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Current OfficersPresident - Kelly |
Index to November/December '99 Issue
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by Kelly Davidson
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Current OfficersPresident - Kelly |
Index to November/December '99 Issue
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by Kelly Davidson
"Oh my gosh, I know that person!"
That was the first thought in my mind as I looked up to see a customer of mine (who I'll call Val) standing there with her spouse chatting to Mary Ann at our September Picnic. I talked to this lady at least three times a week and knew her spouse had many of the same medical problems I had. Now it was apparent her spouse and I had one more thing in common, we were both crossdressers.
Panic took over. In the ten years since I've been with the club, I had yet to meet someone who knew me in my male world, which is kind of amazing, considering all the people at work who I have contact with. Now, in walks two people who know everything about my male life; my job, my wife, my kids. Suddenly, I felt very exposed. I immediately turned my head and looked for a place to hide.
"Maybe this person doesn't recognize me." I prayed. "Or, maybe she didn't get a good look at me while I was standing there."
While Mary Ann continued to talk to the two new members, I started searching out a few of my friends to see what I should do. Leaving wasn't an option, this picnic was to honor our past and current officers and volunteers, and I had planned to say a few words about all of them. Yet I was too nervous to approach them and break the ice. It never occurred to me that Val was most likely just as surprised and nervous to see me as I was to see them. Fortunately, the support system in place for all members also applies to the officers and president of the club. Judy, Carey, Stephanie and a few others all gave me some good advice, which calmed me down.
But just as I was getting close to pulling myself together, Mary Ann pulled me over to the new members and introduced them to the president and one of the founding mothers of the club.
Visions of tying up Mary Ann and gagging her, then throwing her on the railroad tracks in front of a train, danced in my head (she always seems to find a way to put me on the spot, which is why I love her so much). Now, these two people not only know everything about my male life, they also have a complete history of Kelly Davidson as well. Of course, Mary Ann had no idea what was going on since I hadn't had a chance to talk to her yet. So, I smiled as she introduced me to them and watched their faces for some kind of recognition. Michelle, Val's spouse, didn't seem to recognize me, but I noticed Val smile and turn away so she didn't have to look me right in the eyes. It was then I knew for sure; Val knew who I was. I quickly made an exit to panic some more and decide on what to do next.
I asked myself the question, "What was I really bothering me about seeing them here?" Part of it was fear that others at work would find out about what I did on my weekends while other men were playing golf or watching football. "Your employee puts on a dress and acts like a girl twice a month" wouldn't go over very well with my bosses or co-workers, who for some, see anyone different as a threat to their lifestyle.
But mostly, it was a matter of respect. I respected Val a lot and knew she respected me. She was one of the first people I met and worked with when I started my job, and since then I can't remember a day going by when I haven't seen her smiling and looking so happy. Even when Val is having a bad day, she always has a smile on her face and cheerfulness in her voice as she describes the problem to me. Working with Val is a real pleasure. So, in turn, I had worked hard to gain her respect whenever she needed my help, and now I was wondering if she would be able to look at me again with that same respect. Who would she see the next time we met; someone who has worked hard to help her out all these years, or Kelly Davidson, a crossdresser? Of course, I was thinking she would see me, Kelly Davidson, in a negative light, which turned out not to be the case.
The business part of the meeting went great. I talked a little about each of the officers, but my mind was really on what I would say to Val. Finally, I got up the nerve to go over to where she was sitting and asked if we could talk for a bit. I think the first words out of my mouth after that was, "I bet you didn't expect to see me here today," which caused her to laugh and break the ice.
It was weird talking to her as Kelly while trying to explain I'm still the same person she knew except for the fact I was dressed a little differently now. I've had a number of conversations with this lady, but all of them had always dealt with the male side of me. Now, here I was trying to explain to someone who thought she knew me well (and vise-versa) about the other side of me I've kept hidden from everyone else. Yet, it was such a relief to share it with someone who knew me, as well as my male self.
Since that time, I've gotten to know Michelle much better. For the past few meetings we've been riding up together and now the trip goes much faster for me. Michelle is such a wonderful lady to be around. I'm very thankful that both her and Val are very open and accepting of me and are also a part of our family we call the Crystal Club.
By Diana Brit
All manner of ghosties and ghoulies (or should that be "ghirlies"?) came out for our Halloween party last month. There were Southern belles, black cats, train engineers, motorcyclists in leathers, a bride and groom, witches, and a melange of other "things that go bump in the night."
A witch's brew, that included a pot of chili from JulieAnn the bride and Cheri the groom, helped feed the hungry. Several other members contributed to the festive feast.
In addition to the "bride and groom," among those who spooked the group during the evening were Kelly, Diana, Michelle, Theresa, Rikki, Anne and Dina, Renee and Ann, Jamie Elizabeth, Trisha, Latoya and her friends, Judy and Kristen, Trisha, Jannie, and Sylvia.
Kelly "engineered" the meeting. She announced that the final meeting of the year will be at the same location (as the Halloween party) on December 11. Her plan is for everyone to meet at 4:30, and from there go out to an acceptable, TG friendly restaurant for dinner. Out on Main and Spinnakers were among the restaurants mentioned. After dinner, she suggested that everyone return to our meeting place for desserts, contributed by the members. Those who wish to go to dinner -- and those who don't -- should let Kelly know their preference at: KELLY@gender.org.
A search is underway for a new meeting location for the year 2000. Kelly, Mary Ann and Carey comprised the search committee. Stay tuned for developments.
Plans are going forward to beef up our speakers program for 2000. On January 22, we will have a member of the Ohio State Highway Patrol to discuss the sensitivity training patrolmen undergo, particularly with reference to encounters with the transgendered. He also will discuss some of the rules of the road for the transgendered, such as the law, proper identification and the treatment that we can expect. This is an important meeting for all those who drive to our meetings. Please try to attend.
Future speakers include judges, attorneys, physicians, wig care specialists, makeup artists and others. Also, a clothes "Swap Meet," such as we had last year, also is contemplated, along with picnics, dances (perhaps with members of Stonewall), and special parties for Halloween and the holidays.
Next year promises to be an exciting one for the club. You won't want to miss a single meeting!!
From Tri-State Transgender Talk
As I walked down the isle of my local Kroger store, in my questionable male mode, I passed a little boy and his mom. He was about 4 or 5. He was fidgeting about and his mother was trying to control his behavior. He was not being bad. It is very easy for me to strike up a conversation at the store, and I pretended to look for groceries as I stood there and waiting for an opening.
As the little boy turned around, I saw in the middle of his forehead a drawing of a third eye. I said in a surprised manner "you got an eye, right in the middle of your forehead," and I pointed to the spot on my head. He giggled a little and said, "that's not a drawing, that's a tattoo." I said, "I see." He said "I got another one too." Before anything else was said, he pulls up his shirt and exposes a tattoo of a spider on his belly. I gasped and said "it's a spider." He giggled again and as we began to walk down the isle he explained that it was the kind that you could wash off. I said those were my favorite kind.
By this time he had gotten a good look at me and said, "Hey, you got long girl hair." I said, "well thank you." Then he said, looking at my ears, (they are pierced twice on both sides; I am still wearing my starter posts) "you got girl earrings." I immediately said with enthusiasm, "Well, thank you." Without skipping a beat, he noticed all of the rings on my fingers and said "look at all those rings. Hey, you're a girl!!" Delighted, I thanked him once again.
By this time, we had reached the end of the isle, and his mother had made the turn to go down the next row. Her back was toward me when he said, "Hey, your a girl!!" She, of course, said, "no that's a man." Without her turning around, I said, "your son is more perceptive than YOU are, mom," and I walked off to another isle with a big smile on my face.
It felt good that I had been "read" in the opposite direction by a little boy with a third eye. He did make my day! Life IS wonderful. - Cynthia {Krystal}
by Diana Brit
Helpful tips and information about thrift and consignment shopping in the Columbus area from the "Queen of the Thrifts."
Shopping couldn't be better now for that warm jacket or coat for fall and winter. The racks at the thrift and consignment shops are filled with a wide selection of both long coats and short jackets, and these will continue to be on display until early spring.
To be the smart shopper, there are several things you should know. Size is important, of course. I like to get outer garments one size larger than my dress size; then I am assured of a good fit over anything I may be wearing. If you are buying a coat with a liner, which is a thrifty way to go sometimes, be a little cautious about the size. With the liner in, it may look great on you but absolutely awful when the liner is removed.
You will want to be sure to check all the zippers. Often a broken zipper is the reason why the coat or jacket is in a thrift shop. Some zippers can be repaired; others will be expensive to replace. Check the buttons, too. Fancy ones that are missing may be impossible to replace. However, some coat makers affix a replacement button or two on the inside of the garment, so look there first if you need to replace a missing button.
If you are allergic to cats or dogs, don't buy a coat that has a lot of hair on it. You'll sneeze the entire time you are near it. And remember, even a dry cleaning won't get all the dander out. So, stay away from "hairy" coats.
Personally, I always - and I mean every time - check the pockets first. There are solid reasons for doing this. First, you don't want to buy a coat that has torn pockets. They are an unwanted expense to replace. Second, torn pockets usually mean the coat wasn't well cared for and you will find other rips, in the lining, for example. Third, if there is supposed to be a belt with the coat, and you don't see it, it had better be in a pocket; otherwise forget that coat.
The final reason for checking the pockets is for what treasures you may find there. Over the last couple of years, I have found packets of tissues, embroidered handkerchiefs, sunglasses, candy, numerous pairs of gloves, scarves, earrings, a change purse, a ladies wristwatch and nearly $50 in bills and change. I am waiting for the day I find a winning lottery ticket, too!
As for prices, the range will be between $5 to $8 for a simple raincoat or a jacket, $10 and up for a nice wool coat and raincoats with liners. Leather and fur coats can go over $100, even in a thrift store, and remember, consignment shop prices will be about 15 percent higher.
Happy - and thrifty - shopping!
Entertainment Weekly Online
Hilary Swank nearly fell apart while filming ''Boys Don't Cry'' -- Her transformation from teen cutie into a boy won her great reviews, but threatened her sanity by Josh Wolk
Hilary Swank's dramatic transformation into a man in the critically acclaimed true drama ''Boys Don't Cry'' happened long before the word ''Action!'' To get into the character of Teena Brandon, the young Nebraska woman who posed as a guy named Brandon and was killed in 1993 by the friends who discovered her secret, Swank spent four weeks prior to shooting living life dressed as a male. This journey into gender confusion got her into her character a little too deeply, as she experienced firsthand how uneasy people become when confronted with someone who walks and talks like a man but still has a faint feminine aura. ''If you don't fit into a black-or-white definition of boy or girl, you slip between the cracks and it's a lonely place,'' says Swank. "People don't want to have anything to do with you, and it put me in a state of real hopelessness. I cried a lot for days.''
By the time she began the month long shoot, Swank, 25, had perfected her eerily accurate transformation, having lost weight, strapped down her breasts, and adopted male mannerisms in the way she walked and talked. In a scene when she approaches a girl for a blind date, she adopts a pointedly observed, cocky loping strut, and later when she wrestles with her new guy friends, she does it with a fervor that usually comes only from years of male bonding. But the deeper she dove into the character, the more confused she got, soon finding herself unable to shake her testosterone-charged side. ''By the third week of filming I had lost every ounce of my femininity,'' she says. ''I thought I was never going to be able to find Hilary again. I was totally lost.'' At one point a good friend came to visit, and while they were out to dinner he told her, ''I'm having a really hard time, I don't feel like I'm sitting here with Hilary.'' Remembers Swank, ''It hit me so hard because I felt like I was being me.''
Now, nearly a year after wrapping the film, Swank has hit the hair salon again, started applying makeup, and is free to don the occasional skirt. And thanks to near universally resplendent reviews, EW's Owen Gleiberman called her ''extraordinary'' and gave the movie an A, Swank will finally be cut loose from the teen-movie track that she's been stuck on, from 1992's ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' to '94's ''The Next Karate Kid'' to a '97-98 stint on ''Beverly Hills, 90210.'' ''I've read the scripts for all the amazing movies that you see,'' she says. ''But I never got a chance to do them. Because it's a catch-22 in this business. To get a great movie, you have to be in a great movie.'' Consider it done. And next time, she might even get to wear high heels.
The following is a transcript of an October 5th television segment, where Pat Robertson responds to a letter written by a female-to-male transsexual.
Terry Meeuwsen: Well, here's the last one and this is a tough one.
Letter Writer: I'm 40 years old and have had a sex change. I've been watching your program and was wondering if God forgave me. Should I live as I am now or go back to my birth gender?
Pat Robertson: This is a very serious question and I appreciate it. There are people who are born with various types of hormonal activity in their bodies and they feel more male than female and more female than male. I know a plastic surgeon here, in this area who indeed does that sort of thing and uh, to accommodate what is going on in people's lives.
Terry Meeuwsen: This is a very legitimate hormonal thing happening.
Pat Robertson: Exactly. So, it is not a sin. So you don't need to feel guilty. But know also if you want to go back to where you were, uh... this man could get very graphic.
His name is Dr. Charles Horton and he is one of the most distinguished plastic surgeons and he specializes in urinary type activities, genital, uh deformities and he was telling me about two twins. There were two boys and the surgeon, when they were doing the circumcision, um, burned off the male organ of one of these little boys, so they made him into a girl. I mean, the surgeon's actually fixed him up so he had now, uh... (fumbling over words) so when he got to be 21 years old, he was a cheerleader and all that kinda stuff and... (fumbling over words) and said "I'm a boy." He started feeling these things, so they were able to reverse this and Horton has techniques to restore... it's amazing, he has pioneered... it's the most incredible thing.
There are many people who have been in battle who have had the genitals actually blown off and he can restore these. It's remarkable what he can do. So you say, will God forgive me? Of course He will, He does. This isn't something that you have sinned... and if you wish to get back... and you're 40 years old, it's not exactly too late. I know, as I say, one man who can do a sex change reversal.
Terry Meeuwsen: God is interested [in what is in] his heart, [what his] attitude is, speaking spiritually.
Pat Robertson: God does not care what your external organs are. The question is whether you are living for God or not. Yes, He loves you. Yes, He forgives you and He understands what is going on in your body.
Sir is Going Back to School as a Miss...
THE EXPRESS
NOVEMBER 6, 1999
BY IAN GALLAGHER
A male teacher is to return as a miss after undergoing a sex change operation.
Terry Cragg is in the early stages of hormone treatment and will live as a woman for at least a year before undergoing surgery to become Terri.
The 52-year-old has won the full support of staff and the 1,400 pupils at The Ridgeway School, Wroughton, Wiltshire, and will continue as an information technology teacher.
Mr. Cragg, who is already wearing trouser suits, said: "It may be that after the next summer holidays that everybody will start calling me Miss."
The teacher, who has a wife and daughter, added: "I have known from a very early age that I was in the wrong body.
"I only decided in the last year to do what I am doing now. However much I wanted it I was stopped by my concern for my family. Finally I was overwhelmed by the need and I had to take the chance of destroying my family.
"I have been very happily married. I love my wife and my daughter very dearly. They are coming to terms with what I am doing."
[Gibsonton, FL: 7 Nov 99]
Citing lack of evidence, the Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff's Dept. closed the murder case of Ruby Bota last month without an arrest. Ruby was a transgender woman who disappeared in 1988. Her badly decomposed body was unearthed this May behind the property in Gibsonton she shared with Bob Bota. They lived as man and wife.
The medical examiner ruled that Ruby's death resulted from 'homicidal violence of an undetermined type.' Her body was tied with electrical cord and wrapped in plastic bags. She had evidently been bludgeoned with a bottle because small pieces of glass were found in the front of her brain.
At the time of her disappearance Bob Bota told Ruby's friends that she had flown away with wealthy friends to live in Italy. No missing persons report was ever made. A friend of Ruby's, Jimmy Estep, said in May after her body was found, "I know she didn't fall off the face of the earth. Everyone knew she was a man. He had nothing to hide with us... She was a fine person and a member of our gay community. I know in my heart she was buried over there. I know someone killed her."
The Tampa Tribune reports that Bob Bota has now admitted to striking Ruby with his elbow eleven years ago and later finding her dead. He says he then buried her. Now, eleven years after her murder and six months after her body was found, Hillsborough County law enforcement officials announced that the case is closed.
Said GenderPAC's Riki Wilchins, "We have often pointed out that murders of genderqueers simply don't 'count' in the same way that others do. Few cases illustrate the point as clearly as this one."
University of Toronto Redefines Homecoming Queen and King;
Football Team Uneasy
LGBTOUT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgendered of the University of Toronto) is delighted that this year's University of Toronto Homecoming Queen and King were male and female -- respectively. Bonte Minnema, former LGBTOUT Coordinator and campus activist was named Homecoming Queen, and Melanie Walters was named Homecoming King by the Student's Administrative Council for last Saturday's Homecoming football game between U of T and Queen's University.
The pair joined the engineering band on the field at half-time in glorious drag, and helped to boost school spirit throughout the game.
SAC Promotions Director Rebecca Dolgoy says that the cross-gender appointment helps to give a "new twist to a lost tradition at U of T".
Despite the enthusiasm of some, however, not everyone was thrilled with the bold step. When a gathering of football team members was asked to pose with Minnema after the game, all but two of them nervously dispersed. One player's mother asked her son, who was posing with a friend for photos, to move so that the Homecoming King and Queen would NOT be in her picture.
A court case filed by the ex-husband of an upstate New York transgender man, Andy, has been settled in Andy's favor. According to Lawrence Krieger, Andy's attorney, the suit was filed based on Andy's recent transition, "to reduce Andy's 'joint legal child custody' down to limited supervised visitation."
According to Krieger, the child's father and his counsel based their argument solely on Andy's transsexual status. "The other vexatious allegations they made were just a pretext to bring the court's attention to the mother's gender identification. A Law Guardian was appointed to act as attorney for the child. The Law Guardian conducted an investigation and ultimately advised the court that the child was thriving with both parents, had a nurturing maternal relationship with Andy, and was not negatively impacted or concerned by Andy's post-op status. The Law Guardian recommended no change in the existing joint custody arrangement."
Krieger reports that in the face of a clear intention to present a "vigorous legal case" on Andy's part, the ex-father and his attorney "folded." The vigorous legal case was based on research evidence indicating that "transsexual mothers do not differ from traditional mothers," Additionally, the ex-father "agreed to sole custody for Andy rather than continue the litigation or deal with us." Krieger had argued that the court should "not hold irrational social prejudice against a parent" and the judge appeared to be sympathetic to Andy's case.
One of our readers has recommended the following service to be pink listed.
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Jennifer's Beginnings
by Kelly Davidson
This story is based on the story called, "I, my sister" and was written by Diana Christy (07/97). This story takes place before Diana's does, however. It is recommended that you read her story first to make sense out of this story. Her story can be found on Michelle's Home page at http://www.dragscape.com.
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Chapter 12 - A Plan of Escape
It was already starting to get dark outside, Jennifer noticed as she cleaned the big living room window. Dr. Jensen had given her a list of things to do such as fix meals, change the beds, clean the bathrooms, dusting. At first Gerald followed her around to every place she went, but after an hour he got bored and checked on her occasionally. It was during that time when Jennifer was alone that she worked on saying the code word out loud.
The behavior control serum was definitely getting weaker. She was now able to spell out the code word without any trouble at all. Even better, she was able to say "EKAL." In time, she would be free of this control, but time was one thing she didn't have a lot of. If she didn't get full control of her body soon it would be too late.
Jennifer wondered if resisting further commands would speed up this process. No, if she did that they would know and any chance of escape would be gone. It wasn't time to panic yet. Jennifer put the vacuum away and went to the kitchen to fix dinner, the last meal she would have to cook for them. In a few hours she would be either be free...or dead.
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What happened to Al may not have mattered to Klien Walker, but it did to Tom. He had talked to five people that day that knew or worked with Al recently. None of them had been of any help.
"Damn it, Kiddo, where are you?" Tom said out loud when he got into his car. "Kiddo" was Tom's nickname for Al.
A few more places, a few more leads. If Tom didn't find anything he would have to report Al's disappearance to the police. Not that they would find anything more then what he did, which up to this point was zip.
"Why didn't you tell someone where you were going?" Tom asked out loud. He was beginning to lose hope of finding his friend alive. The more time that passed, the worse Al's chances became.
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Dinner lasted longer then normal as Sarah talked about past Christmases she had had with her family. Jennifer stared out at the brewing storm outside the house. A warm front had moved in for the moment and the weather report was calling for a bad thunderstorm followed by dropping temperatures and heavy snow. Already she could hear the thunder crashing outside and see the lighting flashing through the window.
But Jennifer's mind wasn't on the storm, it was on Sally. She should be home with her right now, trading Christmas gifts and having a romantic evening in her arms. She had planned it all out. Right about now she would have been asking her to marry him. To hear her say yes would have made him the happiest man in the world. But Al had wanted to buy an expensive ring to give to her and he didn't have anything saved up. That was why he needed the money so fast. That was why he had taken this job. And that was why he was in this situation. Damn it, he had been such a fool! How could this be happening to him? He had screwed up royally and now was paying the ultimate price.
Sarah's voice brought him back to reality. "Jennifer, why don't you clean up while I finish wrapping up a few little details in my lab. We should be ready to proceed with your final process after that. I'm sure you will be much happier once we complete the transition."
"Yes doctor, I can't wait," Jennifer replied. She now had enough of her control back to say what was really on her mind but held it in check. It wasn't time to tip her hand yet. The question was, should she just run away and get help or stay and pay them back first, then escape? Well, she couldn't take the risk. Once she told a few others what was going on there would always be time to come back and get her revenge.
Here Jennifer, let me help," said Gerald as he picked up some dirty plates. Sarah almost fainted in disbelief. Gerald had never offered to help with the dishes before. Maybe being around Jennifer will do him so good after all.
Jennifer didn't want his help, what she really wanted was 30 seconds to unlock the back door and escape over the wall. Then she would use her army training to escape capture and make her way to the nearest phone. After that, she wasn't sure. But for her plan to work she needed 30 seconds alone without Gerald hanging all over her.
Gerald really didn't know why he was doing this. He knew who Jennifer was and yet it didn't seem to matter. Soon she would be a total woman, at least on the outside. Did it really matter what this person thought inside? Gerald's mind kept saying yes, that he should feel uncomfortable around her and yet he didn't. Instead, it felt so natural being around her. He didn't know why and he didn't know what to do about it. Should he fight his desires or give into them? Would giving in mean he was gay? He didn't know. All he knew was he was physically attracted to her... no him... no her. Damn it, it could drive a person crazy trying to figure it all out.
After the dishes where done, Gerald asked Jennifer to go into the living room with him. "My neck really hurts. How about giving me a neck rub, honey?"
"Sure, sweetheart," Jennifer purred back at him. "Sit down here on the couch."
"Right next to this heavy lamp," Jennifer said to herself, "Not so heavy that I can't pick it up and swing it."
Gerald did as she asked and Jennifer started to rub his thick, muscular neck. If only she still had the strength to snap it. She had to restrain herself from trying. The lamp would be good enough for now.
"Now, close your eyes and lay back sugar," she cooed to him sweetly. "I want you to relax while I work the tension out of your body."
"In a minute you're going to meet my friend, Mr. Lamp, and by the time you wake up, I'll be over that wall and long gone," she didn't add.
Once Jennifer felt he was totally in her power it was time to make her move. First she moved her neck closer to his head while removing one of her hands from his neck. Her perfume distracted him from realizing she now had a free hand. She noticed the smile on his face had he caught the perfumes sweet aroma. With her free hand she grabbed the lamp and dragged it towards her.
"You're such an attractive man, Gerald. I have a special surprise for you." Quickly Jennifer grabbed the lamp with both hands and swung it all her might. It happened so fast, Gerald didn't have time to react. The lamp hit him squarely on the side of his head and knocked him to the floor. Somehow he managed to not pass out. Jennifer didn't wait for him to get up; she dropped what was left of the lamp and headed for the front door to freedom...
Chapter 13 -- A Drive to Freedom
She came so close. Jennifer was just a few steps from the front door when she heard Doctor Jensen's voice shout out, "Jennifer! Where are you going?"
Ignoring the doctor's question, Jennifer reached for the door handle only to hear a loud thud before she was able to turn the knob. She tugged on the door handle a few times but it was frozen.
"What happened?" Jennifer thought to herself. She turned and got her answer. Dr. Jensen's had pulled from her pocket a small security remote, used to turn on the security system from anywhere in the house. The doors couldn't be unlocked until the system was reset at the main control or... Jennifer turned and ran right at Dr. Jensen who was standing between her and the hallway.
"Ekala! You will stop running and stand still. Ekala!" Sarah shouted out with a touch of fear in her voice. Jennifer felt a slight burning in the back of her neck and a desire to do as the doctor commanded but was able to push it away. Running as hard as she could, Jennifer ran straight into Sarah and knocked her to the floor, not far from where Gerald was trying to get up. Jennifer was now totally free of their mind-control.
Jennifer ran down the long hallway past the lab to a small closet where the electrical box for the house was located. The security system may be top of the line but it was totally useless without power. Jennifer swung open the fuse box door and with all her might pulled out the main breaker. Immediately, the hallway went dark and then an emergency light kicked on, providing just enough light to see where she was going. There was an outside door located near the closet; Jennifer tried the knob only to find it wouldn't turn. How could the system still be operating without power? It wasn't possible unless
She ran to the lab door and discovered the green ready light was still shinning out from the palm reader panel. A wave of despair came over her. The security system must be located on a separate circuit. Most likely its electrical box was located inside the locked lab. Jennifer kicked the panel in anger, causing sparks to fly from it and lighting up the hallway like the 4th of July.
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In the living room, Dr. Jensen hovered over Gerald, checking to make sure he was all right. There was blood dripping down his face from a slight cut on his forehead but the real damage she realize was to his ego. Even now she saw the anger in his eyes.
"Where is she?" he said with a slur, still not fully recovered from the blow he had taken.
"She ran down the hallway and a moment later the lights went off. I put the system on level 2 alert, she won't be able to open up any of the doors or windows or use the phone." Sarah knew Gerald understood what a level 2 alert was but explained it anyway since he still was rather groggy. A level 1 alert would have brought in the police.
"We have to find her, Gerald, before she finds a way out or causes any more trouble."
"She won't get out, this house is like a fortress now," he replied with certainty. His training kicked in. There was one way, maybe. "Stay here, Doctor, I'll be right back." Gerald disappeared into the dark garage and a minute later returned with two flashlights. He handed one of them to Sarah. "Does your computer still work?"
"Yes, but the sensors on her only have a range of about 20-25 feet and they don't work very well through walls."
"That will be good enough. It will let us know when she is close to us. Let's go find her."
Gerald led Sarah down the hallway.
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Jennifer, in the meantime, was starting to panic. Kicking in the panel hadn't released the door to the lab. She ran into the exercise room and closed the door behind her. There was no backup light in this room, so it was pitch black except for the lighting flashing through the window.
Jennifer tried the window but it wouldn't budge. She turned and picked up a weight nearby and with all her strength threw it at the window. To her surprise the weight broke the glass but bounced back into the room. Upon a careful examination, Jennifer discovered there were bars across the window. Even with the proper tools it would take at least an hour to cut through them. She didn't have the time or tools. Sarah's voice rang out from the hallway.
"Come on out, Jennifer, you can't get away." A moment of silence followed. "I promise, I won't let Gerald hurt you for what you did to him. I only want to complete your process. You can't go through life the way you are. I promise, it won't hurt at all. Now, come on out, Jennifer, let's not waste any more time."
A bolt of lighting lit up the room, followed by a deafening thunderclap. The hard rain was making it impossible for Jennifer to hear anyone walking in the hallway. By now, her panic had turned to despair. Every female emotion inside her wanted to break down and start crying, to accept defeat. Tears began to form in her eyes. No, damn it, not yet. She was still Al Parker, at least her mind and some parts of her body still were. She couldn't give up yet. Not as long as there was still a chance of escaping.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Jennifer calmed down and tried to figure a way out of this. Okay, she couldn't open any of the doors or windows as long as the security system was on (and there didn't seem to be a way to turn it off). That meant she would have to bust through one of them. To do this she needed something bigger than these weights, like a battering ram. Whatever she used, it would have to break through on the very first time. The mad doctor and her henchman would be on her before she had a chance to try again. But what had that much force that she could use?
A light went off in her head. The car! The doctor kept the keys to the car in the ignition. Right now the car was parked in the garage which was located on the other side of the house. If she could get to the car, she could smash through the garage door and ram the front gate. There was only one problem. She heard Sarah speak again.
"Come on out now, Jennifer, this is silly. You will feel a lot better once I am done. There is no need to play this game of hide and seek; I saw what you did to the security panel. I'm not mad, I swear. I know you're just confused and angry right now but once we finish your transition you will feel a lot better. It won't hurt you in the least, I promise. Come on out now Jennifer. Be a good girl and lets finish what we started without anymore problems."
"Why don't you just yell out the code phrase and finish the process now?" Gerald whispered to her.
"Because," said Sarah with a tone of annoyance in her voice, "I need to see the data when the transition happens. Something is very wrong here. Supposing I change her and as a result she dies because I'm not around to save her? Or she decides to kill herself? Or the code word doesn't work? I need to be there when this happens. Now, lets find her fast, before something else happens." Gerald began searching the room right next to the one Jennifer was in.
The only problem facing Jennifer was Gerald and Sarah. It was unlikely they would let her run past them and Jennifer knew she didn't have the strength to escape either one once they got their hands on her. There was only one way to get past them. Mentally, she got ready for the game.
In high school, Al had been a running back on the high school football team. In one game he had scored the winning touchdown by running over two linemen near the goal line in the final seconds. Now he was in the same situation, only the prize wasn't six points, it was his life. He wouldn't get a second chance at this.
Gerald and Sarah moved to the next set of doors. It was possible Jennifer had gone upstairs using the back stairway but Gerald thought this was unlikely. No, she would most likely try to stay close to the ground. Sarah touched his arm; the computer in her hand was picking up something. Jennifer was close by.
There were two doors left, one on each side of the hallway. Gerald chose the door to the weight room first. Jennifer crouched down low behind the exercise bike as the door opened up. Lighting flash and she saw Gerald's face as he looked around. In her mind she was ready. She heard the coach's voice yelling at her to hit them low and hard. The hard rain outside sounded like the cheering of hundreds of fans, urging her on to victory. For a moment, she was back on the football field, reliving the same last play of that game. Gerald stepped inside the room while the doctor waited in the hallway. Jennifer heard the word "hike" and sprung into action.
Gerald's weight was almost twice that of Jennifer's, so it wasn't a simple task of running over him. She had to use his weight to her advantage so instead of coming at him head-on, she hit him from the side. Her charge, along with his weight, forced his body to move sideways and he fell over a weight bench. The blow took its toll on Jennifer too and she came stumbling out of the room with only half the momentum she had started out with. Her momentum forced her straight into Dr. Jensen, who was clutching a computer in one hand and a flashlight in the other. Both ladies hit the wall hard and fell to the ground, only Jennifer never stopped moving her feet. Before Sarah had a chance to grab for anything, Jennifer was already up and running for the garage. Gerald came out and stopped to help Sarah up.
"After her, you fool. She's getting away."
"She won't get far." Gerald said with a confident smile. He grabbed the flashlight and walked quickly to the garage while Sarah followed with a confused look on her face.
November 1999
There will be no regular meeting this month.
December 1999
11 - Crystal Club Holiday Party<
4:30 p.m. - meet for dinner
8:00 p.m. - desserts at meeting place
January 2000
14 - Crystal Club business meeting
22 - Crystal Club regular meeting
Speaker: Ohio State Highway Patrol
"Straights are always saying to me, 'Are you trying to recruit us?' What would be the selling point? We have no rights. People hate us. Come join us."
--Comedian Jason Stuart performing Oct. 2 at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
The Crystal Chronicle is the official newsletter of the Crystal Club. The Chronicle is published and mailed a week prior to the regularly scheduled meeting. Complementary copies of the Chronicle may be obtained by contacting a club officer or any club member. News items for the Chronicle should be mailed to Kelly Davidson before the end of each month. Her e-mail address is: Kelly@tgender.net Please specify in the subject field that this is an article for the newsletter.
Copyright (C) 1999 by the Crystal Club, Kelly Davidson, Editor. All rights reserved. Articles and information contained in The Crystal Chronicle may be reprinted by other non-profit organizations without advanced permission, provided the author and source is cited and a copy of the issue containing the reprinted material is sent to the Crystal Club within two months of publication. The opinions or statements contained in the Crystal Chronicle are those of the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or the Crystal Club. Furthermore, neither the Crystal Club nor the Crystal Chronicle editor assume responsibility for any consequences resulting either directly or indirectly either from advice or from any of the material contained in this newsletter. Contributions of articles are encouraged but may be altered with the author’s intent retained or may be rejected, whether solicited or not. Absolutely no sexually explicit material will be accepted or printed. Contributions may be electronically mailed directly to the editor at ccnl@stargate.com, or sent to the postal address above.
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