy there, talking to himself and walking back and forth in front of Kathy’s hall locker. As they got closer they heard, “Hi Kathy...noo, that’s too lame. Maybe, hey Kathy...naw, lamer still.” The boy’s back was turned to the girls as they stopped in front of Kathy’s hall locker and when the boy turned around for another pass in front of Kathy’s hall locker, what he planned to say was totally forgotten. “Oh, hey. Um...hi, girls, um, Kathy, um Marge. Oh, this isn’t going how I planned. Like always.” It was Tommy Waltz, the boy who brought the rumor to school, the rumor that was severely embellished by the time it reached Kathy’s ears.

Tommy was blushing now, as he looked into Kathy’s eyes. She stood there silent, with her right eyebrow raised, waiting for Tommy to explain himself. Tommy looked down at the floor for a few moments before he looked up and hum hawed around saying, “You see...um, I...well, I mean...um, after what Principal Stepel said yesterday at the assembly, I...um, well…,” And Kathy put her hand on Tommy’s shoulder and said to him, “Tommy, stop. Think about what you want to say and say it. Okay?” Tommy hadn’t slept very well the night before, thinking how he was the cause of Kathy getting all upset yesterday at school. Kathy and Marge watched Tommy take a deep breath, then told them, “I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking how much I hurt you because of what I told someone else.” As Kathy looked into Tommy’s eyes, she could see tears forming and ever so slowly start sliding out of his eyes and down his cheeks. “I’m soo very sorry for hurting you, I...I…, I’m sorry.” And he turned around and walked off down the hallway, using the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his eyes as he walked. The girls wiped their eyes too before Kathy opened her hall locker and grabbed what books she’d need. After stopping at Marge’s hall locker for her to get what she needed, they both looked a few doors down the hallway and saw the door to their first period science class standing open. They looked at each other, both taking deep breaths, took the other’s hand, and walked into what they thought was the shadow of death. Only what they thought, turned out to be anything but what they believed would happen.

The two walked into their first period science class just as the second bell rang. Brigette had been standing by the doorway, and when both girls walked into the classroom, she closed the door behind them; she’d seen them walking toward her classroom and was going to wait until they entered the classroom second bell or no second bell, before closing the door. Kathy and Marge hadn’t taken more than two steps when Brigette said, in what sounded like a very strict tone, “Girls, follow me, please.” Marge looked at Kathy and Kathy at Marge, before both rolled their eyes, shook their heads, and just knew they were in for a lot of trouble. But what they weren’t expecting was what happened next.

Brigette led the girls to the front of the class and had them stand by her lab table. They gripped each other’s hand tighter, preparing themselves for the worst. “First off, girls,” Brigette started with, “how are you doing today? Under the circumstances yesterday, I’m just glad neither of you didn’t anything really foolish.” Both girls instantly had puzzled expressions on their faces. They looked at each other, then at Brigette, then back at each other, then again at Brigette before Kathy asked, “Um...we’re...doing...better? What…,” but she never got to finish asking that question, for Brigette had held up her hand before saying, “What’s going on?” Brigette then turned to the rest of the class and asked, “Who’d like to be first?” The first person to stand was the girl who accused Kathy of trying to hide that she’d been raped. “Um...I wanted to say I’m sorry for accusing you of something that wasn’t true. I, rather we, talked before the two of you arrived, and realized it was our fault how you reacted yesterday. And I, rather we, want to apologize for hurting you and upsetting you, and Marge, yesterday. I, um...I’m sorry.” Jeffrey was the next to stand, and was Jeffrey when he said, in very plain English, “Kathy, Marge, we were a bunch of jackasses, accusing you of somethin’ we just heard floating around the school. I’m really sorry to have seen you so upset, you don’t deserve to be upset, what with the other stuff you’re dealing with. But hey, if you’d have been Walter, you could have chalked it up to another Walter moment. You aren’t starting a Kathy moment, are you?” Wads of paper flew from every direction in the class at Jeffrey, who batted each and every one before sitting back down in his seat. Several more students stood and gave Kathy and Marge their thoughts and apologies, before the class became quiet and heard from Kathy.

When Marge saw the tears in Kathy’s eyes, she put her arm around her, pulled her close, and held her. Kathy wiped her eyes before saying to the entire class, “Thank you for what all of you said, it means a great deal to me. But I owe all of you an apology of my own, for the way I acted in class and what I called all of you. It was so wrong of me to take my anger and frustrations out on all of you, none of you deserved any of it. I hope we can take a do over, and move on from there. I’d really like it if we could.” Kathy wiped her eyes again, then hearing Brigette tell them to take their seats, both walked and saw down where they usually sat. It was strange to both girls as each was touched by each student they passed and “I’m sorry” heard from each one. Jeffrey reached out and took Kathy’s arm, after she sat down. When she looked at him, he told her, “Hang in there girl, we’re here for ya.” Kathy put her hand on his and replied, “Thanks, Jeffrey.”