Archive-name: Changes/bates01.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  1


                               Chapter 1
                             THE AWAKENING

   As sunlight moved through the trees to the back of the apartment building,
it fell first on the roof and then slowly moved its way down the wall until
it found the window on the corner of the third floor.  Seeping through the
open blinds, it traveled across the floor, then up the bed, until it finally
reached his eyes.  Probing, flashing, searing into his eyes and then his mind,
he faced the realization that a new day had dawned, and it was time to get up.

   Hiding from the sunlight, Joe Bates placed his arm over his face, and
turned his head away, seeking the darkness.  As he did, he became alert to the
fact that something was different.  His arm seemed smaller, it did not support
his head as easily as usual. And his body did not weigh into the mattress as
it had before. His buttocks felt huge, like they were covered with padding. He
rubbed his hand across his chest, and was surprised to feel bare, soft,
bulging roundness, where there should have been thick chest hair. He turned
his head into the pillow, and it seemed  that the skin on his face was more
sensitive to touch than usual. He felt his cheek, and was amazed to feel a
smoothness and softness he knew was not his normal, early morning, scratchy
beard growth.

   Was this a dream? Did someone shave his face while he was asleep?  Surely,
it wasn't his longtime girlfriend Linda, who he had been  with last night.
They had been discussing marriage, and argued late into the night about his
thoughts about discrimination and sexism. Had she stayed over, or gone home?
He couldn't remember. The discussion had been pretty intense, but Linda really
loved him, and was always quick to make up. He groggily tried to jump start
his brain. He reached out for the other side of the bed, there was no one
there. He was alone.

   Rolling over on to his back, he trying to rub the sleep from his eyes, when
he saw his hand. It looked tiny, with slender fingers which had a enhanced
sense of touch. He pulled himself up. Sitting up straight he looked into the
mirror on the dresser. He looked in disbelief at what he saw looking back.
Instead of his usual face and usual stubble, he saw another face. It was his
face, to be sure, but different, with no morning stubble.  His eyes and
eyebrows were different too. His hair looked the same length but seemed
softer, or finer. Looking more closely he noticed his face too was softer,
more defined, smaller, maybe even feminine. He thought of his knee, which two
days before, he had sprained slightly while playing racketball with his friend
Jay. He moved his right leg, and yes, it still ached a little. It was still
him, no matter what the mirror said.

   Startled, he shot straight up in bed, and as he did so, the sheet fell from
his chest, exposing something which really threw him for a loop. Breasts.
They looked like female breasts. His female breasts.  Staring at disbelief at
the image in t he mirror. He raised his hand to his face to touch and feel, as
if to prove that the person in the glass was him. Again, he ran his hand
across his cheeks, feeling the softness, the lack of stubble, and then to his
cheekbones, which seemed higher and more pronounced.  As he looked, he
realized that he felt different all over. The most noticeable difference was
that he felt much smaller. Or, maybe every thing else seemed bigger. To be
sure, there were other differences too.. It felt like his butt was huge,
compared to his upper torso. The center of gravity of his body had, some how,
shifted lower.

   In curiosity, his hand ran down his neck to his chest, to those breasts,
which he cupped and felt with his small hands. His fingers moved to the large
nipples. His fingers could feel, and he could sense them hardening as he
touched them. Wit h that pleasant sensation, he also felt a reaction in his
groin, a sensation he  didn't recognize, a warmth, and tightening that was not
at all normal. What next?, he thought. He quickly placed his hand beneath the
sheets to check. He moved down a smooth, flat stomach to feel for his cock.
His pubic hair seemed finer than usual, but he wasn't exactly prepared for
what he found next. His penis was not there. His scrotum and testicles were
gone  too. Instead, his probing fingers felt a warm, soft slit, with moist
fleshy folds, which reacted to his gentle stroking by opening slightly. He was
not unfamiliar with the what he was touching, but found it difficult to accept
that he now possessed what seemed to be labia, a clitoris, and a vagina. A
cunt.

   Totally confused, he explored his body, feeling new sensations. The
unfamiliar softness and shape of his chest, a strange tightening of his pelvic
muscles, and the uncomfortable sensation of wetness in his crotch.  He ran his
sensitive finger s over the unfamiliar contours, and then, through-out his
body, over all the curves, bumps, and creases, that his hands and slim
fingers could reach.

   As he did so he began to slip back to sleep, and into a languorous state of
semi-dreaming. Soon, the clock-radio jolted him back into the now.  Work, he
thought, time for work. A weird dream, just a dream. At least it was an
interesting dream.  Convinced that's what it was, he cast the sheets aside and
swung his legs over the edge the bed.  Stepping out, his legs, which now
barely touched the floor as he sat on the edge of bed, tangled up in his
pajama bottoms, which somehow had slid down from his waist to his thighs.
Catching himself against the dresser, he looked down and saw that his dream
had not ended, and his body was still different. He new it was impossible, but
to his quickly clearing vision, it almost appeared that he had a, ah,
a....womans body.

   Reaching down to pull up his pjs, the legs now were long enough to almost
cover his feet as he stumbled out of the bedroom for some coffee to get his
overloaded brain engaged. looking down, he realized that although a guy could
walk around in his apartment with out a shirt, a guy with a chest like he had
now, couldn't. He grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it over his head, and covered
his protruding breasts.

   As he walked across the living room toward the kitchen, his brain
registered the differences it was experiencing, and started to make the
necessary adjustments for the shorter stride and wider hips. Everything
seemed so much larger. The kitchen counter was higher than his waist. He had
to stand on a chair to get a cup from the upper shelf. His conscious mind
continued to race ahead, thinking less about what had happened to him, but
what he was going to do about it.

   The first issue to be addressed he thought was work. He figured he couldn't
go to work looking like this, but he could call in.  Had his voice changed
too? He spoke aloud, It seemed the same... He couldn't tell for sure.  Pouring
a cup of coffee, he began to review the problems he faced.

   If he had indeed changed, then his job a problem. He couldn't report to his
job looking like this, like a woman. There were women at work, but none were
engineers. And besides, his peers new him as a man anyway. He could hardly
walk in, wit h this new size and shape, and just say "Hi guys, look what I
sprouted last night!"  He didn't think his present body shape would let him
pass as a man, but he figured his mind wouldn't let him pass as a woman
either. He would probably have to try have to try that though, since he was
quickly  running out of options. He had just read in Playboy, about some woman
who had  passed as a man for years. Maybe he could do that. But for now he
realized  that he was going to have to deal with the immed iate problem of
looking like  a woman. Then he sensed another immediate concern. He had to
urinate.  Strange, he thought to himself, it looks so different, but it  feels
almost  the same. He hopped quickly into the adjoining bathroom, and as he
did, he felt his breasts bounce uncomfortably. He cupped them with his hands,
and stopping  when he reached the toilet. The seat was still up from the last
time he used  it. As he reached into his pajamas, to stand, aim his penis at
the bowl, and  pee, he realized that he couldn't do that, at least he couldn't
figure out a  practical way. Irritated, he lowered the seat, pulled down the
pajama bottoms  and sat down. As he relaxed, the urine started to flow, and he
felt yet  another difference. The pee didn't come out in a tight stream like
normal, but seemed to come out as a heavier flow, and it seemed to him, from
near his  anal opening. He finished quickly, and started to get up, but
realized that his crotch was still rather wet. He took some t issue and
carefully wiped his unfamiliar genitalia. This will take some getting used to,
he thought. He flushed, pulled his pajama bottoms back up, and went back to
the bedroom.

   His pajama bottoms didn't fit, and, judging by the looks of the T-shirt,
and how it clung to his breasts, he was going to have get something he could
wear in public.  That meant he had to go shopping.  If he was going to go
shopping he would need money since all of his credit cards were in his name,
he was concerned as to whether he would be able to use them. With a name like
Joe, it might be possible to use that name in public, while pretending to be a
woman, but it said Joel on his c ard, and that didn't look like a womans name.
Identification was the next issue, his drivers license, insurance, the basic
ID's used during a normal course of a day.  This predicament couldn't be
permanent, and he was sure it couldn't be, but if he had to act like a woman,
then he was going to have to think about his job.  Well, he may have somehow
misplaced his balls, but he still had his engineering skills. At least he
thought he did. His brain seemed the same as always. If he could work out a
way to get back to his job, he figured, he could still do it. He would work
out that problem after getting some ID.  Besides, he still had some money in
the bank, which would last a little while, at least till he could get this
identity thing work ed out.  Writing checks might be a problem if his
handwriting had changed. He tested it with a pencil and his notebook.  His
small hand caused it to be a little different, but he figured it would get by,
and besides, an automatic teller didn't look at that anyway.  What was he
forgetting?  Suddenly, he realized. Linda! Linda would be expecting him to
call tonight. If he didn't, she would probably call him, since they usually
went out to eat on Friday evenings. What would she think, what would she do,
if...no, when, she saw him looking like this?

   He put his concern about his relationship with Linda aside, knowing that it
presented an insurmountable problem for now, and then he remembered Jay.  Jay
was a lawyer, very bright and skillful. Jay was his best friend.  Jay would
know how t o handle ID and the bank. He might even know of a doctor, who could
help him with his physical problems, but couldn't think of anything like this,
happening to anybody else. At least nobody who admitted it, he thought.  He
reached over for the phone to talk to, and arrange an appointment with Jay.

   He called his office, and Jay's secretary answered.  As soon as he heard
her voice, he knew he had a problem if he didn't sound like himself, so he
simply said hello and asked if Mr. Logan was in. Denise, Jay's secretary, said
no, that he would be in court this morning.  Joe asked if he could set up a
meeting with him today.  Denise asked if he was a client, and Joe got the
bright idea of pretending to be his own secretary. He said he was calling for
Joe Bates, and that Mr.Bates would like to have lunch with Mr. Logan, to
discuss some business.  Denise said Mr. Logan  would be free for lunch, and
suggested the health club where they both worked out regularly.  Joe said no,
the  Beacher Restaurant would be better for Mr. Bates. (n o kidding) He sighed
with relief as he hung up the phone. He had made the appointment.

   This can be worked out, he thought, Jay could help him solve the identity
issues, and the money issues.  Now for work.  He called in, and identified
himself as a nurse, and told the receptionist that Joel Bates had been
admitted for a gastro-intensinal problems and would be staying in the hospital
for a few days for tests, and possible surgery. He would not be in to work
until next  week at the earliest. Who knows? he thought, it might be true.
Remarkably, she  didn't ask which hospital so he didn't have to lie about
that.

   Feeling better for the first time since he awoke, Joe leaned back in the
chair and reached for his coffee.  As he did so he realized that he was
crossing his legs like a woman, and placed his feet flat on the floor.  Seeing
him through the o pen window, anybody would have thought he was just another
woman, maybe somebody's wife, sitting at a breakfast table drinking a cup of
coffee, free of the everyday need to go off to work.

   In reality, his engineers mind was once again going through the schematic
process of sorting, and collecting data in order to establish a plan.  He
reached out and started to make a list of things he would need. By now, the
realization had dawned that he had nothing to wear that would fit, and that he
had to go shopping for clothes. He also concluded that he was going to look
like an idiot while shopping.  It also occurred to him that he was going to
look even more ridiculous, since he had no idea how to dress like a woman,
what sizes they wore in clothing, or what size he wore, for that matter. Worse
yet, he was probably going to have to buy things like panties and brassieres.
Now, he sure knew how to take stuff like that off of woman, but he had no
idea how to buy, or even put those things on, like a woman.

   Finishing the coffee, he walked back to the  bedroom, and decided that he
better take a quick shower.  While he stood under the hot water, quickly
soaping and rinsing his unfamiliar body, he was almost afraid to look at it,
thinking that if h e would ignore it, the problems he was facing might simply
go away as quickly as they came. He grinned a sarcastic grin, as it occurred
to him that he didn't have to shave this morning. After the brief shower, he
went to the closet, and started looking for something to wear.

   His Jockey shorts just didn't seem to make it, he tried them on and found
that even  with the elastic in the waist they wouldn't stay on his hips.
Damn, he thought, I need to wear underwear at least. Then he remembered a
Christmas present from two years back. Carol was his girl them, and she had
given him three pairs of men's bikini briefs which he had never worn because
they were too snug fitting, and uncomfortable.  He found them in the back of
one of his drawers. He slipped on the black ones. Although they had been tight
before, they now fit pretty good. Of course, the "contoured pouch" crotch was
now strangely baggy on him. Then he tried on a pair of jeans to see if a pair
fit, and needless to say they didn't. One pair however, had just come back
from the laundry, and was tighter than the ones he had worn a few times before
washing. Slipping them on , he hoped they a chance of staying above his hips,
when he remembered his suspenders, the ones with clips. Putting them on, he
was able to hold his jeans up with some feeling of confidence. He then reached
down for his loafers. Sliding his small feet in, they felt like boats.  This
wouldn't do he knew, so he then pulled out some white socks and a pair of
Reboks.  They seemed too big, hell they were too big, but at least they sorta
fit with the extra absorbent socks on.

   Finally he came to the shirt, he tried on a couple  and found them too
large, but at least they weren't too tight.  He didn't have a bra, of course,
but the embarrassing jiggle of his breasts when he moved made him decide to
put a cotton sweatshirt over his shirt. He reached down to the night stand,
took his large Sieko aviators watch and put it on his thin wrist. It dangled
loosely, almost large enough to go around his wrist twice. he eyed the time,
as he put the watch in his pants pocket. He knew the mall would soon be open.
He had to get over there and buy some clothes so that he could meet Jay for
lunch, and start figuring things out.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates02.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  2


                                   Chapter2
                                   THE MALL

  Joe went out to the parking area, and opened the door of his RX-7. He sat
down in the semi-reclining seats, and found that not only could he barely see
over the steering wheel, he was unable to depress the clutch pedal to shift
gears. He adjusted the seat, until he found a position which suited his new,
smaller proportions. The seatbelt pinched his breasts, until he adjusted the
shoulder trap so that it passed between those unfamiliar mounds.  Driving over
to the mall, he remembered to be very careful, since a traffic ticket, or an
accident, would probably cause extraordinary problems. His mind was racing to
consider the possibilities, where he would go, how much money he had, what he
had to buy, when he was startled again by the recognition that he had no
purse.  He tried to remember if he had ever seen a woman without a purse on a
shopping trip, or, if he had ever seen a woman take a wallet out of her hip
pocket to pay for something.  Deciding the answer was no, he made a note to
remove his cash, atm card, and some credit cards, from his wallet.  He decided
that his first purchase would be a purse and a woman's wallet.  Damn, he
thought this is not going to be easy.

  Pulling off the highway into the parking lot, he parked near the entrance to
Sears.  He always parked by Sears, and walked through the store on his way
into the mall.  As he walked in, he found himself in the lingerie department.
It seemed whenever you walked into Sears, you walked into women's panties.
Normally, he might sneak furtive glances at the sexy undies, and the women
trying to decide from the huge selection of sizes, styles, and colors.  Today,
it was his time to decide. He couldn't believe the variety.  Although he liked
the way women looked in a sleek, sexy, string bikini, when he took one from
the rack and held it up, he couldn't imagine wearing something like that. He
looked at hi-leg, strings, and hip-huggers, in nylon and cotton, lace and
sheer, and all in every color of the rainbow. He liked the soft, smooth
textures. He finally settled on some hip-huggers which came in a little tube
of three colors, and were labeled "Jockey for Her." He wasn't sure if it was
brand loyalty, or just that by selecting those, he didn't have to decide on
color. He looked at some traditional briefs, high leg type, without any
decoration, which came in a variety pack of pastel colors, and decided that he
would take one of those too. He hoped he could figure out a way out of his
predicament, before he needed any more.

  Bras were even harder to select. He didn't really know what size he was, and
he wasn't sure how find out. He was about ready to hold a bra he thought might
fit up to his chest, when a cute sales girl came up and asked if she could
help. "Can I be of assistance?" she asked. Embarrassed, he mumbled nervously
that he was looking for a bra. "And what is your size?" she asked, smiling. "I
don't remember," he lied, and then realized how ridiculous that probably
sounded. "I mean, I lost some weight lately, and I might need a new size." he
tried, hoping that made more sense. "Sure," she said, "Come on back, lets
measure you." She started to walk to the dressing rooms. He followed her into
one of small cubicles and stood next to her. She looked at him. He didn't want
to show his chest to this girl. Finally she said, "You will have to remove, or
at least, pull up that top please." she said, looking at him strangely. He
pulled the sweatshirt over his head, and removed his oversize men's shirt. She
seemed surprised when she saw he wasn't wearing a bra.  His heart pounded, as
this girl, who yesterday he might have asked out, took a cold measuring tape
and encircled first his chest below his breasts, and then, pulled it snugly
across his erect nipples. "I think we better try a 34B." she said. She went
out, and a moment later returned with a glossy pink underwire, with the clasp
in front, between the cups. He looked at the dainty thing, and fumbled as he
attempted to put his arms into the proper places between the tangle of straps.
The girl watched in amusement. I wonder what she's thinking,? he thought as he
pulled the straps around his back and roughly pulled the cups over his curves.
When he felt he had it positioned correctly, he stopped, and the girl began
tugging and poking at the cups and straps, checking for tightness and gaps.
Her soft touch made him feel strange, and he just knew his face was red as a
beet. "Looks right, how does it feel"?, she asked. If you only knew, he
thought, but said, "feels fine to me." "Well I'll let you browse" she said,
"Just ask if I can be of further assistance." "Thank You" he said, removing
the sexy thing as she left the small room.

  He was putting his shirt back on when his breasts reminded him that maybe he
should get a bra to wear while trying on clothes. Besides, he probably should
have more than one of these things anyway. He left the pink bra, and his
sweatshirt, in the dressing room, and went back out to select another. Well,
now I know what size I am, at least, he thought, grinning.  As he looked, he
decided that he didn't want any type but front close, since he figured that
those were difficult enough. He picked a flesh tone, seamless cup number, he
knew Linda wore that kind, and she sure looked good in it. Reconsidering, he
grabbed two of them, wondering if Linda's breasts were larger, or smaller,
than his. He concluded they were probably about the same, and realized he was
grinning like some kind of idiot. As he made his way back to the dressing
room, he decided to get one more. It was plain, and white, like, he imagined,
a nurse might wear. And of course, it was front close. A proper bra for a guy
like me, he thought, sarcastically.

  Entering the cubicle, he removed his shirt again. More experienced this
time, he carefully put the white bra on, and adjusted the straps for fit.  How
does it feel?, he mimicked to himself. Damn weird, he answered silently.

  After he had paid for the underwear, giving the girl the empty box, and
telling her he was wearing the white one. He walked out into the mall and
thought how funny it was that he had bought panties and bras at Sears, the
place he usually thought of only for tools to work on his sportscar.

  Walking down the corridor he entered a shoe store and started to look at the
women's shoes.  A man came over and asked if he could help.  "Yes", he said,
and selected a few pairs to try on. One of them had a low heel. He sat down,
and removed his oversize shoes and his socks. The salesman came over and
measured his foot.  Got to remember this size, he thought.  The man returned
with some boxes, and handed him some cut off nylons. Looking at them he
wondered why, then he remembered that women wore nylons. While trying on shoes
the foot had to be covered for some health department reason.  He slipped the
nylon booty on, and tried on his first pair of "girl-shoes."  They were simple
navy blue, with a two inch heel, and they fit, though it seemed as though they
stopped too early on his foot.  He awkwardly walked a few steps, all the while
thinking he didn't know how he could possibly fake anyone into thinking he was
a woman, wearing  these things. He decided to get a pair of women's Rebok
exercise shoes too. They would be easier to walk in, he knew.  He then paid
for the shoes, and after receiving the change, decided it was time to get a
purse.

  Next, he entered Dillards.  As he walked into the store, he nose was
assaulted by the smell of cosmetics. Normally he could to get a headache just
walking through this section of a department store.  A woman walked up, and
asked him to try a perfume, he started to say he  didn't wear perfume, when it
occurred on him that he had no makeup on, and he figured women usually wore
makeup, at least in public.  Oh hell, he thought, what am I going to do about
this. He nodded, "No thanks" and moved over to a cosmetic case and began to
look.

  A woman in a white smock saw him, and offered to help.  He nodded yes, and
she led him over to a mirror and a chair.  Looking at his face, the woman said
"If you have some time, I have some things that would look very nice on you."
Did you have anything special in mind?"  He replied, no, but that he would
like to see what she could do for him.  Sensing a good sale, the woman walked
behind the counter and came out with a whole series of things.  In the next
fifteen minutes, the sales woman did complete makeover of his face.  Starting
with a base, she applied a very light layer to his entire face.  Then she
moved to his eyes, and applied first an eyeliner, then some mascara, and
finally some shadow. She then applied some blush to his cheeks, and finally
offered a lipstick.  All the while, she kept chattering about how to apply the
makeup, the pros an cons, and telling him with both words and looks that he
was starting to look pretty good. She commented on his rather exotic hair
style. Yea, he thought, exotic.

  Finally she held a mirror to his eyes so that he could look, and look he
did.  He appeared completely different, completely female in the face, and, he
thought, attractive, not drop dead beautiful, but attractive.

  Standing back with her arms folded, the saleswomen asked what he thought.
"I like it," Joe replied, "it's very nice."  With that, he began buying all
the make up the women suggested, until finally, he began to worry about the
cost.  As he reached into his jeans, he noticed that he was down to a few
hundred dollars and that amount was about to be severely damaged by this
purchase.  Nevertheless there was nothing he could do about.  The sales person
noticed his American Express card, and said that they accepted American
Express.  He offered her the card, and she rang up the sale and dialed in the
number on the verification modem. As she did that he remembered the card was
in his name, and that it was his signature on the back.  The sales-person
didn't even look at the back, but gave him back the card and asked him sign
his name.  When he thought about it, he decided that she probably thought he
was his own wife. It would be a perfectly natural assumption.

  Next stop, some clothes  to wear outside the underwear. He took the
escalator up to women's dresses, and began to go through the racks looking for
something. He wasn't sure of what he wanted, what size, or color, or style,
and was actually relieved when a saleswoman asked to help him. "May I help
you, miss?" she said. Together, they picked out a navy blue skirt that he said
he liked, two blouses, which the saleswoman recommended, and a couple of
dresses. One had small flowers on a light background, the other was a simple
knit dress. Then they moved back to skirts, and selected a couple which Joe
thought looked as though a school teacher might wear. He picked a couple of
silky blouses worn by a mannequin which caught his masculine eye. What the
heck, he thought, If I have to wear them, I might as well like what they look
like.

  The saleswoman took the clothes, and led him to the dressing room. He hoped
she would not expect to go in with him while he undressed. He was wearing his
men's black bikini briefs, and they looked a little strange, with their
"supporting pouch" bunched up between his legs. But, she only showed him to an
empty cubical, and helped him carry his many selections. Here, in the ladies
fitting area, he could see women through the wide slats, which served for
doors to the small dressing areas. They were trying on dresses too, and were
in various stages of undress. His male eyes, and brain, could not keep from
looking. A young woman probably about his age, was in the compartment directly
across from his. She was goddess, with long blond hair, almost to her waist.
She was standing in her underwear, an almost transparent flesh toned bra, with
matching panties, which hid nothing, from the tip of her toes, to the tips of
her firm breasts. He stared as she pulled a sweater over her head,
unconsciously wriggling erotically as she did so. His heart pounded, and he
thought he would die right there. He felt familiar stirring's of arousal
coming from his groin, and he reached down to rub his cock. The damp softness
he encountered, brought him back to reality. She ain't for you right now,
tiger, he sighed. Frustrated, he looked away, back at the rack of clothes. He
tried the little floral print dress on first. Not knowing if it fit well, he
walked out barefoot, into the mirror area where the woman waited for him.
"That looks very nice on you sweetie," she said. He turned around in the dress
and found himself looking over his small shoulder, into the mirror. He looked
so much like a woman, it almost made him cringe. He went back, tried on the
rest of the clothes, and, to the saleswoman's delight, purchased all of them.

  Again, he offered the American Express card, and again, no one questioned
his signature.  Laden with packages, he started to the escalator when he came
to Parklane Hosiery. Pantyhose, he thought, I'll probably need some to wear
with these dresses.  He started reading the back of the packages, and figured
out his size (he now knew he had size 34 hips). He purchased three pair, in as
many colors. He looked around the store, at the plastic legs covered with all
types of sexy stockings and pantyhose. He saw some ladies athletic type,
cotton socks, and decided he should get some like that to go with his Reboks.

  Going down the escalator, he ran over his mental list of things to get, and
felt satisfied that he had gotten everything. He left the store and started
back to his car when he remembered the purse. He ducked into a store, and
quickly selected both a purse and ladies wallet.

  Now he had to return home, and get in costume. He had a meeting with Jay for
lunch.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates03.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  3


                                 Chapter Three
                                 GETTING READY

   Joe parked his car in the parking area. The back of his sports car was
filled with packages from his morning shopping spree.

   Returning to the apartment, Joe felt exhausted, but relieved.  The shopping
trip had been only moderately difficult since he still felt like a man, and
was still dressed like one.  But meeting with Jay for lunch, while pretending
to be, and dressing like, a woman.... The very thought of going out in public
still embarrassed him, and left him with a queasy feeling in the pit of his
new, flatter, stomach.

   A part of his brain kept waiting to wake up, this had to be one wild dream,
but another part seemed resolved to the changes, which were beyond his ability
to accept. So far, his disciplined mind was experiencing them with curiosity,
and humor. He considered everything to be temporary, to last only until he
could figure out what had happened to him, and correct it.

   He went to the bedroom to change clothes, and started removing the
underwear from the packages.  One by one, he examined each item, and tried to
imagine wearing it. As  he started to unbutton his shirt, his eyes were fixed
on the things he was about wear. As he undressed, he again became aware of the
sensations caused by his new shape. Having breasts was different. He could
feel his nipples rubbing on his clothing. Having smaller biceps and triceps
was different too. His arms actually seemed longer because they were thinner.
Sliding the shirt off his narrow shoulders, he looked down at his chest, which
was partially covered by a white bra. The bra was without lace, or decoration,
just functional underwear whose primary purpose was the support he now needed.
He carefully opened the front clasp and opened the bra, exposing his breasts.
His chest, which only hours ago was flat, broad, and covered with dark hair.
Now, it was smooth, soft, and rounded, with large pink nipples. Free from the
covering of the bra, his breasts felt cold, and, he could feel their slight
added weight on his chest.

   He touched his left breast, and could feel his nipple harden between his
slim fingers. The feeling made him quiver, and his breasts shook like they had
a mind of their own.

   He sat on the edge of the bed. Removing his socks and jeans, he stood
before the bed in his men's black lo rise briefs, he hooked his fingers into
the waistband, and pulled them down his hips.

   The sights and sensations he was experiencing, should have given him a
raging erection. In fact, it felt like he had one, but when he looked "down
there", he felt and saw the crotch of his underwear was damp with secretions.
The moisture made him feel uncomfortable. A musky scent was noticeable.  Time
for a another quick shower, he mused, and walked into the adjoining bathroom.
Turning on the shower, he felt the water temperature. As it warmed, he again
noticed that his skin felt thinner, more sensitive to touch and heat.  He
entered the shower and soaped down. The soapy water on his body felt great.
At least this situation isn't all bad, he thought. He lingered in the shower,
enjoying the sensations, but when he turned toward the spray, the streaming
water hit his soft breasts, he was jolted awake by a sharp stinging sensation.
Enough of this, he thought, and attempted to wash his unfamiliar genitals. He
wasn't exactly sure how to begin. He soaped his hands and rubbed the soap bar
on his pubic hair. Then, using his fingers, he carefully cleansed the creases
and folds which replaced his penis. It felt good. Innocently, he gently began
exploring a sensitive little bundle of tissue near the top of his genital
opening. Could this be what a clitoris feels like?  With the added lubrication
of the soapy water on his fingers, the feeling was familiar, yet different.

   When he finished his cleansing exploration, he rinsed off the remaining
soap, and noticed that although his body was now almost completely hairless
compared to before, he did have considerable hair under his arms. He thought
about it for a moment, and decided that he had better remove it. He had never
shaved that area before, but there were all kinds of new things today. He went
to the cabinet and got his Trac II, and a can of shaving cream. He squirt some
cream into his small hand, and rubbed it on the soft hair under his arms. He
then took the razor, and began shaving the light hair. I never imagined I
would be doing this today, he thought to himself. As he was shaving, he
noticed his legs, and thought about the pantyhose he bought. I suppose I'd
better do those too, he decided. Feeling and seeing the jiggle of his breasts
as he was applying the shaving cream to the light hair on his legs, he
chuckled to himself about the irony of his situation. "If Linda could see me
now" he said to himself, out loud.

   When he completed shaving his legs and underarms, he rinsed the remaining
cream off his body and stepped from the shower. He grabbed a bath towel and
dried himself. He felt better now, and actually smelled good. He felt his
smooth legs and was actually impressed with his looks. "I'd better be careful"
he thought to himself, "I might actually start to like this 'female' stuff."
He then found some underarm deodorant, the most "feminine" he had, which was
Right-Guard Musk. "It smells OK to me" he thought to himself. Naked, he then
went back to the bedroom to attempt to dress.

   Fresh from the shower, he went to the dresser mirror. He looked into the
glass.  What he saw looking back was a young woman. He didn't have a sister,
but if he had, she might have looked like he did now. He hadn't washed off the
makeup the lady at the mall had applied, and it had held up well in the
shower. He actually looked quite attractive, with only the short hair on his
head to raise any question of his sex. He had seen women with hair as short as
his, but he didn't like the way it looked on them.

   Even though he certainly looked like a woman, he still felt he was a man,
and his brain still thought like a male, and he could feel a trace of lust
surfacing, as he gazed at this naked person in the mirror. "Well, this is one
babe you won't be screwing, you horny stud" he thought to himself. As
he could feel himself getting aroused, he looked at himself in the mirror. His
new clitoris felt just like his penis. It didn't feel nearly as small as it
looked. In fact he couldn't even see it, but he could certainly tell it was
there when he became aroused. He figured he better get dressed if he was going
to make his appointment with Jay. He would have to go with wet underpants
again, if he continued to gaze at his new shape.

   Trying focus put his mind on something else, he moved away from the mirror.
He looked at the array of new clothes on the bed. He picked up a pair of
panties, and held them up. Well, they sure don't look like they'll fit.
he thought. He looked at the narrow, cotton lined, crotch strip, and sighed.
He felt perverted, like he was considering putting on Linda's underwear.
Bending down, he placed one smooth leg into the small pink panty, and followed
with the other.  He pulled them up, over what seemed to him, his huge, soft,
butt, and found that they came up only to his slightly protruding hip bones.
He looked down at himself, and what he saw was both familiar, and unusual.
He had seen quite a few girls, women, in their underwear before. Now, as he
looked at himself, he could see he looked just like they did. He felt the same
as always too, but when he looked in the mirror, the familiar bulge of his
penis and testicles was gone. The snug fitting panty emphasized a small mound
which was a little higher up than where his penis had been. Below that, the
crotch gusset outlined, with sexy sleekness, a flat area which replaced his
absent male parts. He reached down to feel the smoothness of his mound, and
could feel his pubic hair through the thin fabric. He went down further, and
felt the warm softness of his crotch. The touch made unfamiliar muscles in his
groin contract, and he moved his hand away. He grinned, and put it back,
pressing on the slick softness. It seemed the changes he had undergone were
never more evident than right now. As he gently rubbed the silky area, he
began to feel moisture.  "I suppose I'd better stop this" he said to himself.
He had to keep his mind on getting dressed. He had to meet Jay for lunch.

   He looked over at the bed and picked up the white bra he had worn home from
Sears. He was about to put it back on, when he decided to wear the pink one,
also laying on the bed. While the white one was plain and simple, this one was
different. It was sheer, with small lace edges around the cups.  It was an
underwire, and even felt different than the white one did.  He was talked into
this one by the sales girl, who said it would be just right for his figure
type. He had no experience in that area, but it was a front close, the one
thing he insisted on, and the girl was cute, so he bought it.  Now, as he
carefully untangled the thing, put his arms through the straps, and was
clasping the plastic latch between his breasts, he realized that he could see
his nipples right through the sheer seamless cups. He squeezed the softness
with his hand, and just stared at his new shape, and his erect nipples
pressing against the thin fabric.

  He reached down and grabbed one of the packages of pantyhose. The wrapper
said, Hanes Silk Reflections, 'Barely There'. He ripped open the package and
looked at the wrinkled mass of nylon. "OK" he said "lets get on with it." He
decided that the best way to approach it was to sit on the edge of the bed,
and slide the hose up one leg at a time. He eventually had both legs in and
the waist about mid-thigh. Awkwardly, he struggled to stand up, and finished
pulling the tight fitting monstrosity up above his natural waist.  He looked
down at his legs. Pretty good, he thought, but the crotch was still about
three inches from his butt. He grabbed and pulled some more until he had them
fitting the way he thought they should. They made his legs feel slick, and
very warm.

  Looking at the mirror again, he saw himself in panties, pink bra, and the
shiny pantyhose. Seeing himself, all he could do was sigh in a defeated
manner. Am I going to be stuck like this forever, he thought?  He couldn't
even imagine such a thing. No time to worry about it now, he decided.

  Glancing at the clock told him the time for day-dreaming was running short,
and that he had to get moving. He reached for the new white blouse and slipped
his arms through the sleeves.  Then he buttoned the blouse starting
at the bottom until he had buttoned all the way the neck. Then, realizing that
he was not going to wear a tie, he reached unbuttoned the top button.  He
looked down to see of his nipples could still be seen through the bra and
sheer white fabric of the blouse. He looked carefully, and imagined that he
was staring at a woman's breasts. "These little babies are yours, big fella"
he said, out loud. He decided that the outfit wasn't too risque, and went back
to the pile of clothes on the bed. He decided that the navy skirt would look
the best. He always did like solids anyway. He took the skirt and slipped it
up his smooth legs, and fastened it around his thin waist. The darn zipper is
in the back, he thought to himself. He looked at himself in the full length
mirror on the closet door. "Looking good" he said, turning around. But
something didn't seem right when he walked. The skirt clung to his legs and
bunched around his crotch when he bent over. He thought about the problem,
and concluded that he probably needed a slip. He forgot about that. Heck, I
couldn't think of everything, he thought. He was trying to decide what to do
and, when he went to the closet, he spotted some of Linda's clothes hanging
on hangers. Too bad she's smaller than I am he thought, and then reconsidered.
Although he used to push six feet, now he was closer to five feet five, or
six, about the same as his girl friend. As he poked through her things, he
decided that she wouldn't mind, and would probably get a chuckle out of it, if
the shock didn't kill her first. There were slacks, a shirt, and her red, one
piece swimsuit. He began to think of Linda. She looked great in that red suit.
How would she feel about him, now that he could probably wear it too. The last
hanger held a short black skirt, and under it, he found a silver colored half
slip. Just what I need, he thought. He took it off the hanger and stepped into
it. It was a struggle to get it up under his dress, but when he finally did,
it felt OK. Now, when he walked, the skirt moved smoothly and didn't stick to
his legs.

  Looking at the clock, he saw he had just enough time to look in the mirror
and he brushed his short hair into the most feminine look he could muster. He
then looked into his plastic bag of cosmetics, and decided that maybe just a
little lipstick touch up would be good. He wanted to be careful, he didn't
want to get carried away, and end up looking like a clown.

  He took a last look into the mirror and decided he was ready. He felt a
strange feeling around his upper legs and pulled up his skirt and slip.  His
pantyhose was hanging down again, and he contorted about in a struggle to get
them where they belonged. That's better, he said to himself, and stepped back
from the mirror for a last look. "My god,.. now I've got to take a leak" he
said out loud.

  He walked back to the bathroom and stood in front of the toilet.  Suddenly,
he realized that he couldn't just stand there, unzip his pants, and relieve
himself.  He had to turn around,  pull up the skirt and slip, hold it, and
slide both his pantyhose and panties down, only then could he sit and pee.
Unbelievable, he thought. As the flow started, he felt familiar relief.  He
carefully wiped, got up pulled up his under-pants, which were around his
ankles, then the pantyhose, went through the whole tugging and stretching
thing again, and then smoothed his skirt down. All this, just to pee, he
thought. I'll sure be glad when I get back to normal. When he finished, he
back to the bedroom.

  He looked at the stuff he bought, and found the shoe boxes. Well, he
thought, we have a choice of white and pink Reboks, or blue pump "girl shoes"
with a medium heel. The Reboks were definitely out with this outfit, but the
"high-heels" were downright scary. "Take it like a man" he joked to himself,
and slipped the blue heels on. He stood up and felt like he was on stilts.
The heels seemed much higher than the two or three inches they appeared to be.
Also his jerky movements made his breasts bounce when he walked.

  From habit, he felt for his wallet, feeling only his very soft, slick, and
rounded butt. Realizing his mistake he grabbed his new purse, and checked that
his wallet was in it. After locking the door to the apartment, he rushed down
the stairs, well... not exactly rushed, but he hobbled down the stairs in the
shoes.

  As he reached the end of the staircase he stepped out into a beautiful
spring day, with fragrant flowers blooming, and tree buds bursting into
leaves.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates04.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  4


                                  THE MEETING

   The traffic was  heavy, as Joe drove as quickly as he could to his lunch
appointment with his attorney and best friend, Jay Logan.

   It was about ten minutes after the agreed on time when he finally pulled
into the parking lot of the Beacher Restaurant. He parked, awkwardly got out
of his sportscar wearing the skirt and heels, and tried to walk into the
establishment with as much dignity as he could muster. He stepped up to the
head-waiters podium, and told the young lady that he was to meet with a
friend, who might already be here. She asked his name, and he said Joe Bates,
she looked at her notes,  and said "Please follow me, Ms. Bates." Joe walked
behind her and almost fell against her as they went down a few heavily
carpeted steps. She lead him to a softly lighted table where he saw his pal
Jay, seated, sipping on a Corona.

   Jay looked up at him, confused, and said, "May I help you maam?" Joe didn't
know exactly what to say, or how to start. He didn't want to go into an
explanation with the waiter standing there, so he just said, "may I sit down,
Mr. Logan?" Jay stood, and pulled out a chair for him, as he took his seat. At
the waiters request, he ordered some white wine. The waiter said "of course",
and went away. Jay looked at him, puzzled. Joe just stared at Jay. Before, he
was larger, and heavier than Jay, who now seemed huge.  Joe got up his
courage, and blurted out, "Jay, It's me, Joe!"  Jay grinned, "Right, and I'm
Margaret Thatcher" Joe hadn't realized that he might have trouble convincing
his best buddy, who he was. But the problem was quickly becoming evident.
"Jay, I don't know what has happened to me," he pleaded, "but I need your
help." Jay looked at his watch, and said, "It's a little late for an April
fools joke, don't you think?" Then he said, "I'm pleased to meet you" "I
didn't even know Joe had a sister, much less one as good looking as you." Oh
no, thought Joe, now he thinks I'm my sister. "Jay, I don't have a sister, and
you know it, and don't give me any come-on crap."  Jay looked at him closely.
"What's going on here?" he asked. "I really wish I knew," Joe said, "I woke up
this morning, looking like this, and I don't have clue as to what is going
on." "Your serious, aren't you." Jay said. "Never been more serious in my
life, Jay, "I really know what I should do." "If you saw what I did this
morning, you wouldn't believe it." Joe said.

   "I'm not sure I do." said Jay. "Ok" Joe said, "Remember Wednesday evening,
at the health club, you snapped the ball at me, and I almost broke my neck
trying to get to it." "My knee still hurts." Joe said, his eyes on Jays face,
watching for signs of acknowledgment. "Ok, let's say you are my friend Joe,
And I must admit, your face does look a lot like him, what can I possibly do
for you?" Jay questioned. "I have to prove to everybody, that I am still Joe
Bates, no matter how I look on the outside." "I know you can help me do it."
Joe returned. "Then, I need to get medical help to get my normal features
back, or, God help me, If I'm stuck like this, I've get to get my records
changed so that I can function, with out the legal problems I know that I will
have." "My personal problems, I'm not sure about." "I don't even know what
they all are yet." Joe said, looking down. "Well don't worry, Joe, I'll help."
said Jay, seeing his friend looking so grim. "I'm not sure what will have to
be done, but we will do whatever is necessary to help you." "Can I ask a
rather personal question, Joe?", said Jay. "Sure, Jay, I trust you, and
besides, you're my only hope right now." Joe said. "I'm embarrassed to ask,
but I'm about to die of curiosity." Jay asked,  "Joe, you sure look like a
woman." "Are you female?" Joe looked at his buddy, and saw his longtime pal
was eyeing his curves. "I don't know Jay, I don't really know what I am."
"But, I can tell you that what you see is all me." "You should see me in Jocky
shorts." he grinned, "I don't believe I'll be chasing babes with you, for a
while at least, much as I would like to." Joe said, as humorously as he could.
"I don't feel like a woman, in fact, I feel like a rooster in the hen house."
"You can't imagine what it's like, just to take a shower, looking like this."
"I don't know if my heart can take it." he grinned at his buddy. He figured
Jay would understand his predicament, if anybody would, or could.

   The waiter returned with Joe's wine, and brought the menu. Jay said, "Give
us a few moments, please.", the waiter nodded, and left. "I think I'll have
just the salad bar." said Jay. Joe agreed, he wasn't even hungry. His stomach
had never quit feeling like a can of worms. He felt the warmth of the wine as
it went down. Everything was more pronounced now, he thought.  I could
probably get tipsy on this little glass of wine, especially since I have yet
to eat anything today.

   When the waiter returned, and they ordered. They both went to the salad bar
together. Jay followed, watching his friend walk awkwardly in the heeled
shoes. When they returned to their tables, he said. "Joe if I had any doubts
about you telling the truth, watching you walk to the salad bar removed them."
"No real woman would walk like that if she tried." "You should try it some
time, pal." Joe said smiling demurely. "And walking in these shoes is not the
half of it."

   As they ate, Jay discussed some of the things they would need to do.  He
said he had a friend on the police force, who was a specialist in proving
identification, usually on murder related cases, where the victim is unknown.
"You were in the Air Force, so there is a record of your fingerprints." "Do
you think your prints have changed?" he asked. Joe said "I don't know, Jay, I
do know that my knee is still sprained, from the other night with you." "And,
even though my arms are smaller, my right one still has scars I received from
an auto accident twelve years ago." "Damn it, I don't know what has happened
to me." "I feel the same, at least as much as is possible, but I do seem to
look female." "If you are having a problem with this, think about it from my
side." "I have to live with it continuously." Joe looked like he was ready to
burst into tears.

   "I'll call you as soon as I make some contacts, probably tomorrow morning."
Jay said, as they finished lunch. "We'll get this worked out as quickly as we
can." "What are you going to do now? he asked.

   "I can't go to work like this, so I guess I'll go home." said Joe.  "I have
to call Linda, but I don't know what I'm going to tell her." "Hell, I've got
her slip on." he said, blushing. " This is so embarrassing." "I am so worked
up, and tense, I don't know what to do."

   Jay looked at his confused and dejected friend, not knowing what to say.
"Hey, it's Friday, let's meet at the health club at five-thirty, for our usual
game."

   "Aw, uh, Jay I don't know, I don't know If I'm ready for that." Joe
protested.

   "Hell, Joe, Exercise is just what you need to relieve tension, and it might
take your mind off your problems for a little while." Jay countered.

   "Well, ok, I'll be there, but I don't know how well I can play, I haven't
been myself lately." Joe said, realizing how funny it sounded only after he
said it.

   "I'll get this one." Said Jay, as the waiter came up with the check when
they were finished with lunch. "But, I expect to see you this evening."

   "I'll meet you there." Joe promised. He was concerned about how he would
react in a meat market like the health club. But,, he decided, he couldn't
hide under a rock either.

   As he walked out to his car, he thought of what he would need to play
handball, and where he would go to get those things. He decided that he must
go back to his apartment to take stock, and plan another shopping sortie.

   Joe drove back to his apartment, thinking, and decided that he should call
Linda. She would be expecting a call, and he decided,

   As he sat by the phone, he considered what he should say... What he would
do. He dialed Linda's number. After a few rings he heard Linda answer,
"Hello.".......

   "Linda?" Joe asked, "What's up?" he asked, trying for something to say.

   "Who is this?" she asked, confused.

   "Linda, It's me, Joe" he answered.

   "Joe?" " Joe, What's the matter?" "You sound strange." "Is something
wrong?"

   "Linda, I have to talk to you.." " I have a little problem." "Can I pick
you up about seven thirty, so we can talk?" Joe asked, nervously.

   "Sure Joe, what's the matter?" " Do you have a cold?" "What do you want me
to wear?" Linda sounded confused, but concerned.

   "Lets go to Bennigan's." "You'll find out when I pick you up." Joe said.
"See you about seven thirty."

   Joe quickly hung up the phone, not knowing how to deal with Linda.  Their
relationship was very close, but he didn't know how she would take him in his
present condition. Hell, I don't even know what sex I am, he thought.

   He decided his next task was deciding what to wear to play racketball with
Jay. In a way, he was glad to have something to take his mind off his
relationship with Linda. One problem at a time, he thought.

   He went to the foyer closet, and retrieved his athletic bag. He carried it
to his bedroom, and emptied it on the bed. The bag contained one smelly towel,
his running shorts, an Adidas T-shirt, his safety goggles, racketball glove,
three racketballs, and an athletic supporter. His racket was attached to a
holster on the side of the bag.

   Well, it don't look like much of this is salvageable, he thought, picking
up the jockstrap, and stretching the waistband. Another trip to the mall would
be required."

   He looked at what he had on, the white blouse, blue skirt, and heels, and
decided that would be appropriate to wear to the mall.

   He arrived at the mall, and entered Sears for the second time that
day. He was thinking about what he would have to get. He remembered a small
shop called 'She Sports', and decided to look there.

   Walking into the little shop, he was surrounded by ladies athletic, and
dance wear. As he looked at the colorful leotards, bike shorts, and form
fitting bra tops, he thought about how he might look, wearing things like
this, playing racketball with his buddy, Jay. Hell, I'd still beat him, he
thought, grinning. He couldn't keep his eyes off my butt.

   He was stretching the spandex of a jogging bra, when the young sales woman
walked over, and asked, "What can I do for you, miss?"

   "I am looking for something to wear to play racketball." he said.  He felt
much more confident than this morning, but he didn't know if it was because he
was more familiar with his anatomy, or his clothes.

   "What did you have in mind?" the woman asked.

   "I don't know, what do you recommend?" he replied.

   "What is your size?" the woman countered, eyeing his body through the skirt
and blouse.

   "Thirty four, twenty two, thirty four." Joe replied, grinning smugly.  He
knew what he was doing now, he thought.

   "Well, you are in shape, aren't you, but what are your clothing sizes?" she
said with a laugh.

   "I think I wear a size seven or eight." he said, embarrassed.

   "How much coverage are you looking for?" she asked.

   "Coverage?" he looked confused.

   "Do you wear tights?" "Do you want shorts, or pants?" "What kind of top are
you thinking of?" the woman asked, holding some of the items up as she talked.

   Joe decided to use his standard, "What do you recommend?"

   The young woman looked at Joe, "I think a leotard, under some nylon shorts,
with a crop top, would look great on you." she said. "Do you have underwear?"

   "Sure, Joe said, I've got panties, and a bra."

   "How about an exercise bra?" "You will feel more confident with the support
of JogBra like this." "I also suggest a cotton sport panty, with an absorbent
terry liner." the woman suggested.

   "Ok." said Joe, "Sounds like what I need all right."

   "Let's see which colors look best on you" said the woman, walking to the
colorful leotards.

   Joe followed, thinking, colors again, I didn't realize women's clothes
revolved around color, until now.

   "I think royal blue sets off your figure." said the woman "And some white
tights will make a nice contrast. "Maybe with this little short to set it
off." she continued, holding up matching blue light nylon shorts, which seemed
to have a panty built in. She also had in her hand, a little blue thing which
looked like a short tank top. Joe figured that it must be a crop top.

   "Come with me." said the woman, taking the selections, and leading Joe to a
small fitting area at the back of the store.

   He followed and she hung the items on a hook in the little cubicle, and
left Joe to try them on.

   He closed the curtain, and removed his blue pumps. He wasn't sure if needed
to remove the pantyhose, with all the trouble that entailed, but decided he
better if he wanted to see if the snug fitting clothing fit properly. He
removed his skirt, and carefully hung it, and his blouse on the hanger
provided. He stood there in his pink panty and bra. He looked at the capri
type tights, and figured that they would be a lot like pantyhose, so he pulled
them on. They made his legs look great. Be wasn't sure if he should remove his
bra, and decided it was best to leave it on. He squirmed into the leotard, and
arranged his breasts and buttocks. It felt snug and sleek.  Finally, he pulled
on the little shorts, and felt his slick butt. He was glad that the crop top
concealed his nipples, which when erect, as they often were, poked through,
even with the bra, and snug fitting leotard.

   He walked out of the cubicle, and looked in the full length mirror. He was
impressed with his appearance. Jay won't be able to take his eyes off me, he
thought, and then realized the impact of what he was thinking. Am I turning
gay? he worried. What is considered homosexual for me?

   The sales lady returned, interrupting his thoughts, "How do you like it?"
she asked.

   "I think it's perfect." Joe said, truthfully.

   "Well you certainly have the shape for it." said the woman, walking to the
counter. Yea, that's the problem. thought Joe.

   "Did you want the underwear?" she asked, holding up a sport bra.

   "Yea, I guess I'd better." Joe said, considering. He figured he better get
everything she recommended, since this was his only chance, before the "dress
rehearsal."

   "White?" the woman asked.

   Colors again, thought Joe. He said, "Yes, I think white would be fine,
don't you?"

   "What's your size?" she returned.

   "I need a 34B, and my hips about 34 also." Joe replied.

   "Yes, that's right." said the woman, with  a slight trace of envy in
her voice.

   Joe continued to look around the shop as he was talking. He decided he
better get one of these more feminine looking gym bags to carry this stuff in.
He decided on a white and blue bag, which matched what he had on. He also
took a little white terry cloth headband, and at the suggestion of the sales
woman, some blue leg warmers.

   "Do you have shoes and socks?" the woman asked.

   "I have a new pair of Reboks." he replied.

   He was about to say he had everything when he saw a little terry cloth
romper thing, which looked like something women might wear in the locker room.
He added it to his stack of clothes. "I believe this will be all." he said.

   After he put the  pantyhose, skirt and blouse back on, he went back to the
counter. He took his American Express card from his purse and gave it to
the woman. She rung up the sale, and he signed the bill.

   He was walking down the hallway in the mall, when in a shop window, he saw
a blue blouson jumpsuit. That is just what I need, he thought, it looks like
something a woman could wear most places, with low shoes, even Reboks, he
thought. The loose fitting top wouldn't emphasize his shape, and he wouldn't
have to be so careful about how he walked and sat. It would also make getting
into his RX-7 a piece of cake.

   He entered the store. A young girl, of about nineteen came up to him.  "Can
I help you?" she asked.

   "Yes, I'd like to buy a jumpsuit like the one in your window." he replied.

   "What size and color would you like?" she asked.

   "I guess I'd be a seven or eight, make it eight." "And do you have it in
royal blue?" He thought he looked good in blue.

   The girl went to the racks, and selected the size and color he needed.  She
asked, "Would you like to try it on?"

   He held it up to himself. It looked the right length, and it was loose
fitting enough to probably fit with no problem. He said, "If it doesn't fit,
can I bring it back?"

   "Of course." the girl said. "If you don't like it for any reason, just
bring it in." "I can give you an exchange, or a full refund."

   He didn't want to undress again, and was happy to take the jumpsuit without
that hassle. "I'll take it." he said.

   He took his packages out to his car. As he was driving through the parking
lot near the mall entrance, he saw a drug store. He figured he probably should
get some girl things like deodorant, and maybe body powder.  He wasn't sure
why he needed the powder, but he knew that Linda always had it when she
showered. He stopped and went in.

   He walked down the aisles, looking for items a person, who had a body like
a woman's, might need. He got some Secret deodorant, and looked with a new
interest at things like Massengill douche, feminine hygiene sprays and
powders.  He thought he had read somewhere that  a healthy woman didn't need
things like that. Anyway, he thought, he smelled pretty good in that area.  He
looked at feminine napkins, and tampons. Again he thought about his genitalia,
and realized that he might actually start to have menstrual periods.  He
couldn't accept that. What choice do I have? he considered.

   He looked at the little thin pads called panty liners, and thought maybe he
should take a box of those. Just in case, he thought. He didn't trust his new
parts, but he was learning to be ready for anything. Who knows, he thought,
this morning I find my cock is missing, tomorrow morning, I might be on the
rag. What's a guy to do?

   He took a box of Lightdays panty liners, deodorant, and Shower to Shower
body powder, to the counter. He paid for the items, and drove home.

   He had a racketball game to get ready for.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates05.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  5


                                   Chapter 5
                                   THE GAME

  Joe drove home from the mall with his latest purchases.  He took the clothes
and placed them into the new blue bag. He went to the bathroom, and selected a
large bath towel to take along. He dumped the sack of drug store items onto
the bed. He placed the  bath powder, and the deodorant into a little
compartment on the side of the bag. He looked at the box of panty liners,
wondering what he should do with them. Should he put some of them into the
bag? Should he put some into the purse he started carrying? He didn't know if
he would need them, and carrying them around seemed to put more of a
permanence to his situation. He just couldn't accept that. Everything was just
temporary. It had to be.

  Leaving the box lay on the bed, he removed his blouse, and blue skirt.
After struggling out of the pantyhose, he flopped down on the bed. Sometimes,
the situation just overwhelmed him, and he found he was having one of those
times. He looked at the clock radio beside the bed. It said four thirty.  Just
one hour till he had to meet Jay again, this time under much more difficult
circumstances.

  Again, he doubted if it was a good idea. The health club was, among other
things, somewhat of a "meat market". Muscular studs went there to show off
their bodies, and stare at the attractive women working out.  Although Joe
appreciated good looking women, he didn't go to the club to ogle women. He
didn't go to strut his stuff either. Now, he didn't know. He never did
consider himself a "muscular stud", but this was completely different. He
couldn't even use the men's' locker room.  Under different conditions, the
idea of invading the private domain of the ladies' locker room might perk his
interest. Not now. He wouldn't just be a fly on the wall. He would be going in
there to change his clothes. Women's clothes. With other women around. And he
would look like a woman too. Hell, he might actually BE a woman... for the
rest of his life. He couldn't accept that.

  Laying there, he felt  tired, but decided he better get dressed. He got up
off the bed, and picked up the royal blue jumpsuit he just bought. He stepped
into it, and zipped up the front. He looked at himself in the dresser mirror.
It fit well. It was attractive, and yet didn't place a strong emphasis on his
new shape. He liked it immediately.

  He went to his old gym bag, and removed his racket from the side.  It seemed
too large now. It would have to do, he thought. He looked through the bag, and
found his safety goggles. He put them on, and they were too large for his
smaller features. He threw them back into the bag in disgust.  He could feel
tears welling up in his eyes. He noticed that happening quite often today. It
seemed that he was more emotional now, or at least, it was much harder to
contain his emotions. Was that part of the change?  It was difficult to tell.
He knew that women cried much easier than men, but he always thought that was
because of differences in the way they were brought up. Maybe there was a more
physical difference, hormones maybe, and now maybe those things were affecting
him. What else would they do to him?  He decided that no matter what he looked
like, he was still a man. But, would he still feel the same way next week, or
next year? The problem would be solved before it lasted that long, he decided.
He didn't think he could stand to grow old looking like this. There had to be
a way back.

  Joe went into the bathroom mirror, and made one last check of his hair, and
general appearance. Ready to go, he decided.

  He took his bag, and racket, and went to his car. It was getting easier.  He
had no trouble walking in the new Reboks, and the jumpsuit seemed more
familiar than the dress he wore last time out. I can almost forget about the
changes, he thought. Putting the seat belt on again made him aware of his new
body. There was no forgetting it. Just as well, he considered, it might really
be embarrassing to forget at the wrong time.

  He pulled into the club parking lot. His heart was pounding with fear.  He
noticed Jay's car in the lot, and pulled next to it. Jay was waiting for him.
As he got out of his car with his gear, Jay walked over.

  "Hi Joe" "I'm glad to see you made it." Jay said.

  "I'm still not sure if this is a good idea, Jay." Joe returned.

  "It will be ok, Joe." "Where do you get all those sharp clothes?" Jay asked,
honestly.

  "Come on Jay, You know everything I do now seems to involve getting
different stuff." "Nothing fits, and I have more differences than just a few
inches shorter." "If I don't figure a way out of this, I'll go broke buying
all the stuff I need, if I don't go nuts first." Joe replied.

  "Well, you look real good, If that helps any." Jay said as they walked up
the steps to the entrance to the club.

  "I guess that's the problem, isn't it." Joe said, as Jay held the door for
him.

  Although both Joe, and Jay were regulars at the club, and were known on
sight by the attendant at the counter, Jay sidestepped Joe's possible identity
problem by telling the girl at the counter that Joe was his guest.

  As they arrived at the men's locker room, Joe said, "This is where we part
company, Jay." "I'll see you on the court."

  Joe walked over to the door to the ladies locker room. He took a deep
breath, and walked in. As entered, he noticed other women, some of whom he
recognized as regulars to the club.

  Well, it does smell better in here, he thought. His nose, which seemed more
sensitive now, picked up the scent of perfume, and cosmetics, not the old
sweat sock smell of the men's locker room.

  Although the layout of the rooms were similar, this one was arranged to
provide more privacy. There were still rows of lockers, with benches down the
center, but the showers were partitioned, and there were some couches, and
vinyl upholstered seats available. I've moved up-scale, Joe thought to
himself.

  He chose a row with only one young woman seated on the bench, tying her
shoes. Selecting an empty locker, Joe opened his bag. He removed the capri
tights and leotard, and quickly hung them on a hook in the locker.  He slowly
unzipped his jumpsuit. Nervously, he looked around. The girl at the bench paid
him no attention. He pulled the suit off his shoulders, and stepped out.
Standing there in his underwear, he rummaged in the blue bag, for the running
bra, and exercise brief. Finding them, he laid them on the bench.  He quickly
unhooked the pink bra, and took it off. Feeling vulnerable, he looked at the
running bra. It didn't have any hooks, or adjustments. He had to pull it over
his head. It fit snugly, and sort of pressed his breasts against his chest.
He shook his chest, and for the first time since the change, he didn't
experience the jiggling he felt even while wearing the other brassiere.  He
liked the feeling, it was almost like before... almost. He removed his
panties, and could feel the cool wetness as the air circulated around his
crotch. He looked down, and saw that the pubic hair on his mound was matted
flat. He reached down and roughed up the hair, the way he might have scratched
his balls yesterday. Again, he looked over at the woman, but she didn't even
notice he was there. He took the stretchy white brief, and pulled it on. It
was a good fit, not tight, but the cotton lycra fabric followed his contours
like second skin. Looking down at himself, again he felt the first sensations
of arousal. Lucky me, he thought, Now I can get a "boner", even without
clothes on, in public, and nobody can tell.

  He picked up the tights, and put them on. The glistening slickness felt
great. He rubbed his hips and upper legs. He stepped into the light blue
leotard, and pulled it over his shoulders. The light blue color emphasized his
shape, and buttocks. His breasts, flattened to his chest by the sport bra,
looked smaller. He took the crop top and pulled it over his head, thinking
that if he got too warm, it could be removed. He decided to leave the little
nylon shorts in his gym bag. He liked the way he looked and felt in the
leotard and tights. He thought of Jay. What will he think when he sees me? he
thought. He wasn't sure how his friendship might be affected by the change. He
seemed to treat me the same to this point, he thought, and I certainly need
his help.  He put on the white and pink Rebok socks and shoes, and tied them.
He got up from the bench, and hopped up and down. Since the change, he of
course, felt smaller, but also more flexible. It seemed he could bend his body
easier now than he could ever remember before, even when he was a small boy.
Actually, he considered, he felt great. He took a towel, and his racket, and
closed his locker. Walking towards the door, he passed the sinks, and mirrors.
Looking at himself, he brushed his short hair with his fingers. He looked
pretty good too, he thought.

  From the locker room, Joe walked to court three, the one they had reserved.
He entered the small door. Jay was already on the court swatting the ball
against the wall. When he saw Joe, his eyes widened. Joe suddenly felt self
conscious with Jay looking at his body, and crossed his legs, and held his
racket in front of his body. He could feel the blood rush to his face.

  "Wow, you are gorgeous, Joe!" Jay exclaimed. "I didn't know you looked like
that."

  "Just keep your mind on the game, you horny toad." Joe said. "Don't forget,
it's me in here, and I'm not about to put up with any shit from you."

  "I'm sorry, It's just that.... I knew you looked feminine, but I wasn't
ready for this... You... you're beautiful." said Jay, continuing to stare at
Joe as he walked to the corner and bent over to put his towel on the floor.

  "Now you have some idea what I'm going through." said Joe. He could feel
that the bottom of the leotards had ridden up on his buttocks.  He grinned at
Jay as he pulled them down. "I feel just like you do, I just look like Debbie
Winger."

  Jay had the ball. He said, "Ladies first." and tossed the ball to Joe,
grinning.

  Unsure of his abilities, but wanting to do well, Joe served with what he
felt was more power than usual. The ball went where he aimed, but didn't have
the speed he wanted. My arms just don't have any strength, he thought sadly,
and felt his small bicep muscle. I not only look like a girl, I guess
I play like a girl.

  Jay easily returned the ball, but, not taking advantage, he hit the ball
back to the wall with an easy lob, which Joe had no trouble hitting.  Joe ran
and back handed the ball with all the force he had. He felt awkward when he
ran, since he still wasn't used to his wider hips and lower center of gravity.
The ball went right to Jay, who snapped it back with his old familiar speed.
The ball ricocheted to the opposite corner. Joe dove for all he was worth, but
he couldn't get to the ball. Jays point. The game progressed in this manner
with Joe getting a point for every two or three scored by Jay.

  The game progressed, with Joe getting trounced. As Joe stood at the back of
the court, and prepared to serve. Jay, standing in front, was bent over, ready
to receive the serve. Joe hesitated, looking at Jay, at his buns and broad
shoulders. He studied Jay, checking himself for signs of arousal, but he found
he was not nearly as interested in Jay, as Jay obviously was in him. He saw
the bulge in Jays shorts, He knew an embarrassing erection when he saw one,
but doubted that he had ever caused one before. Jay saw him staring.

  "Sorry Joe," Jay said. "I don't know what's come over me."

  "No sweat, Buddy." Joe replied, grinning. "I just wish that Woody would slow
you down a little, so I could catch you." "Looks like I'm going to need all
the advantage I can get." Seeing male arousal from the other side for the
first time, he realized that no matter how Jay felt about their friendship, as
long as he looked like he did, it would never be the same as before.

  The game continued quickly, with Jay scoring at will, and Joe getting run
all over the court. His light blue leotard was getting dark spots where the
sweat was beginning soak through.

  At the end of the third game, and near the end of their hour court time, Jay
came up and held his hand out. Joe took it, and shook the big hand of his
buddy.

  "Good game, Jay." Joe said. "You beat the pants off me."

  "Considering the pants, you did pretty good." Jay joked.

  They picked up their stuff, and walked out of the court, towards the locker
rooms. As they passed the exercise machines, Joe could see that the guys
working out were eyeing him as he walked by. He knew that he probably looked
appealing to them, but he just felt tired.

  "I'll see you in a few minutes." Jay said, as he walked on towards his
locker room.

  Joe entered his locker room. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he
walked to his locker. There were three women on the benches near him.

  "Looks like you had a tough workout." One of the young women said.

  "Yea, I got beat three times." He said, wishing they  would leave.

  He opened the locker and removed his gym bag. He pulled the crop top over
his head. He was soaked except for the outline of his bra. He pulled his arms
out of the armholes of the wet leotard. He then realized he still had his
shoes and socks on and sat on the bench. He removed his shoes and socks, stood
up, and pulled the leotard down and stepped out.

  He looked over at the women getting dressed to exercise. He was too
embarrassed to get completely undressed with them there. He fumbled around,
hoping that they would finish and leave.

  After a bit the women gathered their things and walked out. Joe removed his
underwear and taking a bar of soap, and a towel, which he held in front of
himself, he walked quickly to the showers.

  Joe hung up the towel and turned on the shower head. As it warmed, he
adjusted it to a comfortable temperature and stood under the streaming water.
It felt great as it pelted his tired sweaty body. He let the water stream on
his face, holding his hands over his sensitive breasts. Suddenly, he felt the
sting as the water washed some of the mascara into his eyes.  He realized then
that he was washing off all the cosmetics that the lady in the department
store applied. Though it had held up well during his earlier shower, now he
had washed it away, or at least he had messed it up so bad that he would have
to wash it all off. He didn't think he could put it back on with the skill of
the sales lady, but it was too late now.

  After soaping and rinsing, he took the towel and dried himself quickly.  He
wrapped the towel around his body, and walked back to the bench.  He took the
towel and quickly dried his hair, and then poked through his bag looking for
his underwear. He found the panties he was wearing when he arrived, and put
them on. The silky nylon again felt unfamiliar, and he thought to himself that
maybe he should get some underwear more like the cotton lycra sport panty,
which wasn't so feminine, and also seemed to firm up his soft butt. He slipped
into the pink bra, and quickly put on the jump suit. Suitably clothed, he took
his hair brush and went around the corner to the sinks and mirrors. He studied
his face. Without the makeup and mascara, he looked much different, a little
more familiar, but not really like he used to. He decided not to try anything
here, besides, he didn't bring anything along anyway. He just brushed his hair
over to one side, making it look as feminine as it could. He went back and
collected his things and placed them into the his bag. He noticed the bath
powder, and wondered when he should have used it. He then took the bag and
walked out. It wasn't nearly as difficult as he had feared.

  Jay was not standing near the men's locker room door, so he walked to the
front alone. He saw him standing at the counter talking to the girl who
staffed the desk. Jay grinned when he saw him, and walked over to him.

  "I asked about your membership." Jay said. "They have no problem with it, as
long as you have identification."

  Joe's face turned beet red. "You told her about my problem?" he said quietly
turning away from the young lady, who knew him as a man, and was looking at
him with curiosity.

  "Well Joe, I don't know how to help you without talking to people about your
situation, and besides, there will be no way to hide from it."
"You might as well get used to it."

  "No!" " I won't get used to it." "This is only temporary, until I can figure
a way out of this situation." "I'm sure that doctors will be able to help."
"For God's sake, They can do sex change operations on men to make them women,
they ought to be able to make me look like a male again." Joe was visibly
shaken, and almost to tears.

  The girl called to him. "Joe, come over here, please." "Let me talk with
you." She had a friendly smile.

  Joe walked over to the counter.

  "I don't know what has happened to me, but I am sure it's only temporary."
Joe said quickly.

  "Whatever has happened, I'm sure we can help you. If there is any way I can
help, or, if you have any questions which I might be able to help you with,
don't be afraid to ask." "My name is Judy." Judy said, reaching across the
counter, and taking Joe's hand.

  She's treating me like a I'm really a girl. Joe thought, pulling his hand
away in embarrassment.

  "I really appreciate your concern, but I don't think you can help me much
Judy." Joe said. "I think it will take a doctor to get me back to normal."

  "Well, don't be afraid to come in here, or call me at home, if you want." "I
work from five to ten every evening except Sunday. I'll let you in here, with,
or without Jay." Judy said smiling knowingly.

  "Thanks Judy." Joe said, and walked toward the door.

  Jay followed him out, and when they were outside, walking toward their cars,
Jay looked at Joe.

  "Joe, I will help you in every way I can, but you will have to trust me."
Jay said. "I won't do any thing to embarrass you if it is possible, but your
problem is going to be difficult, I think, and you are going to have to get
over your embarrassment." "Damn it, Joe, It just might be possible that you
will have to remain as you are." "Would that be so bad?" "You are a GOOD
looking woman."

  "I'm NOT a woman!" Joe almost shouted. He looked around the parking lot, and
hoped no one heard his outburst. "I'm a man." "I will always be a man."

  "Well mister, you have the nicest ass I have ever seen, on a MAN that is."
Jay said sarcastically, but grinning. "Just in case you were wondering how you
looked."

  "I'll call my friend at the forensic lab tomorrow morning" Jay said,
suddenly getting serious again. "Maybe he will see you tomorrow, even if it
is Saturday."

  "Thanks Jay." Joe said quietly. "I'm sorry I snapped at you." "I just don't
know how to handle this sometimes."

  "That's Ok buddy, You are doing such a good job, that sometimes I just
forget that you are really a guy." "You look so much like a woman, and are
doing a pretty good job of acting like one, I just forget that you aren't
one." Jay said, patting Joe on the back, and squeezing his soft shoulder.

  "I have to meet Linda tonight." Joe said, as he remembered. "I have to tell
her about this, myself."

  "Well I don't envy your relationship with Linda." Jay said. "I'll call you
tomorrow morning."

  "Thanks for everything, Jay." Joe said. He took Jays hand and squeezed it in
his small one.

  Joe opened his car, threw his bag in the back, and slid into the seat.  He
decided to go get Linda wearing the jumpsuit. He had an hour to go until the
time he told her, and he felt the most comfortable dressed like he was.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates06.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  6


                                   CHAPTER 6
                                     LINDA

  Joe arrived at Linda's home more than thirty minutes before the time they
had agreed upon. He sat in the driveway, wondering if he should go to her
door, or wait a while. He decided to go up and ring the bell.

  Linda called out, "Just a moment." and then "Who's there?"

  "It's me, Joe." Joe returned. "I'm sorry, I'm a little early."

  "Hi, Joe." Linda said, opening the door.

  Linda was not ready yet, and was wearing a satin robe. she looked at Joe.
"Joe?" "Are you Joe?" she questioned. "You told me something was wrong, but I
don't understand. "You look different, smaller."

  "Unfortunately, size isn't the only difference." Joe said, entering her
apartment. "I'll tell you about it, as much as I know anyway.

  "Why are you wearing that jumpsuit?" Linda asked. "It makes you look sort of
feminine."

  "Linda, I... I, When I woke up this morning, I found that I've gone through
some kind of change, I.... I don't know what caused it, but there are some
significant differences in my appearance." Joe stammered. "In fact, I look
VERY feminine." He pulled the zipper of the jumpsuit down a few inches,
revealing his hairless chest, the cleavage of breasts, and the lacy top of a
bra.

  Linda's eyes widened when she saw his chest. She reached out and touched the
edge of the bra, and quickly drew her hand back.

  "Your not Joe." she said "I don't know what you're trying to do, but this is
not funny."

  "Linda, I AM Joe." "I know I don't look the same, but I am still Joe." "I
don't know what has happened to me, but I'm still the same person, and I still
love you." Joe sprawled in a chair, and looked like he was ready to cry.

  "Joe..... It is you, isn't it." Linda went over to him.

  "Linda, I'll understand if you don't want anything to do with me." Joe said,
reaching out for her.

  She sat down and he pulled her to his lap. It was awkward since she was now
about the same size as he was, and he wasn't  as strong as he thought he was.
They wrapped their arms around each other, and hugged each other tightly.
Linda looked into his face, and could see that it was really Joe, the guy,
with whom last night she had talked marriage plans. The man she loved.  The
man who loved her. As their breasts touched, Linda pulled back. She grabbed
the tab of his zipper, and pulled it down further, below the front clasp of
the bra. With her finger, she pulled on the lacy edge of one of the silky cups
exposing a nipple. He looked into her eyes.

  "They're real, aren't they." she said, seeing the nipple erect to her touch.

  "Well, they sure feel real to me." he said, taking her hand, and squeezing
it. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm going to correct it."

  "Where did you get those clothes" she asked.

  "I've made two trips to the mall today already." Joe said "None of my old
clothes fit, and I'm really at a loss as what I should do." "Jay knows, and
he's helping to find a way to solve my identity problems, and I've got to find
a doctor, to get me back to normal."

  "What can I do to help, Joe?" "I'll gladly help you in any way I can." Linda
said. "I still love you too, no matter how  you look."

  "I'm waiting for a call from Jay." Joe told her. "He knows people who can
help, at least I think he does." "Until then, I just have to make the best of
it."

  "What do you want me to do?" Linda repeated.

  "I don't know Linda, just let me with you." "I need a somebody to talk to
right now." Joe said. "I don't even know what kind of problems I'll have
next."

  "Do you want me to stay with you?" Linda asked. "I might be able to help
with some of your problems." "I am a woman."

  "I don't know." Joe said again. "I guess I could use your advice though."

  "Ok then, I'll do whatever you want." Linda told him.

  "Are you hungry?" Joe asked. "I did say we would go to Bennegans."

  "I haven't eaten since lunch." Linda replied.

  "Well then, let's go get something to eat." Joe said. "I'm famished."

  Linda got up from the chair, and Joe stood and zipped his jumpsuit.  Linda
watched him as he straightened his clothes.

  "Are there any other changes?" she asked, her eyes on his crotch.

  "I'm afraid so." Joe said. "I'm not completely certain, but it's likely we
could be mistaken for sisters."

  Linda went to her bedroom to finish dressing. Joe sat down, and waited.

  When Linda came back, she was wearing jeans, and a white cotton top.
Usually when they went out on Fridays, she dressed up more. She's probably
just trying to match my jump suit, Joe thought.

  They went out to Joe's car. Joe opened the door for Linda, and she smiled at
him, and got in. He went to his door and buckled in.

  As they drove towards the restaurant, they didn't talk much. Linda put her
hand on Joe's arm, as he kept his hand on the shift lever. Joe looked at
Linda, and smiled.

  "Whatever has happened, I'm sure there is a biological reason, and if there
is, there must also be a way for me to get back to normal." Joe said, not sure
if he was trying to convince Linda, or just thinking out loud.

  "Don't worry, Joe." Linda returned. "We'll work it out, whatever happens."

  When they arrived at Bennegans, they were quite busy, as they usually were
on Friday evenings. They had to wait for a table. Joe told the girl at
the door they would sit at the bar until they were called. He and Linda went
to the bar and found two stools. There were other couples at the bar, and five
men. Joe and Linda took their places. The bartender asked Joe what he would
like to drink. Joe looked at Linda, letting her order first, as he usually
did.

  "I'll take a Michelob Dry" Linda said.

  The bartender looked at Joe. "How about you, miss?"

  Joe could feel his face get red from embarrassment from the bartenders
words. He looked at Linda, but she didn't notice, or pretended not to.

  "I guess I'll have the same." he said.

  As they sat at the bar, waiting for their table, Joe noticed that the men at
the bar were watching Linda and him. Suddenly he realized why. They figure
we're two single women, out on the town, and they're sizing us up, he thought.

  Before they were done with their beer, the waitress came to them and
directed them to a table. Joe started to help Linda with her seat, and then
reconsidered. He would have to stop that kind of stuff in public, he thought.

  They ordered, Joe passed up his usual big order, and tried to copy Linda in
the amount and type of things he ordered. with his smaller size, he probably
couldn't eat as much anyway, he figured.

  Every time he looked at Linda, their eyes met. He realized she was watching
him very closely. He looked at her and smiled shyly.

  "Don't worry, I'm the same guy." he offered. "I feel the same, I think the
same, (at least that's the truth), I just look different.

  "You certainly do look different." Linda said. "What does it feel like?"

  "What do you mean, what does it feel like?" he asked. "I feel just the same
as always, and sometimes, that's a problem."

  "I guess I do look like a woman, but I don't know what it feels like to be
one." he continued. "I still feel like a man, and men don't usually go to the
places I've been today."

  "How do you feel about me.... now?" Linda asked.

  "Damn it Linda, I feel the same as I ever did." he replied. "I love you as
much as ever, but, I guess I just can't do much about it." he said, touching
her hand discreetly.

  "Don't worry Joe, I'll help you get through this, no matter what happens."
Linda said, looking at him, and smiling. "I love you, no matter what you look
like."

  "It really helps to hear you say that." Joe said honestly. "You don't know
how alone I've felt sometimes today."

  The waitress brought the food, and they started to eat. Linda started taking
about what happened with her that day, and Joe almost forgot his predicament
for a few minutes. Linda worked as a Realtor, and spent her days showing
houses. She always had a story to tell about the people she met while showing
houses. She was good at her job, and made good money.

  When they were finished eating, Joe picked up the bill. Linda got out her
purse, and pulled out a twenty. She dropped it on the table, and looked at
Joe.

  "Let's split the bill, OK?" she said looking at Joe for understanding.

  Joe saw what she was doing. She was not "with him". They were together, as
equals. Joe pulled some crumpled bills out of one of the pockets of his
jumpsuit. He wasn't used to taking a purse, and just had his credit cards,
drivers license (which he hoped he wouldn't need to show), and some folding
money stuffed in the pockets of the somewhat loose fitting jumpsuit.

  Joe and Linda walked out of the restaurant to Joe's car. This time, Joe
didn't open the door for her first, but got in on his side, and then unlocked
the door for Linda.

  "Where to now?" he asked.

  "Do you have anything you need to do?" Linda asked, looking at him.

  "I don't think I should push my luck in public any more than I have already
today." Joe said. "And that beer really made me tired."

  "Yea, me too." Linda said. "I worked my butt off today."  "I would be happy
to just go home, and watch a movie, till I fall asleep, which won't take
long."

  "Your place, or mine?" he asked grinning. Then he again realized what he was
thinking. He was no longer capable of doing what he was thinking.

  "You pick." Linda said.

  Joe looked at her. She looked at him, and grinned a devious grin.

  "Don't worry Joe, we can have a slumber party." she teased.

  "That's about all I'm capable of." Joe replied sadly, not feeling any
reaction to her attempts at humor.

  They arrived at Joe's apartment. Linda got out, and Joe reached in the back
of his car and retrieved his new gym bag.

  "What's in there?" Linda asked.

  "Believe it or not, I played racket-ball with Jay today." Joe said.  "These
are the clothes I wore, and I'd better let them dry out."

  "You went to the health club?" Linda seemed surprised. "You are a brave
soul."

  They walked up the steps to his door, and Joe opened it with his key.  Linda
entered first. Joe followed, and went straight to the bedroom.  Linda followed
him. He opened the gym bag, and removed the damp towel, and the sweaty
clothes. Linda looked at the leotard, bra, and panty.

  "I'm sorry, I just can't believe you're wearing things like this." Linda
said, holding the leotard up.

  "It's much harder for me, I assure you." Joe said. It was easy to talk with
Linda. She seemed to understand him better than anyone.

  "I'll throw these things in the washer." Joe said, taking the clothes and
walking to the laundry area, in the hallway.

  "Better take these too." Linda said, holding up the men's black bikini
briefs she found laying at the side of the bed.

  Joe grabbed the underwear, and added it to his pile of clothes.

  "Those things will last longer if you hand wash them." Linda said.

  "Hand wash?" "I hope I don't need them long enough to wear them out." Joe
said. "They'll stand up to at least one machine washing, I think."

  "Then use the delicate cycle." Linda called from the bedroom.

  "Yes mother." Joe whined. He put the things in the washer, added some other
items waiting to be laundered that were laying on the dryer, put some
detergent in the machine, and, setting the controls to delicate, he started
the washer.

  When he was finished, he returned to the bedroom. Linda was holding
the box of panty liners he bought at the drugstore that afternoon.

  "What are these for?" She questioned.

  "I was at the drug store this afternoon, getting some things I would need,
and I saw those. I don't know if I need them, but then, I don't know
what I'll need next, and I thought I better be prepared for anything."  Joe
said, taking the box from her, and putting it in the under-sink cabinet in the
bathroom.

  "You seem to be adjusting pretty well." Linda said.

  "No, I'm not really." Joe replied. "I am able to handle it because I'm sure
it is only temporary." "I know I won't be like this very long."

  He came back into the bedroom, and from the gym bag, took some deodorant and
bath powder and carried it into the bathroom.

  "I bought this powder this afternoon, but I don't really know when to use
it." He told her.

  "What do you mean, don't know when to use it?" Linda said. "After your bath,
or shower, you just dust it on." "It makes you feel soft, and smooth."

  "Well, I feel too soft and smooth right now." Joe said. "I hardly need
something else to help with that."

  "Joe, I know you aren't a woman, and don't want to be a woman, but as long
as you look like one anyway, even temporarily, there is no reason you
shouldn't enjoy the things which can make a woman feel good." Linda told him.

  "I'm doing my best to make this a learning experience." Joe said.

  "I don't think I could do as well as you, if I were put in the same
situation." Linda said. "It's almost possible to forget that you are not a
"real" woman."

  "I don't forget." Joe said. "I'm getting stiff from the workout I got
playing Jay this afternoon." "I got beat three out of three." "That never
happens."

  "What you need is a hot bath." Linda said. "I know you never take a tub
bath, but you might like the feeling of a warm soak in the bubbles."

  "I don't have any bubbles." Joe said. "But a warm soak might feel good."
"It's amazing how much more sensitive my body feels now."

  Linda went into the bathroom. She looked through the cabinets.  Finally, she
said. "Your right, you don't have any bath beads."

  "Why would I?" I've never had the desire for a bubble bath before, and my
girl friends never found time to soak in my tub, until now." Joe said, winking
at Linda.

  "No matter, the warm water will feel good anyway." She said, and started to
fill the tub.

  Joe watched her as she filled the tub. He still felt the same about her, but
wondered how she really felt about him, now that he looked like
this. He decided that he wouldn't worry about it until it became a problem.

  "Come on Joe, get out of that jumpsuit." Linda said. "I'll have the tub
ready in just a minute."

  "You're gonna  get in with me, aren't you?" Joe asked, grinning.

  "I don't know, do you think I should?" She looked concerned.

  "We're consenting adults, aren't we." "And besides, what would it hurt?" Joe
asked. What indeed, he thought.

  Joe went back to the bedroom. He unzipped the jumpsuit, and pulled it off
his shoulders. He sat on the bed, and was removing his Reboks and socks, when
Linda came into the room. She saw him sitting on the bed, removing his socks,
and stepping out of the jumpsuit. She stopped, and stared at him, her eyes
wide with curiosity.

  "You really do look like a woman, don't you." She said. "I'm sorry,
but I just keep getting confused by the contrast of who I think you are, in
my head, and what I see with my eyes."

  "I know, I have the same problem, but you can bet it's even worse for me."
Joe said.

  "Forgive me for staring, Joe, I just can't help myself." Linda said.  "I
still think of you as a male, but as I see you standing there, you look so
different."

  "I think of myself as male too, and I hope you continue to feel that way
about me." Joe said, removing his bra. The bra had made lines in his breasts
where it rubbed the soft skin. He scratched at the area with his hand.  He
walked into the bathroom, still wearing his panties. Linda followed, just
watching him walk.

  "Amazing." She said. "Except for your hair, you look like an exact copy of
yourself, except female." "What could have caused this to happen?"

  "I wish I knew, and I WILL find out." Joe said firmly, removing his
underpants. Again Linda couldn't take her eyes from him. He felt self
conscious.  "Except for this damn wetness, I feel almost exactly the same.
Sometimes, I even feel like I'm having an erection." "I just can't see it,
that's all." "Do you ever feel like you're having an erection?" He asked
Linda.

  "Gosh Joe, I don't know, I've never had an erection." Linda said.  "Unlike
you, I've never been a man, you know" "How would I know what one feels like?"

  "Yea, I guess your right." he said sticking his foot into the tub, to test
the temperature.

  He got in the tub, and sat down slowly. The temperature was just right.  He
leaned back. The porcelain was cool on his back, but warmed quickly.  He
closed his eyes. He heard Linda wet her hands, rub them with soap, and then
felt her soft hands massaging his tired and sore neck muscles. It felt good.
He kept his eyes closed, and enjoyed the relaxing feeling.

  "I must be doing something right." Linda said, breaking the silence.  "Your
grinning like a cat."

  "It's unbelievable how different everything feels now." Joe said, looking at
Linda. "It seems like all my senses are much sharper." I feel hot, cold, pain,
and pleasure, in such a different way." "I kind of like it."

  "So being a woman isn't so bad, huh?" Linda said, grinning. She reached down
and gave his right nipple a little tweak.

  "Ow!" Joe exclaimed.

  "You've done that to me so many times, I just couldn't resist."
Linda said, laughing.

  "Are you going to take off those clothes, are will I have to pull you in
here with them on?" Joe asked, pulling on her arm.

  "Ok, Ok, I'll get in, but you'll have to promise you'll be nice." Linda
teased.

  "What could I possibly do?" Joe said, trying to look as innocent as he
possibly could.

  Linda removed her jeans and blouse. Joe watched her, as she removed her
underwear. In his mind, he was comparing her body with the one he now had.
They were about the same size, Joe maybe an inch taller, and probably about
the same weight. Linda's hips were larger, he thought, even though his seemed
larger than before. They had about the same size breasts, but his were a maybe
little firmer. Of course, mine are only a day old he thought, and he touched
them, just slightly. As Linda got in the tub, at the other end, he grinned at
her, and poked her butt with his foot. They interlocked their legs to find
room in the tub. Linda rubbed Joe's leg, which was practically tucked behind
her back.

  "Your legs are so smooth." she said. "Where did the hair go?"

  "Well, I don't have as much hair as I did before, but I did shave my legs
and underarms this morning. Joe said. "I didn't want to look like a french
farm woman."

  "Certainly not, my dear." Linda teased. "We must look ladylike."

  "I've never seen a naked woman with hairy legs, and armpit hair, so I
thought I better clean it up before I went to buy some clothes." Joe
explained. "I wasn't sure if I should, but I didn't like the way I looked the
other way." "When I get normal again, I guess it will have to grow back."

  "I see you still have the scar on your arm from the auto accident." Linda
noticed. "It seems that you are feminized, but still have the same body."

  "Yea, I guess so." Joe said. "I know I sure feel mostly the same, except for
the different equipment, of course." He grinned at her, and stuck his chest
out.

  "Do you like it?" Linda asked. "You look so good, so natural, wouldn't you
like to stay this way?"

  "I'm a man." Joe insisted. "I'm still a man, and I want to remain a man."
"This whole thing is an interesting experience, but I couldn't imagine staying
this way." "I don't want to grow old looking like a woman."

  "Would it be so bad?" Linda countered. "I'll be a old someday, and, although
I can wait, I don't dread it."

  "But, you were once a little girl." Joe said. "You probably dreamed of
becoming a woman, maybe a mother, and all that." "Someday, I would like to be
the FATHER of your kids, not the mother of some guy's."

  "Yea, your right, I guess if I were suddenly  changed to a male, I would
react pretty much the same as you." Linda said. "I probably wouldn't handle it
as well as you though."

  "It sure ain't easy." Joe said. "Sometimes, I want to cry, and sometimes I
just want to punch something."

  Joe started rubbing his leg against Linda's smooth upper leg. She looked at
him and smiled.

  "You feel so nice, now that your soft too." she said. "But of course,
I like you the old way better."

  They lingered in the water for a while longer, enjoying each others company,
until the cramped quarters became uncomfortable. Joe felt his legs going to
sleep.

  "I'm going to have to get out of this tub, or, you will have to help me
out." Joe said. "My butt is completely numb."

  Joe got up and stepped over the side of the tub. He wet to the towel closet,
and removed two bath towels. He gave one to Linda, as she got out of the tub.
They dried off, watching each other, and smiling.

  "Show me how to use this bath powder." Joe said, getting it out of drawer.

  "There's no secret, even a GUY could use it if he wanted to." Linda said.

  "Ok then, I want to try it." Joe said, and opened the cap. He gave it to
Linda. "Show me."

  She finished drying, and took the powder, sprinkled a little in her hand and
rubbed it on her breasts, buttocks, and legs. Joe watched intently.  When she
finished, she gave the powder to him.

  Joe awkwardly sprinkled some powder on his hand. He rubbed it on his breasts
very self consciously. He took some more, and applied it to his legs
and soft butt.

  "There, don't that just feel great?" Linda asked. "It makes you feel
so soft and smooth." She touched Joe lightly on his arm.

  Joe went to her, and put his arms around her. Both naked, they just hugged,
standing right there in the bathroom. Joe thought that Linda seemed
so big, but realized it was his smaller size which made the difference.
He was just a little taller than Linda now, and didn't have to look down at
her as he held her close. Hell with it, he thought, and kissed her. Linda
tensed up at first, but then she reacted like always, willingly kissing him
back, and rubbing his soft back.

  It feels the same, he thought, she just seems bigger, that's all.  He
wondered what Linda was thinking. He decided to ask her.

  "Does this bother you?" he asked. "I'll stop if this seems perverted, or
anything, to you." "I'll understand, but I just need to hold you if I can."

  "Joe, I told you, I still love you, and it doesn't seem at all perverted to
me." "You are a man, after all, no matter what you look like, and besides,
you're so soft, and smell so nice." she said, winking at him.

  Joe picked up his underwear, and took it into the bedroom. He was
going to put it in the laundry room, when Linda called from the bedroom.

  "Do you have any Ivory Snow?" she asked. "Those things should be hand washed
here in the sink."

  "I have Ivory Liquid dish washing liquid in the kitchen." Joe replied.
"I'll get some."

  Joe quickly went to the kitchen, and got the squeeze bottle of detergent.
He gave it to Linda.

  "Now, where is your lingerie?" Linda asked.

  Joe looked at her. "Lingerie?" he questioned.

  "Your underwear, Joe." "I'll show you how to wash it out." Linda said,
shaking her head. "Men."

  "Oh, I see, I didn't think about doing that." he said, and went to retrieve
them from the top of the washer.

  "And bring your exercise clothes from the washer while your there." she
called. "They are surely done by now, and we can hang them in the shower with
our other things.

  Joe brought the blue leotard, the little top, and the underwear.  Linda had
the sink full of soapy water, and was already washing out her panties, and
bra. She took Joe's things, and put them in the sink. As she finished each
item, she carefully wrung the soapy water out, and placed each garment on the
counter in a little ball. When she finished washing Joe's things, she drained
the sink, and rinsed each one under the tap.

  "Dainty things last longer, and look better, if you hand wash them." She
said. "You may be a 'temporary' woman, but I'm not, and I hate to see you wash
them in the machine." "Besides, they can dry hanging in the shower, and
they'll be ready in the morning."

  Linda took each item, and hung it over the glass doors of the shower.  Joe
got a strange feeling, seeing his underwear.... his panties, his bra, hanging
side by side with his girl friends.

  "I hope you're happy now." Joe said. "You have my bathroom looking like two
women live here."

  Linda pinched his breast again. "They do, Joe, They do."

  Joe went into the bedroom. He and Linda usually slept in the raw, but now,
he didn't know. He went to his drawer, and got two old football jerseys.  He
would at least offer one to Linda. Linda came out of the bathroom, and Joe
held up a jersey.

  "Do you think we should wear these?" he said.

  "Why?" " Do you wanna play football?" Linda teased. "Will it make you feel
better?" "If it bothers you, I'll wear one."

  "It don't really 'bother' me, but I am a little self conscious letting these
knockers hang out." He grinned, shaking his breasts provocatively.

  "Wear one if you want to." Linda said. "I don't think I love you for your
bustline." she teased, as she went over to the TV, and turned it on.

  She turned on the VCR, found a cassette, and popped it in, without looking
at what it was. When it came on, she saw it was a X rated movie they had
watched together, some weeks ago. She left it playing.

  Joe was busy cleaning off the bed, and turned around when he heard moans of
ecstasy coming from the TV. Linda pulled back the spread and sheet, and spread
out on the bed. Joe put the football jersey on the dresser and lay down on the
bed next to Linda.

  "What are you trying to do to me?" Joe said laughing. "Here we are, in an
almost perfect situation, and I'm stuck looking like this."

  "Are you having an erection?" Linda teased.

  "I've had one, ever since you hopped in the tub with me." Joe said.  "Can't
you tell?"

  Linda reached down, and with her soft hand, touched him  lightly.  She
cupped his new parts with her hand. Joe closed his eyes, and became very
tense.

  "Do you like this?" she asked.

  "It feels pretty good." he said, not wanting to open his eyes.

  "I know." Linda said. "I know what it feels like." "Light touches are the
best." "Always remember that."

  As Joe lay there, enjoying what Linda was doing, he thought of the things he
and Linda had done in bed, other times. He realized he had been much too rough
with her. Now, she was showing him the error of his ways.

  With the fingers of her other hand, Linda gently circled the nipple of his
left breast. It felt like there was a warm wire, stretching from his nipple,
to his crotch. He began to feel a now familiar warmth. He reached
over to Linda, but she pushed his hand back.

  "No, you just lay there." she said firmly. "I am doing this for you."

  He lay back, and enjoyed the feeling. He relaxed his muscles, but constantly
had the urge to push against Linda's hand. Linda barely moved, but kept slight
pressure on the sensitive area at the top of his opening.  It felt so good,
that he was gasping.

  "Oh, God... Oh, God." was all he could say.

  Linda continued in with her manipulations, until the sensation became so
intense that Joe thought he would die, and held his breath as waves of
pleasure flooded his mind. He fell back to the bed, and Linda took him in her
arms and hugged him tightly.

  When he recovered, Joe looked directly into Linda's eyes. She was smiling
sweetly at him.

  "You devil." he said. "How did you know about that?"

  "Joe, I'm a woman, remember." she said. "I would know about things like
that."

  "Why didn't you tell me to do that to you a long time ago?" Joe asked.  "I
would love to make you feel this good."

  "It's hard to tell a man how to do it." She explained. "You have to
be a woman to understand." "You're fortunate to have had the experience."

  He thought about what she was saying, and he understood.

  "You can pay me back for the lesson anytime you'd like." Linda said, winking
at Joe.

  He moved toward her, and gently touched her, the way she had just done to
him. They continued  throughout the night, waking in the morning, in each
others arms, to the glow of the TV which had glowed unnoticed all night long.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates07.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  7


                                   Chapter 7
                                THE SECOND DAY

  The sun was just making itself known as Joe woke up. The first thing he
noticed was the snowy glow coming from the TV on the other side of the room.
He also realized that Linda was with him. She was still asleep, her arm laying
across his chest. He looked at her. She was lovely, he thought.  The dim light
made her look almost angelic as she lay there, breathing softly. He thought of
last night, and the things they did.

  He felt his body. He somehow hoped that he would find he had changed back to
normal, but the now familiar softness told him that he was entering the second
day of his new body. And, he was doing it in bed with his girl friend.

  Joe reached for the remote control laying on the stand at the other side of
the bed. Moving as softly as he could, he reached over Linda to get the
device, and switched off the TV. His movements woke her. She mumbled
something, and reached out for him. He took her hand, and started stroking her
arm. She closed her eyes as he rubbed her back. She was so soft, he thought,
and so beautiful. The way she made him feel last night, and the way she taught
him to please her, still seemed like a dream. He didn't feel self conscious
around her at all. He began to wonder about himself. Was he destined to be a
lesbian? No, he figured, he didn't think, or act, like a woman. But, last
night, he did experience better sex than he could ever remember. He really
hadn't missed his penis.

  Joe rubbed his crotch. The excitement last night left his pubic hair matted
and stiff with dried juices. He roughed it up with his hand, until it became
soft again. He was getting accustomed to his new shape, but it still felt
strange when he touched himself there. He wondered what the doctors could do
to give him a working male organ. He had to be able to be changed back.  This
body was an interesting experience, but nothing more.

  He looked at Linda. She had not fully awake, but had rolled over to face
him. She was naked also, and breathing moved her breasts very provocatively.
Joe could feel himself becoming aroused again. You horny dude, he told
himself. You can't let up one minute. He thought about it. It was true, it
seemed he was much more easily aroused now, and had far quicker recovery, than
even when he was a teenager. He wondered, do women all feel like this? If they
do, how do they keep their composure the way they seem to. Linda was always
great in bed, but never before did she take the initiative like she did last
night. Did his new body turn her on? Was he less intimidating now? Or, was she
just more uninhibited, now that the risk of pregnancy was nil.

  The thought of Linda getting pregnant made him consider something else. He
loved Linda, and he was sure she loved him too, but he realized that no matter
what happened, if he stayed as is, or submitted to doctors and surgery, or
whatever, he would probably never be able to give her a child.  He stared at
the ceiling. Hell, I just realized, he said to himself. I'm sterile. Then, he
reconsidered. Maybe I'm NOT sterile. That was even a bigger problem. Until
this minute, he had never really even considered that HE might become
pregnant. Was it possible? He certainly looked female, and everything SEEMED
to work. Of course, he thought, relieved, he couldn't get knocked up without
having sex with a guy, and he could never do that. He mulled it over.  No
matter who he considered, he couldn't picture himself having sex with them.
No, pregnancy would not be a problem. Oh God, he prayed, please, just give me
my normal body...

  Joe lay there thinking, and looking at Linda, when he had the urge to pee.
It seems I have to go so often now, he thought. I must have a smaller bladder
too, I guess. He pressed on his abdomen, trying to feel for differences
between his male organs and whatever he had now. His stomach was a little
flatter than before, and a little softer, but, he couldn't tell any
difference, otherwise. I wonder if I've got female internal organs, he
considered. His testical's were gone. Maybe he had ovaries. He remembered from
biology that ovaries were connected to a pear shaped organ, the uterus. Do I
have a uterus? he wondered. It was at the top of the vagina, he remembered.
He had personally explored a few vaginas, and some, he knew, had something
inside, which felt sort of like the head of a penis. That, he knew, was the
opening to the uterus. He considered probing his vagina to check for a uterus.
Although he had already examined his new parts somewhat with his fingers, it
was a little uncomfortable to do, and he hadn't gone in very deeply.  He now
realized how difficult it was for women just to see their genitalia, much less
examine them. Till now, he hadn't actually seen his own vagina except while
standing at a mirror. He couldn't see much that way, and what was visible, was
partially hidden by his pubic hair. He needed a hand mirror, but he didn't
have one.

  He got out of bed as quietly as he could. He tip-toed to the bathroom, and
closed the door without latching it. He went to the toilet, raised the lid and
sat down. Soon, he felt relief. He was getting familiar with this difference
too. No real problem, as long as you're not dressed, he thought.  He finished,
and returned to the bedroom.

  Linda was awake, and watched him walk back to the bed. She smiled at him.
He laid down next to her. She moved over to him, and kissed him on the lips.

  "I heard you in the bathroom." she said. "It must be difficult for you, to
be like this."

  "I guess I'm getting used to it, a little." Joe replied, "But being a guy
definitely has some advantages, especially in the bathroom." he grinned.

  "You don't miss what you never have." Linda said. She hopped out of bed and
scurried to the bathroom. Without shutting the door, she went sat down and
relieved herself too. It was the first time Joe had seen her do that. She
quickly finished, and returned to the bedroom. She didn't get back in bed, but
stood at the end, looking at Joe.

  "What are your plans today?" she asked.

  "I'm expecting Jay to call, or I'll call him soon." he said. "He said he has
a friend at the police who can help me prove my identification."

  "What will he do?" Linda asked.

  "I'm not sure, but I think he will want to take my fingerprints." Joe said.
"I think I'd have a problem if I had an auto accident, or something like that
right now.

  "Do we have to stay here at your apartment?" Linda asked.

  "I don't see any reason to." Joe said. "Why, what do you want to do?"

  "I would like to go over to my house." Linda said. "I have a few things to
do there, and if you like, we can swim, or lay at the pool a bit."

  "Ok" Joe said, "I'll get my swim trunks"

  "Trunks?" "You gonna wear your trunks?" Linda laughed.  "Well, no one but me
will see you, so you can, if you want. She winked.

  Joe grinned, and said, "Ok, Ok, so I forgot. I'll get a girls swimsuit."

  "You don't really need to, Joe." Linda said, seriously. "That blue leotard
would be ok, and I probably have a suit that would fit you." "I'm sure a two
piece would."

  "I don't know, Linda." Joe said, "Wearing one of your suits might make me
feel strange."

  "Whatever you want." Linda said.

  "We can try it." Joe said. "I'll call Jay in a little while, and then we can
do whatever we want."

  Joe got out of bed. He walked into the bathroom.

  "I'm gonna take a shower." he called, noticing all the underwear hanging
from the shower door. A little embarrassed, he removed the dainty things, and
took them into the bedroom, and put them on the bed. He walked back to the
bathroom, and started the water flowing.

  He adjusted the water temperature, and got in the shower. He stood under the
streaming water, holding his hands over his sensitive breasts.  He soaped
quickly, and rinsed. The warm water felt good, but he didn't want to linger.
He finished quickly, turned off the water, and got out of the shower. Taking a
towel from the cabinet, he dried off, and walked into the bedroom, where Linda
was sitting on the bed, looking at his clothes.

  "You played racket-ball with Jay yesterday." Linda questioned. "Why did you
wear clothes like this?" She held up his blue leotard.

  "What do you mean?" Joe asked. "What should I wear?" "My regular gym shorts
and T-shirt wouldn't fit me, and I don't think I need my jock strap in my
present condition."

  "And what did Jay think of you, in this sexy outfit?" Linda asked jealously.

  "I guess he was surprised that I looked like this." Joe replied. "He saw me
earlier, at the restaurant wearing a skirt, but I don't think he got the full
effect of what has happened to me, until he saw me wearing this.

  "Why did you wear it?" Linda asked. "Were you trying to excite him?

  "Excite him?" "Excite him?" Joe was getting confused, and irritated.  "Hell,
I was trying to be as inconspicuous as I could be, considering I woke up that
morning with a body of another sex." "I wasn't trying to 'excite' him, it
never really occurred to me that I might be able to." "I went to the store to
get some gym clothes, and this is what the lady recommended." "I guess I
should have worn a coveralls or something." "Damn it Linda, give me a break,
will you?"

  "I'm sorry Joe." Linda said. "I guess I'm just a little jealous, and of Jay,
no less." "Considering how you .. look now, I'm trying to sort out how I
should feel about that."

  "How you should feel?" Joe asked. "How should I feel, for that matter?" "I
know I look different, like a woman, but I don't want to be treated like one,
not by people who know me." "At least not yet."

  Joe went on. "I know our relationship might have to change, but I don't want
it to, unless it has to." "I still think of you as my girl, but I realize it
may be difficult for you to think of me as your guy, especially when you can
share swimsuits with me, and all." "But I won't look like this forever." "I
won't, so don't worry." " I'll be your man again." "It will just take me some
time to sort this out."

  "Joe, I'm sorry I jumped on you." Linda said. "I know you're doing your
best." "We'll both have to be understanding, if we're going to get through
this."

  "Lets get dressed, and I'll call Jay." Joe said. He looked at the underwear
on the bed. He sorted his from Linda's, then put it in his underwear drawer
with the other things he bought yesterday, as well as his men's underwear.

  He selected pastel blue panties, and a beige bra like the kind he knew Linda
wore. He tossed them on the bed beside Linda. She was dressing too, and the
bra she was wearing was like his.

  "Is this stuff OK with you?" Joe said, joking.

  "Yea Joe, It's fine." Linda said, smiling. "I'm sorry."

  Joe took his underpants and slipped them on easily. He was now familiar with
the way they fit his hips, and the new sleekness of his crotch.  He picked up
the bra, and sorted the tangle of straps. When it was arranged, he stuck his
arms in the appropriate places and fitted the cups around his breasts. As he
was hooking the plastic clasp, he noticed Linda was watching.  He looked at
her, grinned, and shrugged his shoulders.

  "Hey, I'm doing my best." he said. "This is only the fourth time I've ever
put one of these things on."

  "It's not that, Joe." Linda said, smiling. "I guess I was comparing your
boobs with mine." "Yours are so firm, and you don't even want them."

  "If I could give them to you, I would." Joe replied. "I know they look OK."
"I still have a male brain you know, but it just ain't the same when they're
mine." He grinned, stuck his chest out, and shook it suggestively.

  Linda wore the clothes she came with, but Joe didn't know what he should
wear. He didn't want to wear a dress, and the only thing that he could think
of was the jumpsuit, or maybe try some of his men's clothes that might be made
to work.

  "What do you think I should wear?" he asked Linda. "I don't have anything
but this jumpsuit, and some dresses,  or, maybe I can try some of my
bluejeans, but they're way too big for me now."

  "Wear the jumpsuit." Linda said. "I'll help you find something later."

  Joe got the jumpsuit, and stepped into it. It was his favorite thing to wear
now, it didn't emphasize his new shape, but it did look attractive.  He zipped
up the front, and smoothed out the sides. Covering up his new body helped him
forget his problems, just a little bit.

  As Linda finished dressing, Joe lay on the unmade bed, and picked up phone.
He punched the autodialer for Jay's house. He waited while it rang, for about
a minute. He then hung up, and selected the number for Jay's office.  Jay
himself answered, almost immediately.

  "Good morning Jay, Joe here." Joe said. "Have you found anything?"

  "Hi Joe, Yea I've got some news." Joe responded. "I just got off the phone
with a friend of mine, his name's Dan McGuire." "He works in the coroners
office, at the hospital." " He is familiar with proving identification,
usually on unknown murder victims, but he said he could work on living persons
too, as a favor to me."

  "The coroners office?" Joe said. "I hope he don't want to hang a tag on my
toe." Joe laughed.

  "No problem there Joe, but you can go over there anytime you want, even
today, between nine and five." Jay said.

  "Ok, Joe said, I'll run over right now." He glanced at the bedside clock.
It said ten minutes after ten.

  "Let me know what happens." Jay responded. "And what did Linda say when you
told her?"

  "Linda is understanding." Joe said, watching Linda as she buttoned her
blouse. "She's gonna help me with the things you can't." "She's with me now."
he continued.

  "Well, that's great Joe, I'm glad you are getting by." Jay said.  "Be sure
you call me with what ever Dan finds."

  "Thanks Jay, I'll let you know as soon as I find anything out." Joe said.
"See you later."

  "Later Joe." Jay hung up.

  Joe looked at Linda. "I need to go to the coroners office for a little
while." he said.

  "The coroner?" "What can he do?" Linda asked.

  "It's not the coroner, but one of Jays friends, who can help me prove my
identity." Joe said. "I don't actually know what I will have to do, but I
can't prove that I'm me, with this body." He grinned, and then frowned.

  "I'll be a witness for you, if that will help." Linda volunteered.

  "I'll see what problems I'll have soon." Joe replied. "Let's get going."

  "I'm ready." Linda said, picking up her purse.

  Joe felt his pockets. He had money, identification, charge cards, and his
keys, in the pockets of his jumpsuit. He took the small handbag anyway, but
felt silly carrying it. He took it because he thought it would look more
appropriate if he did. Linda watched him, and almost started belly laughing.

  "Joe, no matter what sex your body is, you look like a guy trying to look
like a woman." she said. "Try to be more calm, and slow down a little."

  "Right." Joe said. "If you think this is easy, try dressing like a guy
today." "I'll be YOU'RE girl friend."

  "No deal." Linda said. "I couldn't act, or look like a man, even if I had
something happen to me like whatever happened to you."

  "You might be amazed what you do when you don't have a choice." Joe replied.

  They left the Joe's apartment, and walked to his RX-7. Joe unlocked the door
on his side, got in, and unlocked the door for Linda. She got in, and they
belted in, and Joe started the engine.

  "I never realized how these seat belts could pinch a boob until now." Joe
said, as he arraigned his shoulder belt.

  They drove directly to the hospital. Joe was impatient to find out what
Jay's friend would want him to do. As they drove into the lot  and parked,
Linda walked behind him as he walked onto the main entrance. They looked at
board in the entrance to find the coroners office. It said room 23, the
basement. They went to the elevator, and selected the down button. When they
reached room 23, Joe walked in. Nobody was in the office, but there was a door
in the back. Joe walked through the office, and stuck his head through the
open door. He saw a guy sitting at a desk, filling out forms.

  "Hi, I'm Joe Bates." he said. "Would you be Mr. Mcguire?"

  "Good morning, Joe, Jay told me you would probably be stopping by today."
the man said. "Please call me Dan."

  Linda peeked through the door. Joe and Dan both looked at her.

  "This is my girl.. eh my friend.. Linda Mitchell." Joe said. "Linda, this is
Dan Mcguire, Jay's friend."

  "Glad to meet you too, Linda." Dan said. "Jay told me a little about you
Joe, but I must have misunderstood." "I thought he said you were a man.

  "Dan, until yesterday morning, I WAS a man." Joe said, a little irritation
showing. "Linda is my fiance." "I don't yet understand what has happened, but
when I woke up yesterday morning, I seem to have undergone some kind of
change." I.. I eh.. I seem to have become female." "Near as I can tell, I've
turned into a girl."

  "You were a man?" Dan asked incredulously. "Have you been taking hormones?"
"How extensive are the changes?" "Do you..eh..er..do you have male genitalia?"

  "No, I wasn't, and No, I don't, not anymore." Joe answered. "I was about
five eleven, but I must be about five seven or eight, now." he zipped the
jumpsuit down a little, so that Dan could see his bra covered breasts.  "And
it seems I've got these now, too." "I think I've got a real problem."

  "Amazing." said Dan. "I have never seen anything like this."

  "Can you help me?" "Can you prove that I'm still the same person?"  Joe was
almost pleading with him.

  "Joe, if you're body is the same, I can prove it." Dan said, as a matter of
fact. "Jay said you were in the Air Force?"

  "Yea, I was in for more than eight years." Joe said. " I have a Secret
security clearance too."

  "Well then, well just take your prints, and a blood sample, and that should
be enough to do it, as long as you still have the same body." "I never heard
of anybody changing bodies, but then I never heard of your situation either."
Dan said, shaking his head.

  Dan got out a small ink roller and a card with little squares on it.  He
rolled some ink  on a little pad.

  "Please come over here, Joe." He said.

  Joe went to him, and he held out his small hand. Dan took it, and held back
all but one of his fingers, and in turn rolled each on the ink, and then
rolled each finger on the card, in the appropriate square. When he was done he
gave Joe a tube of hand cleaner, and a roll of paper towels.

  "Next we go up to the examining room, I can't draw  blood here." Dan said.

  Joe cleaned off his fingers, and they all went up the elevator. They
followed Dan into a regular examining room. Dan asked Joe to take a seat.  He
walked out of the room, and returned in a minute, with a nurse. He quickly
introduced her, and from a cabinet she took a syringe and a small test tube.

  "Please roll up that sleeve, Miss." the nurse said.

  Joe pulled the sleeve up. He was amazed how easy it was, now that he had
such small muscles in his upper arm. The nurse wrapped a length of surgical
tubing around his arm, above his elbow, and started feeling for a vein. She
quickly found one, and deftly stuck the needle in. The syringe filled with his
blood quickly. She pulled the needle out, and gave Joe a small cotton ball to
hold over the wound. Dan gave her a form, already filled out, and the nurse
left the room with the tube of Joe's blood.

  "There, that's done." Dan said. "I should have the results by Monday at
noon." "I'll send for you're military records, and I should have them about
the same time." "Call me Monday afternoon." "Better yet, give me your number,
and I'll call you as soon as I have some news."

  Joe was holding his arm crooked, with the cotton ball soaking up the small
amount of blood which oozed out. He shook Dan's hand.

  "Thanks a lot, Dan." "I don't know what I would do without help from people
like you.

  "Well, don't worry, Joe." Dan replied. "What ever your problem is, I'm sure
we can help you out."

  "I hope you're right." Joe said, less sure about it.

  "Nice meeting you too, Linda." Dan went on. "Help this guy through this,
will you?"

  "I will." Linda said. "He's doing pretty good so far."

  "He certainly is." Dan said, lightly hitting Joe on his shoulder.

  Joe and Linda walked out of the office, and went back up the elevator.  As
they went through the hospital lobby, they saw a woman who was checking in.
When was obviously very pregnant. Joe looked at the woman, and then looked at
Linda. She saw him staring at her.

  "What will happen to us?" Joe asked. "You know, whatever they do for me, I
doubt I will ever be able to father children." "Hell, I don't know what they
can do for me, assuming they can do anything."

  "Joe, whatever happens, or, whatever don't happen, I'll be with you." Linda
reassured him. "Maybe we won't have kids together, but let's cross those
bridges when we get there."

  They went out to the parking lot, and get in Joe's car. Joe looked at Linda.

  "Where to now?" he asked. "Are you getting hungry?"

  "Yea, I sure am." Linda replied. "Let's go to the mall, and look for some
more casual clothes for you, maybe some shorts and tops." "We can get a quick
bite there."

  "Ok." Joe said. "It seems everywhere I go, I have to get clothes first."

  "Well, I wish I could get new clothes every time I went out, you're kinda
lucky, actually." Linda teased.

  "Right." I'm with my girl friend, going to the mall, to buy myself women's
clothes, because It seems I woke up one morning with a new body."  "Yea, I
guess I'm real lucky all right." Joe lamented.

  "It could certainly be worse, Joe." Linda scolded. "You're healthy, and, you
don't know, there might be a simple answer to you're problem."

  "Well, if there is I sure will have a bunch of useless clothes, won't I?"
Joe returned.

  "Don't ruin them, I think they'll fit me." Linda teased, laughing.

  "I hope I can turn'em over to you real soon." Joe said.

  They pulled into the mall. Joe parked by Sears, as usual. They went inside.
It was hot outside and very cool in the mall. They walked through the women's
lingerie section. By instinct, or whatever, Linda stopped by one of the
tables, which was now covered with colorful panties, all on sale, thirty
percent off. She rummaged through the things, sometimes pulling a pair out of
the pile, seemingly at random.

  "Now is the time to buy these things." she told Joe. "You can save a bundle
when they're on sale like this."

  "Great." Joe said grinning. "I foolishly went out and bought mine yesterday,
and NOW they're on sale." he said sarcastically.

  Linda looked at Joe, and realized that he was a little uncomfortable in the
lingerie section with her. Maybe he looked like a woman, but he was standing
there with the somewhat interested, but embarrassed look most men have when
they are in the women's section with their wives, or girl friends.

  "Lighten up, Joe." Linda tried to reassure him. "You don't look at all out
of place here, you know."

  "Well that makes me feel a LOT better." Joe said somewhat sarcastically.
"Now I look right at home, digging through the panty pile at Sears."

  "Quit your complaining, Joe." Linda admonished. "If your problem can be
corrected, I will help you with it." "If it can't, and you have to stay like
you are now, I'll help you with that too." "Just don't bite the hand that's
feeding you." Linda was smiling, but serious.

  "I'm sorry." Joe said. "I just get so frustrated with this whole thing
sometimes."

  "I think you are doing great, Joe." Linda said. "Now, how many pair of
underwear do you have?"

  "I don't know, I guess I bought... lets see...  one..two..three...,yea, I
think I have five." "Three sort of like this, and two like these." Joe pointed
at styles in the pile, as he talked.

  "Well you might have enough then." said Linda. "But it wouldn't hurt to get
a few more." "If you 'suddenly' don't need them anymore, I think they might
fit me." "You do seem to have smaller hips, though."

  "Do you know what size you wear?" she asked.

  "I think the ones I have on are size five." Joe replied.

  "Five, huh." "You're smaller than me." Linda said. "I wear a six."

  "Well, they're not tight on me." Joe said, holding his arms away from his
hips, as if to show Linda.

  "Ok, Ok, You don't have to rub it in, Joe." You have smaller hips than I
do." Linda said.

  "Yea, and firmer breasts, too." he said, grinning, and sticking his chest
out as far as he could.

  "See how they look like when you've had em almost twenty years, you teeny
bopper." Linda reminded him.

  "Touche'" Joe said.

  Linda selected a few panties for herself, and helped Joe to decide on which
he would take. She suggested he get some stretch cotton type which had a
narrow "V" front, with leg openings that went high up on his hip. He was
curious how they would look on him, so he took them. Linda selected black, and
light blue, he didn't have a preference, so he agreed. They took their
selections to the cashier, and paid for them with Linda's charge card. Linda
then took Joe to Dillards, to look for shorts and tops.

  "I think you would look good in a tank top." Linda said. "What do you think,
Joe?"

  "I don't know." Joe replied. "Ain't a tank top a little breezy, kinda open
on the sides?"

  "No, you'd look great in one." Linda went on. "I'll show you."

  She went through the racks with the speed and confidence that showed that
she liked shopping for clothes, and did it, a lot. Joe, who was out of his
league, shopping with her, decided to watch, in amazement. Linda quickly
selected a light cotton top, with little hot air balloons across the front.
It was kinda cute, Joe thought.

  "Here, this is just the thing for a pilot, Joe." Linda said. "I'll bet you
would look good in this." she was serious.

  "Gee Linda, I don't know if I'm ready for something this 'cute'." Joe said,
but he took the top from Linda, and held it in front of himself.

  "Joe, you have to wear something other than that jumpsuit all the time."
Linda said. "Something like this is just right for you, the way you look now."

  "You don't have to remind me." Joe said. "Ok, I'll take it."

  "No, Joe, You have to try it on first." Linda said. "Never buy clothes like
this without trying them on first." "It's part of the fun."

  "Fun?" Joe asked. "I NEVER thought trying on clothes was fun."

  "Well, it is, and it's time you found out." Linda insisted. "Darn it Joe,
you look like an attractive woman, if you like it, or not." "You might as well
try to enjoy it while it lasts."

  Linda took the top and walked to the dressing rooms. Joe followed, still
feeling like an outsider in this area. They entered the small closet sized
booth, and Linda turned to Joe.

  "Take that off, and try this, I know you'll like it." she went on.

  Joe unzipped his jumpsuit, and pulled it off his shoulders. He left it
around his waist. Linda gave him the top, and he pulled it over his head.  The
cloth was so light. He still wasn't used the lighter construction of women's
clothes. The fabric seemed to float on his shoulders. He looked down
at his chest. He now had three hot air balloons aloft over the hills of his
breasts. He stood up straight and put his arms up. He let go of the jump suit,
and it fell to his knees.

  "Take the jumpsuit off." Linda insisted. "I'll find some shorts that will go
great with that top.

  She went back out into the store, and Joe sat down, and tried to pull the
jumpsuit from over his Reboks. He decided to take his shoes off, since he
figured he couldn't get the shorts Linda would soon be bringing back, over
them anyway. He stood there, in the top with the balloons, his light blue
panties showing out the bottom, and his white sweat-socks with little blue
Rebok logo's on them. He raised his arms again, looking down at the large
armhole openings on the little top. He just knew people could see the sides
of his bra through the large openings. That didn't seem to bother REAL women,
and before, he had always thought the little peek at their undies was kinda
sexy. Now that it was his undies "hanging out" he felt like he was half naked.
He adjusted the top, pulling the little thing up, down, back, and forth.
It didn't make any difference, it always seemed like he was "hanging out".

  He was still worrying about it when Linda returned, with two pair of shorts,
one white, the other blue. They went to just above his knee.

  "Try these on, Joe." Linda ordered, handing him the white pair.

  He opened the zipper, and stepped into them. They were a little baggy.  He
buttoned the button at the waist, and pulled the zipper up. They were loose at
the waist too. Just a little.

  "I guess they're ok." Joe said, smoothing them down, and arraigning the top,
trying to keep his boobs from popping out the armholes, or so it seemed to
him.

  "No they're too big." Linda insisted. "I bought the size that should fit me,
but you're a size smaller, darn it." "And yet you're still a little taller
than me too."

  "Isn't this top a little loose too?" Joe asked, hoping that she would agree.
"I seem to be hanging out at the sides."

  Linda stood back a little, and looked at him real close.

  "No, the top is just right." she decided. "What do you mean, you're "hanging
out?"

  "Just look at this." Joe explained. "You can see my underwear through the
armholes, can't you?"

  "No, it fits just right." Linda said again. "Maybe it just seems like you're
'hanging out' because you've never worn anything like this before." "Actually,
you look great in it, Joe."

  Before he could protest any more, Linda took the blue shorts back out,
looking for a size smaller. Joe decided to remove the white shorts. As he bent
over to pull them off his feet, he caught himself looking down the neck of the
little top, sneaking a peek at his own breasts. It was weird. They just didn't
seem like they attached to him, and he felt wicked staring at them. He took a
long look, and then stood up, grinning.  He rubbed his chest through the light
top, and could feel the slick nylon of the seamless cups. I guess I'm still
not used to having these things after all, he thought.

  Just then Linda returned. The big grin on his face made her curious.

  "Just what is so funny?" she asked.

  "Oh, nothing." Joe answered. What could he say, he thought, just copping a
feel of my own boobs. "Nothing at all."

  "Well then, try these on." Linda said, handing him some more white shorts,
and holding another blue pair. Joe put them on. They were much more snug
fitting.  Not tight, but they fit his hips and buttocks in a fitted way that
look just right. Joe buttoned up, and pulled the zipper. He felt his buttocks.

  "These are sure snug." he declared.

  Linda stood back again, and gave him the critical eye.

  "They are perfect!" she declared. "Here, try these on." she gave him the
light blue shorts, and went back out.

  Joe was removing the shorts, when Linda came back.

  "Leave those on, and come along with me." she ordered.

  In his socks, Joe followed politely along behind. They went to the racks of
tops again. Linda started looking for another.

  "If you see something you like, let me know." she said. "I want you to get
what you like."

  "Oh, really?" Joe asked, grinning. "Are you starting a new policy, all of a
sudden"

  Linda looked at him, and saw he was grinning, almost laughing out loud.

  "What is going on with you, anyway?" she asked. "Is something funny going
on, that I don't get?"

  "No, I just in awe of the seriousness that shopping seems to envelope you
with." Joe replied. "I guess I've never shopped with a woman, for women's
things before." "It's an art form for you isn't it." he laughed.

  "Ok, Ok, I'll try to lighten up a little." Linda said. "I guess women do
take clothes more seriously than most men." "I never thought about it much
before."

  Together they selected another top for Joe. A light blouse, tailored more
like a man's shirt, in an off white, with little trees printed all over it.
Joe liked it when he tried it on, but had a little trouble with the buttons,
which were the opposite of a men's shirt. They paid for the things, left the
mall, and went outside, to Joe's car.

  "Were to now?" Joe asked. "We've got the whole day."

  "Let's go to my place." Linda said. "I think a few hours at the pool would
feel pretty good right now."

  "Rats!" Joe said. "I forgot the swimsuit." "We have to go back in."

  "No, Joe, I think I have a couple that will fit you." Linda declared.  "I
know they're a little tight for me, at least on the bottom."

  Joe looked at her. She looked at him. They both grinned.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates08.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  8


                                CHAPTER EIGHT
                                     HOME

  Joe and Linda drove from the mall to Linda's house, in Joe's RX-7.  They had
the rest of Saturday afternoon with nothing special to do, and decided to
spend some time at Linda's pool.

  Linda was in the real estate business, and she did well as a sales-person
for commercial and residential property. She worked on commission, and during
the last two years, had done very well. She had spent some of her earnings
investing in her house, which was surprisingly large, and impressive. She
didn't really need all the space, and room, but she had liked the place as
soon as she'd seen it, and an offer for the place that she knew was way too
low. The owner, who wanted to sell quickly, accepted her offer immediately.
And so she bought the place. It had a large drive in front, with the detached
garages in the back. There was a large pool, and a gazebo, which housed a
Jacuzzi. It was quite a place.  Inside, there were five bedrooms, a large
family room, big dining room, and even a had made room, which now only
contained a Shwinn "Air-Dyne".  The well equipped kitchen had its own eating
area, and there was even an outdoor "breakfast area." At least that's what she
called it. The house was really much too large a place for one person, but she
considered it an investment, and she loved it. She was still in the process of
buying furniture for three of the bedrooms.

  Joe drove up the drive, and pulled around back, parking in front of the
garage. They got out, and Joe took the packages, containing clothes they
bought, a couple of tops and shorts for him, and some underwear that they
bought on sale at Linda's insistence.

  Linda took her key and opened the door. They entered her kitchen.

  "Let's take those things to the bedroom." Linda said.

  "Ok" Joe said, "Do you have anything cold to drink?"

  "Sure, what would you like?" Linda replied. "I've got iced tea, three kinds
of beer, and milk for you health nuts."

  "Better make it iced tea for me." Joe said. He remembered how the beer he
drank last night made him feel. He could hardly keep his eyes open after
drinking just one.

  "I think my metabolism is screwed up, so I better lay off the beer." he
said.

  "Your metabolism isn't screwed up." Linda kidded him. "You're just not used
to being a woman."

  "Well, whatever it is, I can't hold it anymore." Joe lamented.

  "You shouldn't drink beer anyway, if you want to keep that figure." Linda
teased. Joe had been teasing her at the mall, about how he had a better figure
than she did. It was true, and it bothered her a little.

  Joe took the packages into Linda bedroom. He lay them on the bed.  The
clothes Linda had on when he first saw her last night were lying on the bed
too. She had changed clothes when he picked her up, so that she wouldn't be
over-dressed compared with his blue jumpsuit. He decided to try on the new
clothes they bought at the mall.

  He removed the jumpsuit. He liked wearing it because it concealed his body
better than the other things he had. It was just too warm, however.  He
slipped it off his shoulders, and sat on the bed. He could feel the cool
breeze of the air conditioning on his shoulders and back as he removed his
Reboks. He stood and pulled his legs out of the jumpsuit. The cool air on his
sweaty body felt great. he looked up, and saw someone in the full length
mirror on the closet door. He didn't recognize her.  In his minds eye, he was
still Joe Bates, 195 pounds, five eleven, and MALE. The person he saw looking
at him in the mirror was about five seven, maybe 120 pounds, and FEMALE. She
was kind of cute, Joe thought, standing there in those little blue panties.
Her small but nicely formed breasts were concealed by a bra with shiny
seamless cups. She was wearing white sweat-socks, which reminded Joe of a
cheerleader he knew from his college days. Her hair was too short though, he
thought. He stared at the mirror. When he raised his hand to scratch his nose,
he broke the spell. He was the cute in the mirror.  He raised his hand and
touched his left breast. He rubbed a finger over the slick fabric, feeling the
softness it contained. He could feel a nipple hardening to his touch, both
with his fingers, and as a warm twinge which went from his nipple to his
crotch, which reacted by contracting in a way that was becoming familiar to
him. It was an unusual but pleasant sensation, and he liked it. It was a
feeling the 195 pound, five eleven Joe Bates never knew; and could never know.
He wondered about the old Joe. He WAS the old Joe, but he was beginning to
have trouble remembering what the old Joe felt like.  The old Joe was strong.
He worked out, and he had well developed biceps.  Joe touched his arm. It
wasn't flabby, but it was small, and face it, it was weak. It didn't even look
like a man's arm. But then, maybe he wasn't a man anymore. Was he?  He looked
in the mirror again. His narrow shoulders didn't look like a man's.  He looked
lower.  Those little blue panties covered hips which, though not really wide,
sure didn't look like they belonged to a man.  And his crotch. The gap between
his legs, with its tiny bulge, and a little damp spot, right in the center.
No, this wasn't what a man looked like.  What was he then?  Was he a really
woman now?  Did he feel like a woman?  What did a woman feel like, anyway?
No, He was still a man.  He knew what a man should feel like.  He liked the
way a man felt.  Of course, he enjoyed the way his body felt now, too.  But
this wasn't real, he thought.  These aren't feelings a man should have.  But
then, it does feel good...

  "Good idea, Joe." Linda said, breaking Joe loose from his thoughts.  "Get
out of that darn hot jumpsuit."

  Joe went back over to the bed he opened a bag, and took out two pair of
shorts. One was white, and the other blue.

  "Which should I wear?" Joe asked Linda, his fashion advisor.

  "Wear the balloon tank top, with the blue shorts." Linda recommended.
"It'll look so cute."

  "Yeah, cute." Joe said.

  Joe pulled on the blue shorts, and fastened the button at the waist.  He
zipped the zipper up and opened the boxes, looking for the "balloon" top.  He
found it in the second box. He took it, and easily pulled it over his head.
He looked down. Across his breasts, three hot air balloons now flew in
formation among some clouds. It was "cute" all right. He raised his hand and
checked the area under his arm. He found he could touch the side of his bra.
He could even feel the cup. No matter what Linda said, he still felt like his
breasts were showing through the armholes of the little top. But Linda thought
it was ok, so maybe he should forget about it. He looked at himself in the
mirror.  The cute young woman was looking back again. But she was even "cuter"
now. He decided that if the top was ok for a "real" woman, he would try it.

  "Joe, you look great." Linda said. "If you have to be a woman, even against
your will, at least be glad that you're so pretty."

  "Guess it would be worse if I woke up yesterday, and looked like an ugly
woman." Joe said, grinning. "I just can't get used to what I see when I look
in the mirror."

  "I'll bet there are people who would give an arm to see what you do, when
THEY look in the mirror." Linda said.

  "Is the tea ready yet?" Joe asked. "I'm going to die of thirst if I don't
drink something soon."

  "Yeah, it's probably about brewed by now." Linda replied. "Go get it, and
put some ice in it, will you please." "I'm going to change into something
cooler too."

  Joe went into the kitchen. He walked to the counter, and took the tea from
the electric brewer. When he stood at a counter now, his waist didn't quite
reach the top. He didn't actually feel shorter, everything else seemed bigger.
He search the cabinets for a pitcher. He found one, and poured the tea in. He
then went to the refrigerator. Linda's refrigerator had an ice dispenser in
the door. He took a glass, and filled it with cubed ice, poured that into the
pitcher, and repeated it until the pitcher looked like it had enough in it. He
then filled the glass with the cold tea, and drank it down quickly. He got
another tall glass from the cabinet and put a little ice in it, and then
filled it with tea. He carried it back to the bedroom.

  "Here's some tea, if you want." he told Linda.

  "Thanks Joe." Linda replied. "I was hoping you'd bring me one."

  Linda was putting on her swimsuit. It was a sleek fitting black tank suit.
She was just stepping into it when Joe came into the room.  She pulled the
straps over her shoulders, and took the glass from Joe.

  "I have a couple suits that you can try." Linda said after taking a sip of
tea. "You're a little taller than I am, but I think my two piece suits would
fit you."

  "Ok Linda. I'll give it a try." Joe said. He pulled his top over his head,
and removed his shorts.

  Linda was searching through the drawers of her dresser. She pulled out a
flowered bikini, and a sort of florescent lime green suit. She arraigned them
on the bed for Joe to inspect. Joe had never seen Linda in the flowered
bikini, but he had see her in the green suit. The green suit was made by
Body Glove, and had a zipper in the top, between the breasts. The top looked
like it had more coverage than the flowered suit, which just had little
strings which the cups attached to. You had to tie the strings. He picked up
the bottom of the lime green suit.

  "I was hoping you'd try the little bikini." Linda chided him. "You sure
would look good in it."

  "Maybe next time, Linda." Joe said. "It looks a little skimpy to me, and I'm
pushing my limits already." he grinned.

  Joe unhooked his bra, and slid his panties down his hips. He took the green
bikini bottom, and stepped into it. It felt very snug, as he pulled it up his
legs and over his hips. When he felt it was on correctly, he stepped over to
the mirror. It fit his bottom like a second skin, he thought he could even see
the cleft of his vulva, outlined in green lycra-spandex. He could definitely
see his pubic hair hanging out the sides of the very narrow, "v" cut crotch of
the bikini. Linda was inspecting him too.

  "You're going to have to trim that bikini line, Joe." Linda decided.

  "Bikini line?" Joe asked.

  "Pull that bottom off, and come into the bathroom." Linda ordered.

  Linda went into the bathroom, and Joe removed the tight suit bottom.  Naked,
he wet into the bathroom. Linda had a ladies electric razor in her hand, and
turned it on when Joe entered. It was buzzing away softly.

  "Put your leg up on the stool here." She ordered. "I'll show you how
to do this."

  She pushed his leg apart, exposing the bush of his pubic area. She trimmed
the soft hair away from his inner leg, almost to the lips of his genitals. She
worked quickly, and Joe was concerned at the speed she moved around this new,
sensitive area of his body.

  "Be careful, Linda." Joe said. "I don't want to have any less down there
than I already have."

  "I won't hurt you Joe." Linda assured him. "Ok, put your other leg up."

  She repeated the process on his other side. Joe could not really see what
she was doing, and craned his neck to look.

  "If you're that curious, try this." Linda said, and gave him a hand mirror
from the sink.

  Joe took the mirror, and positioned it so that he could watch what Linda was
doing. He was also getting his first real look at his new genitalia.  As Linda
trimmed his pubic hair, Joe examined himself intently. Where his scrotum used
to bulge, he now had soft pink skin, divided down the center by two little
darker pink folds of tissue that joined at the top approximately where his
penis had been.  A bit of tissue, smaller than a pea, protruded slightly from
between the folds, near the top.  Linda finished, but Joe continued looking at
himself.  Using a finger on each side, he carefully spread the folds, exposing
a moist pink slit with two openings.  The small one, he decided, was probably
his urethra. Below that was a much larger orifice, which he recognized as a
vaginal opening.  The image in the glass was hard evidence for what he had
suspected, but hoped wasn't true. But, it was a fact.  He was now a woman,
inside and out.

  "Really looks different, huh?" Linda asked.

  "Yeah, really different." Joe repeated. "I can't believe it's me."

  "Gee, I didn't take that much off, Joe." Linda said. "Just enough so that
you won't have to worry about showing when you wear that suit."

  "No, that part's fine." Joe said, repositioning the mirror to another angle.
"It's just that I've never really seen myself, since the change."

  "Oh, I didn't think about that." Linda said. "This IS all new to you, isn't
it."

  "It's strange." Joe went on. "I feel almost like I always have, but when I
see myself, it's just difficult to accept that I look like this."

  "Remember that about half the people in the world look like you do, so don't
think you're so unique." Linda replied.

  "Maybe they do." Joe conceded "But, most of you were like this from the day
you were born."

  Linda put the shaver into the drawer. Joe looked up from the mirror.  He saw
Linda watching. She was smiling at him, sort of the way a big sister might
look at her little one.  He smiled back at her, and handed her the mirror.

  "Ok, I've seen enough for now, I guess." Joe said, rubbing the new slickness
of his pubic area. His bush was now a very narrow triangle, just like Linda's.
He hadn't realized she shaved herself that much.

  "If you don't keep it shaved close now, you'll regret it." Linda warned.
"It'll itch like crazy."

  "I suggest you get a hot wax like mine." she continued. "It is a little
expensive, but it lasts a long time."

  "You keep talking like this is permanent." Joe said. "Let's operate on the
concept that I look like this temporarily."

  Joe went back into the bedroom. He could feel the difference around his
crotch area as he walked. It made him start to analyze again. When he had
a male body, his primary sensation of sexual arousal emanated from and around
his penis. Now, it seemed, his whole body was a sex organ. It was simply a
completely different feeling than his experience as a man. Sometimes, just the
act of walking felt mildly erotic.

  He went to the bed, and picked up the swimsuit bottom. He was pulling it up
his hips when Linda stopped him.

  "Maybe you better put some powder on that shaved area." She said, pointing
to a little cut glass container on her dresser. With the suit bottom around
his knees, he removed the ornate top and found a little puff inside.  He
pushed the puff to the side and taking a little body powder on his fingers,
spread some on the shaved areas, and for good measure, dusted some on his
pubic hair. He then pulled the suit up, and tugged it till it felt right.  It
fit very snugly, but was comfortable.  He felt between his legs, but could
feel no trace of hair sticking out. He rubbed his buttocks and stuck his
fingers under the leg openings, pulling the bottom down properly. He reached
down, and took the suit top and looked at it. He wasn't sure how to put it on.
It had a zipper, but it didn't open all the way.

  "Just pull it on, over your head." Linda instructed.

  Joe put his arms in the arm holes, and stuck his head into the top.  As the
suit went passed his face, he could smell it. It smelled good.  The scent
reminded him of Linda. It must have some of her perfume on it, he thought.
That made him consider what he was doing. No matter what he looked like, he
still the Old Joe, and he was standing there putting on his girls, no, his
fiance's, clothes, and she was watching. It was exciting, but at the same time
embarrassing. He quickly pulled the top over his breasts. He looked down at
his chest, and was trying to decide how far up to pull the zipper between his
breasts when Linda pulled him over to the mirror.

  "Just look at yourself Joe." Linda exclaimed. "You're beautiful."

  Joe looked in the mirror. Linda was right. The lime green suit set off the
light tan of his skin. He hadn't been in the sun since the change, so he must
have the same skin as before. He always did tan quickly, and didn't easily
burn. He stood straight, and then turned to get a side view. The green suit
looked like it was made for his shape. He was impressed. He couldn't resist
clowning around, striking  poses like those he saw in magazines.

  "You can have that suit, Joe." Linda lamented. "Now that I've seen you wear
it, I never want you to see me in it again."

  "I do look pretty good, don't I." Joe said proudly.  "Of course, I don't
think you'll be breaking any mirrors either."

  Linda went to the closet, and brought out two beach towels. Then she went to
the bathroom and brought out a tube of sunscreen. She gave them to Joe and,
taking her tea glass, she walked to the kitchen. Joe followed her, with his
hands full. He couldn't keep his eyes off her butt as she walked in front of
him. She did look good, he thought.

  "Do you want some tea to take to the pool?" Linda asked.

  "Yeah, sure, that's a good idea." Joe replied.

   Linda, with the tea, led Joe, with the towels and sunscreen to the sliding
doors, and out to the pool deck. She stopped at the table, and got her
sunglasses from her purse.

   "I wish I had mine." Joe said. "Of course, they wouldn't fit anyway."

   "I'm sorry, Joe, I had another pair, but I broke them the other day." Linda
said.

   "No sweat." Joe said.

   They went to the lounge chairs, and Joe lay the towels in the cement deck.
They moved the chairs to face the sun. Joe gave Linda a towel, and she spread
it on her lounge, as he did the same on his. When she lay back on the lounge,
Linda pulled the straps of her suit down from her shoulders. Joe saw her do
it, and tried to do the same with his. His straps were too wide, and it wasn't
easily possible. He lay back, and felt the sun warm his body. He continued to
watch Linda. Do to their positions, she couldn't see him as well.  She was
carefully rubbing herself with tanning oil.

   "I'll do you, if you'll do me." Joe said suggestively.

   "Sounds good to me." Linda replied, handing Joe the tanning oil.

   Joe took the oil, and squirt a small amount on his hand. He started
smoothing it on Linda's leg. She put her head back and closed her eyes.  Joe
coated her upper thigh, and went all the way to her feet and toes. He
carefully massaged each toe. When he finished, he moved to her arms, softly
smoothing them with the oil. He then oiled her shoulders, and then moved to
her chest. He carefully avoided getting oil on her suit. She rolled over on
the towel and Joe then coated her back. Linda was glistening with the
protective oil. When he finished, he took her head in his hand, and kissed
her softly on the lips. She answered his kiss by flicking her tongue into
his mouth. Joe took a deep breath, relishing even the smell of her hair.

   After a short while, as they just sat close and looked at each other, Linda
sat up in the lounge chair.

   "Ok, Joe, Lay down." Linda ordered. "It's your turn."

   Joe went to his lounge and lay on his back. Linda took the suntan oil and
started rubbing it on his legs as he had done for her. She worked carefully
around his suit, so that no oil touched it. He spread his legs slightly, and
she rubbed some oil on his inner thighs.

   "You dog." Linda exclaimed. "Do you realize your body has absolutely
NO cellulite?"

   "What are you talking about?" Joe questioned.

   "Look at this." She replied, pinching about an inch of Joe's outer thigh.
It was perfectly slick and smooth. She then pinched the same amount of flesh
on the same area of her leg. The pinched tissue was slightly dimpled between
her fingers. Not a lot, but not smooth either.

   "This is what I'm talking about." Linda continued. "You have almost no fat
on your thighs." "It just isn't fair."

   She then continued her application of sun screen. She moved down, and
caressed his feet, as he had done for her. Joe hadn't realized how good
it felt to get his feet massaged like this. It was almost erotic.

   When Linda finished with his feet, she asked Joe to lay on his belly so she
could oil his back. He complied, and put his face in his arms. In this
position, it seemed he could detect Linda's scent again. He waist sure if it
came from the  suit he was wearing, from the suntan oil, or if he was smelling
her directly. He seemed to have a much more sensitive sense if smell since the
change, and he was aware of odors more now.

   Linda was softly rubbing Joe's back, and Joe closed his eyes, and enjoyed
the sensations. He suddenly felt his right breast get pinched between him and
the lounge chair. The slight, but unexpected pain made him jerk up quickly.

   "What's the problem?" Linda asked.

   "Oh, nothing." Joe replied, rubbing his soft boob through the suit, and
feeling embarrassed. "I just got pinched, that's all."

   "Welcome to the club." Linda said, patting him on the back as he carefully
lay back down. "I could think of a few guy's who I wish could get the
opportunity to experience what you are."

   "Well, I wouldn't wish it on any guy." Joe replied, trying to find a
position that kept his breasts out of the way.

   Linda finished, and Joe rolled over. They both just sprawled on the lounges
soaking up the warmth of the sun. A while went by, and suddenly they were
jolted awake by the ringing of the telephone.

   "It never stops does it." Linda lamented. She grabbed the cordless phone
that lay near her lounge chair.

   "Hello." she answered. "Oh, Hi Jay." "Yeah, he's here." "Just a minute."

   "It's Jay" she said, handing the phone to Joe.

   Joe took the phone.

   "Hi, Jay, what's up?" Joe spoke into the phone.

   "How you doing, Joe?" Jay said. "I just called to find out what you thought
about Dan."

   "I don't know, Jay." Joe said. "I think he is uderstanding, and he acted
like he really wanted to help."

   "He does, Joe." Jay said. "He's good too." "I've know him for some time,
and I can assure you, he knows his job." If there is any way to prove who you
are, he will know what it is, and find it." "I think he's the best."

   "That's great, Jay." Joe said. "I have good feelings about him too."

   "What are you doing this afternoon?" Jay asked.

   "Well, right now, I'm laying at the pool at Linda's house." Joe answered.

   "Gee, I thought I called your house." Jay said, a little confused.

   "Maybe you did." Joe replied. "I used call forwarding to transfer my calls
over here." "In case you or Dan wanted to find me."

   "You damn engineers and your toys." Jay chided him. "But seriously, I was
wondering if you had some time, later on."

   "What you got going, Jay." Joe wondered.

   "I finally got that ROM chip for the Bosche injection on my car. Jay
answered.

   Like Joe, Jay was into sports cars, and owned a Red Porche 944. He found it
a source of irritation that Joe's RX-7, which cost less, but was equipped with
a high performance wankel rotary engine, could run away from his pride and
joy. In their informal "road races" Joe's "Rotary Rocket" could always take
the four cylinder engine that powered Jay's Porche. Jay was always looking for
ways to reverse the situation. A friendly rivalry was the result, but Jay was
actually at the mercy of Joe, and his engineering background, to help improve
the performance of his complex engine. In both cars, all fuel metering
functions were performed by electronic fuel injection, which in turn was
controlled by a digital computer. An electronics engineer was actually more at
home with a machine like this than a mechanic would be as long as the basic
engine was healthy. Joe, who had experience with avionics, including
electronic fuel controls on jet engines, was not above using those skills to
improve the performance of his sophisticated auto engine. Jay was in the
process of improving his engine too, but he went the costly route of buying
a "performance chip" from the after-market sellers. It was expensive, but
then, everything was expensive on a Porche. He wanted Joe to help him install
the chip in the computer.

   "Ok, Jay, when do you want to put it in, as if it will do any good anyway."
Joe said.

   "When can you do it?" Jay asked, sounding like a kid at Christmas.

   "What do you have planned for this afternoon?" Joe responded.

   "I don't have anything going till later, when I was planning to get Barb,
and we would go out." Jay said.

   "How about coming over here later?" Joe suggested.

   "What time?" Jay asked.

   "Just a minute." Joe said, and called to Linda.

   "What did you want to do later?" He asked Linda. "Jays going to take Barb
out, but wants me to work on his car a few minutes first, if I have the time."

   "Tell Jay to bring Barbara over." Linda suggested. "We can put some steaks
on, and have a little patio party." "I haven't seen Barb in a few weeks."

   "Jay, Linda says you should bring Barb over, now if possible." Joe relayed.
"We can put some steaks on and after that, I'll work on your car."

   "Ok, that sounds good." Jay replied. "I'll call Barb, I know she can be
ready."

   "Tell her to bring a swimsuit." Joe said. "Bring yours too, the pool looks
pretty inviting."

   "Ok, Joe, I'll see you in about an hour, or so." Jay said.

   Joe handed the phone back to Linda. She put it beside her seat and lay back
into the sun again. Joe took a long draw of his tea glass. He thought of the
irony of the situation. He would be working on his buddies car, maybe wearing
this suit. I might be one of the best looking fuel injection specialists
around, he thought to himself, grinning like an idiot.

   He lay back on the lounge and closed his eyes. In a little while, he
turned, presenting his other side to the rays. In what seemed like no time at
all, he heard the powerful rumble of Jays 944 come up the drive. Linda got up
when she heard the car. She walked to the driveway gate.

   "Hi Jay." she called. "Barb, I'm glad you came."

   "When you said food, Jay couldn't resist." Barb teased.

   Barb was in her mid-twenties, and very attractive. A little shorter than
Linda, with red hair, and a great figure. She was wearing a cover-up, and
obviously had her swimsuit on under it. Jay was wearing a loud Hawaiian type
shirt, and shorts. They both carried bags which had a change of clothes
inside.  They walked through the patio gate, where Joe stood, feeling self
conscious again.

   Jay saw him first, and his eyes widened when he recognized him.

   "Joe!" Jay exclaimed. "How you doing?" "God, you're looking good." "Real
good." Jay couldn't take his eyes from his friend.

   "Hi, Joe." Barb said, looking him over, obviously curious.

   "Hi, Barb, good to see you." Joe said, smiling. He was embarrassed standing
there in the close fitting swimsuit.

   "Jay told me about your.. eh.. situation." Barb said, trying to help Joe
feel more at ease. "I must admit, I've ever heard of anything like it before."
"You certainly look, err.. a.. well, healthy."

   "Yeah, I guess healthy's a good word for it." Joe said, amused at Barb's
description of him. "If I get any healthier, I can run for Miss America." he
joked.

   Joe saw that Jay hardly took his eyes off him. He went over to his pal.

   "So you think that chip will give that four banger of yours enough guts to
take the rotary, huh?" he joked.

   "I hope so." Jay replied, "At least until you pull another rabbit out of
your hat with that damn Japanese clone car"

   "You can call it a 'clone' when you get an engine as good as the wankel."
Joe returned. He felt better talking with Jay. It seemed more like normal.

   "Right now I'm going to cool down." Jay said, sticking his foot in the
pool. When he decided it was ok, he dived in and swam to the other side.

   "It's great!" he said. "Come on in."

   Linda and Barb were already sitting in the lounge chairs, talking about who
knows what. Joe didn't know about getting in the water with Jay.  What the
hell, he thought, I don't really want to sit through "girl talk." He walked to
the edge, and without stopping, dived in as gracefully as he could. He
surfaced in the middle, and noticed that he could stay afloat much easier than
he ever did before.

   "This is weird, Jay" Joe said as Jay swam over to him. "I'm floating so
easy, much easier than before."

   "You got those natural life preservers now." Jay teased him.

   "Maybe that's it." Joe considered, grinning. He was smaller and lighter.
He probably did have a higher fat to bone and muscle ratio.

   "Come on ladies, get your butts in here." Jay yelled. "You can talk later."

   Linda and Barb looked at Jay. He waved them over to the pool. Joe hoped
they would come in too. He wanted company. The girls came over and sat at the
edge of the pool. Joe swam over to Linda. He went the last few feet under
water, and grabbed her foot. He tried to pull her in, but he just didn't have
to strength to overpower her when she resisted. She realized that he couldn't
force her in, so she let herself be pulled in. Joe could tell that she did it.
When they bobbed to the surface together, he looked at her.

   "I couldn't pull you in." he said, knowing she already knew it.  "I didn't
have the strength to pull you in." he repeated.

   "Don't worry about it, Joe." Linda tried to reassure him. "That's not
important at all."

   "It is to me." Joe said.

   Barb had a beach ball, and threw it at both of them.

   "Let's toss the ball around." she called. "Pick your sides" she continued.
"How about boys against girls?"

   "Come on Barb, that's low." Joe said grinning. It hurt, but he knew she was
trying to keep his spirits up, but didn't know what to do. It was an awkward
situation for every one.

   "Aw Joe, she was only teasing." Linda came to her defense. "You're going to
have to get used to it, and you're among friends here."

   "I'm sorry Joe, I guess it seemed like a dig, but I really meant I wanted
you on my side."

   "Ok, then." Joe said. "Lets all take him on." He swam to the end of the
pool. Linda and Barb followed him.

   Jay went to the other end. He had the ball, and when they were ready, he
tossed it to the other end, aiming at Barb. She hit the ball, but it went
straight up. Linda was under it and slapped it back to Jay when it came to
her. Jay swatted it back, and Joe got it that time, easily returning it to
Jay. They played fast and hard for about ten minutes. They were all getting
exhausted, Jay the most, since it was three to one, and they kept him moving,
in the deep water.

   "I'm getting hungry." Jay lied. "Let's stop and get those steaks on the
grill."

   "Yeah, good idea." Linda said. "I've been out here a few hours already, and
I'm going to be burned alive if I don't get out of this suit."

   "I'm ready to quit too." Barb said. "Let's get out."

   They all went to the side and struggled out. They went to the chairs and
took towels and dried off.

   "I'm going to get out of this suit, and get the steaks ready." Linda said.

   "I'll help." Barb said. "You two start the grill." she said to Joe and Jay.

   "It's a gas grill, so all we need to do is turn it on and put the steaks
on." "I'll start it anyway, and let it heat up." Joe said.

   They went indoors. Jay and Barb retrieved their bags.

   "Jay, you can use the hall bath to shower and change." Linda said.  "Barb,
you can use my bathroom if you like."

   Jay walked to the bathroom with his bag, and shut the door. Barb followed
Linda into her room. Joe didn't know what to do, and stood in the hall. Linda
noticed him standing there when she turned to close the bedroom door.

   "Get in here. Joe." Linda ordered. "You don't mind if Joe changes with us,
do you Barb?"

   "Joe? No, of course not." Barb said. "Not unless it bothers him."

   "No, you guys don't bother me." Joe said, blushing. "And I suppose I am on
your team now."

   Joe entered the room, and Linda closed the door. Linda went to the bed, and
pulled the straps of her suit down. She pulled the suit down, and removed it.
She took the suit, and her towel with her into the bathroom.  Joe heard her
start the shower running.

   Barb looked at Joe, and smiled. She was embarrassed, and tried to break the
ice with conversation.

   "Gosh Joe, what's it like to have a different body?" she said.  I can't
imagine what it would feel like."

   "It's hard to describe." Joe said honestly. "It's different, and yet it's
the same in a lot of ways." "I really don't have a different body, it seems
that I just changed... a lot."

   "I'm curious, are you a real woman now? She asked innocently.

   "I don't know, Barb, what's a REAL woman?" Joe returned.

   "Well, you know..... boobs, and.. well.. you know..." Barb stammered.

   "See for yourself." Joe answered, unzipping the top of his suit, and
pulling it over his head.

   Joe then pulled his suit bottom off, and wrapped the damp items in his
beach towel. Then he stood up, and put his arms out and turned around slowly,
allowing Barb to inspect him.

   "My god, Joe, You ARE a woman, aren't you." Barb exclaimed. "You really did
change into a woman."

   "I may LOOK like a woman." Joe corrected. "But I don't want to concede that
I am one, until I have medical proof." "I still feel like I'm a man."

   "Really?" "You feel like a man?" "But, how can you?" "It's obvious that you
don't have the necessary parts." Barb was genuinely interested.

   "Whatever parts I have now, they feel pretty much the same." Joe said.
"But, every nerve in my body seems more sensitive now." "And of course, there
are the obvious physical differences."

   "There sure are, Joe." Barb said. "You really look good." Barb said
honestly.

   Barb removed her swimsuit top. She eyed Joe, who tried to look away.  She
then took her bottom off, and Joe was surprised to see that her pubic area was
completely shaved. It made her look very erotic. And Joe couldn't pull his
eyes away. Barb saw him staring, and she smiled.

   "It itches like crazy sometimes, but Jay likes it." she explained, smiling.
"I think you know what I mean." she said pointing at his closely trimmed bush.

   "Yeah, I guess I do." Joe said, scratching his pubic area. "Linda showed me
how to do this, so I wouldn't stick out of that suit." he explained.

   The shower stopped, and they heard the shower door slide open. Linda came
back into the room, wrapped in a towel. She saw Joe and Barb standing on each
side of the bed, naked. She stopped, but just looked at Joe, then she smiled
at him.

   "I see you two have got to know each other better." She teased. "What do
you think of Barb's trim job?" she asked Joe.

   "Well.... as a guy, I think it's sexy as hell." he answered carefully.
"But, as a 'woman', I.. ah.. I still think it's sexy as hell."

   "Maybe we should take Joe in the shower, and shave him bare." Linda told
Barb.

   "No, absolutely not." Joe insisted. "I already have more taken off
that area than I should." "I suspect I'll already be getting some looks when I
see the doctor."

   "You look fine, Joe." Barb assured him.

   "Don't forget, I'm really a man." Joe said.

   "Well mister, get your butt in there and take a shower." Linda teased.

   Joe took his suit and towel, and went into the bathroom. He turned on the
shower and stepped inside. The cool water felt good, and he rinsed the
chlorine off his body, and out of his hair. He finished, turned off the water,
slid open the door, and stepped out of the shower. He was drying off, when
Barb came in the bathroom. She walked passed Joe, her full breasts swaying
seductively, and went into the shower. It was like a dream come true.
Beautiful women, naked, all over the place. He looked into the mirror behind
the sink. It wasn't a perfect dream. There was one too many naked women here.

   Joe went into the bedroom. Linda was dressed, and was drying her hair.  Joe
found his underwear, pulled on his panties, and took his bra. As he was
putting his arms through the straps he felt a slight sting he looked at his
shoulders, and saw the outline of the swimsuit on his chest. He had a slight
tan from before, but he still received a very slight burn. His breasts were
outlined in lighter skin. It sure looked sexy, but it didn't feel very good.

   Linda saw his problem, and went to her dressing table, and grabbed a little
bottle with a pump. She spread some white lotion from her hand, to the pink
areas around Joe's shoulders and breasts. It felt cool, and soothing.

   Joe took his bra and carefully put it on. Once it was on, it felt ok.  He
actually liked the secure feeling it gave his breasts. He got the tank top
from a hanger on the closet door knob, and pulled it over his head. The three
balloons resumed formation on his chest. He found the blue shorts lying on the
bed, and when he attempted to put them on, he could feel that his legs had
received a little too much sun also.  He got the pump of lotion, sat on the
bed, and rubbed some on his legs.  He smelled strongly of Linda's lotion.  He
put his shorts on, and checked himself in the mirror.  His short hair was
mussed up, so he went into the bathroom, to use a brush to smooth his hair.

   Barb was out of the shower, and was drying her hair at the mirror.  She was
naked, and her breasts, which were larger than Joe's, or Linda's, jiggled and
shook as she brushed her hair. Joe needed to get into a drawer, but she was in
the way. He stood there, watching her as she moved. She saw him watching, and
stopped.

   "Uh, sorry, I need to get a brush out of that drawer." Joe stammered.

   "Oh, ok, I thought you maybe just wanted to watch me." Barb said, smiling
at him.

   "Oh no." I wasn't... I didn't.... I mean... you do look good, but, I uh..."
Joe didn't know what to say. It was obvious he was watching her.

   "Don't worry about it Joe." Barb laughed. "If I suddenly had to be a man, I
would be much worse than you."

   Joe got the brush, quickly brushed his short hair into position, and left
the bathroom. Linda was finished drying her hair, and they both left the
bedroom. Joe went into the living area, where Jay was sitting looking at his
auto parts. He grinned when he saw Joe, wearing the "cute" tank top.

   "Hey, nice balloons." Jay teased.

   "Linda made me buy it." Joe protested. "I told here it was too 'cute'."

   "You really do look good in it Joe." Jay said.

   "I think it's a little to feminine." Joe complained.

   "Well, if you got it, flaunt it." Jay said. He said that a lot.

   "I've got it, I guess, but I'm not ready to flaunt it." Joe said, grinning
at his buddy. "Let's see that stuff."

   Jay gave him the box of parts. Actually, it was one small part, and a
little manual describing what the chip did, and how to install it.

   "This will only take a few minutes to put in." Joe said.

   Linda came into the room, and when she saw them looking at the parts, she
shook her head.

   "Barb and I will do the steaks, if you two want to work on that darn car."
Linda said.

   "Joe says it will only take a few minutes." Jay said. "We'll be finished
before you have the steaks on the grill."

   "Get going then." Linda said.

   "I hope you brought some tools." Joe said. "I don't have any here."

   "I have the small tool kit that I always carry in the car." Jay said.

   "As long as it has a phillips screwdriver, I think it will work." Joe
returned.

   They walked out to Jay's car. Jay opened the hood, and gave Joe a little
canvas bag, his tool kit. Joe opened the bag, and searched until he found a
screwdriver. He bent over the fender, and unscrewed the lid of the small black
box which contained the fuel injection computer. The position was awkward, and
Joe, who was smaller now, found it difficult to reach the box without
difficulty. He had to stretch to reach the assembly. He got the lid off, and
started removing the old ROM.

   "Get me a flat blade screwdriver, would you please?" Joe asked.

   Jay was standing there, bending over, and watching, but he didn't move. Joe
looked up from the fuel controller, at Jay. He saw that Jay was watching him.
He looked down, and saw what was holding Jays interest so completely. From
Jay's position, he had a perfect view down the neck opening of Joe's tank top.
The large and loose opening allowed Jay an unobstructed view of Joe's breasts.
Jay's face turned red when he saw Joe caught him.  Joe just grinned at him,
and stood up beside the car.

   "They're pretty nice, aren't they?" Joe teased.

   "Well, yeah..... I mean.. I... damn it Joe, I'm sorry, but I  just couldn't
resist looking." Jay stammered an apology.

   "I understand, Jay." Joe said "I feel the same way sometimes, and it's my
own body."

   "What's it like... what does it feel like..... to have a woman's body, you
know..... breasts and everything?" Jay asked.

   Joe went to Jay's side of the car. He looked around. There was nobody else
around. Linda and Barb were inside the patio wall. He and Jay were alone.  Joe
pulled his top up, exposing his bra covered breasts. Jay's eyes became as big
as saucers, as he watched his buddy.  Joe reached down and unhooked the catch
between his breasts, and pulled the shiny bra cups apart, baring his chest.
His full nipples quickly became erect and hardened to little points as they
were exposed to the slight breeze. Joe was as amazed as Jay at how they
reacted.

   "What do you think?" Joe asked his confused buddy, as he held the bra open
so that Jay could get a good look.

   "Ah, err.... I don't know... eh.." Jay stammered.

   Joe interrupted him. "That's what I thought." he said.  "And I feel the
same way when I look in the mirror." "Remember, in my mind at least, I'm still
a guy, and I think the same thoughts you do."

   "But... what's it like..... does it feel good?" Jay continued. "Is it
better than before?"

   "It's hard to describe exactly." Joe fought to find the right words.
"Yeah, I guess it does feel pretty good, maybe even better than before." Joe
considered carefully what he was saying. "I'm still getting used to it, but
generally, I have more sensation all over now, not just in my cock, which is
gone, of course, but sometimes even it feels like its still there. Especially
when I'm turned on."

   "What turns you on... now?" Jay asked, genuinely curious.

   "Same thing that turns you on old buddy." Joe said, as he fastened his bra,
and pulled his top down. "I'm just now getting over a boner nobody can see,
but that I sure can feel, that I got when I saw  Barb's bare beaver." He
winked at Jay.

   "Barb showed you that?" Jay said, amazed.

   "She didn't SHOW it to me, I saw it when we changed clothes." Joe told his
buddy, who was beginning to show signs of envy, as well as an erection
powerful enough to rip his pants..

   "I'm amazed she undressed in front of you." Jay went on.

   "She was nervous around me at first, but when she saw how I looked in MY
birthday suit, I guess she accepted me as a girl." Joe said, grinning at Jay's
embarrassment.

   "You lucky dog. Jay said. "You're living a voyeurs dream."

   "It may sound neat, but I  can assure you, it's not that great." Joe
explained. "I look like this all the time." "And I have to learn to relate to
everybody in a different way.  Even you." Joe pointed at the bulge at Jay's
crotch.  "And I'm just beginning to realize I may never get back to normal."

   "Does that scare you?" Jay asked, as he arraigned his pants.

   "How would you feel, if you woke up one morning, and found your cock
missing, replaced with a beaver and boobs, and it seemed unlikely you would
ever be a complete man again?" Joe answered with the question that was now
haunting him almost constantly.

   "I think I understand Joe, and I promise to help as much as I can." Jay
assured him.

   "Well ok then, let's work on your car." Joe said. "Look if you want, but
try to keep your mind on the task at hand." He hit Jay on the shoulder with
his fist.

   Joe put the ROM chip into its socket. He put the cover back on the
computer, and screwed the lid back on. It was time to test the installation.

   "Ok, get in and start it up" Joe said. "If it runs, we'll give it a drive."

   Jay got in, and cranked the engine. It fired immediately. He blipped the
throttle, and motioned for Joe to get in.

   "Lets try it on the road." Jay said, eager to drive it.

   "Ok, but be careful." Joe warned. "I don't want to get stopped, or brought
in for questioning just because I'm with you while you terrorize the
neighborhood."

   "Don't worry about that." Jay said, as Joe got in, and clicked his seatbelt
about him.

   Jay quickly turned around and went down Linda's driveway. When he reached
the road, he turned right, and his tires chirped, as he went through the lower
gears.

   "Can you tell any difference?" Joe asked.

   "I think it has a little more low end, but I'm not sure." Jay replied.
"We'll have to run each other on canyon road"

   "Like hell we will!" Joe exclaimed. "Maybe when I match my drivers license
again, but not before."

   "Let's go back." Joe said. "He didn't like the attention they were
receiving, driving "crisply" around the neighborhood in a red Porche.

   Jay drove back to Linda's. Joe was glad to be back. The bumpy ride in the
Porche, which was fitted with competition suspension, alerted Joe that he had
to pee again. No matter what he was doing, things were different now.

   Joe and Jay went back to the patio, where Linda and Barb were putting the
steaks on the grill. Linda looked at Joe, who had some dirt on his hands.  Jay
kept his car immaculate, but it wasn't possible to work on it without getting
a little dirty. Joe grinned sheepishly.

   "No matter what happens, it seems you can't keep a guy from getting his
hands dirty." Linda said.

   Joe went inside and washed his hands in the bathroom.  He pulled his shorts
down, sat, and urinated.  The sensation again made him aware if his new
genitalia, and when he finished, he stood up, and rather than pull up his
underwear and shorts, he went to the mirror, and looked at himself. His pubic
area again looked completely different.  Linda had trimmed the soft hair so
close that now he could easily see his genital cleft. The sight of it in the
mirror again made him interested in his new body.  As he looked, he could feel
the first signs of arousal. He began to sense what felt like an erection, but
he knew that was impossible. He touched his pubic hair, and then spread apart
the sensitive folds.  He could see what was probably his clitoris.  He touched
the small bit of tissue, and was amazed to find that it felt exactly as if he
had touched his penis.  No wonder I can feel an erection, he thought, I still
have the same nerves.  I still have my penis, its just that now its just a
quarter inch long.  Again, he considered his situation. Looking at himself, he
wondered what it would be like if the doctors were to make him look like a man
again.  Would it feel like before? That seemed unlikely, since he figured that
there would have to be some big changes, and nerves, which he was still using
now, were what made him feel the necessary sensations. They would probably
have to be cut or modified. He knew enough about biology to realize that it
was difficult to perform surgery without destroying sensation.  Did he want to
loose the feelings he now experienced, to get back only a mock-up of what he
once was?  He pulled up his panties and shorts, and, after touching a  breast
lightly with his hand, he checked  his short hair in the mirror, and decided
he was ready to go back out.

   Joe walked back out to the patio. Linda and Barb had put the steaks on the
grill, and Jay was standing by it watching them cook. He motioned for Joe to
come over.

   "How do you want your steak?" Jay asked.

   "Medium rare." Joe replied.

   "Ok, I didn't know it your taste buds changed too." Jay said, and winked at
his pal.

   "You'll be one of the first to know if they have." Joe said.

   Linda was bringing out some veggies a bowl of macaroni salad. Barb had a
table cloth for the table by the pool. Joe went over, and helped her put it on
the table. Linda put the things she carried on the table.

   "Joe, would you help bring out some forks, and steak knives?" Linda asked.
"Barb and I will set the table."

   Joe went inside and found the forks, and brought out four steak knives. He
took them out and arraigned them with the plates that Linda put on the table.

   Soon the steaks were done, and they all sat at the table eating, and joking
with each other about the pool, and the quality of the Jay's cooking.

   Before long, it was evening. They all moved inside, to sit and talk and
listen to music. At about ten, Jay and Barb said they had to go, and they said
their good-bye's. Joe and Linda were alone again.

   "I don't know about you, but I'm beat." Linda said.

   "Yeah. I'm tired too." Joe said. "And I can still feel that sunburn too."

   They went into Linda's bedroom, and undressed. Linda pulled the sheet back,
and lay down.  Joe lay next to her, and looked into her eyes.

   "What will become of us?" He asked her.

   "I wish I knew, Joe." Linda said. "It will all work out though."

   He held out his arms, and she wrapped hers around his shoulders.  They went
to sleep in each others arms.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates09.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story-  9


                                    Chapter 9
                                     DOCTORS

   Joe woke Sunday morning in Linda's arms. He carefully untangled himself
taking care not to wake her.  He pulled the sheet away, but was no longer
surprized by his appearance.  He was getting used to the way he felt too.  He
gazed at his body, and  contemplated the way it looked. He was always amazed
at how some women's breasts seemed to flatten, almost disappear, when they lay
on their back.  Now, as he looked at himself, he observed that his own chest
seemed flatter too.  It was still hairless, and the larger areolas affirmed
that he still looked feminine.  He touched them, feeling the now familiar
softness.  No, they  weren't getting smaller, and he was entering his third
day as a woman. The third day.  How many more would he have to endure?  Would
he ever be back to normal?  The question began to haunt him again.  He could
hardly wait for Dan to call.  Dan McQuire was Jay's friend, and Dan was going
to help him with the reason why his body had somehow become female, apparently
overnight.

   Changed to female....  He was starting to accept it. At first, he reacted
by denial, he wasn't really a woman, no matter what his body looked like.
Yesterday, when he had seen what he looked like, all over, he began to realize
the situation he was actually in.  His engineers mind, trained to trust the
facts and to keep an open mind, was now fighting with the obvious fact that
his body was no longer masculine, and no matter what he thought, or what he
said, people now reacted differently to him.  He would have to relate
differently to them too.  That included his friends.  Friends both male and
female.  That included Linda too.

    Linda.  He thought about her.  She was unusually understanding and
tolerant  of his strange problem.  Sometimes, she almost seemed amused to
watch his reactions, and the way he handled the differences.  He couldn't
complain about her help or understanding.  He really couldn't understand why
she was so understanding.  In fact, it almost seemed like she enjoyed his
predicament.  He knew he loved her, and that she loved him.  But now.  What
about now?  How should he feel about her?  He felt the same as before, as when
he was male, and she was his fiance.  That would probably have to change.
Even if something could be done for him, and he could become male again, even
if not a completely functioning male, it was unlikely they could, or would,
continue as before.  Hell, they had even made lesbian love together.  At least
it was like lesbian love.  He didn't consider himself  homosexual, but if he
was now  female, then he must be, since he still loved women, loved to be
around them, and loved to look at them, and touch them.  Just like before.
Just like a man.  Even his own body now turned him on sometimes.  But then
why not?  The change had transformed his body into a quite attractive, female
form.

   Joe got up, and went to the bathroom.  As he sat there, he noticed the hand
mirror laying on the sink. He took it, and after he finished relieving
himself, he stood, and raised his leg on the closed lid of the toilet. He
positioned the mirror to get another look at that new genitalia.  He could
hardly resist looking at himself.  It was so different.  It was like looking
at someone else, but there was no doubt that the image in the mirror was the
reflection of his own body.  Truth be known, he even sort of liked the way he
now looked.  But... he knew he would have problems if he tried to forget his
past, and resume his life with this new body.  He couldn't expect everybody to
suddenly accept him as a girl.  He didn't think he could accept it himself.
He had thirty years of experience being a boy and a man.  He didn't even know
how to act like a woman.  He didn't want to be treated like a woman either.
He was a man.  He knew how to be a man.  He liked to be treated like a man.
He wished, with all his heart, he could look like a man again.  It would make
everything so much easier.

   Disgusted, Joe put the hand mirror down, and looked into the mirror over
the sink.  He saw himself, his almost familiar face, and his new body.  He
turned to the side, looking at his profile in the mirror.  His new shape would
be a problem if he was to become a man again.  He looked at his shoulders.
They were not as wide as before, but might possibly pass for a man.  He looked
at his waist and hips.  His waist was much smaller, and his tummy flatter.
That could easily change.  His hips.  He put his hands on his hips, and ran
them up and down, following the shape.  Maybe they were not much different
than before.  Maybe he was just smaller everywhere else.  He turned and
examined his butt.  Now that sure didn't look like it did before.  It was
softer and rounder, and completely hairless.  He rubbed it with both hands,
feeling the softness.  It was nice.  Maybe his best female attribute.  He
turned back, and faced the mirror.  Yea, his butt was his best feature.  He
examined his breasts.  They were pretty good too.  They were firm, and nicely
shaped, but were, just maybe, a bit small for his body, since he was somewhat
tall for a woman.  He had been almost six feet tall, but now he measured about
five eight or so, and he was thin, noticeably thinner than Linda, which made
him look even taller.  It might be difficult to pass as a man, but not
impossible, if that's what he decided to do.

   Joe went back to the bedroom, and sat on the bed next to Linda.  She was
awake and turned to face him.

   "What's up for today?" She asked.

   "I don't know." Joe said "I hope I get a call from Dan, but I doubt he
works on Sunday."

   "Yea, I'm sure you want to know what's going on, as soon as you can, but I
doubt that anybody is working around the clock on your problem." Linda said,
smiling sweetly at Joe.

   "Mind if I take a shower?" Joe asked.

   "No, please do." Linda quipped.

   Joe looked at her, and stuck his underarm up to his nose.  He smelled
different, even to his own nose.  Like a woman.

   "I'm only teasing Joe." Linda said.

   Joe didn't say anything, but went into the bathroom, and turned on the
shower.  He looked through Linda's drawers until he found a razor.  He found a
pink plastic Daisy.  He found some Noxema shave cream, and took them into the
shower with him.  He carefully adjusted the water temperature, and then wet
his body down. He took the shaving cream and applied some under his arms. He
then took the razor and shaved himself smooth.  His underarms felt real good
without the soft stubble, which didn't feel at all like the stubble he used to
get on his face.  He touched his face, and felt a softness unlike anytime as a
male, even immediately after shaving.

   He put some shave cream on his legs, one at a time, and carefully shaved
them. feeling them for stubble, and removing it with the razor.  His legs felt
great after shaving too.  He felt his "bikini line", as Linda called it.  He
carefully applied shaving cream there. He carefully used the blade to keep the
outline of his pubic patch a narrow triangle as Linda had done for him on
Saturday.

    When Joe finished shaving, he rinsed off, and soaped himself all over with
the bath soap Linda used. He loved the way his body now felt, and enjoyed the
sensations when he caressed his body.  He never felt like this when he had a
male body.  He wondered if the feeling would go away when the doctors changed
him back... if they could.  Probably would, he decided.

   Joe rinsed, dried off, and went back into the bedroom.  He found the
underwear they bought yesterday.  He looked, and realized that he only had
fresh panties, no clean bra.  His other clothes were still over at his
apartment.  Linda saw his problem, and went to her lingerie drawer, and tossed
him one of her bras, just like the one he wore yesterday.  He took it, and
then decided not to wear it, but put his old one back on.  He was getting
accustomed to wearing a bra, and even liked the more "secure" feeling he had
when he did.  Besides, his breasts seemed to bounce around embarrassingly when
he didn't.

   Joe found the white shorts, and the other new top, and put them on.  He was
hunting around the side of the bed for his socks, when Linda went into the
bathroom.  She closed the door, but Joe could hear her pee, and then turn on
the shower.  He finished dressing, and went out into the hallway.  As he
passed the open door to the hall bath, he noticed that Jay's swim trunks were
still hanging in the shower. He walked into the bathroom, and picked them up.
They seemed very large. Before, he was slightly bigger than Jay, but now,
holding his trunks, Jay seemed huge.  They were dry, and Joe held them up to
his waist.  No, they wouldn't fit. He held open the waistband and looked
inside.  His groin muscles tensed slightly when he saw the mesh pouch designed
for male organs.  It seemed strange now.  It had only been a few days but he
was already used to the contours, the sleek fit of feminine attire.  This
men's stuff, huge and baggy, already seemed alien to him.  It was weird.  He
put the trunks back, and wondered about it.

   Joe went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, found some orange juice, and
took it out. He went to the cabinet, and found a large glass and filled it
with juice.  He took the glass and went to the breakfast area.  He was looking
through yesterdays paper when Linda came into the room.

   "Would you like some breakfast?" She asked.

   "No, thanks, I usually don't eat breakfast." Joe said.

   "Well, I'm going to have a bowl of corn flakes if you don't mind." Linda
said.

   "Not at all." Joe replied.

   "I think I'll go over to my place for a while." Joe said. "I will wash some
things, and straighten the place up."  Joe said.

   "Joe, can we talk?" Linda asked.

   "Sure, absolutely." Joe returned. "What about?"

   "Joe, You have some real problems..... changes facing you in the next few
days, or weeks, or maybe even months." Linda went on. "What ever happens to
you, you are going to need some help. Even if you can change back, I doubt
that it can happen over night, and you will need someone to take care of you.
If you can't be changed back, you'll need even more help adapting to the
changes in your life.  You are doing quite well, but I can see, you would need
a woman to guide you along.  I love you.  I love you as a woman loves a man,
and, even if you must remain a woman, I will still love you.  Don't ask me
what that means, what that makes me, because I don't know, and I don't care.
Whatever you are, or whatever you become, I want to help you. I'll be your
girl friend, lover, fiance, or just your best friend. whatever you want.  Just
don't drive me away, whatever you decide to do."  She had tears in her eyes.

   "While you live as a woman, why don't you move here... with me?" Linda
asked. "I have plenty of room, I can teach you the things you need to know,
and you won't get stares from your neighbors, if you stay here."

   "I don't have any problem with staying here" Joe said. "I still think of
you as my fiance, but I don't know what we can ever do about that."

   "You deserve more of a man than what I can ever be again." Joe continued.

   "Don't worry about your damned manhood." Linda said, showing an
uncharacteristic irritation.  "That's not as important to me as you seem to
think."

   "Ok, I'll move over here, but I'll keep my apartment, at least for a
while." Joe said. "I like it over there, and you may change your mind when
we find what's in store for me."

   "I'm going to drive over there and clean up." Joe said. "Do you want to
come along?"

   "Maybe later." Linda said. "I better work on some papers today."

   "See you in a little while." Joe said, and went into the bedroom.

   Joe found his wallet in the jumpsuit. He took some money, credit cards, and
his drivers license. His shorts had only very small pockets, too small for
credit cards.  His top has no pockets at all. He didn't know what to do, but
then he had an idea. He pulled the loose top up, above his bra. He slid the
license and credit cards into his bra, between his breasts.  He pulled his top
down, and looked in the mirror.  He felt his breasts, and could feel the
cards, but he couldn't see them. They fit ok there, but would be difficult to
retrieve if he needed them. Tuff, he thought.  A guys gotta do, what a guys
gotta do...

   With his key ring in his hand, Joe went out the patio door, to get to his
car.  He opened it buckled up, and started the engine.  He went down the
drive, and carefully drove over to his apartment.  It would really be hard to
explain to an officer, after getting his license from his bra, why although
he was obviously a woman, he had male on his license.  No, he must be careful.

   Joe entered his apartment, and looked around the familiar surroundings.  He
had lived here since he came to town, and liked it here.  He didn't know his
neighbors, and there was a good turnover in neighbors anyway, but everyone was
friendly, and there was no crime in the area.

   He went to his bedroom.  He was surprised at the smell.  It was obviously a
guys room.  He hadn't even noticed it before.  Maybe his nose was more
sensitive now, or maybe he was just used to the scents of Linda's room.  He
took a whiff of his clothes.  He didn't smell like that now, at least.  Did he
even smell like a girl now?  Probably did, he considered.  He probably didn't
smell like a man, at least.

   Joe went around retrieving his dirty clothes, some under the bed, others in
the hamper, and even a dirty shirt in the kitchen.  He sorted the clothes and
threw a load in the washer.  As he was tossing one of his shirts, he took it,
and held it to his nose.  He could smell his old familiar sweaty smell.  It
made him feel strange now. It was the scent of a male, and he was beginning to
become accustomed to the sensations, and maybe, the urges, of being a woman.
Even his own man-smell was now slightly arousing to him.  What was happening
to him?   He didn't even like to think about it.

   After he got the washer going, he went back into the kitchen.  He opened
the refrigerator, and took out a can of beer.  He was thirsty, and it was all
he had in the house.  He took the beer, and went to the couch.  He looked
through his magazines on the coffee table.  Flying, Car and Driver, PC
Magazine, and Playboy. The latest issues.  He had only quickly glanced at
the Playboy since it arrived, so he selected it.  He thumbed through it, and
as usual, stopped at the center-fold.  He looked at the pictures of the young
woman in the magazine.  She was maybe mid-twenties, and beautiful.  Joe looked
at her, and felt the same excitement as always.  As he looked, and imagined
being in bed with her, he remembered the irony of his situation.  The girl in
the pictures could now be him.  He put the magazine down.  It would take time
to get used to the different point of view.

   Joe finished his wash, and cleaned the place up a little. After all his
male clothes were washed and dried, he hung them in the closet.  He wondered
what he would do with all this stuff.  Most of it wouldn't fit him anymore, no
matter what sex he was, or would become.  Maybe Jay could use some of them.
It was a problem for another day.

   He gathered up his female clothes, and the went into his bathroom.  He took
his shaving kit, his deodorant, and his new bath powder.  He selected his
biggest, and best bath towels, and took them also.

   It took a few trips to his car to get all the stuff loaded.  When he had it
all, he locked up his apartment, and drove back to Linda's.

   Linda was still working on her papers when he returned.  Joe made some iced
tea for both of them.  When Linda finished her paperwork, They went out and
sat by the pool the rest of the afternoon.  That evening they went to a
restaurant and then came back to Linda's. When they entered the house, Joe
went in straight to the bedroom.  He had decided to keep his things in the
second bedroom, which also had a bath of its own, and was quite nice, much
nicer than the bedroom of his apartment.  Joe removed his shorts, and top, and
in his underwear, went back to Linda's bedroom.  Linda's clothes were laying
on her bed, and she was in her bathroom. Joe heard the toilet flush, and the
shower start.  Linda would have to go to her office in the morning.

   Joe lay down on the bed.  Soon the shower stopped, and Linda finished in
the bath. She came out, wearing her short robe, and sat on the bed with Joe.

   "Would you sleep with me?" Linda asked.

   "Try and stop me." Joe responded, taking her in his arms.

   They went to sleep, caressing each other, and enjoying each others company.

   Morning came quickly, and the clock radio on Linda's night stand began to
blast out in song.  Joe woke, and looked at the digital readout. Seven A.M.
Already, it was time for Linda to get up. She had an appointment at nine.

   Linda moaned and stretched.  She got out of bed, and went into the bath
room.  She brushed her teeth, and went to work on her makeup and hair.  Joe
lay in bed, and watched her as she went through her normal routines.  He
watched as she applied the creams, powders, eye shadows, and other stuff that
woman did to make themselves "presentable".  Would this be his fate too?  He
remembered the other day, when the woman at the cosmetic counter gave him a
"makeover".  He looked so much different afterwards, much more attractive,
though he looked pretty good with the well scrubbed look too.  He touched his
face with his hand.  It was so smooth, and soft.  He closed his eyes, and
tried to sleep a little while.  He would have nothing to do until he received
a call, either from Dan, or Jay.  He didn't think he would be get a call from
work, since he said he would be going to the hospital for maybe a few days.

   Linda finished in the bathroom, and came back in the bedroom.  She was
wearing black panties, and camisole.  She looked so sexy, Joe thought.  She
went into her closet, and brought out a gray wool suit.  Joe watched as
she selected black hose, not pantyhose, but the kind that stay up by
themselves, without garters.  She put them on and when she stood, she saw Joe
was observing her.  She smiled, a little embarrassed to be watched so intently
while she dressed.

   "Is something wrong?" she asked.

   "Absolutely not." Joe replied. "I was just watching you, thinking about how
sexy you look, and the about the things women wear under their clothes, even
to work.  It seems it would make you excited, just thinking about what you
have on beneath that business-like, gray exterior."

   Linda looked a Joe with a devilish grin, and winked.

   "Maybe it does." she said.  "I guess it's one of the advantages of being a
woman.  Why don't you try it, while you can?"

   "Nope, I wore a skirt the first day, and I don't know what was more
difficult, that, or the heels." Joe countered. "It may look great, but I
know now it don't feel like it looks."

   "Well, it gets easier when you get used to it, but your right, it don't
feel as good as it looks."  Linda agreed.

   Linda finished dressing, and went out into the kitchen, to make some
breakfast.  Joe got out of bed, and went across the hall to his bedroom.  He
opened the top drawer of his dresser, and looked inside.  Yesterday he had put
his underwear there, and now he looked at the selection of panties, bras, and
pantyhose.  His things looked strange to him, there in the drawer by itself,
without any of his familiar men's underwear for company.  It sort of made his
situation seem more permanent, but for now, it was probably the for the best.
He selected the white cotton bra he bought the first day. It was the first one
he had worn.  He picked some beige nylon undies, and went into his bathroom.
This bath had a shower, and a sink with a large mirror.  He decided he didn't
need a shower, and just brushed his teeth.  He hadn't put his underwear on,
and the giggle of his bra-less chest as he brushed his teeth caught his eye.
Never a dull moment, he thought.  When he finished, he pulled the panties on,
and found his deodorant.  He rubbed some Secret on his smooth underarms.  He
took his bra, and put it on.  It was getting easy to do, now that he was
familiar with the procedure, and he even liked the way it felt.  He shook
himself, and was pleased by the limited giggle.  I see why girls wear these
things, he thought.  He looked at his face.  His hair was still too short.  He
took his hair brush, and began brushing it back, and to one side.  It was just
too short to do much with it.  He tried brushing it forward, and decided that
was the best it could be.   He looked at his face again.  He pursed his lips.
It made him think of the cosmetics that he had bought.  He opened the drawer,
and looked at the things he had placed there.  he just didn't know how to use
this stuff.  He took the lipstick, and removed the cap.  He carefully rubbed
some on his lips, as he pursed them tight.  He did a fair job of applying the
color, which looked good as he examined himself.  Only a little got on the
above his top lip.  He took some toilet tissue, and was daubing the offending
bit of color away.  Suddenly, he realized what he was doing.  He was standing
in front of a bathroom mirror, putting lipstick on his face.... What was
happening to him.  He tried to get control of himself.  What the hell is going
on, he thought?  Am I losing control of my mind.

   Joe looked at himself in the bathroom mirror again.  The lipstick had added
some color to his tanned face, and made him look more feminine.  He was trying
to decide if he would try some of the other cosmetics when Linda entered the
open bathroom door.  She looked at Joe, and smiled when she saw what he was
doing.  She looked at the things he had in the drawer.

   "Well, it certainly looks good on you." She said.  "Why don't you try some
liner, and blush?" She asked.

   "I would, but I don't really know what I'm doing." Joe replied.

   "Here.  I'll help you." Linda said.

   She opened the lid of the powder, and brushed some on his face, and
continued until the colors were as she liked them.  She then used the eyeliner
pencil very sparingly, to put some emphasis on his eyes.  The effect was
amazing.  Joe looked even better than after the makeover at the department
store.  The tasteful use of makeup made his face look much more feminine, and
attractive.  It hardly looked like he had any makeup on at all, and yet he was
completely transformed.  He had to touch his face to believe it was him
looking back from the mirror.  Linda smiled at his reaction. He looked at her,
and back at the mirror.

   "Very impressive." Was all she said.

   She walked out of the bathroom.  Joe followed her out, into his bedroom.
She didn't stop, but went out into the hallway, and toward the back door.  Joe
followed, but realized he was still in his underwear.

   "I've got to get going." Linda said.  "I'll see you this afternoon."

   "Bye." Joe called, as she went out the door.

   Joe went back to his room.  He went to the closet, and was looked at the
few things hanging there, trying to decide what to wear.   He grabbed the
jumpsuit and took it out into the bedroom.  He still favored it most of all,
but he was getting more comfortable wearing more revealing, and cooler,
clothes.  He stepped into the light blue outfit, and zipped it up.  He then
went to the dresser mirror, and looked at himself.  The lipstick, and makeup
that Linda applied made him look attractive, but less familiar than his
"plain" face.  The loose fitting suit concealed his figure.

   Joe walked into the kitchen, trying to decide how to spend the day.  He was
snooping through Linda's refrigerator when the phone rang.  He wondered if it
was for him.  He had call forwarding at his house, and had transferred his
calls to Linda's.  He went to the phone, and picked it up.

   "Hello, Joe Bates here." He answered.

   "Joe? Joe Bates? This is Angela Beaman, from Honeybone Avionics Personal.
Sorry to bother you. I have a message for you."  The voice on the other end
said.

   "What can I do for you, Angie?" Joe replied.

   "I had a call from Mr. Matheney, from Flight Test, I believe he's your
boss." She said.

   "That's right." Joe answered.

   Joe was an electrical engineer, and often worked in the Flight Test
Department, testing new avionics hardware. Thursday he had worked on a new
Nav receiver system which was designed to fix its position from signals from
satellites positioned around the earth by the Department of Defense.  He and
an associate had been using the company Learjet 35 conducting ground, and
flight tests on it.  Jim Matheney was the department head of the group which
conducted these type of tests.  The company Joe worked for had a number of
aircraft, A Gulfstream I turboprop, and a twin Cessna 421, as well as the
Lear.  Joe was a pilot, and was checked out in all of but the big G-I, which
was almost never used for test work anymore. It was simply too expensive to
operate, and they didn't need the room.

   "Mr. Matheney would like you to call him as soon as possible." the woman
said.

   "Do you know what it's about?" Joe asked.

   "No, I don't really, but I think it's regarding your illness."  she
answered.

   "Ok, I'll give him a call." Joe said, not really hiding his irritation.

   "Thank you, sorry to bother you, and I hope you get well soon." Angie said,
and hung up.

   Joe hug up the phone, concerned about what he would say to Jim.  He didn't
want to go back to work like this, but what kind of excuse could he use?  He
decided to tell him that the doctor recommended a week of bed rest, and would
figure out what to do later.  Everyone would know eventually, since not only
was he a girl now, but he was much shorter, and smaller in general.  No matter
what he did, he couldn't hide that from his associates.

   Joe dialed the Jim's work number.  The phone was answered on one ring.

   "Flight Test.  Matheney." Jim answered.

   "Jim, this is Joe." Joe responded. "I had a message you wanted me to call."

   "Hi Joe, You sound funny.  I hope you are alright." Jim said curiously.

   "I have some medical problems, Jim, I think I'll be out for at least a week
of so."  Joe lied.

   "That's what I called about Joe.  I was wondering what your problem is."
he said.  "Dave Skinner called in and said he had some kind of problem, and
Mike Osborn called in Friday, but I haven't been able to call him at home.  I
was wondering if you all came down with the same thing, or what." he went on.

   "Well I got some problems, I don't know exactly what they are yet." Joe
offered.  "When I find out, you'll be one of the first to know, but I suspect
I'll be out for at least a week."  He said.

   "I was concerned when all three of you called in sick at the same time. I
had to stop testing the GPS receiver, since my two engineer/pilots, and
technician all got sick at the same time." Jim said.

   Jim's words made Joe start to think.  Could the other guys be having
problems too?  Could they all have been exposed to the same thing... virus,
or whatever?  There could be some connection.  He would have to call the other
guys.

   "I'll call in a few days, and let you know how I'm doing." Joe said.

   "Well, don't worry, just get well as soon as you can.  We need you around
here." Jim said.

   "See you later, Jim." Joe finished.

   "Later." Jim said, hanging up.

   A new turn of events.  Was there some significance in the fact that all the
persons who flew Thursday called in sick?  He would have to find out.  He got
his company phone list out and looked up the number of his friend Dave
Skinner.  Dave was married, and had two boys.  He lived about a mile from
Joe's apartment.  He found the number, and dialed it.

   "Hello." a woman answered.

   "Cindy, this is Joe Bates.  Is Dave around?" Joe asked.

   "Hi Joe." Dave's wife answered.  "Joe, Dave can't come to the phone right
now." She said nervously.

   "What's the matter Cindy?  Is Dave alright?  What is wrong with him?" Joe
asked hurriedly.

   "Joe, I can't talk about it.  But he's OK." Cindy said.

   "Come on Cindy, tell me what's wrong with Dave.  Has he changed in any
way?" Joe asked, trying to get her to tell him what was going on.

   "Nothing's wrong with Dave." Cindy almost shouted.  "He'll be OK."

   "Cindy, has Dave changed... is he feminine... female?" Joe asked, taking a
chance.

   "Uh, how...Joe...He's....Yea, Yea, he's a woman.... his body has
changed... I don't know." Cindy stuttered.

   "Ok..Ok..I understand, get him to come to the phone, I have to talk to
him." Joe said, his heart pounding.

   He won't come Joe.  He won't talk to anybody but me. He's so depressed, I
don't know what to do."  Cindy was in tears.

   "Cindy, listen to me.  The same thing has happened to me.  I know what he's
going through." Joe said.  "You tell him that, and get him to get on this
phone, or I'm coming over there.

   "I'll try." Cindy replied.

   Joe heard the phone drop, and he waited.  So Dave has the same problem.
Interesting.  What could be causing this?  He thought of Mike.  Mike Osborn
was the technician on the test crew.  He was a big guy, probably over 250
pounds.  He was strong too.  He lifted weights, and was into body building.
He couldn't even imagine Mike as a female.

   "Joe, Dave here." Joe heard a dusky female sounding voice said the words
with the curt manner of Dave Skinner.

   "Dave, this is Joe. I heard what happened, and I want you to know you are
not the only one. I have a problem too."  Joe said quickly.

   "Yea, well I bet you don't have tit's and a pussy."  Dave said. His femine
voice, with male inflection, sounding strange.

   "Yea Dave, I actually do, and I know what you are feeling." Joe said
truthfully.

   "What?  You turned female too?  What the hell is going on anyway." Dave
almost yelled, in his new, slightly higher, voice.

   "I don't know Dave, but you can bet I'm going to find out. Somebody has to
have some idea what has happened to us."  Joe said, hoping to calm his buddy,
who was usually unflappable.

   I'll tell you what has happened to me!" Dave yelled.  "I can't pee right
anymore.  I can't make love to my wife!  That's what happened to me!  I don't
want to have breasts big as Cindy's, but I do!  That's what happened to me!
Dave's voice broke as he yelled at Joe.

   Joe wondered what he could do for his friend, but couldn't think of
anything.  Hell, he had the same problem.  Of course, he didn't have a wife
and family.

   "Dave if we both have this problem, and Mike has called in sick too, it
must be something in the Lear, or some place we went that caused it." Joe
said, thinking out loud.

   "Mike turned into a girl?" Dave said quizzically.  "Big Mike Osborn?"

   "I don't know, but I suspect he has." Joe said. "He called in sick too, and
Jim don't know what is wrong with him."

   "I can't imagine him like this. It would kill him."  Dave said, suddenly
more interested in Mike than in his own problems.

   "Well I'm going to give him a ring, and find out.  I hope he will answer
his phone."  Joe said.

   "What are you doing today Joe?" Dave asked.  "How about coming over here.
I've got to talk to somebody about this"

   "Maybe I will." Joe answered.  "I'll give you a call later. I have to wait
around here for a medical examiner to call.  I'm getting myself checked out.

   "You had a physical, looking like a woman?"  Dave asked.  "How could you
get the nerve?"

   "No, not a physical, just a blood test, and finger prints.  I'm trying to
prove I'm still the same person.  If I get stopped while driving I don't want
to get stuck in jail, because my license don't match what I look like."  Joe
said.

   "I haven't even gone outside, much less drive a car."  Dave said.  "I'm too
embarrassed to be seen.  Besides, my clothes don't even fit.  Right now, I'm
wearing some of Cindy's clothes, and they fit better than mine do.  It's
really embarrassing.

   "Tell me about it." Joe agreed.  "But just think what Mike might be going
through."

   "Give me a call Joe." Dave said.  "We have to get out of this one."

   "I will." Joe said.  "Dave, let me ask a question."

   "Go ahead." Dave answered.

   "Do I sound like a girl... a woman, to you?"  Joe asked.

   "Yea, I guess so... a little husky maybe, but in a sexy kind of way."  Dave
replied.

   "Funny, that's the same as I was thinking about your voice."  Joe said.

   "Call me later, Joe." Dave said, and hung up.

   Joe sat there at the phone, digesting the new information.  All the guys
who worked on the Lear crew Thursday seemed to have a problem.  At least two
were "feminized", or something.  He decided to call Mike Osborn.  He looked up
his number and dialed.  He let it ring for a long time, and was about to give
up, when he heard the phone click as it was picked up.  No one answered.

   "Hello? Hello? Is anybody there?  Mike?  Mike, this is Joe, Joe Bates,
please answer."  Joe said into the phone.

   Finally, someone answered. The voice of Mike Osborn, maybe a little higher
pitch, but not much, said haltingly into the phone. "Hello, Joe?"

   "Mike, it's Joe.  Are you OK?  Has anything usual happened to you?" Joe
asked.

   "Unusual?  No, I don't think so. Everything is OK... fine." Mike said
quickly.

   "Really, or you sure?  I heard you were out Friday too, same as me and
Dave.  I thought you might have the same problems we're having."  Joe said.

   "What kind of problem is that?" Mike asked.

   "Well Mike, I seem to have undergone some kind of change... I've developed
breasts, and well.. generally seem to have turned female.  I just got off the
phone with Dave, and he seems to be experiencing the same thing.  We were
wondering if you had the same problem."  Joe said, as delicately as he could.

   "Joe, I...I don't know how to say this... I do have a problem. I don't know
what it is...I...my...I...my balls are completely gone, my cock seems to have
shrunk a lot, and I can't even pee without sitting down.  I don't know what
the hell is happening to me."  Mike Osborn carefully admitted to his friend.

   Have... are you... changing into a girl?" Joe asked.

   "Hell, I don't know, Joe." Mike replied.

   "Well, have you developed women's breasts, and lost a lot of body hair?
Are you smaller?"  Joe asked his flustered buddy.

   "Smaller? I don't know, maybe a little, but not much.  Breasts, no, I don't
have breasts, but my chest... my nipples hurt some.  I haven't lost any body
hair, at least it don't seem like I have."  Mike was recovering his composure
a little.

   "Mike, could you meet me and Dave, at his house, in about an hour?" Joe
asked.

   "Joe, I don't want to go outside." Mike said.

   "Come on Mike, do your clothes still fit?  Joe asked.

   "Yea, they fit pretty good.  I don't want anybody to see me, Joe. I have to
pee a lot, and I...my cock seems to leak or something.  Something's sure not
right down there.  A confused and embarrassed Mike Osborn tried to explain his
situation to Joe.

   "Well Mike, if it makes you feel any better, I don't have a penis at all.
And I don't think Dave does either." Joe said.

   "What's happening to us anyway?" Mike asked.

   "I don't know, mike, but I want to find out.  That's why I would like to
meet with you and Dave, at his house."  Joe said again.

   Ok, Joe, I'll be there. Just don't laugh when you see what I look like."
Mike agreed.

   "I think you'll be surprised when you see me too, so don't worry." Dave
tried to reassure his big friend.

   "I'll see you in about an hour Joe." Mike said, and hung up the phone.

   Joe went back into his bedroom.  He went to the mirror on the dresser, and
looked at himself.  He would soon be presenting himself to his friends, people
who knew him as a man, and he was nervous about it.  Even though Dave and Mike
also had problems too, he wasn't looking forward to exposing his problems to
them and soon everybody else, it seemed.  He was brushing his short hair, when
the phone rang.  Was it Dan, with some news?  He went to the phone by the
night stand.

   "Hello."  He said carefully.

   "Joe?  Joe Bates?" A voice on the other end asked.

   "This is Joe.  What can I do for you?"  Joe answered.

   Joe, this is Dan McGuire, from Forensic.  I have a little information for
you already.  Do you have a minute?"  Dan asked.

   "You bet I do!" Joe responded.  "I hope it's good news."

   "Well, I got your military records from the DOD, it was quick, and much
easier than it is sometimes.  They had a lot on you too.  Your Top Secret
Clearance is still current and included some interesting data. You want to
hear some of it?"  Dan said, obviously proud of the job he had done so
quickly.

   "Sure, fire away." Joe was impatient to hear what he had found.

   "Well, the blood types match, that's for sure.  Your prints do too.  I feel
it's fairly certain that we can prove that you are who you say you are. I
talked to some of the doctors, and they want to do some genetic tests on you.
I might have some results from that at any time.  A lot of people around here
have taken interest in your case, and you're getting top priority."  Dave said
proudly.

   "What will genetic tests prove?" Joe asked.

   "Well, they'll tell us if you are a man or a woman, at least genetically.
It is easy to see if you're chromosomes are XX, or XY.  That is the basic
test.  Any and all of your cells will carry those chromosomes." Dan explained.

   "If it shows that I'm a woman, what then? Or a man for that matter." Joe
asked.  "I admit I would like to know, but what will it help?"

   "Well, If it shows you are XX, or genetically female, some real questions
will be raised.  As far as I know, no genetic female has ever fathered a
child.  Your records show that you did, thirteen years ago." Dan said.

   Joe was amazed. How did they know that?

   "Where did you get that information?  I was only seventeen then, and Jane
was sixteen.  She didn't even keep the baby."  Joe admitted. He had almost
forgotten that low time in his life.

   "When you're subjected to a National Security Agency investigation, usually
no stones are left unturned.  If you have any skeletons in your closet they'll
find them. Dan explained.

   "I didn't think anybody knew about it."  Joe said, still amazed.

   "Can you get in here this afternoon for an examination from some of our
doctors?  They sure would like to see you." Dan asked.

   "I have some news for you too" Joe said.  "I got a call from my employer.
It seems that two of my friends, who had been in the plane with me Thursday,
the day before this happened, have been inflicted with the same, or similar
problem.  What do you think of that?"

   "Can you get them over here this afternoon?" Dan asked.

   "I don't know, I'm supposed to meet them in about an hour.  I'll try." Joe
answered.

   "Well, get them over here. We'll do what we can." Dan said.  "What have you
guys got yourselves into, anyway?"

   "I wish I knew.. I sure wish I knew." Joe said quietly, and hung up.

   He had to get ready to see his buddies.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates10.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 10


                                 Chapter 10
                                  Answers

   Joe Bates drove into the drive at the home of his flying buddy, and fellow
engineer, Dave Skinner.  When he got out of his sports car he smoothed his
clothes, the loose fitting jumpsuit that hid his new curves.  He slowly walked
up to the front door, and rang the bell.  Cindy Skinner, Dave's wife, opened
the door, and peered out.  She smiled when she recognized Joe, and opened the
door.  Joe went inside, feeling a bit self conscious as Dave's wife watched
him walk in.  He couldn't conceal the look of surprize when he  saw Dave.

   The last time Joe saw Dave, he was about six feet tall and weighed two
hundred pounds.  Dave was thirty two years old, and was not in as good shape
as Joe, and, a decade of married life had endowed him a small pot-gut which he
couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard he tried.

   The Dave Skinner who came out of the family room didn't look anything like
that.  This one nervously entered the room was wearing a woman's  white
blouse, with loose baggy shorts, also obviously a  woman's.  Since he  wore
nothing under the blouse, the dark outline of his now large areola could  be
seen through the thin fabric.  He walked uncomfortably, not yet familiar  with
much wider hips, and a shorter gait.  Were it not for his short haircut,  he
could easily be mistaken for a typical, almost middle aged, somewhat plain,
sloppily dressed, housewife.  Dave always had the beginnings of a six o'clock
shadow, even in the morning, but now his face was as smooth as a young boy's.
Joe saw that Dave's legs were hairy, maybe not as heavy or thick as before,
but still covered with soft black down.  It looked unusual to see someone who
looked so female, have such hairy legs.  Joe couldn't help but look at Dave's
chest.  Through the thin fabric of the blouse, he could see that the heavy
chest hair Dave had was gone, replaced by a voluptuousness that was a source
of embarrassment for its owner.

   "Hi Joe, what's new with you?" Dave asked, somewhat sarcastically.

   "Not much, Dave, Just thought I'd stop by , and see if you want to  go bar
hopping this evening" Joe teased.

   "Nope, I don't think I'm up to it, old buddy."  Dave answered.  He had
trouble returning the humor that his pal was using to break the tension.

   "I talked to Mike while ago, and he's got trouble too, but it sounds like
he's a little different from me, or you."  Joe said.

   "What do you mean? Is he still a guy, or what?" Dave asked, the sarcasm
creeping back into his voice.

   "I can't really tell from how he described his symptoms, but if he has
changed, he isn't as far along as we are." Joe said, not taking his eyes from
his buddies chest.

   It was strange seeing a matronly body below the almost familiar  face.
Dave's face was little changed, but maybe ten years younger looking.   He
wondered what Dave was thinking about him.

   "Good for him.  He would REALLY make an ugly woman."  Dave said, smiling
for the first time.

   "I think I talked him into coming over here.  He should be  here soon." Joe
said.

   "Well, you sure look  good, Joe." Dave returned, eyeing his buddy, trying
to imagine what he looked like under the loose clothes.

   "Linda has been helping me try to make the best of this." Joe said.

   "It looks like you even have lipstick on.  Do you?"  Dave asked, moving
closer.

   Joe grinned. He said.  "Well, yea, I do.  I even had a make-over at the
Mall the other day.  With Linda's help, I've been able to make the best of it.
Some of the things I've done have actually kind of interesting.

   "Well, I haven't done much that's interesting."  Dave said, with not a
little disgust showing through.

   "We both might as well treat this as an experience, Dave." Joe recommended.
"As I see it, were stuck like this, at least until we can find out what's
causing it.  Hopefully, it's not permanent."  He tried to sound more confident
than he actually was.

   "It's easy for you, old buddy. You're not married, with a family...  A
wife... and kids...  Hell, Joe look at you, You're practically beautiful."
Dave lamented.

   Cindy went to him, but Dave pushed her away.  She looked at Joe.  Joe
didn't know what to do, or say.  Dave walked back into the family room.  Joe
followed him to the family room, and he saw Dave sit down on the couch, with
his four year old son, David.

   "Joe Joe, are you a mommy now too?  David asked innocently.

   "Hi David." Joe replied. "No, I'm not a mommy.  I just sort of look like
one, I guess.  Your dad and I have a problem with how we look. We don't know
what's wrong with us yet."

   "You're pretty" David said.

   "Thanks David.  I guess."  Joe replied, looking at Dave.

   There was a ring of the door bell.  Joe quickly got up, and went to the
front door.  Cindy opened the door.  The familiar hulk of Mike Osborn loomed
in the doorway.  Mike's eyes widened when he saw the new Joe.

   "Holy cow, Joe, You ARE a woman, ain't you?"  Mike almost shouted, his loud
voice seeming to be almost unchanged.

   "I suspect so, Mike." Joe replied.  "Come on in."

   Mike walked in, and followed Joe back to the family room.  He walked right
over to the couch, to look at Dave.

   "Damn, Dave, You seem to have the same problem as Joe."  He said.

   "Clever observation, Mike."  Dave said.  "It looks like you escaped
whatever happened to us."

   "Well, not exactly Dave."  Mike said, not wanting to talk with young David
listening intently to the unusual conversation.

   "It seems you haven't changed at all."  Joe said.

   "Can we go somewhere private." Mike asked.

   "I suggest you all go to our bedroom."  Cindy said.

   Dave got up, and awkwardly went into the bedroom, his substantial butt
jiggled and swayed as he walked.  Mike and Joe followed.  Dave closed the door
after them, stopping David, who wanted in.  Cindy led him away from the door.

   "You think I haven't changed?"  Mike asked, pulling his sweatpants down.

   Mike pulled his royal blue Calvin Klien men's undershorts down.  He looked
down at his pubic area, and pushed the hair away from around his penis, which
was now very small.  It could have been  no more than an inch or so long.
There were n o testical's evident, and his scrotum  was split down the
middle, looking somewhat like a vagina.

   "See, I got problems too." Mike said, displaying his little penis.

   "When I pee, it comes out from under here."  Mike said, as he lifted his
penis up, he then spread his split scrotum, and pointed to an area close to
the base of his tiny organ.   Joe looked carefully, but could see no evidence
of an opening at the tip of his penis.

   "Looks like you've gone only part way to what's happened to me." Joe said,
looking with interest at his friend.

   "What do you look like, Joe?"  Mike asked.  "You sure look like a girl on
the outside."

   "Yea, and I guess that's what I am, on the outside."  Joe admitted.

   "Could I see?" Mike asked.  "If I'm gonna be...... I might still be
changing, and I'm wondering what I can expect."

   "Well, I don't know...." Joe was reluctant to show his buddies his new
body, and his closely trimmed bush.  Not that he was ashamed of  his body and
the way it looked, he just felt strange putting it on display.  He knew that
he was the mo st feminized of the three of them.  Hell, Mike could hardly pass
as a woman if he tried.  Dave was probably as changed as he was, but his large
hips and buttocks didn't look good on him at all. Dave didn't carry his new
shape well either.

   "Aw, show us Joe, Mike showed us what he looked like, and he's embarrassed
too."  Dave said.  "We're all in the same boat."

   "Ok, then, I'll show you." Joe said slowly.

   Joe unzipped his jumpsuit, and pulled it from his shoulders.  He pulled his
arms from the sleeves, and let the suit drop down his hips, and settle around
his knees.  Joe looked at his friends while he stood there, in his underwear,
his face red with embarrassment.  Mike didn't even pull his pants up, but
stood staring, mesmerized by the shapely body of his friend.  As Joe carefully
lowered his panties, Dave and Mike's eyes widened when they saw his carefully
trimmed hair.

   "Damn Joe.    You really are a girl, ain't you."  Mike exclaimed.

   "I guess I am Mike, and I would bet that you are too."  Joe said.

   "Well, I sure don't look like that." Mike said, pointing to Joe's pubic
area. "And I feel like a man, no matter how small my cock is.  At  least I
still have one."

   "Don't be so sure." Joe said.

   Joe reached down and separated the folds of his genital opening.  A
glistening little nub peeked out as he did so.  He put his finger next to  it,
and pointed it out to Mike.

   "This is what my penis looks like now, Mike.  But it still feels like my
cock to me, too.  But it's not a penis, not anymore.  I think my penis has
become a clitoris.  And I think yours has too.  It's just a little bigger for
some reason." Joe carefully voiced what he thought to be fact.

   "I don't know, I sure don't feel like a woman. I feel exactly like a man."
Mike said, as he watched Joe pull his panties back up.  "In fact,  look at
this."

   Mike pointed to his penis, which could now be seen protruding  through his
thick hair.  It was erect, and it stood out, ready for action.  It was about
the diameter of a pencil, and maybe an inch and a half long.

   "Pull your pants up big guy. I can still get hard on too." Joe said.  "Tell
me, do you get wet down there when you get a boner?"

   "Yea, I do." Mike said.  "I don't know what causes it though."

   "I think it's what happens when a woman gets excited." Joe  answered.  "And
that's probably what you are now, just like Dave and me."

   "Joe, I know something is wrong with me, but look at me, I just can't be
female.  Not with a body like this."  Mike's words were more of a question
than a statement of fact.

   "I don't know, Mike.  I just don't know.  But I want both of you to come
with me to the hospital.  My attorney friend Jay Logan put me on to a guy
named Dan McQuire.  He is a lab technician or something, in Forensic Medicine.
He does things like trace identification from hair, or blood samples, in
homicide cases.  He is working on proving my identification,  but some doctors
there want to see me, and run some other tests, maybe they  will be able to
help.  I told them I had two friends who also had similar problems, and they
would like to examine you guys too.  We should go over there this afternoon,
if you guy's are free."  Joe said, and grinned.

   "If it'll help get me back to normal, I'll do almost anything." Mike said,
as he pulled his sweatpants back up.

   Throughout the whole discussion, Dave said little, but watched  his friends
as they showed their changed bodies, and discussed what to do about them.  He
finally spoke.

   "What can doctors do, Joe?  Look at me, I know what I am, I'm a  fat, dumpy
guy with a woman's body.  A fat WOMAN'S body.  But I've got a  wife and two
kids.  What can the doctors do about that?"  Dave looked like he  might start
to cry.

   "Dave, I don't know what they might be able to do.  I do think we should
give them a chance to look at our problem though.  If we are stuck like this,
the sooner we know it, the better.  If there is a way out, then as far as I
can see, th y will be the people who can help us find it.  We  can wallow in
self pity, but that won't get us back for sure.  Joe tried  to sound confident
for his depressed pal.

   "When do you guys want to go over to see Dan?" Joe asked.

   "Whenever you want, Joe.  I'm ready.  Mike said.

   "Well, let's get ready then.  Dave can you find something a little better
to wear?  At least put a T-shirt on under that blouse, or something.  Maybe
Cindy can help."  Joe tried to get his pal to dress with a little  more pride.

   "What's the difference?" Dave said, "I'm just too fat.  I'm a fat, ugly,
woman."

   "I don't care what sex you're body is, it's still YOUR body.   Show a
little pride, Dave."  Joe insisted.

   Joe opened the bedroom door, and walked out.  Cindy was in the kitchen, and
young David was at the table.

   "Cindy, would you help Dave find something to wear?  I want him  to come
along with Mike and Me to Hillcrest Hospital, to see if they can  do anything
for us."  Joe asked.

   "Joe, I've been trying to get him to wear something more appropriate, but
he will only wear what he has on, or one of his old T-shirts.  His pants don't
fit at all.  I had those old shorts from when I had Suzie.  He won't even try
anything else."  Cindy said.

   "Come with me." Joe ordered, and walked back down the hallway, where Mike
and Dave were coming back from the bedroom.

   Joe took Dave's arm, and led him back to the bedroom.  When Cindy came in
the room, Joe closed the door.

   "Dave take that shirt off, and pull those shorts down." Joe insisted.

   Dave unbuttoned the blouse, and took it off.  He pulled the shorts over his
big hips and buttocks, and stood there, with nothing on, but men's boxer
shorts.  He was quite a sight, and Joe fought to suppress a grin.

   "Cindy, do you have any underwear that will fit this guy?"  Joe asked.

   Cindy, who was attractive looking, but perhaps a little overweight herself,
went to her dresser.  She rummaged through her drawer until she took  a pair
of white cotton panties, and put them on the bed.  She opened another drawer,
and from the back of the drawer selected a white cotton bra.  It looked too
big to fit her, but looked like it might fit her husband.  She held  the up
the bra by the back strap.

   "This is from before I went on the diet, after Suzie." She explained.  "It
might fit you though."  She said to her husband, who just stared at it.

   "Go ahead Dave, try it on, you'll probably appreciate how it feels, if you
try it."  Joe insisted.

   "Joe, I don't think I can wear something like that." Dave complained, his
higher voice sounding slightly whiny.

   "Why not?  Are you afraid you'll look like a woman?  No problem, old buddy,
you already do, so you might as well get used to it."  Joe tried to speak with
authority.

   Dave took the bra from his wife, and pulled it around his chest.  Cindy
helped her embarrassed husband put it on, and adjusted the straps to fit his
slightly larger shoulders.  The support made D ave's breasts look much less
saggy.  He shook his chest, feeling the support and comfort the bra provided.
Dave went to the dresser mirror, and looked at himself.

   "See, it's improvement already." Joe said encouragingly.

   Joe went to the bed, and picked up the white underpants. He held  them out
to Dave.

   "Ok pal, now, take off those baggy shorts, and try these." He said.

   Dave took the underpants, and held them up by the waist band.  To Joe, they
looked twice as big as the ones he was wearing.  Dave shrugged his shoulders
in resignation, and put them back on the bed.  He then pulled  the boxers down
and stepped out of them.  Dave had never seen a large naked  woman before,
and was amazed at the size of Dave's large, soft buttocks.   Dave took the
panties from the bed, and stepped into them.  He pulled them  up and over his
large butt.  When he had them on, he went the mirror, and  looked at himself.
Dave watched, as his friend saw himself in women's  underwear for the first
time.  He knew what Dave was going through.  Dave  just stood there and stared
at himself.  He reached down, and touched the flat area where his male organ
used to be.  Joe remembered how he felt,  the first time he saw himself the
same way.  It seemed so much different  with the snug fitting panties on, than
even when you were naked, when your  pubic hair somewhat hid y our new
contours.

   "Cindy, do you think you'd have something to fit this guy?" Joe asked,
breaking the silence, as Dave looked at himself in the mirror.

   "I'll see.  I might have something from before the diet.  What do  you
want, Dave, shorts, or a dress?"  Cindy asked.

   Dave stood there.  Cindy repeated her question, and only then did Dave look
at her.

   "Ah.. I don't know, do you have something like Joe's wearing? " Dave asked.

   "I don't think so, but I'll see what I have." Cindy replied.

   She went to the closet, and soon returned with some pink pants, and a loose
fitting pull over top.

   "Pink?  Does it have to be pink?"  Dave asked.

   "Sorry, it's what I have, and of what I have, I think it's the best thing
for you." Cindy said.  "Try it on."

   Dave took the pink pants and pulled them on.  They fit fairly good, only a
little tight across the butt.  He pulled the top over his head, and
straightened it across his chest.  It also fit better than expected.  With
Cindy's old clothes o n, Dave looked like a young, plump, woman, with a butch
haircut.

   "Not too bad, old pal.  Maybe we need to go to spend some time at the
health club, though."  Joe said, putting his hand on his friends back as he
inspected himself in the mirror.

   Dave went to the bedroom door, opened it, and went back out to Mike, who
was sitting on the couch, playing with David.  Mike looked up when Joe came in
and saw Dave in his new clothes.

   "Big improvement, Dave."  Mike said.  "You kinda looked like a slob
before."  he said.  Mike wasn't known for his tact.

   "Well, I think we ought to go see Dan Mcquire." Joe said. "Can I use your
phone, Dave?"

   "Sure." Dave answered.

   Joe got Dan's phone number from the pocket of his jumpsuit, and punched it
into the phone.  Almost immediately, the phone was answered.  It was Dan.

   "Forensic."  the voice on the other end said.

   "Dan?  Joe here. Joe Bates."

   "Hi Joe. What Can I do for you?"  Dan asked.

   "Dan, I'm at my friends house.  I'm with the other two guy's who are having
the same problem I am.  Can we come over and see you?"  Joe asked.

   "Absolutely.  There are some people here who can't wait to examine you
guy's.  I'll call the doctors now. When can you get here."

   "We're getting ready to go right now."  Joe replied.  "About thirty to
forty minutes should do it."

   "See you soon then."  Dan said, and hung up.

   "How do we want to go?"  Joe asked.  "Do you guy's want to each drive over
separately, or does anybody want to ride with me?"

   "I don't want to drive looking like this."  Dave insisted.  "I'll ride with
you."

   They all went out to the driveway.  Mike's big 4WD pickup was parked behind
Joe's car.  Mike got in and started his engine while Dave and Joe got belted
in.  They backed out, and Mike followed Joe to the hospital.

   When they arrived, Joe led his strange crew directly to Dan's office.  Dan
was there waiting.  He introduced himself and Joe presented his two shy
buddies.

   "Well, I guess we might as well go upstairs and meet the Dr. Krell, and Dr.
Loe.  They're sure anxious to meet the three of you."  Dan said, after shaking
hands with Dave and Mike.

   They followed Dan to the elevator, and rode it to the forth floor.  There
Dan took them down a long hall, and into some offices.  They sat down in some
chairs, as Dan talked to the receptionist or secretary behind a desk.  In
minutes, they w ere all asked to come to the next room.  There, they met a
small man, with thick glasses.  Dan introduced him as Dr. Krell, and described
his as a specialist in gender and genetic research.

   "I'm pleased to meet you Dave, Joe, and ah Mike, is it?"  Dr. Krell said,
smiling.  "Don't worry about a thing, I'm not sure what is going on here, but
we are learning new things concerning  genetics every day, and I'm certain we
can come up with some answers in your case."

   Joe could see Dr. Krell looking each of them over very carefully.  He sort
of felt like a lab specimen, as the little man inspected him and his friends.

   "I have been looking at the records of Joe Bates."  Dr. Krell went on.  "I
don't have anything on you two."  he said, looking at Mike and Dave.

   "I just found out about them this morning."  Dan said.  "I'll take them,
and get their records, as soon as you're done with them."

   "I would like to work with er... Mr. Bates here.  You may take the others,
and get them to fill out the paperwork to get their records."  Dr.  Krell
said.  "I'll see each of you in a little while."

   Dan got up, and Mike, and a nervous Dave Skinner, followed him back to his
office.

   Dr. Krell looked at carefully at Joe.  He made Joe a little nervous.  Dr.
Krell saw Joe's concern, and attempted  to reassure him.

   "Relax, Joe.  I won't harm you, and we just might be able to help." the
little man said.

   "I'm Ok."  Joe said.  "I just wish I knew what was going on here."

   "You are an engineer, is that right?"  Dr. Krell asked him.

   "Yes, I'm an electrical design engineer, and I work for Honeybone
Avionics."  Joe volunteered.

   "Well then, you might understand that there are methods that we must use,
or follow, which are necessary to eliminate as many variables as possible."
Dr. Krell went on.  "I think you realize that we don't really know what has
caused your condition, but if we can figure that out, it might be possible to
reverse it.  The 'state of the art' in genetic engineering is probably the
fastest advancing area of biological science these days.  I hope we can help
you, but I'm sure YOU can help us."

   "Will I ever get back to normal, Doc?  Joe asked.  "What are the odds?"

   "It is far too early to tell, Joe, we want to give you a complete
examination, to find out the extent of the changes."  Dr. Krell explained.

   "I'm ready for whatever you need to do."  Joe said.

   "Good.  That's good." The Dr. went on.  "Did Mr. Mcquire tell you the
results of your blood group?"

   "No, I don't think so, he said the results would be in soon."  Joe replied.

   "Well, they're in, and they are VERY interesting.  Mr. Bates, the  DNA
tests show your chromosomes to be female.  You have the  normal XX cell
structure of a normal genetic female.  However, your blood shows an  extremely
high levels of testosterone for a female.  If it has always been at  these
levels, I would expect you to exhibit masculine secondary characteristics."

   Joe looked at Dr. Krell in confusion.  "Exhibit masculine secondary
characteristics?  Doctor Krell, five days ago, I was a MAN.  That's about as
PRIMARY as it gets.  I think you'll find, if you'll read my records, that I
fathered a child when I was seventeen."  I'm not a girl who's changing into a
man.  I'm a guy, who woke up Friday morning with female body."  Joe was
irritated, and it was starting to show.

   "Joe, calm down, calm down." Dr. Krell said.  "I have read your records,
and I know your history.  I'm just stating the facts as they appear.  No
matter what you have been, if your body and blood chemistry stay as they are,
you will surely begin to develop, or redevelope the secondary sexual
characteristics of a male. That is, increased facial and body hair, upper body
muscular development, and other changes. Perhaps you have already experienced
one or more of them.  That's why we need to conduct a complete physical
examination.  To find out what's going on."

   Joe sat back in his chair, and tried to relax.  He was worried that the
specialists wouldn't understand his problem, and was probably a little
"spring-loaded" for confrontation.



   "I'm sorry, Dr. Krell, I'm ready for whatever you've got." Joe said, with
resignation.

   "I'll call Dr. Hopkins, he's expecting you, so I don't think you will have
to wait long.  He will be conducting the physical examination.  Are you ready
for it?"  Dr. Krell looked at Joe, as if to see his reaction.

   "I guess so" Joe said.  "I just had a class two flight last month."

   "I doubt you've ever had one like this, Joe." Dr. Krell said, smiling.
"Dr. Hopkins is a gynecologist.  He's anxious to do a full pelvic examination
on you."

   The muscles in Joe's crotch tensed as he heard the little doctor say those
words.  He had almost forgotten that he was different now, much different in
some places, and a physical for a woman included an internal examination.  He
hadn't thought about that, until now.  He wondered what it would feel
like.... If it would hurt....

   "Don't worry, Joe, Dr. Hopkins is very skillful, and he won't harm you in
any way.  And, we might even find out what is causing your symptoms." Dr.
Krell saw Joe's apprehension, and was trying to arrest his fears.

   Dr. Krell picked up a phone on the desk, and punched a three digit number.
He spoke into the phone.

   "Our patient is ready, Karen." He said.  "Ok, we'll be down in ten
minutes."  He put the phone back on the desk.

   "They'll be ready for you in ten minutes." Dr. Krell repeated.

   "Ok, then." Joe said.

   "Tell me, Joe, Did you put the make-up on, or did someone help you" Dr.
Krell asked, as if to make small talk.

   "Linda, my er....fiance, was my fiance, is helping me to cope with the
situation."  Joe explained.

   "Well, you are certainly attractive, if you don't mind me voicing a
personal opinion.  You seem to handle the change extremely well." Dr. Krell
added.

   "I'm getting used to it, a little, I guess." Joe said.  "It's  almost
possible to forget it happened, sometimes, but only for a few minutes.
looking at myself in the mirror is even a strange sensation, I don't know If I
could ever get used to looking like this." Joe cupped one of his breasts with
his hand.

   "It must be quite a change." the doctor agreed.  "I don't know how I would
handle something like that if it happened to me.  Are you experiencing any
health problems?" He asked.

   "No, I don't think so." Joe said.  "I haven't gotten used to being wet
practically all the time, and ...I guess.... well, horny..er.. I just get
turned on from almost anything anymore.  I don't have much to see, but I have
had more erections , that's what they feel like, than I ever had before, even
when I was seventeen.

   "Interesting." Dr. Krell said. "It's possible the high levels of
testosterone in your system has played havoc with your metabolism.  That
could account for the increased libido.  Of course, the wetness is the result
of sexual excitement.  It would follow that if you had an "erection" as you
call it, you might now also experience vaginal lubrication.  It's a natural
female reaction to sexual stimulation."

   "I know what you mean." Joe agreed.  "I guess I didn't realize  women went
around with wet underpants, or worse, when they get excited." Joe said, and
grinned at the little doctor.

   "With the levels of male hormone in your system, it's understandable that
you might excite easily.  Tell me, what causes the excitement?  Is it women?
Men?  How do you feel about your fiance, since the change?  Forgive the
personal questions, Joe, but I have never experienced a subject who  made the
transition from male to female, completely, and apparently fully functioning,
in one day.  I've worked with a few male to female transexual patients, but
for them, the transition literally takes years, and the result, while
sometimes amazing, is nothing like your situation.  Even your DNA indicates
that you are female."  Dr, Krell could scarcely contain his interest in Joe's
malady.

   "Well, doctor,  the first thing you have to remember, is that this is
Monday."  Joe said.  "Last Thursday, I was a thirty year old MAN.  I went to
work, flew an airplane for about two hours, went to the health club, played
racketball with a buddy of mine, and then picked up my girl-friend, and spent
the evening discussing getting married.  That was four days ago, and I still
totally remember what it was like.  I still appreciate a good looking woman,
and now it's awful easy to see m ore of them than ever before.  You wouldn't
believe it, well maybe you would, you're a doctor."  Joe grinned at Dr. Krell
as he spoke.

   "How about men?  Have your feelings toward men changed in any way?" the Dr.
asked.

   "I'd like to say no, absolutely not, but actually, I'm not really sure.  My
senses seem sharper now.  I feel things differently.  I smell things I never
did before.  My own sweaty T-shirt, from before the change, gave me the
strangest feeling.  I don't know if it was sexual, but it could have been."
Joe admitted to the doctor, things he didn't want to admit to himself.

   "Interesting." Was all Dr. Krell said to that revelation.

   "When you look like this, it's impossible to relate to men the  same way as
before.  I've tried, but it just don't work."  Joe said, thinking  of his
experience with his best friend, Jay.       "I think we can go down now." Dr.
Krell said, an d got up from behind his  desk.  "If you don't mind, I'd like
to observe the examination.

   "No, I guess not, sure come on."  Joe said, nervously.  He was actually
somewhat glad Dr. Krell would be there.  He kind of liked the little man, and
felt he could trust him.  He didn't know what was going to happen next, and
felt he knew him, even though they had just met.  He followed Dr.  Krell out
the door.  Even with his smaller body, he was maybe six inches taller than the
doctor.  They got on the elevator and rode down one floor.

   The door opened, and Dr. Krell went out and Joe almost had to run to keep
up with him.  They entered some doors, which were painted with the words
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY.  As a single male, Joe had never been in a place
like this before .  He could feel his heart pound as he stood at the desk
behind Dr. Krell.  The Dr. said something to an attractive nurse behind the
desk, and she immediately got up and motioned for them both to follow. She
lead them to an examining room.  It had a chair, a stool, a table, the type
with stirrups, and a cabinet full of paraphanalia.   There was a paper cover
on the table, and on the end, the paper was stained with a few drops of what
looked like blood.  The nurse spotted the soiled paper, an d pulled it down,
and ripped it off, creating a clean cover.  The nurse the went to a drawer,
and removed a hospital type smock, the kind that is open in the back.  She
gave it to Joe, and told him to undress, pointing to a small clothes tree in t
he corner, which had three hangers on it.  Then, she and Dr. Krell left the
room.

   Joe unzipped his jumpsuit, and sat on the stool at the end of the table.
He removed his Reboks, and socks.  He quickly slipped out of the jumpsuit, and
felt very cold standing in his underwear.  He looked at the little smock, and
had to suppress a laugh. Even with his smaller size, it was far to small to
cover much of his bottom half, and his rear end would be completely uncovered.
Right, he thought.  He removed his bra, and slipped out of his panties.  He
put the little smock on, and wondered what to do next.   He decided to sit on
the edge of the table.  He hoisted his butt up, and was  looking at the
stirrups, when he heard a quick knock on the door.  Before he  could even
acknowledge, a handsome man of about forty years, entered the  little room,
followed by the tall, dark-blond-haired, nurse, and Dr. Krell.

   Joe sat there, extremely self conscious.  Dr. Krell spoke.

   "Joe Bates, this is Doctor Joe Hopkins.  Joe, meet Joe." Dr. Krell smiled
broadly at his little attempt at humor.

   "Hi, Doctor Hopkins." Joe said.  Try as he might, he couldn't  forget he
was sitting in a room, with two men, and a woman, almost  naked, his butt
hanging out from the little smock.

   "Hello, Joe.  I hear you have had a very interesting weekend."  Dr.
Hopkins said, with a rather deep voice.

   "Yea, it's been a grin a minute." Joe snapped back.

   "How about standing right here, Joe." Dr. Hopkins said.  "Maybe we can
figure out what's going on with you."

   Joe stood before the big man.  Dr. Hopkins took each of Joe's arms and
looked at them, one at a time.  He looked at his hands, his elbows, and took a
small light, and looked into his eyes, and ears.  He turned him facing away
from him, and thumped, and pressed on his back in various places.  So far, it
was familiar to Joe.

   "Please remove the smock." Dr. Bates said.

   Joe untied the little tie behind his neck, and pulled the cloth off of him.
He stood there, naked, and could feel the warmth as he blushed from showing
his body to these strangers. He moved his leg to cover his genitalia,
embarrassed by Linda's trim job on his pubic hair.  No one in the room seemed
to notice, however.

   Dr. Hopkins firmly pressed Joe's breasts between his fingers.  He used
enough force that the slight pain it caused made Joe wince.

   "Does that hurt?" Dr. Hopkins asked.

   "A little." Joe replied.  "They seem a little sensitive to me."

   "More than normal?" The Dr. asked, and then grinned when he realized what
he said.

   "They've felt the same ever since I've been like this." Joe said.

   Dr. Hopkins looked carefully at Joe's nipples, and felt each of his
breasts, apparently feeling for lumps.  It felt strange to Joe, to have such
big, strong, hands feeling the soft, sensitive areas of his body.

   "Please sit on the end of the table please."  Dr. Hopkins said.

   The nurse went to a small cabinet, and took out some metal tools.  She
layed them on a towel placed on a small rolling table.  Joe looked at  the
things on the table, but didn't recognize the stainless steel, and  white
plastic tools on the table.  Dr. Hopkins went to the table, and took  some
surgical latex gloves from a box on the table.  He carefully put them  on.
When he had them on the way he wanted, he picked up a shiny metal tool  which
looked sort of like a huge cork remover with elongated spoons on the  end.  He
held it up for Joe to examine.  Joe noticed that there were two of  them, and
he picked up the larger of the two.

   "Joe, this is called a speculum."  Dr. Hopkins said.  "I use this to do the
internal examination."  He moved the control on the end, and the "spoons" on
the end, spread apart.  Joe cringed as he thought about where that thing was
going.  I t seemed far too big to fit inside him.

   The nurse adjusted the table so that there was a slight tilt upward to the
head end.  Then she pulled Joe back so that he was laying back on the table,
tilted.  She covered his body with a small green sheet.  The warmth felt
comforting to Joe, but he just knew everyone in the room must be able to hear
his heart pounding.  The nurse pulled out and adjusted the metal stirrups and
then placed Joe's feet in them.  It was not uncomfortable, but it did  seem
strange.  Suddenly, Joe felt the end of the table, the part under his  upper
legs, go down, as Dr. Hopkins folded it down.  Joe's butt was now at  the very
edge of the table, but the weight of his legs was taken up by the  stirrups.
Next, Joe felt cool air on his bottom as Dr. Hopkins, and the  nurse adjusted
the sheet so that his bottom half was exposed.  Joe couldn't  see much, since
the sheet concealed what was happening from his view.

   Joe felt a hand touch his crotch.  He felt smooth fingers touching his
genital area, as Dr. Hopkins examined it with firm but gentle touches.  He
could feel his labia being spread wider than he had ever done, and he felt
his penis, or clitoris now, being examined.  Suddenly the touching stopped,
and Joe thought, and hoped, it was over.  Then, from over the sheet, Joe could
see Dr. Hopkins take a speculum, the smaller one this time, and put some K-Y
jelly from a large tube, on the spoons.  He held the spoons in his hand
momentarily, perhaps to warm them.  Then, Joe could feel the speculum as Dr.
Hopkins placed it at the entrance to his vaginal opening.  Dr. Hopkins
swiftly, but gently, maneuvered the metal device, until Joe could more sense
rather than feel, that it was deep inside him.  Suddenly there was a very
noticeable pain, as the speculum was spread.  Joe never felt more vulnerable
in his life.

   As he lay there, covered with a sheet, Joe was unable to see what was being
done to him, but was feeling a slight pain, as the metal object in his crotch
was moved around.  Joe began to think about something he had read somewhere,
that some women tended to develop special feelings for their doctors. Now, Joe
could understand why.  These guys saw things, and knew things about  your
body, that you couldn't even see yourself.  It was almost like you were
dependent on them to tell you that you were normal.  He never felt that way
about his male body.  This one was far more complicated, it seemed, You even
needed a specialist, just to check it out.

   Suddenly, Joe felt the speculum collapse, and  withdraw from his bottom.
The stretching it had done made him feel strange in that area, even with the
tool removed.  Before Joe was recovered from the quick removal of the
speculum, he felt a finger  in his genital opening.  What the heck is going on
now, he thought?  Dr. Hopkins felt around inside Joe, pressing on his abdomen
with his other hand as he did so.  Joe could feel him pressing on his bladder,
and for a moment had a strong urge to urinate.  Then the hand on his abdomen
went to his bottom, and he felt Dr. Hopkins insert a finger in his other
opening.  He probed and felt around, and Joe found it very uncomfortable. Then
the hands and fingers were gone, and Joe could see Dr.  Hopkins remove the
surgical gloves and toss them into a covered waste can.

   "You can dress now, Joe." Dr. Hopkins said, as he took a clipboard, and
started writing on it.

   The tall nurse helped Joe up, and held the sheet as he turned and stepped
off the table.  She gave Joe a box of large, soft tissues.

   "You can use these if you need them." She said, and she followed Dr.'s
Hopkins and Krell out of the examining room.

   Joe sat there, wrapped in the small green sheet, his crotch feeling like it
had been ripped apart.  He pulled the sheet away, and looked at the tender
area.  His genitalia and pubic hair was smeared with the lubricating jelly
that Dr. Hopkin s used.  Joe looked at the table, where he had been sitting
and saw a spot of blood on the paper.  No wonder, Joe thought.  He took a
tissue, and began cleaning himself up, wiping the jelly from his pubic area,
and found a slight trace of blood around his sore, and abused, genital
opening.

   Joe went to the clothes tree, and took his underwear from the hook.  He
pulled his panties on, and felt a slight twinge of pain as he moved his legs
with the snug fitting panty on, but he felt better, more secure, or, less
exposed.  He put the bra on, and slipped into his jumpsuit.  He wondered if he
should leave the room, and decided to wait where he was for further
instructions.  Joe sat in the chair, and squirmed around to find a position
that didn't hurt his ailing bottom.  He h ad just found a comfortable
position,  when the nurse knocked, and immediately entered.

   "If you're dressed, Dr. Hopkins would like you to come to his office." She
said, smiling.  "Did you have everything you need to clean up?  There's  a
bathroom right inside that door."  She continued, pointing at a door as  Joe
followed her d own the short hall.

   "I think I'm ok." Joe said.  "Kinda sore though."  He added.

   "Yea, It's a little painful, the first time." The nurse said.

   Joe followed her back to her desk, and then into an office on the side of
what must have been a reception and waiting area for a number of doctors.
Now, five or six women sat in the couches that lined the walls, apparently
waiting their turn for what Joe just received.

   Dr. Hopkins was at his desk when Joe entered.  Dr. Krell was sitting in one
of the chairs in front of the desk, and they were engaged in discussion.  Dr.
Hopkins motioned for Joe to sit down in the other empty seat.  He did, but
wiggled around, trying to get comfortable.  His underwear seemed to ride up,
or something, and amplified his minor discomfort.

   "Is there a problem Joe?"  Dr. Hopkins asked.

   "Well, Doc, I guess I'm a little sore, from your inspection."  Joe said,
with a slight grin.

   "I'm sorry, but I was as careful as I could be." Dr. Hopkins said.

   "Any news?"  Joe asked.  He wondered what the results might be.

   "Well, Joe.  I don't know how you feel about this, but my examination
reveals that you seem to be a normal, healthy, mature female.  I see from your
records, that your are thirty years old.  I must say, you certainly don't look
that old, externally, or internally.  Your pelvic examination is somewhat
unusual.  Internally, your condition is more like 15 to 18 years old, rather
than thirty.  Your uterus is perfect, and pink, like a young girl just out of
adolescence. Your breast development is normal female, with some slight
stretching of the epidermis.  I suppose that is because of the extremely rapid
growth.  Overnight, I understand?"  Dr. Hopkins said.

   "I didn't notice anything when I went to bed, and I looked like this when I
woke up." Joe said.  "Can you do anything for me?" He asked hopefully.

   "What do you like us to do?" Dr. Hopkins asked, watching Joe's reaction.

   "I don't know.  I feel like I'm still a man, but I sure can't resume my
normal activities, looking like this.  Do I have to remain female?" Joe asked
the ultimate question.

   "Well Joe, You have probably heard of surgical procedures to change the
bodies physical appearance to that of the other sex.  After hormone therapy,
usually lasting a year or more, it is possible to alter the appearance of the
genitalia, so that it has the appearance of the desired sex.  For a biological
male who has the need and desire to have a female appearing body, the results
are often amazing.  It can sometimes even fool a doctor.  However, for a
biological female who wishes to be male, the surgical procedure is far from
perfect.  Any penis created is basically non-functional, with little or no
sensation.  There is no natural erectile functioning, and it's difficult to
make it function even for urination, since it is often prone to infection.
Many patients don't even elect genital surgery, but settle for hysterectomy,
and mastectomy.  Hormone therapy will often give a satisfactory outward male
appearance, however.  For you, who  actually have experienced a complete,
functioning male body, I think you would be very disappointed with any result,
no matter how it would turn out."  Dr. Krell said.

   "So I'm stuck being female, unless I want to become a hermaphrodite?" Joe
asked, wondering if he really understood what Dr. Krell had just said.

   "Well Joe, I wouldn't word it like that, but I guess that's one way of
describing it.  I don't think you would be happy with the result."  Dr.  Krell
went on.  "I know it isn't easy, but you seem to be adapting to what has
happened to you very well.  I don't think it would be any easier for you, if
you would elect gender reassignment."

   "So you guy's think I should stay like this, huh?" Joe asked, a strange
feeling coming over him.  His face tingled as he considered his options.

   Female.... He had lived four days like this so far.  Sometimes, it wasn't
so bad.  But, to stay like this... Could he handle it?  On the other hand, to
look like a guy, but not have a penis, or at least a functioning penis....
Hell, he might still have to sit down to pee...  He thought of  the
feelings... the sensations.... of being with Linda.... But then, he still  had
that, it was different, for sure, but in many ways, even better.  He  didn't
know.

   "Can I get pregnant?"  Joe asked.

   "I haven't done any testing for fertility, but I suspect you very likely
could."  Dr. Hopkins said.  "I believe you are now a mature and functioning
female, and as such, you'd better use adequate contraception if you should
choose to become sexually active.  By the way, your hymen is intact. I had to
stretch it a bit during the examination, but I believe it remained intact."
Dr. Hopkins said, looking at Joe, and grinning.

   "You mean I'm a virgin?"  Joe asked, He never thought about that.

   "Well, I don't know about that. Dr Hopkins answered, chuckling.  "But your
pelvic exam showed an intact hymen.  That's not too common for a woman of your
age.  I have a question for you too."

   "Sure, what?"  Joe asked.

   "Was your penis circumcised?"  Dr. Hopkins asked.

   "Well... Yea, Why do you ask?"  Joe was curious why he wanted to know.

   "Well I observed some unusual scar tissue around your clitoral area.  I had
never seen that before, but we decided that it might be carry-over from penile
circumcision.  I don't think anyone on record has ever experienced
what you have.  Dr . Hopkins said.

   "Will it cause problems for me?"  Joe asked.

   "If it doesn't hurt, or cause irritation, I doubt it.  Physically, your
clitoris is missing the little hood, called the prepuce, that it normally
would retract into, or under.  The extra exposure may cause discomfort during
intercourse, or when wearing tight clothes.  I don't know.  Since you've
always been like this, since the change, you may not notice anything at all.
Cosmeticly, I doubt anyone but a gynecologist, maybe a sharp general
practitioner, would even notice.  I wouldn't 't worry about it."  Dr Hopkins
said.

   Joe thought about what he looked like in the hand mirror.  The little
sensitive bundle of flesh at the top of his opening.. Yea, Linda didn't look
like that.  But, he decided, it was probably the least of his problems.

   "What about my life, my job....Hell, I'm a thirty year old man, an
engineer, a pilot....all my records, my identification, show me to be  male.
What can I do about that."  Joe asked.  He didn't know what he wanted to do,
but he knew he needed more information.

   "Don't worry about that, Joe."   Dr. Krell assured him.  "What ever you
choose to do, it will be possible to change you records, even your birth
certificate, if you need it.  I'm not sure about your military records,
however."

   "So what do I do next?" Joe asked.  He hadn't known what to expect, but he
had more questions now, than answers.

   "Well, I think we need to find out what has caused these symptoms in you,
and your two friends."  Dr. Krell said.  "We'd like to run more tests on you,
perhaps we could get you to come to San Diago, where there are more facilities
to research your condition."

   "What can you do there, that you can't do here?" Joe asked.

   "I don't really know if there is anything, anyone can do for you, Joe, but
we need to find out just what has happened, and, just what caused it.  Then we
might, and it would be a big might, we might be able to somehow reverse your
condition.  If we were to alter your appearance with surgery, I don't think
you would be pleased with the result, and it would surely leave you
disfigured, if we did find a way reverse whatever happened to you.  If you
possibly can, I advise that you try to live with what you now have, at least
for a while.  I realize it isn't easy, but none of your other options are
either.  I would recommend that you consult a therapist, if you're having any
difficulty coping with the changes.  I might add, you seem to be doing quite
well, so far."  Dr. Krell advised.

   "If I decide to stay this way, at least for now, what will I have to do to
get my records changed?" Joe asked.

   "If you will come to my office in San Diego, I have all the information you
need, and there is a group of people to help, who are familiar with the legal
requirements for Arizona." Dr. Krell replied.

   "How did they get familiar with my requirements already?" Joe asked, as far
as he knew, he was the first person he ever heard of with his problem.

   "You might be surprised at the number of gender disphoric persons who elect
gender reasssignment." Dr. Krell answered.  "Only, they take years to get
where you are now.  But then they face the same obstacles, after the
reassignment surgery.  We see well over a hundred every year."

   It had never really occurred to Joe there were people on the street, maybe
people he knew, who had once been a different sex.  He didn't think he had
ever seen anyone like that.  He felt sorry for anyone who felt they had such a
problem, since he now knew what it was like to have the wrong body.

   "I didn't realize there were that many people who changed their  sex." Joe
said.  "I wonder why I've never seen any of them."

   "How do you know you haven't?"  Dr. Krell said.  "I know of at least one
that you've seen."

   "Really, I sure don't remember seeing anyone like that."  Joe said,
slightly amazed.

   "I wouldn't say anything, but I know she won't mind.  I know  you've met
Dr. Hopkins nurse, Karen Simpson.  Dr. Krell said with a grin. "When I first
met her, her name was Kieth.  That was just four years ago."

   Dave was shocked, and impressed.  He had never even considered that the
tall, friendly, and very attractive nurse could have been anything but a
natural woman.  She looked, walked, and even sounded, like any other good
looking female. So she was once a guy too....

   "YOU made him..er..her, look like THAT?" Joe asked incestuously.

   "Well, I helped HER get her body in line with what she considers to be HER
normal gender.  Hormones did most of the work, and a morning on the operating
table did the rest.  I didn't make her a woman, I just helped her to get a
woman's bod y."  Dr. Krell said proudly.  He was obviously proud of his work.

   "But you can't do anything like that for me, huh?"  Joe asked.

   "Joe, I think I could make you pass as a man, in public, but I am sure that
you would not be pleased with the cosmetic, and function, of the phaloplasty.
It is just a lot harder to create working male parts.  And  you had a real
penis, so you would be expecting something like that.  And that I absolutely
cannot give you.  Again, I recommend that you try to  live with what you've
got.  If it becomes intolerable, then let's talk about alternatives."  Dr.
Krell smiled as he spoke.

   "Well, maybe that's what I have to do." Joe said.  I'll give it a shot."

   "Good choice." Dr. Krell said.  "Now, I think we need to call your
employer, what is it... Honeybone Electronics?"

   "That's Honeybone Avionics.  We design, and manufacture aviation
electronics of all types. Navigation radios, computers, flight management
systems, and a lot of other stuff.  For Civil and Military aviation." Joe
explained.  He was trying t o figure out who to call.

   "If you will give me the number, I'll call them, and explain what we need
from them." Dr. Krell said.

   Joe gave him the switchboard number, and told Dr. Krell to ask for Jim
Matheney, his supervisor.  Dr. Krell dialed the number, and in a few moments,
he was talking to Jim Matheney.

   "Good morning, Mr, Matheney, My name is Dr. Benjamin Krell." He said.  "I
have three of your employees here at the hospital, and we have uncovered some
unusual symptoms in them, and I feel that the problems may be job related. I
hope you can help us figure out what is wrong with them."

   That really is understating the problem, Joe thought.  But maybe that's the
best way to start.

   "Yes sir, that's who it is, and I would prefer not to explain their
symptoms over the phone.  Yes sir, it would be good if you could come here, to
Hillcrest. Yes,  Dr. Krell, forth floor.  Two o'clock this afternoon would be
fine.  See you after lunch then. Bye."  Dr. Krell had quickly started the ball
rolling.

   Just as Dr. Krell hung up the phone, there was a knock on his office door.

   "Come in." Dr. Krell said.

   The door opened, and nurse Karen Simpson looked in.

   "Dr. Krell, the other two patients are here from down stairs." She said,
smiling. Joe looked carefully at her, and was trying to imagine her as a man.
He couldn't.  Dr. Krell saw him staring at the nurse.

   "Please have them wait outside for a moment." Dr. Krell told her. Joe
continued to watch her, and it was slightly obvious he was curious.

   "Karen, do you have plans for lunch?" Dr. Krell asked the nurse.

   "Not really, I thought I'd just go out, maybe over to Wendy's, for a salad.
It seems I really have to watch my calories." She said, with a quick grin.

   "Well, Joe here is free for a couple of hours, and I think he wouldn't mind
buying you lunch.  I've told him a little about you, and I think you two might
have something in common."  Dr. Krell said.  It was plain that he and Karen
had a mutual admiration for each other.

   "Sure Joe, let's go, if you're ready."  She said, holding out her hand in a
greeting.  "My name is Karen Simpson. I've read your records, so I know you're
Joe Bates."

   Karen and Joe shook hands like two guy's meeting for the first time.  Joe
liked the pretty nurse the first time he saw her, a now that he knew her
unusual past, he wanted to get to know her. As he stood next to her, he saw
that she was even a little taller than he was.

   "Nice to meet you Karen, let's get something to eat." Joe said, as they
walked out the door.

   "Be sure to be back by one thirty, Joe." Dr. Krell ordered as they went out
the door.

--
                            Chapter 11
                              A CLUE


     When Joe followed Karen out of Dr. Krell's office, he saw Mike
and Dave waiting outside for their turn to talk to the doctor. 
Mike Osborn looked very uncomfortable next to his rotund partner. 
Joe greeted them, and asked what they had been up to.

     "Well, I've had blood drawn, they even took hair samples, and
they gave me a CAT scan," Mike replied.  Dave was cordial, but did
not add to the conversation.  Joe told them Jim Matheney would be
there at two o'clock, and that he would see them in a little while. 
Then he followed Karen down the hall to leave the building.  They
went out to the employee parking garage, where Karen's car was
parked.  She walked up to a glistening white Toyota Supra, with
expensive alloy wheels and very wide tires.

     "I'm crazy about cars," Karen said, grinning as she buckled
in.  "Maybe I'm a woman, but I still love a good handling sports
car."

     "Me, too," Joe said.  "I have an RX-7 GXL, and I love it."

     Karen's Supra ran great, and she knew how to drive, making the
short trip to Wendy's a brisk experience.  "She drives like I do,"
Joe thought, grinning as he watched her go through the gears, her
white uniform skirt hiked well above her knees, exposing more of
her long, white, hose covered legs than most women would allow. 
Karen saw Joe looking at her legs, and pulled the skirt down to a
more demure position.

     "I know I should be more careful about that," she said,
looking at Joe with a devilish grin.  "It's been about two years
now, and I just love it, but I don't always remember to sit like a
lady."

     They pulled into the Wendy's lot, and parked the car in the
back, so that the car would be less likely to be subjected to door
dings.  They walked inside, and looked at the menu board.

     "I come here a lot, cause it's close, it's cheap, and I like
the salad bar," Karen said.  "In the last year, I have really had
to watch what I eat, since it all seems to go to my butt, and I
absolutely don't want to be a fat broad."  She was grinning widely. 
Karen sure seemed happy to be a female.

     They ordered.  Karen ordered the salad bar.  Joe, deciding
that he might as well try to get used to the bird-like portions
that women seemed to eat, did the same.  They took their plates,
filled them, and sat across from each other at a little table. 
Joe was dying to ask Karen some questions about herself.

     "Dr. Krell told me a little about you," he said, not really
knowing how to start the conversation, and not really sure if Karen
would even want to talk about her transfiguration.

     "I figured he might," she said, with a smile.  "He's a great
doctor, and I know he's as proud of how I've turned out as I am."

     "So you really were a guy then?" Dave asked with a trace of
skepticism.

     "Well, I was married to a very nice woman for about a year,
and we even had a child together," Karen said.  "I tried to be a
guy, and I suppose I was one physically, but I've always felt I was
really a female as long as I can remember.  I never felt right
acting like a man, but since I looked like one, I did all the guy
things, and I even enjoyed a lot of them.  I still like to do some
of them.  Cars and computers don't seem to care of you're an innie
or an outie."  The grin never left her face as she spoke.

     "Well, you sure fooled me," Joe said.  "I never would have
guessed that you were an outie."  Dr. Krell was right, he and Karen
were a lot alike.

     "Joe, hormones and Dr. Krell's magic worked so well that even
I sometimes forget that I used to look a lot different than I do
now," she said proudly.  "For a while, after my surgery, just
looking in the mirror was one of my favorite pastimes.  I couldn't
imagine I would ever look like this.  It's like a dream come true."

     "I'm still in the looking in the mirror phase," Joe said.  "Of
course, it's hardly a dream come true for me, but it is interest-
ing, and I guess I'd better try to get used to it."

     "You're certainly attractive, Joe," Karen said, "and you have
a big advantage over me, since you've even changed biologically. 
You probably won't have to worry about hormones, or anything like
that.  Dr. Hopkins thinks you can even menstruate.  I wish I could. 
A lot of women think of it as an inconvenience, but it's a
significant part of being female.  You can probably have children
someday.  That's impossible for me now, of course."  Her grin
subsided for the first time, but only for a moment.

     "I don't think that I'll ever have children," Joe said.  "Not
if it meant having sex with a man."

     "It's not that bad," Karen said, grinning at Joe.  "You
quickly get used to the differences."

     "Have you slept with a guy?" Joe asked.  Joe didn't feel
strange, asking Karen such personal questions, since they thought
so much alike.

     "Yeah, I have.  A few times now," Karen answered simply.

     "Did you like it?" Joe asked.  He was curious about what it felt
like, and wondered if he could ever get up the nerve to try it.

     "Well, I was sort of like you," Karen explained.  "I never
thought I'd ever want to get intimate with a male.  I knew them too
well.  I liked being around women.  They were so soft, smelled so
nice, and wore such sexy clothes.  I didn't want anything to do
with my old world, but after about a year, it sort of just
happened.  I didn't plan it, or anything.  I met this guy at an
auto-cross, a student pilot from Williams Air Force Base.  He was
racing his car, an '86 Corvette.  We started talking about cars,
and he asked me to dinner.  I had never gone on a date with a guy
before, or anything like that, but almost before I realized it, we
were in bed together.  You know how pilots are." Karen grinned, and
winked at Joe.

     "What was it like?  Was it better than when you were married?"
Joe asked.  He felt like an anxious teenager, questioning a more
experienced peer.

     "Gee, it's hard to compare," Karen answered.  "I never felt
comfortable having sex as a male.  It did feel good when I'd
ejaculate though.  I guess I do miss that, in a way."  Karen seemed
to stare into space as she spoke.

     "Don't you climax?" Joe asked.  He was thinking about his
recent experiences with Linda.  He never missed the ability to
ejaculate.  He really wasn't even sure he had lost it, he got so
wet, and his climax was so powerful.

     "Well, to be honest, Joe," Karen said, "as far as I can tell,
I look exactly like a normal woman.  My breasts developed, my body
has changed so much that even my weight distribution has shifted to
be more like a female.  I think you know what I mean.  My body...
My genitalia are completely functional.  I can have intercourse,
but the sensation is not all that great.  It feels sort of numb. 
Oh, I guess it's getting better, I could hardly feel anything at
all, for almost the first year, but it's got better.  It's still
getting better, I guess, but I've never been able to come since my
surgery.  I don't regret the change, and I would never want to go
back, even if I could.  Intercourse isn't that big a deal for me. 
I can live with it, or without it.  I like the closeness.  I love
to cuddle."  Karen tried to explain her feelings to Joe, who
listened intently to every word.

     "Gee, I don't think I have any problem with feelings, or
sensation," Joe said.  "Actually I think I have even more feeling
than before.  My whole body seems much more sensitive.  It even
feels like I still have a penis.  It's just kind of recessed now,
and I think I can get off, just by having my boobs touched in the
right way."

     "Yeah, mine are sensitive too," Karen said.  "At first, after
I started on hormones, when they were just starting to develop,
they were way too sensitive and they hurt all the time, but after
the surgery, they really grew, and yeah, I guess they're my most
sensitive area.  Sounds like you've been trying out the new
equipment."  She chuckled.

     "Well... I have this girlfriend, my fiance actually," Joe
said, "or at least she was.... If I'm gonna stay like this, I guess
I have to stop thinking of her like that.  Anyway, Linda and I have
continued sleeping together since this has happened to me.  It's
been an experience."

     "When I first started down this path, I only wanted to be
around girls, women, too," Karen admitted, "but as time went on,
and I got used to the new ME, I've been more willing to experiment,
to see what it's all about.  Joe, I'm... We're women now, and
there's nothing wrong with us experiencing ALL the pleasures of
being female.  God knows, there's enough pain."

     "Speaking of pain, I have to go to the bathroom," Joe said,
grinning at Karen.  "I just know that my sore bottom isn't going to
like it."

     Joe got up, and excused himself.  He walked down the short
hall, and almost entered the men's restroom, catching himself as he
put his hand on the doorknob.  He walked on to the ladies, feeling
like an invader as he did so.  In all his experiences so far, he
had not been into a public women's restroom.  This would be the
first time.

     Joe opened the door.  As he went in, he noticed that the room
had a small, padded couch to sit on.  There were no urinals along
the wall.  He very self consciously went to one of the stalls, and
closed the door.  Joe unzipped the blue jump suit, and pulled it
off his shoulders.  "Before the change," he thought to himself, "I
could just stand here, whip it out, and be done with it.  Now I
have to practically undress." He took the down to around his knees. 
He tucked his thumbs into the narrow waistband of the nylon
panties, and pulled them down.  As he did, he could see that the
white cotton lined crotch of his beige nylon panties were stained
with a little streak of blood.  It was not much, it did not
penetrate to the out side, but it was another reminder that he was
a lot different than he used to be.  "You really are an innie now,
Joe Bates," he thought.  He was relieved to find it did not hurt
when the urine flowed.

     He finished quickly, and found no more blood on the tissue
when he wiped.  He hurriedly pulled his clothes back on, and left
the stall.  Joe went to the sink and was washing his hands when
someone else, a teenage girl of maybe seventeen, came in and went
into a stall.  She did not even seem to notice the nervous woman at
the sink.  Joe dried his hands, and went out.

     Karen watched Joe walk back to the table.  As he sat, she
looked at him with that perpetual grin she had.

     "Joe, it must be ninety degrees outside.  Why in the world are
you wearing that long sleeve jumpsuit?  Aren't you hot?" Karen
questioned.

     "Yeah I guess I am a little," he said.  "I just feel better,
more secure with this on."

     "Well, girl," Karen replied, "if you're going to be one of us,
you're going to have to get used to dressing lighter.  If I wasn't
working, I'd be wearing cutoffs and a tank top.  We're going to
have to get you some proper clothes, if you're going to make a go
of it."

     "I have other clothes," Joe said, grinning.  "Linda helped me
pick some out.  I'm just not used to wearing that skimpy stuff
yet."

     "I saw what you look like under that coverall, and you haven't
got anything to be ashamed of," Karen went on.  "If you got it,
flaunt it a little."

     "I'm still getting used just to having it.  I don't think I'm
quite ready to flaunt it yet," Joe countered, smiling.

     "It's about twelve forty-five," Karen said.  "You don't need
to be back for about thirty to forty-five minutes.  Anything you
want to do?"

     "I don't have anything in mind.  Do you?" Joe asked, wondering
what the tall blond was thinking.

     "I thought we might go over to Dillard's, and find you some
summer clothes," Karen said.

     "I have stuff at home," Joe said.  "It's only about ten
minutes away, if you want to take me.  It's Linda's house, but she
won't home till about three or four."

     "I've got some time to kill, and I'd just as well not rush
back to work," Karen said, getting up.  She walked out, and Joe
followed her out, telling her the way to Linda's.  She listened,
and repeated his instructions back after he gave them, almost like
a pilot's read back of his clearance.

     "You read that back like an IFR clearance," Joe said, figuring
that the term would not be understood by the tall nurse.

     "I used to be in the Air Force," Karen replied.  "I guess I
still have some old habits left."

     "You were a pilot in the Air Force?" Joe was impressed.

     "No, not a rated pilot," Karen answered.  "I was a flight
simulation specialist.  I did learn to fly instruments, and get my
private while I was in, though."

     "Where were you stationed?" Joe asked.  "I was in the Air
Force too."

     "I'm originally from Tulsa," Karen said.  "I went to school at
Chanute Air Force Base, in Illinois.  From there, I was assigned to
Davis-Monthan, in Tucson.  That's how I ended up here in the
Phoenix area.  I went to school at University of Arizona while I
was in, and for a year after I got out.  While I was at D-M, my
mother died.  My dad died when I was a little kid.  I was kind
broken up about it, and went into a kind of depression.  I guess I
always had a problem with my gender, but it really came to the
surface after my mom died.  I decided I would look into what I
could do about it.  That was not too long after this male ophthal-
mologist, Richard Raskin, decided to have gender reassignment
surgery, and became Rene' Richards.  You may have heard of him, or
her, she also was in the news as a tennis player for a while. 
Anyway, I took pre-med courses at UA, and spent most of my spare
time studying about transsexualism.  I met Dr. Krell some time
later, and this is how I've turned out.  I'm a licensed RN, but now
I've got about six years of schooling behind me.  I guess, if I got
my act together, I should become a doctor.  My family was well off,
and I don't need to work.  I've just been working for Dr. Hopkins
because I find it interesting."

     They pulled up Linda's drive, and parked on the side, near the
entrance to the pool.  Joe got out, and Karen followed.  "Nice
place," Karen said.  "This is your girlfriend's house?"

     "Yeah, she's in real estate, and she got a good deal on this
place," Joe explained.

     Joe went to the door, and opened it.  They went inside, and
Joe went straight to his room.  Karen followed closely behind him. 
He went in and went to his closet, and turned on the light.  His
few items of women's clothing hung on hangers in the large closet.

     "This is what I've got, so far," Joe said.  "It isn't a lot,
and if I'm gonna stay this way I guess I'll have to get some more. 
I had been hoping that they'd have something that could change me
back."

     "Nope, there's no magic pill.  I'll attest to that," Karen
said.  "Let's see... How about this?  It would look great on you."
She picked out the little top with the balloons, the one that Linda
had picked out for him.

     "Yeah, I've worn that once already.  I guess it's okay, but I
always feel like I'm hanging out of the big armholes," Joe
complained.

     "Ridiculous.  I'm sure you look great in it.  Get that hot
coverall off, and put this on.  What do you have to wear with it?"
Karen asked.

     "I've got some shorts.  I don't have any longer pants, yet,"
Joe said.

     "Get the shorts," Karen ordered.

     Joe went out into the bedroom, went to his dresser, and found
the white and the blue shorts.  He had just put them there that
morning.  He placed them both on the bed and sat on the side,
taking his Reeboks off.  He pulled the jumpsuit off and lay it on
the bed.  He stood there, in his underwear, waiting for Karen to
bring him the little tank top.  She came out of the closet, and
looked at Joe.

     "My God, you're beautiful," she said as she looked at him,
"and you just woke up the other day, looking like that?"

     "Yeah, I guess that's about it," Joe said.  "I haven't any
idea what has caused it.  That's what I'm trying to find out. 
Something apparently happened to me, Dave, and Mike, while we were
flying.  We all have similar symptoms."

     "Gee, I wish I could have made the change that easy," Karen
said with a grin.  "Maybe we should go flying together."  She gave
Joe the top, and he slipped it over his head.  He looked at her and
showed her the way his bra peeked out the large arm openings.

     "Aww, Don't be so paranoid," Karen said.  "It's not that
noticeable.  You can't really see anything.  Guys will think it's
sexy, and women either won't notice, or won't care."

     Joe decided Karen must be right.  Linda had basically said the
same thing, so it must be true.  He grabbed the blue shorts that
Karen handed him, and slipped them on.  It was more comfortable out
of the warm, but wonderfully concealing, jumpsuit.

     "I guess we had better be getting back," Joe said, looking at his
alarm clock by the bed.

     "Give me a minute, I need to use your bathroom before we go
back," Karen said.

     Joe pointed to the door to the attached bath.  He sat on the
bed and waited for Karen.  As he did, he thought about his tall new
friend.

     They were so alike, and yet, so different.  They had both
started out in life as males, and even had relationships with
women.  Now they were both learning to live as women.  Karen was
much further along, having been living like this for almost three
years.  Joe had only four days behind him, and Karen WANTED to be
this way.  He was not a volunteer, but now they were both in
similar situations.  They had almost identical interests, and
seemed to get along very well.  He was glad to have found her when
he did.  Karen might be a good person to have around when learning
to cope with the things he would probably need to learn in the next
few months, but what would Linda think of Karen, or how would she
feel about him having another female friend?  Joe was pulled away
from his thoughts by the sound of the toilet flushing.

     "Okay, now I'm ready," Karen said, as she reentered the
bedroom.

     Joe got up, and arranged his credit cards and ID in the tiny
pockets of the blue shorts.  He would have to do something about
where to put this stuff, if he was not going to carry a purse. 
Karen saw what he was doing, and laughed.

     "I still have the same problem," she admitted.  "I just can't
get used to the idea of carrying a purse around all the time, but
there just aren't enough pockets in women's clothes.  Luckily,
these uniforms have pretty large pockets," She pulled a few
dollars, and her hospital ID, out of a pocket of her white uniform
dress to demonstrate.

     Joe went out, and locked the door.  Karen looked at the pool
area.  "Linda sure has a nice place here," she said.  "How does she
take it, with you looking like a woman now?"

     "I don't know," Joe answered.  "She says she doesn't care what
happens.  That she wants to be with me, no matter what, but I have
always insisted to her that this was a temporary thing for me, and
that I would do all I could to get back nor mal.  If I come to her
now, and say that this is how it will be... I don't know.  I don't
know how she'll take it, and I don't know what I'll want to do...
as I get used to the idea myself, if that's possible.  It still
seems like a strange dream to me.  so far."

     The drive back to the hospital was quick, and they did not
talk much.  As they neared the parking lot, Joe started to get
apprehensive.  Although the little top and the shorts he was
wearing were much more comfortable in the heat, they were also much
more revealing.  Except for his experience in the health club, he
had never been in a public place with so much of his new shape
exposed.  It seemed different when he was around strangers, or,
close friends, but Jim Matheney, and who knows who else, would be
there this afternoon.  They'd be in for a surprise when they saw
him like this.

     "Oh, well," Joe thought.  "I might as well get used to it if
I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life.  The rest of my
life..."

     It was about one-forty-five when they got back up to Dr.
Krell's reception area.  There was nobody sitting in the waiting
area, and Joe wondered where his two friends were.  He sat on
one of the couches.  Karen sat behind the reception desk and
started to read something, probably the appointment schedule.

     "Your friend Dave is at lunch, and Mike is upstairs at
OB-GYN," Karen said.  "Dr. Krell is at lunch.  He might have Dave
with him.  They should be back by two." She got up, and started
down the hall.

     "Will I be seeing you again today?" Joe asked, calling out to
her.  He did not want her to leave.  He felt better having Karen
around because she gave him hope that he could still have a normal
life, even if he stayed the way he was.

     "Sure Joe, I'll be back down later," she said.  "You'll be
here all afternoon.  I'll see you before you leave today."

     As Joe sat there, waiting for everyone to return, he used the
time to think.  If he was going to be this way permanently, he had
to make some plans.  He did not have enough clothes, of course. 
His identification problems would be taken care of, he hoped.  He
wondered about his job.  Surely, if he, Dave, and Mike all had
problems, it must be job related, so he doubted that they would
fire him, or anything like that, but would he even want to go back
there?  What would his friends say?  The guys who knew him as Joe,
the airplane and sports car nut.  Joe, the bachelor.  Joe, the guy.

     He looked down at his smooth, tanned legs.  If they were
somebody else's, he would be one of the guys, critically checking
them out, but these were his.  They really did not look all that
much different than they used to, except that they were now smooth
and hairless.  He rubbed his upper leg with his hand.  It felt
different than before, though.  Much softer.  He was in good shape
before this happened, and he still had good muscle tone, but now he
also had that thin layer of fat, just under the skin, that makes
females feel so soft.  He thought it might be even softer than
yesterday.  Maybe he was still changing.  The skin felt more
sensitive, too.  His light touch felt good; sensuous.  He could
feel his breasts, his nipples actually, stiffening.  Whenever they
did that, he could feel them when they rubbed the soft material
inside his bra.  He liked that sensation, too.  It was a sort of
tickling feeling, different than anything he knew as a guy.  When
you really thought about it, having breasts was not bad at all, he
considered.  It was going to be a little more difficult getting
used to not having a penis anymore, though.  Even though it
usually felt like it was still there, it was not.  While its
substitute might be interesting, it was certainly a lot less
functional at least for what it was used the most.  Like
urinating.  It sure seemed like he had to do that a lot more often
now, and of course the darn thing even might have some other
surprises.  Dr. Hopkins said he could probably get pregnant.  No
immediate problem there, but it meant that he would also probably
have menstrual periods.  What would that be like?  Would it hurt? 
Would he have cramps, and get bitchy, like Linda did, sometimes? 
He did not want to think about that, but having blood, and other
yuck, coming out of your body, as a 'normal' occurrence?  His
examination today, and the probing, made him painfully aware of
this new orifice.  No, he decided.  Having a vagina was not all
that great.  It might feel good, great even, sometimes, but it was
probably more of a liability than an asset.

     "Then again," he thought, "if I gotta be a girl, it's best to
have ALL the parts." He was glad he was not stuck halfway, like
Mike seemed to be.  That seemed like a real problem.  Maybe he was
lucky to have the body he did.  "It could sure be worse," he
thought, lightly stroking a breast with the tips of his fingers.

     "Got a little itch there, Joe?" the tall nurse asked, grinning
widely as she walked up to him.

     Joe could feel his face turning red.  He had been so deep in
thought that he did not notice Karen and Mike come up the tiled
hallway.  Mike was walking stiffly, and looked uncomfortable. 
Karen motioned for him to sit, and when he tried, Joe
understood what his problem was.

     "I've got to go back upstairs," said Karen, excusing herself. 
"Dr. Krell should be here any minute.  It's almost two."

     "Well, how's it going, Mike?" Joe asked.  He was trying to
picture him on the examining table with the stirrups.

     "Don't ask.  You wouldn't believe what they did to me
upstairs," Mike said.  He seemed to be in very low spirits.  Joe
could imagine why.

     "If it's the pelvic exam, I had one this morning, and I know
what you mean.  The pain has just recently worn off for me," Joe
said, trying to make Mike feel like he was not alone in this.

     "Joe, Dr. Hopkins said it looked like I was a completely
functional female," Mike went on.  "He said it's possible I might
even have periods.  He stuck a thing, sort of a stretching tool,
into my vagina.  My VAGINA!  I've got a vagina.  Can you believe
it?  He even said I had an intact hymen.  On top of all this, I'm
a virgin!"  Mike was so shaken, it looked like he might cry.

     Joe did not know what to do to help his friend.  He thought
about what Dr. Krell told him about gender reassignment.  Maybe,
for Mike, it would be the thing to do.  He knew Dr. Krell would
know what would be the best for Mike.  He touched Mike's shoulder,
and Mike looked at him.  Tears were welling in his eyes.

     "Joe, I just can't be a woman.  I just CAN'T!  Look at you. 
You LOOK like a woman!  A good looking one, too.  I don't even look
like an ugly woman," he moaned.

     "Did Dr. Hopkins have any thoughts as to why your body has
stayed masculine looking?" Joe asked.

     "Yeah, he did," Mike said.  "He looked at me... at my cock...
my vagina... I guess... and he asked me if I have been taking
anabolic steroids."

     "Did you?" Joe asked, knowing the answer before he heard it.

     "Joe, I was careful," Mike said.  "I didn't take too many. 
Just enough shots to get my pecks in shape.  I never thought...
Hell, who would?  I never thought that it would make me look like
a man when I changed into a GIRL!  Joe, I didn't know.  I just
didn't know."  Mike was almost pleading with him.

     "Mike, don't worry," Joe said.  "I think you'll find Dr. Krell
can help.  I don't know how just yet, but I'm sure he can help."

     "Can he change you back into a guy?" Mike asked.

     "Well, for me, he recommended that I stay this way, at least
until we can figure out what caused it.  For you, maybe he'll
recommend something else.  You look a lot more like a guy than I
do, now," Joe said honestly.

     "Yeah, a guy who has periods.  A guy with a cunt.  Joe, he's
just GOTTA help me!" Mike pleaded.

     Joe looked down the hall, and saw Jim Matheney walking their
way.  "Well, here it goes," he thought.  He felt the blood rush to
his cheeks, and tried in vain to arrange the tank top so that his
boobs would not be so obvious.

     Suddenly, Jim Matheney realized who it was, sitting there on
the couch.  He recognized Mike first, but his eyes did a double
take when he saw the other person.  This was one of his engineers,
maybe his best pilot, sitting there, wearing women's clothes, and
if he saw it right, he even looked like a woman.

     No doubt about it, Joe Bates looked like a woman.  He seemed
much smaller, especially sitting next to the big technician, Mike. 
"Holy cow!" Jim thought.  "He's got knockers, and everything. 
What's going on here, anyway?"

     "Hi Jim," Joe said, breaking the awkward silence, as Jim
stared at him, his eyes wide, and his mouth speechless.

     "Joe, what the hell is going on here?" Jim asked.  "Mike
what's the matter with you?  Where's Dave?"  He was overwhelmed
with what he saw.

     Joe tried to give a quick explanation, saying, "Well, Jim, we
don't know what's happened, exactly.  Me, Dave, and Mike here, seem
to have received some kind of chromosomal damage, or something. 
Our genes have been changed somehow, so that we're all females now,
at least genetically."  He was careful about what he said in front
of Mike.  He did not want him to break down again.

     "Females?  What do you mean females?" Jim asked.

     "Women... Girls... You know," Joe explained.  "Damn it, Jim! 
Look at me!  This is not some kind of costume.  We've undergone
some kind of transformation.  When I woke up Friday, I looked like
this, and I guarantee it was much more of a surprise for me then
than it is for you now."

     "All three of you?  What caused it anyway?" Jim asked.

     "Well, that's what we're trying to find out," Joe replied. 
"Since it happened to us three on the GPS test program, it must
have something to do with the Learjet, or somewhere we went in it. 
Damned if I can figure it out."

     "So you're telling me you've all become females?  Then what
about you, Mike?" Jim asked.

     Before Mike could say anything, Joe broke in.  "Mike has
changed too," Joe explained, "but mostly internally.  His secondary
characteristics just haven't developed."  He voiced what was his
best guess, not wanting to bring up the steroids.

     "Jim, there's something wrong with that damn Lear," Mike said
loudly.  "Look what it's done to us.  You gotta find out what's
causing it.  The company's gotta help us get back to normal."

     "Mike, if Honeybone is at fault, they'll do everything
possible to help you.  How do you know it's the Lear, anyway?" Jim
asked.

     "Jim, we three were the only ones working the ground tests
with the portable transmitter," Joe reasoned.  "We were all on the
airplane for the touch and go's too.  It has to have something to
do with the Lear, or where the Lear went, on Thursday."

     "Where did you take the damn thing?" Jim asked.

     "We hardly got out of the pattern," Joe answered.  "I know for
sure we never got more than eight DME from Deer Valley."  Deer
Valley airport was north of Phoenix and was where the Learjet was
based.

     "What can we do?" Jim said.  "How do you think we can test it? 
I wouldn't want to be the pilot on this one."

     "I don't know how we can do it," Joe replied.  "Maybe somebody
here has some ideas.  I don't know what we gotta do, but I don't
think anyone should fly the Lear till we figure out what's going
on."

     "Yeah, but don't worry, when the guys find about this, I don't
think I could drag anybody into that airplane," Jim agreed.

     "Jim, I don't know what's going to happen, but it's just
possible that we're stuck like this.  What's your opinion on what
Honeybone will do about it?" Joe asked.

     "Damn, Joe, I don't know," Jim answered.  "I never heard of
anything like this.  I do think that they should do everything
possible.  They will, if I have anything to do about it.  What do
you want Honeybone to do, Joe?"

     "I don't know," Joe said.  "I know I look different, but I
just hope that the company doesn't decide that I would be better
off unemployed."

     "If Honeybone is at fault here, I'll raise all kinds of hell
if they try to get rid of any of you," Jim said.  He meant it, too.

     Doctor Krell, followed closely by Dave Skinner, came through
the door at the end of the hall.  Jim turned around and watched as
his other pilot/engineer came down the hall.  Dr. Krell held out
his hand to Jim.

     "Mr. Matheney, I'm Benjamin Krell.  I guess you see what kind
of situation your guys are in," the little doctor said.

     "What's causing this, doc?" Jim asked.  "What can be done
about it?"  Jim Matheney was a problem solver, and he was used to
getting things done, not just talking about it.

     "It is a difficult problem," Dr. Krell said.  "I know of
nothing, no phenomenon, which can cause this.  It seems as though
their bodies' chromosomes have been altered.  We have just started
the analysis, and that's all we have so far.  I will have to look
at the results of the other physical examinations, but I know that
Joe here, has the total outward appearance of a normal female."

     "Can you correct or reverse this thing?" Jim asked.

     "I don't know," Dr. Krell answered.  "I don't see how, but I
really need to study the problem some more.  I'd like to see what
you have at work; what they were operating in the Learjet airplane. 
I'd also like to get them to my clinic in San Diego where I can run
more tests, and where we have more people skilled in this area."

     "If you need to go to San Diego, then get over there," Jim
said.  "Joe, you can take the 421 if you want.  Nobody's using it,
and there is nothing scheduled on it for the rest of the month. 
Can you still fly?"

     "I don't know why not, Jim," Joe answered.  "Maybe I look like
a woman now, but I haven't had the urge to sit home and bake
cookies, or anything like that.  Of course I can still fly."  Just
the question rankled Joe a bit.

     "Sorry Joe, I didn't mean to offend you," Jim apologized. 
"It's a little difficult to comprehend that you're the same person. 
You sure look a lot different."

     "It's okay, Jim," Joe said.  "I know I look different.  I feel
different too, but inside, it's still me.  I'd sure appreciate it
if you'd try to treat us the same as before, much as possible
anyway.  It's hard enough to get used to this, without everybody
treating us like we were entirely different people.  Our bodies
have changed, but our brains are the same."  He hoped that was
true.  He was starting to have doubts.

     "Joe, can we get you over to San Diego tomorrow?" Dr. Krell
asked.  "I'd like all three of you there, if possible.  I have
called, and we can begin running tests in the afternoon, if
possible."

     "What about the Lear?" Joe asked.  He wanted to know what
caused this to happen to him.

     "I'd like to go over to where the airplane is later this
afternoon," Dr. Krell answered.  "Maybe we can figure out a way to
run some experiments on it.  I'll need to see what you are talking
about.  You won't have to be involved in that, however.  Some of my
people, and maybe Mr. Matheney here, can do that.  I want to find
out the extent of your symptoms, as soon as possible."

     "If Dave and I fly the 421 to San Diego, we might get checked
by the Feds," Joe said.  "What do you think they'd say about us? 
Our tickets still have an M in the sex column."

     "I'll call Fred, and get an opinion from him," Jim answered. 
"Maybe he can make a decision himself, or can call Oklahoma City."
They both had a low opinion of their FAA representative's ability
to deal with new situations.

     "Well, I've got to get back to my office," Dr. Krell said. 
"Dave, I think they're about ready for you upstairs."

     Joe looked at Dave.  He saw that Mike looked at him too.  They
both knew what was in store for their friend.  Dave just looked at
both of them, with a confused look on his face.  Mike and Joe just
grinned smugly.  Dave followed Dr. Krell into his office.  Mike sat on the couch, and began squirming around trying to get
comfortable.  Jim saw him wincing, and asked what his problem was.

     "Well, ah... I ah... Jim... Well, you see," Mike stammered,
"they have this stainless steel tool.  It looks kind of like a
safety wire pliers with spoons on the end.  Well, they take this
thing, and they put it inside you, and they open it up.  I'll tell
you, you wouldn't want to try it." Mike, with his face red with
embarrassment, tried to describe his pelvic exam.

     "You had one of those, Mike?" Jim said, eyeing the big guy
carefully.  "You've changed that much too?  I didn't know... I
didn't realize you had changed that much.  You look pretty much the
same."

     "I'm not the same, Jim," Mike said, a bit of sarcasm creeping
into his voice.  "I'm not the same.  You should see what I look
like without this stuff on.  I may still look like a guy, but right
now I don't feel like one.  Right now, it feels like my balls were
cut off with a dull knife.  Hell, it kinda looks like it too."

     "Well, if there is anything that can be done, it will be
done," Jim promised.

     Joe, Mike and Jim sat outside Dr. Krell's office for about
forty-five minutes.  Dr. Krell had taken Dave upstairs after
interviewing him.  He came down alone about thirty minutes later,
and went into his office.  About ten minutes after that, Karen
brought a stiff walking Dave Skinner back down, and took him into
Dr. Krell's office.  She came back out alone, and sat down on the
couch with the three of them.  Joe introduced Karen to the others. 
He did not mention her past.

     "This is Dr. Krell's nurse and assistant, Karen Simpson. 
Among her other talents, she's an instrument pilot," Joe added.

     Karen said hello to each of them, and asked Joe what he was
doing later.  Joe looked at Jim.

     "I guess we're going to look at the Lear, to see what, or how
we can try to find out what happened," Jim said.  "We'll have to
wait for Dr. Krell's word."

     "Would you like to come along?" Joe asked.  He liked to be
around Karen.

     "Yeah, I would," Karen answered.  "This whole thing is so
bizarre.  I'd like to know what caused it, myself."

     She remained sitting on the couch.  It was obvious that she
was also waiting for Dave to finish with Dr. Krell.  Finally, the
door opened, and a long faced Dave skinner came out.  Dr. Krell was
right behind him.

     "Would it be possible to see this airplane, and the equipment
they were using?" Dr. Krell asked.

     "I'm ready to go whenever you want," Jim answered.

     "Dr. Krell, if you have no objections, Joe's invited me to
come along, and I'd sure like to," Karen asked.

     "Sure, Karen.  It might be helpful to have you along anyway,"
Dr. Krell said.

     They all followed Jim out, but when they got to the parking
lot, they stopped to decide how to split up.

     "Dr. Krell, I have a company Ford sedan, and it will hold
four, or five, easily," Jim said.

     "I'll take Joe, and follow you," Karen said quickly.

     "Mike, you and Dave want to ride with us?" Jim asked.

     "Sure, why not?" Mike answered.  He and Dave followed them to
the Ford in the public lot.  Joe followed Karen to her car, in the
employee lot.

     Karen and Joe were out first, and they headed straight for
Deer Valley airport.  When they came down the road near the field,
Joe pointed out the hangar, and Karen drove right up to it.  Joe
was getting nervous again, as he knew there was a guard on duty who
knew him as a male.  He did not have his company ID, and he did not
want to have to explain his problem to the guard anyway.  He
suggested that they wait for Jim to arrive with the others, in the
Ford.

     Before long, Jim drove up, and parked next to the white
Toyota.  Joe and Karen got out and went over to the others.  They
went to the gate, and Jim showed his badge to the person in the
guard shack.  The guard handed them a clipboard, and asked them to
sign in.  Joe quickly signed his name, and hoped that the guard
would not look at their names.  He was wrong.

     "Joe?  Joe Bates?  We have somebody here by that name," he
said.  When Dave, and Mike signed on, he looked at them carefully. 
Joe did not say anything, and neither did the others.  They quickly
walked through the gate, and into the hanger.

     "There's the Lear," Jim said, mainly for Dr. Krell's informa-
tion.  They walked over to the sleek aircraft, and Joe spun the
handle, and opened the two piece door.  He peered inside.  "What's
in here that could have caused this to happen?" he thought.  He
looked around at the test gear that was attached to the seat
tracks.

     "I believe there is a portable transmitter, or something?" Dr.
Krell asked.

     "Yeah, that's over in the lab," Joe answered.  "We can go look
at that if you like."

     "I believe it may be something worth looking into," Dr. Krell
said.  "I have heard that high power radio energy can cause cell
damage, and there is very little information compiled about how it
affects the chromosomes."

     "Well, it would be easy to set up, and operate, but how would
we test it?" Jim said.  "We have a cage back at the plant which we
could use to isolate the RF from everybody.  Maybe we should try
that."

     They walked passed the Cessna 421.  Karen walked over to one
of the engines, and ran her hand down the leading edge of a prop
blade.

     "How long since you've flown?" Joe asked.

     "Almost four years," Karen said.  "I've never renewed my
medical since I started on hormones.  I guess I do miss it a
little."

     "Maybe you could come along to San Diego," Jim said.  "I'll
get you time in this thing if you want."

     "Wouldn't miss it if I can get away," Karen said.  "I'll have
to ask Dr. Hopkins."

     "Well, if you can get away, I'd like it if you could come
along," Joe said.  He liked having Karen around.

     Jim and Dr. Krell discussed the possible ways they could run
tests on the equipment.  The possibility of using animals was
considered.  Dr. Krell said he'd have to study the idea, since he
was not familiar with that type of testing.  He said he would
consult some of his colleagues.

     Finally, they were finished looking at the aircraft and
equipment.

     "Let's go talk to the guys in the lab," Jim said.  "I'll show
you the transmitters."

     Joe, Karen, Mike, and Dave all followed Jim and Dr. Krell into
one of the labs located in the rooms on the sides of the big
hanger.  They went in, and saw the yellow painted chassis which
contained the relatively low power test transmitters used for
functional tests of the new GPS navigation receivers.

     "How close to the antenna are you, during ground tests?" Dr.
Krell asked.

     "Well, as close as a few feet to as far as a mile," Mike said. 
The operation of the transmitters was his area of expertise.

     "How can we test this in a controlled environment?" Dr. Krell
asked.

     "Back at the plant we have a radiation containment room, a
type of wire cage," Jim answered.  "Little or no radio energy
escapes from the cage."

     "I think that's what we should use to test the transmitter,"
Dr. Krell said.  "Since we are unsure of the area of danger, it
would be best to contain it completely."

     "We'll bring a transmitter to the plant tomorrow," Jim said. 
"How can we test this?  Don't we need a test case, a volunteer?"

     "I'm not sure yet," Dr. Krell said.  "I can get access to some
animal subjects, and I think we should start there.  If it happens
that it seems to be the transmitters which cause the cell changes,
and I would suspect that it is.  I think we could easily get human
volunteers if it was likely that they might result in changes like
those on Joe here."

     Joe blushed as everyone looked at him.  It was probably true,
if there were others like Karen, this machine could be the answer
to their prayers.  An operational "Instant Sex Change" machine
would surely be a revolutionary piece of hardware.  A far greater
technological advance than the GPS Navigation Program.  Unfortu-
nately, he was perhaps a victim of this new discovery, and might
have to live the rest of his life with the result.

     "I think we should call the Feds," Joe said.  "I want to know
if I'm legal when I fly.  I'm worried when I drive, and if I and
Dave have to go to San Diego tomorrow, I want to know what my
status is."

     "Well, let's call Fred," Jim said.  Fred was the FAA GADO Rep.
who dealt closely with Honeybone.

     They went into the empty flight planning office and picked up
the phone.  Fred Holmes' office number was on the quick dialer.  He
answered almost immediately.

     "Fred, we seem to have a little problem that we need an
opinion on," Jim said.  "Three of my guys seem to have received
some kind of cell change or something, and we think it might be
something we're doing here on the GPS project.  We don 't yet have
any proof of that yet, but we'd like to run some tests on it.  We
have a Dr. Krell who specializes in chromosomal problems, and he'd
like our people to come to his office in San Diego.  I'd like to
let them go in the 421, but they aren't sure what the FAA's feelings
are on things like this."

     Jim stopped talking for an instant, as he listened to what the
FAA man was saying.

     "Yeah, it's my two pilot/engineers, Joe Bates, and Dave
Skinner," He said.  "Well, it's weird.  They seem to have changed
sex, or at least they look like it."

     Jim waited, as the man on the other end did something that
took a few minutes.

     "No, they haven't been taking any drugs, or hormones, or
anything like that," Jim said.  "I don't think so anyway." Jim
looked at Joe, and Dave, who shook their heads to the negative.

     "No, they haven't had surgery, or anything like that either,"
Jim said into the phone.  "They have just come from Hillcrest were
they were given a clean bill of health.  There don't seem to be any
health problems at all.  It's just that they have undergone some
unusual changes.  They both look sort of like they've changed into
females.  That's all we know, so far."

     "Yeah, that's all.  We've just turned into women.  That's
all," Joe thought.  "It's a lot different to say it than to have it
happen to you."

     "Sure their medicals are current," Jim said.  "Yeah, I can
give them a quick check ride.  I know that they don't have any
physical problems." Jim was a flight instructor, as was Joe, but he
was also a designated flight examiner.

     "Okay, sounds reasonable to me," Jim said.  He hung up the
phone.

     "Fred says that if you two haven't been taking any drugs or
other prescription chemicals, and haven't been subjected to any
major surgery, he can't find anything in the books to keep you from
being legal," Jim said.  "He suggested I give each of you a check
ride.  He said that a note from your doctor would be necessary to
get your ticket changed, and to present it at your next physical."

     "Well, that sounds unbelievably easy," Joe said.

     "I'll give you the papers you need tomorrow, at my office,"
Dr. Krell said.

     "If you have an hour, right now, I'll take both of you up in
the 421, and make a logbook entry," Jim said.

     "Can you wait?" Joe looked at Karen.

     "Sure, no problem," said the tall nurse

     Joe and Dave took the little tug and pulled the 421 out of the
hanger.  Joe went to the phone and called the fuel truck to top off
the tanks, as Dave started the pre-flight inspection.

     When they were ready, the three of them boarded the little
twin.  Jim sat in one of the passenger seats, as Joe and Dave
adjusted the crew seats to their new proportions.  Soon the engines
were started, and they taxied out to the run-up area.  They
checked the piston engines, and called the tower for takeoff
clearance.  Jim told them to remain in the traffic pattern.

     Jim sat on the left, and made the first takeoff and landing. 
Then Dave got the chance to show his capability.  Then Jim asked
that they set the left engine to minimum thrust, and Joe made a
simulated single engine landing.  Dave also demonstrated he could
still fly the 421 on one engine, and then they returned to the
Honeybone hanger.

     "Nothing wrong with your ability to fly," was all Jim said. 
They both had their flight bags in their lockers, and they
presented their logbooks to Jim, who made an entry as suggested by
the FAA rep.

     When they had the 421 chocked in the hanger, they were ready
to return to the hospital.  Jim took Dr. Krell, Dave and Mike along
in the Ford sedan, while Joe again rode back with Karen.  When they
arrived back at the hospital, Karen parked the car and they walked
in.

     "Let me find Dr. Hopkins, and see if I can take a few days
off," she said.  "I don't think there will be any problem.  He has
three assistants, and I usually just answer the phones."

     It was about four thirty by the time they had talked to Dr.
Hopkins, and made an appointment to meet with Dr. Krell and his
staff, in San Diego, tomorrow at noon.  Dr. Krell suggested that
they plan on remaining in California for at least two days.  Jim
said it would be no problem for them to take the plane, and keep it
as long as they needed it.

     "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning, about eleven,"
Dr. Krell said.  "I'll probably leave here tonight."

     Karen, Joe, Dave, Mike, and Jim walked to the parking lot. 
They discussed the plans for the trip in the morning.  Dave and Joe
decided to meet at the hanger about six o'clock.  The rest could
arrive about seven, or seven thirty.  Jim said he could not go
tomorrow morning, but if they wanted him there, he'd come up in the
afternoon.  They said they could not think of any reason why he'd
have to be there, but they'd call if they needed him.  That seemed
to satisfy him.  To Joe, Jim seemed to be worried about the
liability that Honeybone might incur with all this, and especially
what Mr. Mayer might think about it.  Mayer was Jim's supervisor,
the VP of operations.  Joe asked him about it.

     "I talked to Mayer on the phone," Jim said.  "He said that I
should do everything I could to help figure out what was going on. 
He was worried about you guys too.  Don't worry, Joe, the company
is going to help you with this." Jim put his hand on Joe's
shoulder, but quickly pulled it away when he felt its feminine
softness.

     "Thanks, Jim," Joe said.  "I appreciate your concern.  I don't
know what's going to become of this, but I appreciate your concern,
and I appreciate what the company is doing to help."

     "What you got planned for the evening, Joe?" Karen asked.

     "I don't know," Joe answered.  "I guess Linda is home by now,
I'll have to tell her I'll be out of town for a couple of days.  I
guess I'll have to get some things to take along.  It looks like
I'm gonna be this way for a while, so I guess I better invest in
some more girl stuff."  A funny grin formed on his face as he
talked.

     Joe looked over at Dave, and said, "What about you, pal?  Are
you going to need some things if you're going to be away for a
couple of days?"

     "Yeah, I guess I do," Dave answered.  "I'll get Cindy to help
me find something.  I'd like her to come along to San Diego, but I
guess she'll have to stay home with the kids."

     "If you want to go with me, give me a call," Joe said.  "I'm
staying at Linda's house, at least for now." If he was to stay a
woman, it might be best if he moved away from Linda.

     "I wouldn't mind if you came over, maybe about six, or six
thirty," Joe said.  "We can go to the mall and get something to
eat.  Linda might want to come along.  I'd like you to meet her."

     Joe went to his car, and Dave go in with him.  They drove to
Dave's house.  Dave did not say much until they were almost to his
house.

     "Joe, Dr. Krell said that I was a genetic woman now, and that
he knew of nothing that could make me a functioning, normal, male
again," Dave said.

     "Yeah, I figured he did," Joe said.  "That's the same thing he
told me.  He said that any operation to make me a male wouldn't be
acceptable to me, and that he thought it would be best for me to
remain the way I am until they can find a way to reverse the
process, or just get used to being a woman."

     "Basically the same thing he told me," Dave said.  "I told him
I was a married man, and I just couldn't buy some dresses and get
on with a new life.  Dr. Krell said he wasn't sure how to handle my
problem, but he would look into it, and he would get therapy for
me.  I told him therapy wouldn't help me to sleep with my wife.  It
wouldn't explain to my son why his daddy was now a woman.  He
didn't have any answers to help me at all."

     "I guess they haven't had a situation like yours before," Joe
said, "but Dr. Krell is pretty wise, he might be able to come up
with something that will help you."

     They pulled into Dave's driveway, and Dave got out.  "I'll see
you in the morning," Dave said, the frown momentarily turning to a
tiny smile as he said bye to his pal.

     Joe drove to Linda's house.  When he pulled in back, he saw
Linda's car in the drive.  Joe got out of his car, and walked into
the house.  Linda was sitting at the table in the dining area,
going over some paperwork.  She still wearing the clothes she put
on that morning.  Joe walked up to the chair she was sitting on,
and put his hands on her shoulders.  He started to massage her
neck.  She leaned back, and putting her head back, looked up at
Joe.

     "Hi there," she said, almost purring as Joe rubbed her neck
and soft shoulders.

     "Hi," Joe said.  She looked so sexy, and he could see her
black teddy through the neck of her suit.

     "Did you find anything out today?" Linda asked.

     "Well, I guess I did," Joe said.  "I found out that I'm
genetically a woman, which is what I already suspected."

     "Can they help you get back?" she asked.

     "They recommend that I stay like this, at least until they can
figure out what has caused it and try to reverse the process. 
That's all the hope they can provide," Joe said.  "So I guess I'll
be a girl, for a while anyway.  I gotta try to get used to it."

     "We can make the best of it," Linda said.  "I think it will be
okay, even if they don't ever find a way to make you a male again."

     "Dave Skinner and Mike Osborn have the same problem," Joe
said.  "They were with me in the Lear Thursday, and they found the
same symptoms when they woke up Friday."

     "You mean that you're not the only one changed like this?"
Linda asked, amazed.

     "That's right, and Dave is married, with two kids.  He's
really got a problem," Joe replied.  "Mike Osborn, you've never met
him, Mike has changed too, but he's a muscle builder, and was
taking steroids.  Now, he's female internally, but he still looks
like a guy.  Compared to my problem, it's really a bad situation."

     "I've got to go to San Diego in the morning.  Dave, Mike and
I will fly over in the 421.  A Specialist named Dr. Benjamin Krell
has a clinic there, and he wants us to come over so he can examine
us," Joe said.

     "When do you have to leave?" Linda asked.

     "I've got a six o'clock show," Joe said.

     "Will you need anything?  How long will you be staying?" Linda
asked.

     "Well, I guess I should look through my things, and see if I
have everything I'll need," Joe said.  "If I'm going to stay this
way, for a while at least, I guess I can invest in some more
clothes."  He knew Linda liked to shop more than any thing else.

     "You'll have to go to the mall then," Linda said.  "I have to
finish this paperwork.  It looks like I've got a buyer on that big
place over on Canyon Road."

     "I've met a nurse," Joe said.  "She works for Dr. Hopkins, the
Gynecologist who examined me this morning.  She's coming over in a
little while.  I'd like you to meet her."  He hoped Linda would
like Karen but he was not sure how she would feel about him having
a woman as a friend.

     "Oh, really?  I'd like to meet her," Linda said.  "If you
don't mind, I'd like to get out of these clothes and into something
more comfortable."

     "Sure, good idea.  Karen should be here in about a half hour,"
Joe said.

     Joe went to his room.  He looked through the few items of
clothing he had.  He wondered what he should take to San Diego.  He
wondered what he should wear when he flew the 421.  He had a Nomex
flight suit in his locker at the Honeybone hanger, but that would
not fit now.  Besides, this was more of a personal trip than a work
trip.  He seldom flew now, except as part of his job.  He was
instructing Jay so that he could get his instrument rating.  He
used Jay's plane for that.  Jay had a Mooney 201.  He used it to
fly from Phoenix to Tucson, Casa Grande, and other points around
Arizona.  For that an instrument rating was not really necessary,
the weather was almost always VFR, but since he bought the speedy
little Mooney, Jay's insurance took a big hike, and he was advised
to get his instrument rating.  Joe brushed off his instructor
ticket, and was getting Jay ready for his check ride.  Jay let him
use the speedy single whenever he wanted, but he seldom felt the
need to fly, except for work.  He decided he better call Jay, and
tell him what was happening.  He went to the phone by the bed, and
lay down as he punched in Jay's number.

     Jay answered, "Hello."

     "Jay, this is Joe.  What's up?" Joe asked.

     "I was hoping you could tell me," Jay answered.

     "Well, I do have a bit of news," Joe said.  "I saw a doctor
today.  He confirmed what I already suspected.  I'm genetically a
woman as well as physically.  I also found out that two of my crew
on the Lear have also have the same symptoms."

     "They've turned into women too?" Jay asked, as if he could not
believe it.

     "Yeah," Joe answered.  "Dave Skinner and Mike Osborn have
turned genetically female too.  We think maybe it's the GPS test
transmitter which has caused it.  Jim Matheney and Dr. Krell are
trying to set up some tests to find out what and how it could cause
such a thing.  It looks like Honeybone is worried about a lawsuit,
and is doing everything to help, and keep us satisfied."

     "Well, they better," Jay said.  "If they are responsible they
better be willing to help all they can."  Jay was an attorney.

     "They're going to do all they can, I think," Joe said.  "We
have to go to San Diego in the morning, to see specialists.  They
will help us get our records in order there too.  Dr. Krell say's
he's familiar with this type of problem since he deals with
transsexual patients."

     "Do you want me to go with you?" Jay asked.

     "I don't think it will be necessary," Joe said, "unless you
want to go along."

     "If you don't need me, I'd better stay here," Jay said.  "I've
got plenty to do, and I'll get behind if I go off to California
with you.  If you feel you need my assistance just call.  I can be
there in a couple of hours."

     "Since I don't know what they'll be doing with me, I don't
think you need to come along, at least this time," Joe said.

     "Be sure to take all your license, birth certificate, and
military records," Jay reminded him.

     "Yeah, I'll have to go to my place to get them," Joe said.  "I
don't know if I should move back there, or what.  It's beginning to
look like I'm going to be like this for a while, maybe forever.  I
don't know how to deal with Linda, if that's the way it's going to
be."  He did not know how his buddy would take the news either.

     "They can't change you back?" Jay asked.

     "Hell, they don't know how I got this way, much less know how
to get me back," Joe answered.  "They recommended that I don't
resort to surgery, or anything like that.  They said that would
surely leave me disfigured if they did find a way to change me back
to a male, and recommended that I stay this way until they examine
all options.  I guess I'd better get used to being like this."

     "Well, try to make the best of it," Jay said.  "We'll have to
get together again, when you get back in a couple of days."

     "Yeah, we will," Joe said.  The relationship was changing
between him and Jay, and they both knew it.

     "See you in a couple of days," Joe said, hanging up the phone.

     He went back to his drawers to decide what he needed when he
heard the door bell.  "That must be Karen," he thought and went to
the door.  He opened it, and the tall attractive blonde came in. 
She was wearing bright pink, sort of fluorescent, shorts with a
white top.  Out of her nurse's uniform, she looked even more
attractive.
Archive-name: Changes/bates12.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 12


                                  Chapter 12
                                Shopping Again

   "Come on in."  Joe called out.  "I've been waiting for you."

   Karen Simpson entered the house.  She was taller than Joe by about two
inches.  Joe was shorter since the change, but still felt a little strange
having to look up to a woman.  At about five foot eight or nine, he was still
taller than most of them.

   "I want you to meet Linda."  Joe said, and walked down the hall towards
Linda's bedroom.  Linda heard someone at the door too, and met Joe as she left
the bedroom.  She now wore  shorts, and a light cotton top, somewhat like
Joe's.

   "Linda, I'd like you to meet Karen Simpson.  Karen is a nurse, and she
works for Dr Hopkins, at Hillcrest."  Joe introduced them.  "Karen, this
is my girl....my friend, Linda Mitchell."

   Karen held her hand out,  Linda took it, and shook hands with Karen.

   "Pleased to meet you, Karen."  Linda said, smiling.

   "Joe has told me about you."  Karen said.  "We hope to help him with this
problem if we can."

   "I've never heard of anything like this, have you?"  Linda asked.

   "Well, no.  I haven't.  I don't think Dr. Hopkins, or Dr. Krell have
either.  But if anything can be done to make him normal again, they'll find
it."  Karen said.

   "Linda, Karen and I are going over to the mall to get some stuff I'll be
needing if I've got to spend a couple of days away from home." Joe said.  "Are
you sure you can't come along?"  He asked, but really didn't mind that he and
Karen would go alone.  He felt that Karen understood his feelings better than
Linda ever could.

   "No, you two just go ahead.  I'm sure Karen can help you find the things
you need.  I have to get this proposal ready for the morning."  Linda begged
off.

   Joe checked his pockets.  He had his drivers license,  Master Card, and
American Express. That, with about twenty five dollars cash, would be enough.
He was feeling better about shopping, knowing that he could spend some money,
and not have to worry if he was still employed or not.

   "You better drive, if you will."  He told Karen.  "I'm worried about
getting stopped, with my license out of synch, such as it is."

   "No problem.  It'll take a few days maybe, but I think Dr. Krell can get
the paper work you need to change your license, and other records.  Even your
birth certificate."  Karen said.

   Joe didn't know about that.  Did he want his birth certificate to show him
as female?  The thought of it, the first record of his very existence, saying
that he was a girl.  Did he really want that?  Did he need that?  He wasn't
sure.  He would have to talk to Dr. Krell about it.  If they did find a way to
get him back, to make him a man again, then he'd have to change all that stuff
back again.  Of course, if that happened, it would be worth it.  As they drove
out of Linda's drive, and down the street, Joe tried to imagine the
scenario... He wakes up one morning, just like last Friday.  But...this time,
he looks down at his chest...his hairy chest...his broad, muscular, flat
chest.  He reaches between his legs, and touches his penis, and scrotum.  He's
a man again.  Instinctively, Joe reached up to touch his chest.  But, instead
of  hard muscles, and hair, he still felt the soft roundness of his breasts
under the lightweight top.  Joe realized he actually felt relieved.  Relieved?
What did that mean?  What sort of game was his mind playing on him?  He was
really a man, at least mentally, wasn't he?  And yet, he could hardly deny the
feelings of satisfaction he experienced as he touched his feminine softness.
Was his head beginning to accept the fact that his body was now female?  Or,
had his brain also become feminized, and he was to be left with only memories
of his former masculinity?  Whatever was happening, Joe realized that the
change was starting to effect how he thought about himself.  He was beginning
to feel more at ease with his changed body.  But, it seemed, he might be
losing control of what HE wanted.  It almost seemed that he was developing
another, a second almost FEMININE personality.  Was it inevitable?

   "Where do you want to stop first?"  Karen asked.  The sound of her voice
returned Joe from his thoughts.

   "Gee, I don't know, exactly."  Joe said.  "I guess I need a bit of almost
everything.  I probably have enough underwear, but that's about it.  What
should I wear to Dr. Krell's office?"  He asked.

   "If you have the time, I have something at my apartment that I'd like to
show you."  Karen suggested.

   "Sure I think we have three hours till the stores close.  Unless you shop
like Linda, that should be enough time."  Joe said, grinning at Karen.

   "The stop at my place should only take a minute or two."  Karen said.

   They drove quickly down the street towards the MALL, but turned down a side
street a few miles before it.  Karen then turned into the parking area of a
very nice complex.  The apartments were more like condo's, with large attached
garages.  The area reeked of money.

   "This is where you live?"  Joe asked.

   "Yeah, I bought one of these, since I like to keep my car in a garage I can
lock, enclosed garages are uncommon around here, and I don't want to buy a
house here in the Phoenix area."  Karen said.

   The garage door opened as Karen pressed a button on the automatic
transmitter.  She drove in, and Joe followed Karen inside.

   Karen's apartment was an combination of fine, heavy furniture, and filled
bookshelves. Joe looked at the titles and saw that they were mostly medical
books, with a few biographies, and technical paperbacks on computer related
subjects.

   "Nice place."  Joe said.

   "Thanks.  I like it."  Karen said.  "It kinda reminds me of home."

   "Come into my bedroom."  Karen said.  "I have something I'd like to show
you."

   She went into her bedroom.  Joe followed, and Karen went into her large,
walk-in closet.  She came out almost immediately with a wig on a styro-foam
stand.  It was the same color as her own hair, blond, with a slightly brown
cast.  It was medium length, and a slightly different style than Karen now
wore.

   "I want you to try this on."  Karen said,  "I know it's not your color, but
I'd like to see how you look without that GI haircut.

   Karen walked over to the dresser, and Joe obediently followed.  She stood
behind Joe, and placed the hairpiece on his head.  She made sure that none of
his own short hair was hanging out.  As she smoothed the hair in place, Joe
watched his reflection in the mirror.  With longer hair, he could hardly
recognize himself.  The new, smooth contours of his face, and the emphasis of
his cheekbones by the hardly noticeable makeup, gave him a totally different
look.  As he stared at himself, trying to be detached, he couldn't believe the
change in his appearance.  Without the short, male hair style, practically
nothing remained to remind him of his former appearance.  He raised a hand and
touched his face, and then ran a finger along his cheek.  He could feel it all
right, it WAS him in the mirror.  Karen's hairpiece had transformed his face,
almost like the other changes had transformed his body.

   "Unbelievable."   Was all he could say.

   "I thought you might feel that way."  Karen said.  "You can wear it if you
like.  I don't use it anymore."

   "I would like to try it, if you don't mind."  Joe said, as he felt the
hairpiece, and arranged the hair which completely covered his ears.

   "It isn't the right color, but it still looks good on you."  Karen said.
"I think that style would even look good with your own hair, when it grows
out."

   Joe continued to gaze transfixed in the mirror, as Karen poked thru a
little chest on her dresser.

   "Try these."  She said, and clipped some small gold disks on Joe's ear
lobes.

   Joe felt Karen snap something on his ears.  He looked in the mirror, and
saw small earrings protruding out from under his new longer locks.  He didn't
like the way they felt, but had to admit they did look appropriate.

   "Unbelievable."  He said again.

   The image in the mirror was completely that of an attractive young woman.
Joe felt as if he was looking at somebody else.  His body image, already
stretched to the limit, was now completely overcome.

   "I think you'll pass."  Karen teased.  "I've got something else I think you
might want to see."  Karen said, as she walked out of the bedroom.

   Joe followed Karen into the large living area.  One wall was completely
covered with bookshelves.  Karen went to the shelf, and took a book down.  She
handed it to Joe.  He looked at the cover.  "Genetics and Sex Determination"
it said.

   "You might scan this."  Karen said.  "It might give you some insight on
what might have happened to you, and maybe, what you can expect.  With the
unique experiences you're having, you might even be able to add to it."

   She was right.  It was possible that no one else on record made such a
complete transition.  Whether he liked it, or not, Joe and his friends
situation would probably be one for the medical books.

   "Ok, I'll read up on it."  Joe promised.  He did want to learn more about
genetics, and chromosomes.  Biology was always mildly interesting for him, but
now the interest was much more personal.

   "I guess we better get going."  Karen said.  She took a small purse, and
began walking toward the door to the garage.

   Joe went out with Karen, and they get into her car.  The garage door
opened, and Karen backed her white sports car out.  They quickly drove the
short distance to the mall, and parked.  They walked into the mall, and Karen
went to a back-lighted diagram showing the various stores.

   "Where to?"  She asked.

   "I wish I knew."  Joe said.  He wasn't used to shopping for women's
clothes, and really didn't like to do it.

   "How about a skirt?  I saw that you hardly have anything but dresses that
look like they belong to an old lady."  Karen suggested.

   "What do you mean?"  Joe objected.  "My new stuff don't look THAT bad."

   "We can do better."  Karen insisted.  "Let's find something to show your
legs a little.  You have a really nice figure, too."  She went on.

   "I don't know...I really don't think I should get anything too wild.  Give
me some time to get used to this."  Joe begged.

   "You're doing fine, and you look great.  I think we'll find some things
that look good, and maybe you'll even like to wear them."  Karen repeated.

   Together, they walked into Goldwater's.  Joe could smell the cosmetics that
were displayed on the counters near the entrance.  They walked passed the
glass and shining plastic, and then through the hosiery section.  Joe looked
at the bottom half of mannequins showing the different styles, and colors of
pantyhose.  He thought about his own limited experience wearing them, and
realized that from now until a way was found to return his masculinity, they
would probably be part of his wardrobe whenever he needed to dress more than
casual.  He considered how Linda dressed that morning.  That suit was probably
the feminine equivalent of what he normally wore to work, except when flying,
or working in the lab.  He wondered what the other engineers would think when,
or if, he came to work wearing stuff like that.  They had a few secretaries,
and administrative women in his section.  Since he had worked there, there had
been no female engineers.

   Joe and Karen walked into the clothing section.  Down the aisle, Joe
spotted a light gray suit, with a gray silk blouse.  His first thought was how
Linda would look in it, and then realized that he should be thinking about
what HE would look like wearing it.

   "I want to look at this."  Joe told Karen, as they walked past the outfit.
They went into the racks of skirts, and jackets.  Immediately, a sales lady
came to their assistance.

   "Can I be of help?"  She asked.

   "Yes.  I'd like to try on an outfit just like that one."  Joe said,
pointing to the mannequin.

   "What are your sizes?"  The woman asked.

   Joe told her, and she went to the racks, quickly selecting the style, and
size, Joe suggested.

   "What type of blouse did you have in mind?"  The lady  questioned.

   "Just like the dummy."  Joe answered.  He thought he told her he wanted an
outfit JUST like the one on display.  He felt no desire to experiment.

   The woman looked at Joe.  It appeared that she wasn't used to a woman who
knew exactly what she wanted, without wanting to search the racks herself.
Most unusual...

   The woman retrieved a gray silk blouse, and took the hangers of clothing
back into the fitting area.  She hung the items on a hook in a small closet
sized room with a small couch.  There really wasn't enough room in the cubical
for Karen to stay with Joe, so she stayed out, and sat down on one of the
chairs outside.

   Joe looked at the clothes hanging on the wall.  The silk blouse was at the
front, and he touched it, enjoying the soft, smooth feel of the fabric.  Of
course, he had never worn anything like this before.

   Joe pulled the top he was wearing over his head.  It was made more
difficult by the extra hair he now had when wearing Karen's wig.  He felt
it snag on the earrings he wore. He layed the little top on the couch, and
took the blouse from the hanger.  He carefully placed his arms into the
sleeves of the blouse, and buttoned it.  He only fumbled a little with the
backwards placement of the buttons, and then, did his best to tie the bow that
was at the neck.  He hadn't expected the bow.  The blouse fit well, and the
soft fabric followed his shape perfectly.  He looked down, and saw how the
fabric almost flowed over the mounds of his new breasts, and the way the
glistening silk attractively emphasized his form.  Joe couldn't resist
touching his chest, feeling his own softness through the silk.  He loved the
sensation of feeling the fluid silk from both sides.

   Joe quickly removed his shorts, and tossed them next to the top.  He took
the skirt, looked at it, and tried to decide how to put it on.  He decided to
unzip the back, and step into it.  That seemed to work ok, and he tried to zip
it up by reaching behind his back.  That was difficult, but the skirt was a
little loose around his waist, so Joe spun the skirt around so that the zipper
was almost at the front. He finished zipping it up, and then buttoned the
little tab.  When it looked right, he spin the skirt back around so that the
zipper was aligned with his backbone.  The skirt felt a bit loose, but looked
good.  Joe  removed the jacket from the hanger, and easily slipped it over his
silk covered arms.  He wanted to look in the mirror.  He pulled the hair out
from under the collar of the jacket, opened the door, and stepped out.  Karen
was waiting for him and smiled widely when she saw him.

   "You look great."  She said.

   Joe stepped to the three sided mirror, and looked at himself.  Again, he
was amazed how different he looked with the hairpiece.  The suit looked good
on his new shape too.  He was impressed with his appearance.  I didn't ask to
be like this, he thought, but I might as well look the best I can.

   Joe looked at his legs in the mirror.  He had left his shoes in the
cubicle, and his white Reebok athletic socks really didn't go with his outfit.
He looked like one of those secretaries in the city, who wore jogging shoes
for the walk from the car, or train station, to their office.  He walked over
to the mannequin, to see what else it was wearing.  He saw that it wore sheer
white hose.  He didn't like that color much when Linda wore it.

   "I don't like those white stockings."  Joe said to Karen.

   "That color is very popular."  The sales woman said.  "But a darker color
would also look good."

   "Get some Sheer Blue, or, I've found Dark Sand to match my hair color."
Karen said.

   "I'll take this stuff."  Joe decided.  "And, I'm going to look around some
more."  He was starting to get into this shopping thing.

   Joe looked at the other mannequins for ideas.  The others were either not
suitable to his taste, or were too 'evening dress' styled.  He couldn't think
of any place he would be going where he would wear things like that.  His
taste leaned towards the tasteful, conservative, business suit styles.  Most
of the dresses were far too feminine for him.  It was early spring, and most
of the things were summer styles.

   "How about something like this?"  Karen asked.  "You can't wear suits when
you aren't at work.  What if you want to dress up to go out in your off time.

   Karen pulled a sundress from the rack.  It was sort of faded red-orange,
and had straps over the shoulders which crossed in back.  It had a slightly
low top.  It was tasteful, and sophisticated.  Joe liked it, but wasn't sure
about the low cut top.

   "Gee, Karen, I don't know.  Isn't that a little breezy?"  He asked.

   "No, it isn't.  It's summer.  You can't wear long sleeves all summer."
Karen insisted.   "If you don't buy this, I  might."

   "Ok, ok, I'll try it on."  Joe said.

   He tried to sound like he didn't like this task, but deep inside, he was
beginning to enjoy trying on these new things.  As a man, he usually shopped
just to replace worn clothes, with little thought to fashion, or style.  Now,
trying on new clothes was an experience in textures, and feel.  Women had such
variety to select from in color, style, and fabric.  He was beginning to
understand why Linda loved to shop for clothes.  Compared to buying men's
clothes, it was a most sensual occasion.

   Joe took the red sundress from Karen, and walked back to the fitting area.
He entered the cubical, and hung it in the hook.  The removed his top again,
and slipped out of his shorts.  He took the dress from the hanger, and pulled
it over his head.  Closing the buttons at the back of the dress was a
difficult process, but he did it.  He looked down at himself.  The straps
of the little dress didn't cover the shoulder straps of his bra.  He tried
to tuck them under the dress straps the best he could, and went out to look
in the mirror.

   He was inspecting himself in the mirror, as Karen came up behind him.  She
touched his back, and snapped the strap of his bra.

   "You're going to have to do something about this."  She said.  "You can
either forget the bra entirely, or look for one of those strapless, or cross-
over types."

   Joe thought about it.  Without a bra, he felt insecure, and even more self
conscious.  When he thought about it, maybe he was foolish to feel that way.
But, he realized, the new shape of his body was more noticeable, to him, and
probably everybody else too, when he didn't have one on.

   "I'll look for one that works with this."  Joe insisted.

   He looked at himself in the three-sided mirror.  He couldn't deny that he
really was attractive.  He guessed that maybe, because the change was so new,
it didn't seem that he was looking at himself, but that he was seeing somebody
else in the mirror.  Almost like he was INSIDE another person.  The illusion
was made even more interesting by the fact that this other person was a very
attractive member of the opposite sex.  And, the fact that he could feel
everything the other person felt, made the experience almost overwhelming.
Maybe that was how he was able to cope, he considered.  The only problem with
the whole thing was, there was no way to stop the illusion.  He had to live it
full time.  That made it difficult.  If only he had the ability to change from
his normal, old appearance, to the illusion, at will. Then, this might be the
ultimate experience.

   "I think you better get it."  He heard Karen say.  "You sure seem to like
it."

   "Yeah, I guess I better."  He answered, jolted back to reality by her
words.

   Joe went back to the fitting room, and removed the sundress.  He slowly put
his shorts and top back on.  He took the clothes out and gave them to the
sales woman.

   "Will there be anything else?"  She asked.

   "Yeah, I'll need some kind of slip or something, for the suit, and I guess
I should get another bra.  One that don't stick out of the sundress." He said,
speaking more to himself than to her.  "I better get a purse, or handbag, or
whatever you call it, too.  And I just got to buy a watch.  My old one just
falls off my wrist now, and I can't get used to not wearing one."

   The woman looked at him strangely.  She began ringing up the things, but
kept her eye on Joe.  She sensed that there was something very unusual about
this woman, but she couldn't place it.

   "The lingerie section is down this aisle, and to the left."  She said
carefully.  "The better handbags are upstairs.   Ladies watches can be found
in the jewelry section, over there"  She pointed at another counter, two
aisles away.

   Joe noticed his words were unnerving the sales woman.  He was becoming more
confident now, and decided to play with her head a little.  He looked around.
There was no one in the area but him, Karen, and the sales lady.  When she
presented him with the bill, he gave her his American Express card, and when
he was finished paying, he thanked the woman, then went over to the nearby
mirror, looked at himself critically, and took off the wig.  The saleswoman,
who never took her eyes off him, let out a noticeable gasp.  Joe smoothed his
short hair, pretended to adjust his bra, and then, carefully replaced the wig.
He walked out of the saleswoman's section without looking at the woman.
Karen, who had been silently watching what was happening, followed, trying her
best not to laugh.   When they turned the corner, walking towards lingerie,
she spoke.

   "Joe, I can't believe you did that."  She said, laughing.  "You are simply
unbelievable."

   "You said it, didn't you?"  Joe said.  "If you got it, flaunt it."

   They went into the lingerie section, and Joe again began to feel like out
of place among the silky, feminine things hanging on the racks, and hooks.
But, he had always liked the look and feel of these things on a woman, and
now, it seemed, he was starting to enjoy the feel of wearing them, too.

   Joe tried to remember what he needed to buy, as he looked at all the sexy
things.  He remembered that he needed something to wear under the suit, as
well as the skirts he already had.  The only other time he had worn a dress,
he had borrowed a slip from Linda.  She called it a "half slip".  What ever it
was, he needed one.  He went over to the rack, where they were hanging, and
took one.  He held it up to his waist, to see how long it was.  He looked up,
to get Linda's opinion, when he saw a guy, who was probably self concisely
waiting for his wife to try something on, watching him.  He began to blush.
Since he had begun to wear Karen's hairpiece, he had become much more
confident, probably because he looked so female.  But his confidence went out
the window when he saw this stranger, who surely suspected nothing, innocently
watching him pick out a slip.  His heart began to pound, and he could feel
sweat beginning to form on his forehead.  He took the slip, and went over to
Karen, who was looking at teddies.

   "Did you find something already?"  She asked.

   "Yeah, I...I think I need this."  Joe stuttered.

   Karen could tell that something was wrong.  She looked at him.

   "What's the matter, Joe?"  She asked.  "Do you feel sick?"

   "No..No nothing like that.  I just suddenly realized, again, that I'm
really still a guy inside.  I don't know what I'm doing here.  A guy over
there is watching me.  I can't buy stuff like this with a guy watching." Joe
whispered nervously.

   "Joe, think about it.  Look at yourself.  Put yourself in his place.  He's
just watching a good looking woman.  It's probably a little turn on for him,
or something, just to watch you.  But, there's no crime with that.  You
probably did it too.  There, look."  Karen motioned at the man.

   The man's wife came out of the fitting room, with a couple of slips she had
been trying on.  The man began talking to her.  He wasn't even looking at Joe,
or Karen.

   "There, see, He didn't think you were a guy in drag, or anything." Karen
teased.  "My God, Joe,  You look more like a woman than I do."

   "Ok, I guess you're right.  I'll try to hang in there."  Joe said.

   A sales woman, maybe twenty years old, came over to them.

   "Can I be of assistance?"  She asked.  She saw the half slip Joe was
holding.  "Did you want to buy that?"

   "Well, I need a slip to wear under a suit." Joe said, hoping he used the
right terminology.

   "Did you want a half, or a full slip?"  The girl asked.

   "I don't know."  Joe answered honestly.

   "Well, if you want a half slip, you might also consider a matching teddy."
The young woman said.  She was trained to suggest items.

   "I'd like to see the choices."  Joe said.  His confidence was returning.

   They walked back to the area where Joe had found the slip, and the sales
girl pulled a white teddy, which matched the slip he still held.  The white
nylon fabric had no lace, or decoration, but looked silky, and sexy, just like
Joe liked it.  The crotch, which closed with three little snaps, hung open.
Joe just had to try it on.

   "Could I try it?  Joe asked.

   "Certainly."  The young woman answered.  She handed Joe the hanger
containing the silky wisp of cloth.

   Joe gave Karen the bags he was carrying, and took the slip and teddy into
the fitting room.  This one was like the first women's fitting room he had
ever been in.  The doors were really like shutters.  They didn't go all the
way to the floor or top of the door opening.  The middle part was just wooden
slats, mounted like louvers.  The person inside could see over the door (if
they were tall), and could even see through the slats of the door across the
aisle.  Joe hung the hangers on the hook provided, and began removing his
outer clothing.  He started to remove his shorts, but had to sit to pull his
Reeboks off first.  He did that, and when he stood to pull his shorts off, he
noticed a woman enter the cubical across from him.  It made him think of the
first morning, only four day's ago, when he came to the mall to buy some
clothes, confused, and almost scared to death.  That's when he got his first
view of a woman, in an adjoining cubical, also trying on undergarments.  That
time, the strong male urge he still possessed, almost made his heart explode.
He wasn't yet used to seeing so much of his new peer group.

   As he continued to undress, Joe watched as the young woman in the other
cubical removed her blouse.  She carefully hung it on the wall hook, and then
unfastened the strap of her pink bra.  She removed it, and tossed it on the
padded seat.  Through the wide gaps in the door slats, Joe could see the
woman's breasts.  He waited for the familiar feeling of his penis (that's what
it still felt like to him) swelling  as it became aroused.  That would shortly
be followed (since the change) by a somewhat uncomfortable feeling of wetness,
as his new vagina started to lubricate, and made the crotch of his underwear
wet.  He watched, and waited.  Nothing.  The woman scratched an itch on her
left breast with her right hand.  The innocent action caused the breast to
jiggle like Jello.  Joe tensed the muscles in his groin.  Before, this scene
would have caused a pants ripping erection.   Now, although the sight was
still interesting, he felt about the same excitement as if he was watching his
friend Jay change clothes next to him at the health club.  What was happening
to him?

   Concerned, Joe touched the crotch of his panties.  They were warm, maybe a
little damp, they were always a little damp, but they weren't soaking wet, as
they would have been on previous days.  Was he losing his old desire?  Maybe,
as Dr. Krell suspected, his libido was enhanced by the extra testosterone,
left over from when his gonads were testicles.  The ovaries he had now would,
of course, eventually cause his sex drive to change, and probably become
somewhat cyclic.  If he was really female, it was probably inevitable.

   Joe gently stroked the smooth nylon that covered his soft crotch.  It felt
good, not in an erotic way, but rather, he liked the slick feel of the fabric,
which felt so different from the cotton jockey shorts he had always wore
before.  He looked over at the woman.  As she placed her arms into the straps
of the new bra, Joe could see the outline of her bosom.  Her boobs are no
bigger than mine, he thought.  In fact, mine are better.  No wonder she don't
turn me on.  I'm getting used to seeing female anatomy every time I look in
the mirror.  He went back to his task of trying on his new underwear.

   Joe pulled the teddy over his head, and down his body.  It was silky and a
bit loose around his chest, but, below the light elastic waistband, it was
made of a stretchy, lycra fabric.  He reached between his legs, grabbed the
little crotch strap, and snapped it closed.  There was no mirror in the
cubical, so he couldn't see himself.  He looked down, and was satisfied that
it fit ok.  He grabbed the slip, and stepped into it.  He really wanted to
see himself in a mirror, but that would have to wait.  Satisfied, he took
the silky things off again.  That was when he remembered.  He still needed
to get a bra without straps.  He quickly put his shorts back on, and slipped
the top over his head.  Joe decided that he wouldn't need to take his shoes
off anymore, so he put them back on, and tied them.  He grabbed the silky
items, and left the cubical.  He put them on the counter by the cash register
and went over to where Karen was standing, casually looking at slips.

   "What kind of bra do you think I should get?"  He asked.

   "What kind do you like?" She asked.

   "I don't like a lot of lace, and stuff like that."  He said.  He had always
liked the simple, silky, sheer underthings better than the lacy stuff, even
when he didn't have to wear them himself.

   They went over to the wall where all types, and colors of bras were
displayed, arranged by brand name.  Karen went to the Maidenform section, and
selected a sheer cupped bra, with straps which were convertible from cross-
over in back, to looping around the neck like a swimsuit.  It met Joe's
requirement, in that it had no lace at all.  The nude colored bra had cups so
sheer they were almost transparent.

   "How about this?" She asked.  "You wear a B cup, don't you?"

   "Yeah, I guess so." Joe said.  "I think I'm 34 B."

   He took the bra from Karen.  He held the flimsy thing up.  He saw the
sheerness of the cups, and grinned sheepishly as he looked at Karen.

   "Well, this is about as see-through as it gets, ain't it."  He said,
grinning.

   "It's underwear Joe, you won't see it under your clothes."  Karen said.

   "Yeah, but I'll know it's there."  Joe objected.

   "That's the whole idea, isn't it?"  Karen returned, and winked at him.

   He thought about it.  She was right.  The only reason for the design of
this little item was because it made a woman look good.  Maybe feel good too.
He might as well get it.

   "Ok.  I'll buy it."  He said simply.

   "You better try it on." Karen suggested.  "I don't know about you, but I
hate a bra that don't fit right."

   "Ok.  I'll try it then."  Joe said.  He didn't mind.  He was really
wondering what he'd look like in it, anyway.

   Again, Joe went back into the cubical.  He removed his top again, and took
of the white bra.  The coolness of the air conditioning quickly made his full
nipples stiffen to little points that reminded him of pencil erasers.  He was
always amused by the way his new, larger, nipples reacted to sudden changes in
temperature.  Maybe they did the same thing when he was male. but they were so
small that he had never noticed, if they had.  He was much more aware of
things like that, since he became female.

   He picked up the new bra.  He looked at the straps, tangled as they were.
The convertible bra was configured to cross-over in back.  That's probably
what he wanted, he decided, so he left it that way.  It was a back close type,
the first of that kind he had ever tried on.  He stuck his arms in the proper
places in the tangle of straps, and pulled the sheer cups to his breasts.  He
reached behind his back and hooked the back strap without as much difficulty
as he thought he would have.  The shoulder straps had little adjustment
clasps, and he adjusted them slightly.  He felt the cups, and decided that
they fit him perfectly.  He looked down at his chest.  His nipples and areola
were plainly visible through the almost transparent fabric.  It looked awful
sexy, even to him.  Wearing T-shirts was never like this, he thought.  It
might be fun wearing this thing.  Reluctantly, he removed it, and put his
other clothes back on.

   Joe took the bra and put it with his other purchases on the counter.  He
went over to Karen.

   "It fits great."  He said.  "The darn thing's almost see-through, too.  I
kinda like it."  He said, grinning widely.

   "I just thought you might." Karen said knowingly.

   "Can you think of anything else I need from this department?"  Joe asked
Karen.

   "Gee, I don't know what you might need, Joe.  I think you have all you were
really short of, but is one slip enough?"  She asked.

   "Probably not.  If I start back to work again, I guess I'll be wearing
stuff like this almost every day."  Joe said.  He was beginning to look
forward to wearing the things women seemed to take for granted.

   "Yeah, It's hell ain't it."  Karen teased.  It was almost like she
understood what was going on in his head.

   The went back to where the slips were displayed.  Joe found a full slip
with a stretchy, fitted top bodice.  He liked it immediately.  He located one
in a silver/gray color, like the one he borrowed from Linda.  The brand name
was Olga.

   "I think I want this."  He said.

   "Well, I think you should get it then." Karen said, in a similar tone.

   Joe took the slip to the counter, and took out his credit card.  As the
girl was ringing up his latest purchases, he asked Karen.

   "I still need a purse or something to carry stuff in.  What do you think I
should get?"

   "Let's go look at what they have."  Karen answered.  "You'll need at least
two types.  One for outfits like that suit, and at least one, something
simpler, to use for every day.  I have a little clutch purse.  It's big enough
for money, and ID.  It's better than lugging a purse around all the time,
too."

   The sales girl, who could hear their conversation, looked at both of them
curiously, but said nothing.

   "I think I should get some shoes to go with the suit."  Joe went on.  "I'm
getting to like shopping for clothes, but I think I still don't like trying on
shoes.  I can barely walk in even the lowest heels."

   "I think a simple black pump would be right  for the suit."  Karen said.
"Maybe you should practice wearing them around home.  That's how I learned to
walk in them."

   The sales girl, completely confused by the unusual conversation of these
two "older" women, was getting her register entries messed up as she listened.

   "Remind me to get a wrist watch, too." Joe continued.  He was lost in his
own thoughts, and didn't notice the girl's increasingly obvious interest in
their conversation.   Karen did though, and she decided to spice up the
conversation a bit.

   "Yeah.  Your wrist is probably a lot smaller now."  She said, watching the
girls reaction.

   Joe looked at Karen.  He was surprised at her last statement, but
understood when he saw the way the girl was looking at Karen.  He might as
well play along.

   "The old one almost falls off my arm."  He added, holding his wrist.  Of
course it was true.  His large aviator's Sieko looked strange, and far too
large for his now feminine sized wrists, and hands.

   He signed the ticket, and thanked the confused girl, who looked like she
would have loved to ask what they were talking about.  They left the lingerie
section, and went to the jewelry counter.  Joe wanted a new watch.  He needed
one that would fit his smaller wrist.  He looked at the ladies styles, not
really finding one that he liked, until he found a  ladies divers watch, made
by Citizen.  It was sort of like a miniature version of his aviators watch,
with a sweep second hand, but small enough for his wrist.

   He bought the watch, and then they walked to the department that had
purses, wallets, and all types of handbags.  Karen helped him pick out a
couple of lower priced handbags, and also a better one which matched his new
suit.  He also selected, at her suggestion, a little clutch, that he could use
when he didn't want to take a purse.  He new he needed these things, but to
him, they were no substitute for a man's wallet, and pockets to carry it in.

   They then went to the shoe department, and Joe found a type which Karen
said was perfect for his new suit.  Joe tried them on, and found the heels,
which were lower than the other pairs he bought the first day, were much
easier to walk in.  He bought them from a salesman who hardly took his eyes
from him, the whole time.  Joe felt the blood rush to his face, whenever the
guy was around.  He was a good looking man, but to Joe, who to this time had
never had so much obvious male attention, there wasn't any mutual attraction.
Joe tried to ignore the guy as he made small talk.  He hoped the guy wouldn't
push the issue since he had no idea how he should react.  They walked out of
the store, and Karen couldn't resist rubbing it in.

   "That guy wanted you're bod."  She teased.  "How do you like being a sex
object?"

   "I don't know."  Joe answered.  "I guess I I'm glad I don't look like Dave,
or Mike, but I sure ain't ready to flirt with men."

   "You're doing fine, Joe."  Karen advised.  "You're doing just fine."

   They started to leave the department store, when the upside-down mannequin
legs reminded Joe that he should get some pantyhose to match the clothes he
just bought.  He went over to that section, and Karen followed.

   "I hate wearing these things." He said to her.  "It makes taking a whizz an
even bigger ordeal."

   "It is more difficult while wearing them."  Karen agreed.  "Of course, you
could wear individual hose, if you like that better.  I have both, and they
each have their own advantages.  With short skirts, pantyhose is the only way
to go.  You don't have any really short skirts."

   "Let's see what they have."  Joe decided.

   They looked at the various types, and colors, and Joe picked out two pair
of stockings, the type that stay up by themselves, with a light elastic around
the top.  He certainly didn't want to wear a garter belt.

   They were leaving the store, when Joe saw a rack containing sunglasses.  He
always wore sunglasses when he flew in the daylight, but his smaller features
made his old ones hang at the end of his nose.  He went over to the rack, and
started looking at the smaller, and women's types.  He found finally found
some reasonably good ones that fit his size, and still didn't look too
feminine for his personal taste. He bought them, and they left the store.

   As they were driving back to Joe's, or Linda's house, Joe decided to tell
Karen about the way he felt as he watched the woman changing, back in the
store.

   "I don't understand it."  He said.  "Ever since the change, I obviously
look different, but my feelings about women, about sex, have been the same as
always.  Sometimes, it's been uncomfortable, almost embarrassing, for me.  I
was just starting to get used to the way it feels like I'm peeing my pants
when I get excited.  And that's been pretty often, too.  It seemed like my
underwear was always wet.  Linda could cause it to happen.  Barb, my best
friend Jay's girl friend, she could cause it.  It was just like I was still a
guy, but worse, since I now I'm allowed in women's dressing rooms, and all
that.  Any guy would get worked up in that position, and I did.  But while
ago, while I was trying on that slip,  I could see a woman changing clothes
in the compartment across the aisle.  I watched her try on underwear.
Nothing.  It didn't do a thing for me.  No hard-on,  no wetness.  Nothing.
It was like I was watching Jay change clothes.  What's happening to me?  Did
you notice the same thing after you had your operation?"  He asked her.

   "Gee Joe, I don't think you can compare my transition to yours, at all."
Karen answered.  "For me, it took years.  I was on hormones for almost two
years before I had my reassignment surgery.  By then, I already had quite a
bit of breast development, and I was living as a woman full time.  I wasn't
sexually active, and I guess I wasn't ready to accept men yet.  I did like to
be around women, but I didn't really desire sex with them.  I think the
hormone's caused that.  After the surgery, I did wonder what sex with a guy
would be like, since now I had the right plumbing, but I didn't really have a
strong urge to try it.  Even now, after I've done it a few times, I can take
it or leave it.  I don't know if that's a normal female reaction, or not,
though.  I do feel different, at different times during the month.  I have to
take hormones every month, for the rest of my life.  I don't have a period,
like a genetic female, like you probably will, but I do experience hormone
induced mood swings, and changes in desire, very much like I would if I had
all the female internal organs.  But, I just don't think my experience is
comparable to yours, though."

   "I guess I don't have a lot of choice, if I'm really female now." Joe
concluded.  "But it sure feels strange when the old turn-on's, suddenly  don't
work anymore."

   "Maybe you'll get new one's to compensate."  Karen said, grinning, and
winking at him.

   "That's a scary thought, too."  He returned.

   "If you're going to live as a woman, it would probably be for the best,
wouldn't it?"  Karen asked logically.

   "Yeah, I guess that's true, but I'm not sure what would be worse, not ever
making love to a woman again, or having sex with a guy."  Joe answered.

   "Well, that depends on your point of view, don't it.  And it looks to me
like yours has changed."  Karen added.

   "Yeah, it has.  It sure has at that."  Joe said.

   "You're doing great, Joe Bates." Karen said.  "Just keep it up.  You might
find you actually like your new point of view."

   "Oh, I know.  I already like some of the things about being a woman.  I
actually enjoyed trying on clothes today.  I never thought I'd say that.  I
guess that's part of the change too.  I don't know.  Every thing feels, and
looks so good.  I can't describe it.  If I could change back and forth, at
will, this whole experience would be fantastic."  Joe said.

   "Well, I think most women, and probably, most men, too, if they could try
it, would say that.  Anyone who's been on both sides would say that neither
side is definitely better.  They both have some advantages." Karen agreed.

   "You seem to have thought that the female side was better."  Joe said.

   "I always felt that I WAS female.  Changing my body to match my head, even
if it couldn't be a perfect change-over, was worth the misery.  I guess.  Once
you've done it, you can't get back anyway.  Not that I would want to, even if
I could."  Karen said.

   "I guess if I'm stuck like this, I'll manage, but If they find a way to get
me back, I'd take it in a minute."  Joe said.

   They drove back to Linda's house.  Karen parked in the drive, and helped
Joe carry his bags, and packages into the house.

   Linda was sitting at the table in the breakfast area.

   "Well, you two seem to have bought out the store."  She said, as she saw
them enter.  "Joe, the hair looks great."  She added when she saw the
hairpiece Karen loaned him.

   "I guess I have enough for the trip."  He told Linda.  "Karen loaned me
this."  He touched the long hair with his hand.

   She looked at him, and grinned.

   "I bought a suit sort of like the one you wore this morning."  Joe said.

   "You liked it so much, you went out and bought one, huh?" She said.
"Starting to like this "girl stuff", are you?"

   "Well, I decided, If I got to be one, I might as well be one I'd like to
look at."  Joe teased back.

   "You have to try it on, and show us." Linda insisted.

   "The suit is very nice, but you should see what Joe looks like in this."
Karen said, pulling the red sundress out of its bag.

   "Oooh, I like that." Linda said.  "I wonder if it will fit me."

   "Oh, sure.  I get some new clothes, and already, my girl friend wants to
borrow them."  Joe kidded.

   "You've got to try them both on."  Linda insisted again.  "Get in there,
and change."

   "Ok, Ok, I will, if you insist."  He tried to sound like he didn't want to,
but he was anxious to try it all on again.  What's happening to me?   He
wondered again.

   He took the bag containing the suit, and the silk top while Linda and Karen
took the rest of the packages into his room.  They layed it all on his bed.
He stood there a little embarrassed while they waited for him to try it all
on.  What the hell, he thought, they've both know what I look like, all over.
He pulled his top over his head, and tossed it on the bed.  He sat on the edge
of the bed, and pulled off the Reebocks, and the sweat socks.  He unfastened
his shorts, stood and stepped out of them.

   "Try the sundress first."  Linda asked.  "I just love it."

   Joe looked at the little red dress.  He remembered that the straps didn't
hide the straps of his bra, so he unsnapped the hook between the cups, and
took it off. He dug into one of the bags until he found the one with the
criss-cross straps.  He quickly put it on, realizing that both of the women
were watching him intently.  He looked at Karen, but she just looked back with
her usual big grin.  Linda's eyes were fixed on the almost transparent cups of
the new bra.  Self conscious, he pulled his panties up snug, and grabbed the
little red dress from the bed.  He put it over his head, and Linda helped him
fasten the buttons at the back.  He had done that for her a few times, but she
had never done it for him, until now.  Then, Karen and Linda both stood back,
and critically eyed him.

   "Joe, you're gorgeous."  Linda said.  "For somebody who still feels like a
guy, you sure look fantastic as a woman."

   "I'm doing my best with what I've got."  Joe said.  Awkwardly, he turned
about, trying to act, the best he could, like a clothes model, as he
remembered them.  He was experiencing an unusual combination of embarrassment,
and pride.

   "You look so different, with the different hair" Linda said.  "It really
looks good."

   "Ok, try the suit on."  Karen said.  "If I'm going to San Diego with you
tomorrow I've go to go home and get ready too."

   Joe reluctantly unbuttoned the red dress, and pulled it over his head.  He
really liked the way he looked in it.  He put it on a hanger and hung it on
the door hook.  He went to the bed and took the silk top, and pulled it over
his head. As he awkwardly tied the bow, he spoke.

   "It's almost worth it to go through all this just to be able to wear this."
He said, and rubbed his breasts with both hands, through the silky fabric.

   "Control yourself, you dirty old man."  Linda teased.  "We're don't want to
see you feel yourself up."

   Joe winked at her, and took the skirt from the bed, and stepped into it.
As he did before he spun it around, and zipped it, and buttoned the tab.  Then
he spun it so that the zipper was in the back.  unlike the fullness of the
bottom of the sundress, the suit had a straight skirt that felt much
different.  although the waist band was loose, the hips were more form
fitting.  He turned around once, so they could see what he looked like, and
then put the jacket on.  He pulled his hair out if the neck of the jacket, and
again turned around slowly.

   "Well, what do you think?"  He asked to no one in particular.

   "You look great."  Karen said.

   "Yeah, fantastic."  Linda agreed.  "What else did you get?"

   "Oh, just some more underwear, slips and stuff like that."  Joe said.

   Linda went over to the bed and started looking into the rest of the bags.
She pulled out the slip and the teddy, and held them up.

   "You really took me up on my suggestion didn't you?"  Linda asked.

   "I had to get something, and, I know what I like when I see you wear it, so
why not?  Yeah, I guess I did."  Joe answered.

   "You look just great."  Linda said again.  "It would almost be a shame if
they can change you back." She teased.  Joe wondered if she was really
teasing, or if she meant it.

   "Well, I've got to get going."  Karen said.  "I have some laundry to do
before I go to bed.  I'll see you at the hanger at six in the morning?"

   "Yeah, that's about it.  Joe answered.  "I think we can make Lindbergh
Field in about two, two plus thirty, depending on the winds."

   "Ok, see you in the morning."  Karen said.

   "Bye.  And thanks a lot."  Joe said.  He hated to see her leave.

   "Pleased to meet you, Karen.   Come by anytime."  Linda called.

   "You'll be seeing more of me, I'm sure."  She called back.

   When Karen left, Joe went back into his room.  He took off the suit, and
was standing in his underwear,  trying to figure out what things he should
take along, when Linda came through the half open door to his room.

   "Can I come in?"  She asked.

   "Sure, you know you're always welcome."  Joe replied.

   Linda came up behind him, and put her arms around him.  He took one of her
hands and kissed it.  She put her other hand on one of his breasts, and
pinched the nipple lightly, through the thin fabric of the bra.  Feeling the
slight pain, Joe spun around quickly.  He took her in his arms, and kissed
her on the lips.  It was pleasant, she was so soft, and she smelled great, but
it wasn't  the old zing that he always felt before, when he had Linda in his
arms.  He tried to show the same enthusiasm as always but it was difficult.
He was beginning to think of Linda as a friend, as a buddy, not as a lover.
No matter how sexy he thought she was, she wasn't making his juices flow
anymore.  What was happening?

--
                            Chapter 13
                             SAN DIEGO


     Linda could sense that something was wrong.  She backed away
from Joe, and just stood there, confused.

     "What's the matter, Joe?" she asked.  "Did I do something
wrong?"

     "No, you haven't done anything wrong," Joe answered.  "I don't
know what's wrong.  I'm having such strange feelings.  I don't know
what's going on.  I can't explain it.  I first noticed it today, at
the mall.  I watched a woman undressing, and I didn't even feel
anything.  Nothing.  It was weird, and I can't explain it.  I was
hoping I wouldn't feel the same about you, but right now, I just
don't get the old urge.  Since the change, I have been feeling
hornier than ever, but now, suddenly, it's gone.  Don't get me
wrong, I still love you, but I'm just not sexually aroused."  He
sat on the bed.

     "Maybe it's just temporary," Linda said, as she stroked his
back.

     "Yeah, maybe it is," Joe said, "or maybe my head's changing. 
Maybe I'm destined to be female in body and in mind, too.  I don't
know.  I don't know."  He began to sob.

     Suddenly, he realized what he was doing.  He was sitting there
feeling sorry for himself, and he was crying like a girl... like a
woman.  What was happening?  Linda saw it too, and was surprised at
this reaction.  She could see that Joe was changing.  He was
becoming more emotional.  She put her arm around him.

     "Is there anything I can do?" she asked.  "I want to help in
any way I can."

     "I'm sorry," Joe said.  "You've been so good to me so far.
Just help me to deal with this.  I just don't know what's happen-
ing."

     "We'll both get through this, don't worry," Linda said.

     "I've got to finish getting ready for tomorrow," Joe said. 
"Help me to get enough stuff to hold me for about two days."

     "Sure, we'll get you packed in no time," Linda said.  "What do
you plan to wear in the morning?"

     "That's a problem," Joe replied.  "I like the sundress, but I
don't know if it would be a problem flying with that full skirt."

     "How about the new suit then?" Linda continued.  "That would
probably be the equivalent of what you'd wear as a guy."

     "You think so?" Joe asked, wiping his eyes.  He liked the
suit.

     "Sure, and you look good in it, too," Linda said.  "We'll pack
the red dress, and your shorts, too.  I think you should also take
another skirt and blouse along.  If you can't find anything in your
closet, you're welcome to look in mine."

     Joe went into his closet, and took a white blouse, and the
blue A line skirt he wore on the first day.  Linda folded and
packed them in his B-4 bag.  She went to his drawers, and took out
some underwear, as well as pantyhose and athletic socks.

     "I bought some nylon stockings today," Joe said.  "I hate to
wear pantyhose, 'cause I have to go to the bathroom so often."  He
got the nylons from the bag, and showed them to Linda.

     "You'll probably want to wear these in the morning then," she
said, holding up the blue ones.

     "Yeah, If you say so," Joe replied.  He was happy to have her
pick out his clothes.  He liked her tastes, and her eye for color.

     "Well, I guess you're about ready.  There are just your bath
items yet," Linda said.

     "I'll get them in the morning, after my shower.  I hope I can
get you to help with those cosmetics again in the morning," he
asked.

     "Sure, but I guess that means I have to get up at four
o'clock," Linda said.

     "I do have a show time of six," Joe admitted.  "I don't know
how long it'll take for me to get ready."

     "Set the alarm for four, at least," Linda groaned.

     "I guess we better hit the sack early then," Joe decided.

     "I'm going to wash my face, and take a bath," Linda said.  "If
you're planning to shower in the morning, I suggest you wash that
makeup off, anyway.  I have cleansing cream in my bath, if you
don't have any yet."

     "Okay, I'll take it off," Joe said.

     Linda went back to her bedroom, and Joe removed his underwear. 
He decided that he should wear something, and remembered the little
terry romper he bought at She-Sports.  He got it from a drawer,
stepped into it, and pulled it over his boobs.  He walked to
Linda's room, and went into her bathroom, where she was standing at
the sink, in her panties, while the tub was filling.  He watched
her.  She looked so sexy standing there, in black panties, getting
ready for her bath.  The bra she had just removed had marked her
skin with the same little pink lines that Joe noticed around the
edges of his breasts.  Joe watched her with interest, but felt
little excitement, as he watched her remove her makeup, her breasts
bouncing as she rubbed her face.

     Soon she finished, and she looked up at him.

     "Show's over, Joe," she teased.  "Time for your lesson in
makeup removal."

     She showed him what to do, and he did as he was told.  When
his hair got in the way, he removed the wig.  He looked at his now
more familiar face.  As the light makeup came off, he saw his
former features seem to return, but not completely.  Usually, by
this time of the day, his beard was beginning to show as a
noticeable stubble.  Now, it was still smooth as a baby's behind,
and felt almost as soft, too.  He found the makeup was far easier
to take off than it was to put on, and he finished quickly.  The
tub was ready, too.  Linda removed her undies, and stepped into the
bubbles.

     "I think there's room for you, if you want," she said
enticingly.

     It was tempting, but Joe just did not feel like messing
around.  "Maybe another time," he said.  "I better get to bed."

     Taking his hairpiece, Joe left her room, and went back to his
own.  He took the remainder of the things laying on the bed, and
either put them away, or laid them aside, to wear in the morning. 
He saw the underwear he wore that day, and considered whether he
should wash it out in the sink.  No, he decided, I'll do it later. 
He just did not feel like hand washing panties right then.

     He opened the bed, and sprawled out on it.  He had left the
overhead light on, and had to get up again.  He reluctantly got
back up, and was going to switch off the light, when he noticed the
book that Karen had given him to read, laying on the dresser.  He
took it, and switched on the light next to the bed, then went over
and turned off the over head light.  He lay back down on the bed,
and covered himself with the sheet.

     He picked up the book, and looked at the cover.  "GENETICS,
AND SEX DETERMINATION," it read.  He opened it, and started to
read.  The book's subject had always held a mild interest to him,
but now, of course, it had a special significance.  He started to
read, and quickly became engrossed in the subject matter.  He had
been reading for some time when Linda quietly came in his room and
sat on the edge of his bed.

     "What are you reading?" she asked.

     "Oh, this is a book Karen suggested I read," he answered, and
continued reading, trying to finish the chapter.

     Linda sat there, watching him, and looking around the room. 
She looked down at the pile of his clothes lying at the side of the
bed, and saw Joe's underpants.  They had sort of rolled up when he
had pulled them off, and the narrow crotch section was face up, and
visible.  She saw the little stain of blood and picked them up.

     "Joe, have you noticed your discharge?" she asked him.

     Joe was still trying to finish the chapter before he put the
book down.  "What discharge is that?" he returned.  He was not
really listening.

     "Look at your underwear.  Are you starting your period?" she
asked.

     "Period?  I'm not having a period," he said, as he finally put
the book down and looked up at her.  He saw that she had the
underwear he wore that day.

     "Are you sure?" she asked.  "It looks like you're starting to
spot."  She showed him the bloody stain.  Mixed with the normal
vaginal secretions, it appeared to her like the light menstrual
flow at the start of a period.

     "Oh, that," he said, grinning.  "Hey, I'm a virgin.  What do
you think about that."

     "What do you mean, you're a virgin?" Linda scoffed.  "What are
you talking about?"

     "It's true," he said, still grinning at her.  "Dr. Krell
examined me today.  He said I had an intact hymen.  That makes me
a virgin, technically at least."

     "So where did the blood come from?  Did he break your intact
hymen?" Linda asked.  She thought he was teasing her.

     "Well, Dr. Krell put a speculum inside of me when he gave me
a pelvic examination," Joe said.  "I think maybe he stretched it a
little.  I know it sure hurt like hell, but he said that he was
able to keep it intact.  It bled a little bit, though.  Do they do
that to you every time they examine you?"

     "So you had a pelvic exam today, huh?" Linda asked.  "What did
you think about it?  What did they find?"

     "Well, it's a lot different than any physical I ever had
before," he answered honestly.  "Dr. Krell said that I looked like
I had normal female internal organs, and yeah, he said he thought
I probably would have normal menses.  That's what he called it."

     "So you really are a woman," Linda said, as if she did not
really expect it to be true.  "Did he tell you anything else?"

     "He said he could tell that I was circumcised when I still had
my penis, because he found unexplained scar tissue around the
clitoris.  He said he figured that was it was probably the result
of penile circumcision," Joe explained.

     "I didn't see any scar tissue on your genitals," Linda said.

     "Did you really look?" Joe asked.  "I know that females all
look slightly different in that area.  I know I don't look exactly
like you.  I think you have more tissue over your clitoris compared
to me."

     "Does it feel different?" she asked.

     "How would I know?" Joe replied.  "I can tell you this, it
feels way more sensitive than my penis did, but only if something
touches it.  When it's left alone, it feels just like it did
before.  Since it has the same nerves, and I guess, the same number
of nerves.  To me, it feels like it's much bigger than it appears. 
I think it's like a cold sore in your mouth.  It seems bigger than
it looks, I guess, because the nerves are so closely spaced,
compared to before."

     "Can I look?" Linda asked.  "I want to see the scar tissue he
told you about."

     "Sure, I guess so," Joe answered.  He sat up, and pulled the
sheet away, parting his legs, and gently spreading the moist folds
of tissue.  The little glistening bud of flesh protruded near where
the folds sort of joined.

     "So this is really your penis now?" Linda asked.  She was
inspecting him with intense interest.

     "Well, It feels like my penis.  It's not a penis anymore,
obviously, but it still feels like it, to me anyway," Joe repeated. 
"My guess is, it's the same parts, nerves and such, just arranged,
or repackaged, and a lot different looking, obviously.  You
probably have the same parts, too."

     "You think so?" Linda asked.  "You really think a clitoris
feels like a penis?"

     "From my experience, and that's all I go to go on, it sure
does," Joe answered.  "Almost exactly the same, as long as nothing
touches it.  Then it's much more sensitive than my penis was."

     "Overall, then, is it better, or worse?" Linda asked, curious
to know.

     "Just what are you trying to find out?" Joe asked her.  It was
becoming obvious that there was a reason for her questioning.

     "I'd just like to know what it feels like.  I've always
wondered what it would be like to be a guy... to have a penis, and
everything," she answered, slightly embarrassed.  "I've always been
curious what it felt like for you, when we made love."

     "It felt great.  Absolutely great," Joe said, and put his arm
around her.

     "Do you miss it, then?  Do you miss your penis?" she asked.

     "Do I miss it?" Joe replied.  "Sure I do.  Every minute, but
not because I constantly have the urge to have sex.  Hell, until
today, I've been hornier than ever, and I've hardly had a chance to
know it was gone when we've been together.  Of course, I'm having
new feelings now, some of them seem even better than before."  As
Joe spoke, he thought of their times together, before, and after
the change.  He thought of the new sensations, and his apparently
heightened senses.  He missed it, but there were compensations.

     "So, if you had a choice then, would you want to be a man, or
a woman," Linda asked.

     "For Pete's sake, Linda, that's a hard question to answer,"
Joe said.  "Of course I would rather be a man.  It would simplify
everything, but if I had been born a woman, and suddenly turned
into a man, I'd probably want be a woman again.  It's not what
FEELS better that causes it, it's how you're raised.  There's
nothing wrong with being a woman, of course I'm still having
problems with having to sit to pee, but damn it, otherwise it feels
pretty good.  I'm starting to like wearing the clothes, too.  I
never thought I'd say that, and I sort of like the sensation of
having these boobs too, even if I'm still usually embarrassed by
them."

     "Do you like Karen?" Linda asked.

     The question surprised Joe.  What was she thinking about now? 
Maybe he was starting to think like a woman, but he still had a
long way to go.

     "What do you mean by that?" he asked.

     "You've just met her today, you said, but you two seem to get
along so well together.  It's like you were old pals," Linda
answered.

     "It's different with Karen.  She understands my problem," Joe
said carefully.

     "What does that mean?" Linda asked.  "I'm trying to understand
it, too.  What does she do that I don't."

     Joe decided to tell her about Karen.

     "Does Karen look different... unusual to you, in any way?" he
asked.

     "Unusual?  No, I don't think so.  She's a bit tall, that's
all," Linda answered, wondering what he was getting at.

     "Four years ago, Karen was a medical student at UA.  Her name
was Keith then, and she was a guy.  She underwent hormone therapy,
had an operation, and now she's a woman," Joe revealed.

     "The woman who was here, tonight, in this house, she was a
MAN?!" Linda asked, completely amazed.

     "Yeah, that's right," Joe answered.  "About two years ago, she
had surgery in San Diego, and now she's physically, and legally, a
woman.  She can do about everything except get pregnant."

     "I've heard about that operation, but I never knew anyone who
underwent it," Linda said.

     "Now you do," Joe said.  "Dr. Krell says he has performed many
operations like Karen's."

     "Can he do something like that for you?" Linda asked.

     "I asked him about that, and he said it was possible, but that
he didn't advise it.  At least not yet," Joe answered.  "He
suggested that I try to live like this for a while at least, so his
team can try to find a way to change us back by reversing whatever
process caused it in the first place.  If he were to change me
using surgical procedures, and then they did find a way to get us
back, it would leave us mutilated.  Anyway, he said that the female
to male operation isn't as satisfactory.  I wouldn't be pleased
with the results, that's how he put it."

     "Well, if it was half as good as Karen's, it would be
acceptable, wouldn't it?" Linda asked him.

     "Maybe so," Joe explained, "but he told me it's not nearly as
easy to transform female genitalia into functioning male equipment. 
He said it often didn't even work for urination.  It might look
passable, but it was easily infected, and it had usually no feeling
at all.  I can't get very excited about the idea of having a numb,
useless piece of flesh hanging between my legs, just so that I
could say I was a man.  Besides, I'd still be smaller, and look
different than I used to."

     "So you're going to stay female?" Linda asked.

     "I don't know," Joe said.  "Well, yeah, for a while anyway. 
At least until Dr. Krell attempts to find a way to get us back.  I
don't think I have any other choice, really."

     "What about Dave, and what's his name... Mike?  What will they
do?" Linda continued.  "Will they stay as they are, too?"

     "I think so, but I don't know for sure.  Dave is married, and
his little boy doesn't understand.  Mike still looks more like a
man, even if his internal parts are feminized," Joe answered,
matter-of-factly.

     "Why is Mike so different?" Linda asked.

     "Well, of course it's only a possibility," Joe said, "but it's
probably because he was taking anabolic steroids when he went
through the change.  I've seen him, and he sort of looks like a
hermaphrodite.  He still has his male body shape, but he's got a
beaver, and he said Dr. Krell told him he thinks he has normal,
female internals."

     "Heavens, that must be horrible," she said.  "How is he taking
it?"

     "I don't know," Joe said.  "He seems to be doing okay, I
guess.  I don't know if he's really thought much about it.  He's
still in the denial stage.  He sort of refuses to admit that it's
happened.  I think it's just starting to sink in for all of us. 
Dave is the one I'm most worried about.  He hardly talks.  I don't
know what to think about him."

     "I'll give Cindy a call, while you're gone," Linda said. 
"Maybe I can help her."

     "That's a good idea," Joe said.  "I have another idea.  Let's
get to sleep.  It'll be four a.m. soon enough."

     "Can I sleep with you?" Linda asked.

     "I'd love it," Joe said honestly.  He set the alarm, and
switched off the light.

     Linda snuggled up close to Joe.  Joe held her close, and could
feel his breasts touch hers.  They stroked each other's backs, and
cuddled until they fell asleep.

     It seemed like only moments later that Joe heard the noisy
buzzing of the cheap alarm clock.  He turned it off, and lay there,
trying to find the strength to get up.  He finally did, and
struggled in the dark to find the bathroom door.  He went in,
shutting the door before turning on the light.  He had to pee, and
sat and relieved himself.

     Joe quickly showered.  He rubbed his legs, checking them for
stubble.  They were not bad, but his underarms had stubble, and
needed a quick cleanup.  With the shower running, he used his shave
cream, lathered, and quickly did the job.  "Much easier than doing
my face," he thought.

     After Joe finished in the shower, he got out, and dried off. 
He watched himself in the mirror over the sink as he did so.  He
was now familiar with his new body, and looked at it critically as
he rubbed his soft skin with the towel.  A strange feeling of
contentment came over him as he examined himself.  His breasts no
longer seemed alien to him, and as he softly touched them, he could
hardly remember looking any other way.  His body image was becoming
female.  He could feel it happening.  Is this what HE wanted?  Was
there anything he could do about it even if he wanted to?

     As he was drying, and examining himself in the mirror, He
could hear Linda get up, and leave his bedroom.  The sound of his
girl friend caused him to finish drying off, and continue to get
ready.  He took out his toothpaste, and brushed his teeth.  Even
they seemed different, probably because of the somewhat smaller
size of his face.  He looked at them in the mirror, and saw that he
still had the same fillings in his back teeth, as far as he could
tell.

     Joe finished brushing, and as he was putting the dental things
in his shaving kit, he saw the after bath powder.  He decided to
apply some of that, since the scent reminded him of Linda.

     "I guess it's my smell now," he thought to himself.  He took
out his deodorant, and applied it to his smooth underarms.  It
stung slightly, since he just shaved.  He was trying to decide what
to do next when a sleepy looking Linda tapped on the door.

     "Can I come in?" she asked.

     "Sure.  I can use your help," Joe answered, and opened the
door.

     Linda was wearing a satin robe, and simply went over to him. 
She examined his naked body carefully.  "You're simply beautiful,"
was all she said.

     "I could use your advice," Joe said.  "I still don't know
exactly what to do with this makeup."

     "You're going to have to learn," Linda admonished.  "I won't
be there tomorrow morning."

     She took the shaving kit, where Joe had put his supplies, and
arraigned the things she needed on the counter.  Working swiftly,
she used each item, and then dropped it back into the leather case. 
As she worked, Joe was transformed back into the clean, understated
look he had the day before.  He looked at his image in the mirror,
and smiled with satisfaction with his appearance.

     When Linda finished, she left the bathroom, went to Joe's bed,
and lay down.  Joe gathered up the remaining supplies into his
shaving kit, and followed her.  He put the kit into the side
compartment of his B-4 bag.  "I guess I should get a more feminine
looking bag," he thought to himself.  He had used the handy B-4
since he was issued it in the Air Force, and had never used
anything else.

     He went to the dresser, and found that Linda had laid out his
clothes the night before.  She had selected black, high leg, bikini
panties, and one of his seamless cup, nude color bras.  He took the
underpants, and easily slipped them on.  He had never worn them
since Linda had suggested he buy them the other day.  He looked at
his reflection in the mirror, the leg openings reached almost up
the waist band, and made his legs look even longer.  Since he was
thin, and rather tall for a woman, it made him look rather leggy. 
He liked the look, and turned, so that he could see his backside in
the mirror.

     Linda saw what he was doing, and said, "Okay, okay, we both
know you got a nice butt."

     "Hey, can I help it?" he said grinning.  For some reason, he
was feeling very pleased with himself this morning.

     He took the bra, and deftly put it on.  He was now familiar
with the procedure, and the feeling, of wearing women's clothing. 
Feeling strangely sexy, he took the silk blouse, and put it on,
covering his already silky breasts.  As he buttoned the blouse, he
was again amazed at how luxurious the silk felt on his body.  Even
if he never got back to normal, this sensation alone would almost
make it all worth while.  He resisted touching himself, knowing
Linda would tease him if he did.

     Joe picked up the grey skirt, and stepped into it, turning it
around, as he had done the last time, so that he could zip and
button the smooth fitting garment.  As he spun it back around, he
saw himself in the mirror again.  He looked good, but still needed
the hairpiece, to make the transfiguration complete.  He took it
from the dresser, and carefully put it on his head, covering his
male hairstyle, and the last remnant of his former appearance.  No
one could confuse him with a male, and he was beginning to realize,
he was glad they could not.

     "You forgot your nylons," Linda reminded him.

     "Rats!  I guess I have to take the skirt off," Joe said, and
started to spin the skirt around again.

     "No, I think you can just pull the skirt up, and pull the
nylons on," she suggested.  "Be careful, they're very sheer.  Don't
snag them on your nails."

     Joe took the dark colored nylons from Linda, and sat on the
bed.  The slight roughness of the blended wool skirt reminded Joe
that he was not wearing the slip he bought either.  He wanted to
try it, so he removed the skirt, and unbuttoned the blouse.  He
loved any excuse he could find to feel the silky fabric.  He found
the little slip with the fitted top and pulled it over his head. 
The stretchy fabric covered his curves with even more slickness. 
He took the nylons and carefully pulled them up his legs, after
Linda showed him how to roll them and then place his foot inside. 
When he had the nylons on, and pulled the slip down, his legs felt
almost as sleek as the silky blouse.  He put the blouse back on,
and again pulled the skirt on.  He sat on the bed, and marveled at
the feeling.  It felt like he could just slide off the bed.

     Joe found his new watch, and fastened it to his wrist.  He
took the new gray shoes and slipped them on.  With their low heels,
he had little trouble walking in them, but he wondered how they
would work on the rudder pedals.

     He took the jacket and decided that, for now, he would not
wear it.  Linda found the handbag he had purchased the night
before, and handed it to him.  He looked at it in confusion.

     "Put your wallet, and any other things you're always complain-
ing about not having room for, in it," she suggested.

     He took the bag, and put all his things in it.  Joe stood up,
and went to the mirror.  He looked attractive, and sophisticated. 
He felt very sexy.  The feeling of the new clothes made him feel
different, more content with himself, than he had ever been before. 
"I guess it's the clothes," he thought.  What else could cause it?

     "Well, I guess I'm ready," Joe said.  "It only took about an
hour."

     Linda stood next to him at the mirror.  In the heels, he was
almost as tall as before.  He put his arm around Linda, and pulled
her to him.  They just stood there, and hugged for a minute.

     "I'll be waiting for you," Linda said, looking in his eyes.

     "I'll miss you too," Joe said, and gave her a peck on the
lips.  "It just doesn't feel the same anymore," he thought to
himself.

     Joe picked up the B-4 bag, and started to carry it to the
door.  It was not packed to bursting, like if often was when he
went away for days, but he still had to struggle a bit to carry it. 
I just do not have any upper body strength, he realized.

     Linda opened the door to the patio, and Joe went out to his
car.  He opened the back hatch, and put the bag in, and then went
around and got in.  He put his belt on, and started the engine.  He
let it warm slightly, and then turned around, and drove out the
drive.  It was about forty-five minutes till six.

     After the short drive to the airport, Joe went to the guard
shack, and showed his Honeybone ID.  The guard looked at him, but
must have been told of his unusual situation, because he let him in
without a problem, almost staring a hole in him with curiosity.

     Joe went directly to the flight planning room, and entered the
proposed flight into the PC.  The computer automatically compiled
an IFR flight plan, checked it, and printed out a weather report. 
It would even automatically file, but Joe had not selected that
option.  If the weather was good, he was considering VFR and maybe
letting Karen fly, if she wanted.

     The weather looked good, as usual, and he was pouring a second
cup of coffee, when Dave walked in the room.

     Dave was wearing a jumpsuit, not all that different from the
one Joe had.  It was gray, with a wide belt which served to
de-emphasize his somewhat large backside.  It made him look a lot
better that he had the day before.  Dave took a cup, and went over
to the planning table, next to Joe.  Joe filled his cup with the
hot brew.

     "Hey, you're looking good!" Joe said.  "I like the jumpsuit."

     "Yeah, I saw yours, and decided that it was the best thing,"
Dave said.  He still had a sarcastic twinge to his voice, and it
was uncharacteristic of him.

     Joe handed the weather printout to Dave.  "It looks severe
clear, until the LA basin, as usual," Joe summarized.  "I think we
could go VFR, and maybe let Karen get the feel of it, if it doesn't
bother you."

     "Sure, that's fine with me," Dave agreed.  "I wouldn't mind
getting an hour's snooze."

     "How's it going?" Joe asked.  "Is it getting any easier for
you?"

     "Easier?  How could it?" Dave replied.  "I guess I'm getting
more accustomed to the changes, and all that, but I don't know how
to deal with Cindy."

     "Maybe Dr. Krell's people will be able to help us today," Joe
said.

     "If he can't make me a man again, I don't know what he could
do that would help me," Dave lamented.

     They both looked up when they heard the outside door close,
and in a few moments, Karen Simpson entered the room.

     Karen was wearing an attractive pants suit with a sharp,
tailored look.  Joe smiled a greeting to her, and motioned to the
stack of styrofoam cups at the coffee bar by the wall.  Karen
smiled back, and getting a cup, came over to them, and held out the
cup as Joe filled it.

     "Well, you sure look good," Karen said, complimenting Joe. 
"Gee, Dave, are you going through the jumpsuit phase now?"

     "Yeah, maybe I am," Dave said, forcing a slight grin.  "Good
morning, Karen."

     "Good morning to both of you," she said.  "Is it safe to fly
this morning?"

     "Yeah, I think we can make it," Joe said.  "You want to get a
little stick time?"

     "Could I?" she said.  "I haven't flown in years."

     "We'll see how rusty you are," Joe said.  "Early as it is, we
can probably go VFR into SAN without a problem."

     "Procedures are where I know I'll have the most difficulty,"
Karen said.  "I haven't spent much time in high density areas."

     "I can handle the radios," Joe said.

     They heard the door slam, and Mike came in the planning room. 
As before, he was wearing male clothing.  He acknowledged their
greeting, and went for his coffee cup, seemingly not interested in
joining in the conversation.

     They finished their coffee, and Dave phoned in the VFR flight
plan, and they went into the hanger.  Joe opened the hanger doors,
as Dave started a garden tractor that served as a tug.

     Karen helped Dave put the tow bar on the 421, and Dave pulled
it out, into the early morning light.  In the bright light of the
hanger floods, they performed the walk-around preflight, as Mike
placed their bags on board.  When they were satisfied that the
fuel, oil, and external hardware was visibly flight-worthy, they
got in, and before long, Joe had the engines warming.

     Joe sat on the left, and Karen took the right seat.  They
adjusted their headsets, and set the communication and navigation
radios.  The tower did not operate till 0800, so they called and
looked for traffic, and then took off.

     As the wheels were going into the wells, Joe called departure,
and confirmed that they were picked up on radar.  The lightly
loaded twin quickly climbed to seven thousand five hundred, and
from habit, Joe requested, and received, VFR flight following. 
Karen handled the plane well, holding headings and altitudes to IFR
tolerances.

     "It doesn't look like you're out of practice at all," Joe
complimented.

     "I love to fly," Karen said.  "With all that has happened to
me, in the last few years, I guess I forgot just how much."

     The flight went along uneventfully, with Dave and Mike
snoozing in the back, Karen doing the driving, and Joe observing,
watching for traffic as the sun came up behind them.

     Before long they entered the low visibility of Southern
California.  The radio chatter picked up, until it was one
continuous stream of instructions, as controllers vectored IFR and
VFR traffic in one of the busiest areas in the country.  The sun
was bright as they spotted San Diego's Lindberg Field about eight
miles ahead.  They were cleared for a straight in landing, and Joe
let Karen have the landing, giving her speeds and power settings,
as she configured the aircraft for landing.  Even though she had
not flown for years, and then mostly single engine aircraft, she
handled the Cessna twin like she had flown it many times.

     "You're doing great," Joe told her again.  "How many hours do
you have anyway?"

     "Actual logged hours, about three-fifty," Karen answered, "but
remember, I worked with simulators in the Air Force, and learned to
fly instruments then, some time before I got a license.  I was
trained as a primary instrument instructor.  I probably have
thousands of hours in simulators of various kinds, single seaters
mostly, but some in trainers, like the T-37, and T-38. Compared to
a lot of simulators, this thing flies like a dream."

     She landed, and taxied to the FBO Joe suggested.  They parked
where a young girl in tight shorts directed, and shut the engines
down.  They got out and stretched as they exited the tight confines
of the Cessna.

     "You can smell the ocean," Joe said.  It was so different here
from the dry air of Phoenix.

     "Yeah, I like San Diego," Karen said.  "I kind of think of it
as the place where I was reborn."  She was referring to the
surgical procedure which changed her gender.

     "I hope I can get that kind of feeling about this place in a
few days," Mike said, pulling the bags out of the plane.

     Joe went to the counter, and asked the guy about the car he
had made reservations for.  The young man behind the counter gave
him a set of keys with a Budget Rent a Car tag, and pointed out the
window at a maroon Town Car.  Joe hated big barges like the
Lincoln, but they needed the room for the four of them and their
bags.

     "Okay if I drive out on the ramp for the bags?" Joe asked.

     "Sure, ma'am.  Just enter 338 and the gate will open," the
line boy said.  "Drive out, and I'll put the bags in the car for
you."

     Joe was not used to this kind of service.  He wondered if the
FBO was changing its image, but then he realized, he was not
wearing a skirt the last time he was there.  He had not thought
about it, but women did get treated differently from men. 
Sometimes better.  He kind of liked it.

     When they got their bags loaded, they went to check into the
hotel.  The Honeybone scheduler had reserved rooms at the Hyatt
Regency, a nice place, more upscale than they usually got at
company expense.  Usually, Joe and Dave performed their own
bag-drag, but this time, they let the bellhop take them to the
room.

     They followed him up and Joe found that his room was next to
Karen on one side, and Dave on the other.  Mike's room was directly
across the hall.

     They put their bags away, stopped to clean up a bit, and then
went out to find Dr. Krell's clinic.  Karen of course, was familiar
with the area, and guided them right to it.  They met Dr. Krell
again, and he introduced them all to two other medical doctors, and
a number of lab technicians and nursing personal.

     In the small waiting room at the entrance, Joe recognized a
few patients who were obviously making the transition from male to
female.  Two were easy to spot, since they were both very tall, and
towered over all the other seated persons.  Joe went over to an
empty seat next to one of the two tall women.  He smiled a greeting
as he sat down.  The woman spoke, with a deep voice, too deep to be
coming from a female.

     "Well, this place has suddenly become very popular," she said,
referring to the fact that four of them came in at the same time.

     "Yes, I suppose it has," Joe answered, uncomfortable with
small talk.

     "Do you know Dr. Krell?" the deep voiced woman went on.

     "Yes, I met him yesterday in Phoenix," Joe answered.

     "Is he working with your husband?" she asked.

     "My husband?" Joe asked in amazement.  "Why would you ask
that?"

     "I saw you walk in with that guy over there," she answered,
discreetly pointing at Mike.  "I figured that you were here for
counseling, because of your husband's condition."

     Joe smiled.  "She thinks I'm here with Mike," he realized.

     "No, I'm not married," he said.

     "Don't tell me a woman as lovely looking as you is gender
dysphoric?" The woman went on.

     "Do you think everyone who sees Dr. Krell has that kind of
problem?" Joe questioned.  The talkative woman just would not let
it go.

     "Dr. Krell is one of the best gender doctors around," she
said.  "I don't think he takes any other patients anymore."

     "So you're gender dysphoric?" Joe asked, turning the question-
ing away from him.

     "Yes, I am," she said.  "I've been on hormone therapy for
eleven months."

     "Oh, I didn't realize," Joe lied.  "You're a Transsexual?"

     "Of course," she said, eyeing his body enviously.  "Probably
most of the patients here are.  I hope to be ready for reassignment
surgery by fall.  I've almost completed my electrolysis.  That's
one of the time consuming parts.  I've been in the real life test,
that's where you have to live as the sex you feel you are.  I've
been in that for four months now.  You don't know how difficult it
is for a person raised as a male to learn to function as a female. 
You're so lucky to be born so beautiful."

     "If you only knew," Joe thought.  He did not know what to make
of this unusual person.  So he just smiled, and she continued
speaking.

     "My name is Laura.  Laura Dix," she said, presenting her hand
to Joe.

     "Glad to meet you, Laura," Joe said, shaking her hand lightly. 
It was much bigger than his.  "I'm Joe Bates."

     "Joe, huh.  Sounds like a guy's name," Laura said.  "Women can
have men's names, they can wear men's clothes, and so many other
things.  Nobody notices, or if they do, they think it's cute.  It
was cute if you were a tomboy when you were small, but I was a
sissy for wanting to be with the girls."

     "Yeah, it is unfair, isn't it," Joe agreed.

     "So what is your real name?  You don't look like a Josephine. 
Is it Jo Ann, Jo Ellen?" Laura asked.

     "My name is Joel," Joe said, "but I've always been called
Joe."

     "Well, Joe, what brings you to Dr. Krell?" Laura continued.

     "I'm hoping he can help me," Joe said reluctantly.  "I'm
really a man."  He decided that shocker would stop the questions.

     "A man?  But you're so beautiful," Laura asked in amazement. 
"Why would you want to become a man?"

     "Why do you want to become a woman?" Joe returned.

     "Yeah, okay, you're right," Laura agreed.  "I think I am a
woman, and I just want to look like one.  It has nothing to do with
what we look like."

     "You might be right," Joe said.  He was beginning to have
doubts about that, however.

     The receptionist called Laura's name, and she got up and went
in.  Joe was sitting on the end of the row of seats, and he began
to look around the waiting room.  Besides Dave, Mike, Karen, and
himself, there were two other persons in the room.  One was a small
young man, and the other was a man of medium build.  Joe wondered
if they were also Transsexuals.  Probably, he considered.

     As they waited, the receptionist came into the room, and gave
Mike, Dave, and Joe clipboards which held a number of forms, and
questionnaires for them to complete.  Joe filled out the form.  It
had everything from his name and address, to what kind of medica-
tion he was, or had been taking, his sexual preference, and even
frequency of intercourse.  Some of the questions were rather
difficult to answer, considering the circumstances.  He did his
best to answer truthfully, but could not imagine what they really
were trying to find out by some of the questions.

     He looked over, and saw Dave struggling with his paperwork. 
Mike seemed to work with it without expression, writing quickly,
without hesitation.

     When Joe had his complete, he took it up to the little sliding
glass window where the receptionist sat.

     "Thank you.  Dr. Krell should be with you before too long,"
The young lady wearing a white nurses uniform said, smiling at him.

     They sat there another forty-five minutes, and then the door
opened, and the assistant called Joe.  He stiffly got up, and
followed her into an examining room, not unlike the one where he
was introduced to Dr. Hopkins.  He wondered what was in store for
him this time.
Archive-name: Changes/bates14.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 14


                                    THERAPY
                                  CHAPTER 14

   Joe had only been sitting a moment, when the assistant came back into the
room, and asked Joe to follow her.  She took him to the open door of an
office, where Joe saw Dr. Krell, seated behind his desk.  He motioned for Joe
to come inside.

   Joe entered the office, and sat down.  Dr. Benjamin Krell was a small,
friendly looking man, perhaps sixty years of age.  He smiled when he saw Joe,
and motioned for him to take a seat.

   "You're looking splendid, Joe.  I hope you had a good flight."  He said.

   "Yes, we did.  Karen flew the whole trip.  She's a good pilot, and I think
she has re-caught the flying bug."  Joe said, grinning.

   "Karen is a remarkable person."  The little doctor said.  Do you know she
probably has as much research experience in the area of Gender Disphoria as
anyone?   She soaks it up like a sponge."

   "We get along rather well." Joe said.  "She seems to almost know what I'm
thinking sometimes."

   "I thought you both might hit it off, from the first moment I met you."
Dr. Krell agreed.

   "What's on the agenda today?"  Joe asked, eager to find out what the day
would bring.

   "Well, there is a lot of paper work for you complete, and I believe we have
more physical examinations, by my staff, in store for you.  I hope we can get
all three of you completed today, but it may run over to tomorrow.  I also
have a short class I want you all to attend, regarding the care of your
changed body.  It was created for my reassignment patients, but I really think
you would benefit from it too.  Susan, the nurse who conducts it, might not be
available until tomorrow though"  Dr. Krell explained.

   "We were all expecting two days here."  Joe said.  "Another physical, huh."
He expected it, but didn't look forward to it.

   "I'm sorry, Joe, but it's really necessary for us to know, in complete
detail, the extent of the changes you've gone through.  At the same time,
we're waiting for the lab reports to come back, with the results of hair
samples we took on all of you."

   "What do you expect that to show?"  Joe asked.

   "I'm not really sure."  Dr. Krell answered.  "I believe that all your
living cells have been changed, but the others, your hair, and finger nails,
they might still have the old chromosome pattern.  I'm curious to see the
results of that.  Sort of like rings in a tree trunk, it may be, that we can
spot the exact time your change transpired."

   "So you think it happened instantaneously?"  Joe asked.  "One moment I was
a guy, the next I was like this?"

   "I don't know, Joe.  What do you think?"  Dr. Krell asked.

   "Well, I don't know about the initial physical change, I guess I was
sleeping when that occurred, but I think I'm still changing...I'm almost sure
I am, mentally.  I can't explain it...I, I..sometimes I just start to cry, and
feel sorry for myself...I never do that...but now.... I don't know.  Mostly
though, I feel great.  Generally, I think I feel better than I can ever
remember.  It's a good feeling, actually."  Joe tried to describe the strange
emotions which were now effecting him.

   "Are there...Do you think there are still physical changes taking place?"
Dr. Krell questioned.

   "I'm not sure.  If they are, they're subtle.  I think that sometimes, my
skin is still getting softer.  Maybe I'm just getting used to having breasts,
but they don't feel quite as sensitive as they were at first. They're still
pretty sensitive, though."  Joe said, rubbing the softness of his left breast.

   "Have you noticed any unusual discharge?  Anything unusual about your
genitalia?"  Dr. Krell went on.

   Gee, Doc.  I've only been like this five days.  Every thing seems unusual.
I don't know.  I did notice some blood on my underwear last night.  I think
that was from the examination yesterday though.  It felt like you stretched
me, or cut something, down there."  Joe said, with a sheepish smile.

   "Well I'm assuming  you were active, sexually, as a male."  Dr. Krell
explained.  "But it's obvious that, since you've become female you are not.
You're hymen, that's a bit of membrane, or skin, that partially closes the
vaginal orifice.  Your's is intact, and quite thick, and strong.  It's the
thickest I've seen.  I suspect that's because of your age, and the
circumstances under which  you acquired it."  He smiled.

   "Would I have any trouble with intercourse?"  Joe asked.  He felt a slight
flush of embarrassed come to his face as he asked.

   "Are you considering becoming sexually active?"  Dr. Krell asked, not
particularly surprised.

   "Oh, no.  I don't think so, at least not now anyway."  Joe stammered.

   "Well, when the time comes, and don't be surprized if it does, I don't
think you'll have any trouble with your hymen." Dr. Krell advised, smiling.
"You'll probably be undergoing a number of examinations in the near future,
and that will probably stretch it, at least a little more.  We'll try not to
tear it.  By the way, it's normal to experience a little pain, the first time
a female has sexual intercourse.  I've been told it subsides quickly, so don't
be concerned about it."

   "I can't believe I'm even thinking about stuff like this."  Joe said.
"Yesterday, I wouldn't have considered even asking about it."

   "If you're going to live as a woman, as healthy, and, I might add,
attractive as you are, It will probably only be a matter of time before such
an opportunity presents itself.  You would be doing yourself a disservice to
ignore the possibility."  Dr. Krell said.

   "I'm trying to keep an open mind." Joe said.  "And it seems that even that
keeps changing."

   "It is a woman's perogative, isn't it."  Dr. Krell teased.  "Don't forget
though, if you do decide to become sexually active, be sure to use some form
of contraception.  Unfortunately, that isn't part of the normal hygiene class,
since that isn't a concern with reassignment patients.  I'll remind Susan to
cover that for you, but be sure to ask, if she forgets."

   "What would you recommend, as a contraceptive, for someone who was sexually
active, that is."  Joe asked shyly.

   Dr. Krell grinned.  "For someone who was thinking of becoming sexually
active... For a mature, thirty year old female, I would recommend her partner
use a good condom, backed up with a contraceptive jelly, or foam.  She could
be fitted with a diaphragm, but of course, that would be easier after her
hymen was broken."

   Joe looked the little man in the eye.  "I'll keep that in mind."  He said.
He noticed Dr. Krell was beginning to refer to him as a "she".

   "Tell it to me straight, Doc.  Am I ever going to be male again?" Joe
asked.

   "Unless we can somehow reverse whatever happened, and we don't even know
what that is, I think it's unlikely that you will ever have a normal male body
again.  That's the way it looks to me.  I suggest you try to get accustomed to
what you have now.  If we can get you back, it won't make any difference, and
if we can't,  well, you seem to be doing pretty well." Dr. Krell smiled at
Joe.

   "I admit, it is getting easier, as time passes."  Joe agreed.  "I guess I
can do it, if I must."

   "I think we should schedule you for some therapy."  Dr. Krell suggested.
"It could help you cope with the changes."

   "Do you think the changes could be affecting my head...the way I think?"
Joe questioned.  "I'm not sure, but I seem to feel different now, about so
many things, I think my brain is changing, or something, I have trouble
maintaining concentration, and about women, my girl friend...I don't seem to
feel the same there anymore.  Could the changes cause that?"

   "Yes, it's possible, I suppose.  There is still a lot to be learned about
the differences between the sexes...besides just the anatomical differences.
What has happened to you and your friends, may help to expand the present
knowledge in this area."  The doctor answered.

   "I have always enjoyed expanding the limits of technology."  Joe lamented.
"But, don't think I really want to expand my interest to medicine, at least
not like this."

   "I realize that this is difficult for you."  Dr. Krell said.  "But you'll
have to play the cards you're dealt.  We'll do everything we can to make the
problems you face, as small as possible."

   "I appreciate everything you're doing for me, and for the others.  It's
amazing how quickly everything fell into place."  Joe said.

   "When we got the call for assistance, from Hillcrest, every one here jumped
at the chance to work with your problem.  It's like a wish come true, for a
genetics researcher...someone who has actually changed their genetic
sex...amazing."  Dr. Krell's voice rose as he spoke.

   "Yeah, it's amazing all right."  Joe said.  "And it feels strange too."  He
smiled.

   "Well, let's see what we can do for that."  The Doctor went on.  "For you
the first thing this morning will be another pelvic examination.  We'd like to
take some photo's, so we can study them without needing to have you around all
the time.  It shouldn't take too long."  Dr. Krell said, almost
apologetically.

   "Pictures, huh."  Joe said, sort of thinking out loud. He never thought he
would be the subject of pictures, even if it was for medical purposes.

   "Don't be concerned, Joe."  The doctor advised.  "The photography will only
take a moment, and just be part of the examination.  We sometimes video tape
entire surgical procedures.  They are excellent teaching aids, and are never
used for anything else."

   "I'm not worried about that." Joe said.  Actually, he was, a little.  He
trusted Dr. Krell, but he could imagine how tapes, or pictures, might be used
by medical students.

   "If you're ready, I'll take you to the examination room."  Dr. Krell said,
getting up from behind his desk.

   "I guess I am."  Joe said, standing up, and smoothing his skirt, it seemed
his slip was suddenly been charged with static electricity, and he could feel
it clinging around his nylon stockings.

   Joe followed Dr. Krell out of his office, and down the hall.  Dr. Krells
clinic was not huge, but, from what Joe could determine, had at least six
examination rooms.  The doctor entered one that had an open door, and pointed
to a fresh gown, as before, made of a disposable paper material.  He left the
room.

   Joe looked around the room. In the center, was an examination table almost
identical to the room yesterday.  Joe saw the little stirrups on the side.  In
a glass doored cabinet by the wall, Joe could see the gynecologist's tools of
his trade... he saw the speculum, and all the other things used during
examinations.  His crotch muscles tightened, as he thought about the
examination just yesterday.

   Joe hung his suit jacket on a hanger provided, and sat in a chair to remove
his shoes.  He unbuttoned and unzipped his skirt, and stepped out of it.  He
lay the skirt over the back of the chair, and then unbuttoned his blouse.
When he took that off, he carefully place it on another hanger.  He then
reached down, and pulled the full slip over his head, laying it on top of the
skirt.  He suddenly felt remarkably sexy, standing there in a bra, black V-
kini panties, and silky nylon stockings.  He unhooked the bra, and slipped it
off, the cool air on his now bare breasts causing him cover them with his
hands.  He had to remove his stockings, and decided to sit on the edge of the
paper covered table to do that.  When he had them off, and carefully placed on
top of his slip, and then pulled the panties off.  He took the paper gown, and
put it around him, thankful for even the minimal coverage it provided.  He
remembered the hairpiece.  Did he need to remove it?  He decided he better,
and placed on top of his slip.  His short hair now felt strange.  He was
getting accustomed to the longer length of the wig, touching his ears, and
neck.

   Joe then sat on the table, waiting for whatever was to happen next.  He
must have been sitting in apprehension for only five minutes, when Dr.  Krell,
and two other men with white lab coats entered the room, accompanied by the
nurse who initially brought Joe into the first room.

   Dr. Krell introduced the men to a highly embarrassed Joe Bates.

   "Joe, this is Dr. Tom Craig."  Dr. Krell said.  He's our staff Urologist."

   Dr. Craig smiled, and extended his hand to Joe.

   "Glad to meet you Joe."  He said.

   "And this is Dr. David Bennedict.  Dave's our gynecologist."  Dr.  Krell
continued.

   Dave also held out his hand.

   "I hope we can help you out, Joe."  He said.  "Your situation is most
interesting."

   "I hope you can, too."  Joe said, with a smile. It was hard to feel like an
equal, when you were wearing a paper shirt, that didn't even quite cover your
butt, while everyone else in the room was completely dressed.  The fact that
they were doctors, didn't really help at all.

   "Well, I guess we best get on with it."  Dr. Krell said, to break the
slight tension.  "Joe, would you remove the gown please?"

   "Joe could feel the blood rush to his cheeks as he unfastened the little
Velcro fasteners at his neck.  He pulled his arms out of the short, paper
gown, and handed it to the attending nurse.  He stood before the doctors,
completely naked, his heart pounding.

   "Amazing."  Dr. Bennedict said.  He appears completely feminized.  And you
say he woke up this way, transformed overnight?"  The doctor seemed to be
talking to the others, as if Joe was incapable of answering for himself.

   "I examined him, if I had not been already been told, I never would have
known he had been male."  Dr. Krell said.  "The only anomaly I can find, is
some scar tissue around the clitoris.  My theory is that it's residual trauma
caused by circumcision of the penis.  He confirmed that he had been
circumcised as an infant."

   "Interesting."  Dr. Craig said.  "We can confirm a number of theories while
studying this patient.  I believe this is the first recorded spontaneous,
human gynecomorph.  I hope we can learn what caused it."

   I sure hope you can, too."  Joe volunteered.  He didn't like the way he was
being treated. Like a lab subject, unable to understand what was going on.

   "Oh, I'm sorry Joe.  We're so excited by this opportunity to study your
case, that I'm afraid we sometimes we get carried away."  Dr. Bennedict
apologized.

   "I understand."  Joe said.  "Just try to remember that I'm here, and I
think I'm still capable of understanding the English language."

   "Understood."  Dr. Craig added.  "Just remind us, if we seem to get off
track."

   "Joe, I have an illustration I'd like to show you."  Dr. Craig said,
handing him what looked like a page copied from an anatomy textbook.  Joe
immediately recognized the drawing.  It was that of the male genitalia, and it
had each individual part listed with its anatomical name, with a small arrow
pointing to it.  Joe wondered what it was for.

   "These are the male external reproductive organs."  Dr. Craig went on.  "I
believe you recognize them."

   "Sure, but what's it for?"  Joe asked.

   "I'm going to take this small tool, and touch you with it.  When you can
feel the touch, I'd like you to tell me where it feels like I'm touching you.
Please use the illustration to name the locations."   Dr. Craig explained,
holding out a small, pointed, stainless steel probe.  "We're trying to confirm
the corresponding nerve endings, as they were, and as they are now."

   "Ok.  That seems easy enough."  Joe said.  He wondered how far inside him
they were going to put the pointer.

   "Please get up on the table, Joe."  Dr. Craig asked.  "You can put the gown
back on."

   The assistant handed Joe the paper gown, and he slipped his arms in the
holes, and fastened the Velcro fastener at his back.  He sat on the table, and
then lay back as the assistant adjusted the table to support his upper back,
and head.  She then covered Joe's lower body with a green surgical drape, and
positioned the stirrups so that he could put his feet in them, spreading his
legs apart as he did.

   He was now in position, and he felt the coolness as the doctors pulled the
drape away from his bottom.  As before, the drape kept him from seeing what
the doctors were doing.  The assistant handed Joe the illustration.  He lay
there, and looked at the drawing.  He saw the penis.  It was further defined
as the glans, dorsum, and prepuce.  The scrotum was also shown in detail,
including even a little cutaway showing the layers of skin.  He had never
realized that the male anatomy was that complex, and now he didn't even look
like that anymore.

   Suddenly, Joe felt a hand on his pubic area.  Two cool fingers spread his
soft inner lips.  He could feel his crotch muscles contract, as if they were
trying to keep that most sensitive area concealed.  He felt a finger touch his
clitoris, and heard Dr. Krell speak.

   "As you can see, the prepuce is mostly absent, but, this scarring is
probably what remains of where it emanated."  The friendly doctor was saying.

   "Ok, Joe.  As I touch you, please call out what area it seems like I'm
touching.  If you can't give me a corresponding location, try to tell me the
closest equivalent."  Dr. Craig said.

   Joe could feel the pointed probe.  It felt as if it was softly rubbing
along the bottom of his penis.  He called that out.

   The probe moved down, now feeling as if near the base of his penis.  He
told Dr. Craig that, not finding a name on the illustration for it.

   The tickling sensation went lower, towards his scrotum.  He tensed his
muscles there, as if to draw the sack tighter, and felt the somewhat different
sensation of his vaginal sphincter closing tighter.  The new parts were
similar, but they didn't feel EXACTLY the same.  He told Dr. Craig he was now
touching his scrotum.

   He felt the probe move back up, it seemed along the top side of his penis.
He wondered where Dr. Craig was touching.  He couldn't remember feeling that
area since the change.  He told Dr. Craig.

   "It feels like you're rubbing the top of my penis now."  Joe said.  "Just
where are you actually touching?"

   "I'm touching the area dissecting your labia minora, and labia majora." Dr.
Craig explained.  "Between your inner and outer vulval lips."

   Amazing,  Joe thought.  It felt just like it was touching the top of his
penis.

   The moving touch kept going, seeming to go to the head of his penis, But
now it was now on very sensitive area,  far more sensitive than he could ever
remember his penis to be.  He called out.

   "Your touching the glans, I think."  Joe said.  I can't tell if your on
top, or on the bottom.  It's kind of sensitive there."  It tickled, and he
wanted to move his pelvis around.

   "I'm near the clitoris."  Dr. Craig explained.  I realize it must be a bit
sensitive."

   "You got that right."  Joe said, closing his eyes and trying his best to
resist the urge to move his hips.  The tickling sensation was starting to feel
rather pleasant.

   Then the tickling stopped.  Opening his eyes, Joe could see Dr.  Bennedict
preparing a small camera.  He disappeared behind the drape, and soon the room
blinked with the flashing of the camera.  Joe just lay there, eyes closed,
embarrassed, as they photographed his private parts.  It wasn't exactly like
posing for Playboy, he thought.

   Joe momentarily opened his eyes, he saw Dr. Bennedict retrieve a small
speculum from the glass cabinet.  Here it comes, he thought.

   Soon, he could feel touching around his genitals again.  He felt his lips
get pulled apart, and something hard touch him.  It moved around a little, and
then he felt it seem to slide along his opening.  He could sense that it was
inside of him.  Strange, he thought, I can't really feel it in there, but I
can sure tell it's there.  He could feel it stretching his opening, and where
it touched the outer parts.  He was just beginning to try to imagine what it
would feel like to have a guy's penis inside him, when he felt the somewhat
painful sensation of the speculum spreading open.  It hurt, but not as bad as
the last time.  He put his hand to his mouth, and bit down on his thumb.

   Joe felt the speculum move around inside him, and saw the flash of the
camera.  Before long, the speculum was collapsed, and withdrawn.  When it was
out, Joe had an intense urge to rub his crotch, but he didn't want to put his
hands under the drape, and didn't want these guy's to see him do it.

   "I think that will be enough for now."  Joe heard Dr. Bennedict say.  "You
can get dressed."

   That wasn't so bad, Joe thought.  He sat up, and pulled his legs out the
stirrups, with the help of the assistant.

   "We'll see you in a few minutes, Joe."  Dr. Krell said as the three doctors
left the room.

   Joe reached down and carefully massaged the tender tissues of his crotch.
The assistant saw what he was doing, and smiled.

   "Here are some towels.  They'll help a little."  She said, seeming to know
what he was feeling.

   "Thanks."  Joe replied.  "I'm still getting used to this."

   "I don't think you ever get used to it."  The woman said.

   Joe cleaned the small amount of lubricating jelly from his vulva.  He
looked at the towel.  There was no sign of blood.  It didn't hurt either.  He
carefully probed around with his index finger.  He was wet and slippery, and
the finger went in easy, much easier than ever before.  He looked up to see if
the nurse was watching, but she was paying no attention to him.  She was
gathering up the things used in the examination.  Soon, she too left the room.

   Joe was sitting on the edge of the examination table, with his hand over
his pubic area, and one finger just inside his genital vestibule.  He had
never been inside much farther than this, and was surprised at how different
it felt.  The water soluble lubricant used in the examination had made
everything extremely slick.  He felt around, feeling the bumps and ridges in
this new, unfamiliar part of his body.  He could feel a small lump, which he
knew, by the feel, was his urethra.  It was just after the ridge of his now
somewhat prominent, pubic bone.  He went further in his exploration, and
entered his vaginal opening.  He could feel a restriction, some tight tissue.
This must be my hymen, he considered, and carefully examined it with the tip
of his finger.  The opening in his hymen seemed large enough to penetrate with
his finger, so he slowly, cautiously, went further.  After the initial
restriction at the entrance, it was all clear, but it was difficult to go much
further without stretching it even more.  It didn't hurt, but Joe didn't want
to tear it.  How would he explain it to the doctors, if that happened?

   He just sat there, examining himself.  When he decided he couldn't get any
farther inside with his finger, he stopped.  He tensed his crotch muscles, and
felt the tightening with his finger.  The sensation when he bore down on his
own finger felt strange, but sort of pleasurable.

   He was getting more familiar with his body.  At first, he was almost afraid
to even look at the new parts, but now, after the doctors examinations
introduced him to new sensations, he decided that he needed to know what it
was all about.  These new areas might be different, but they were still part
of him.   He withdrew his finger, and holding it to his nose, smelled it.
Funny, he thought, it doesn't seem to have any particular odor.  He thought
of Linda... He loved her sweet, female scent.  He wondered why he didn't smell
like that.

   Finally, Joe decided he better get dressed.  He stood up, and pulled off
the gown.  He was feeling particularly good about himself as he went over to
the chair where his clothes were laying.  He took his underpants, and stepped
into them, loving the feel, the snug fit of the black panties.  He easily
slipped the bra on, and clasped the plastic latch between his breasts.  Yeah,
he was beginning to accept...to appreciate his new body...how it looked, and
how it felt.  He might still be Joe Bates, Engineer, Pilot, and Sports Car
Nut, but he wasn't really a male anymore.  He was beginning to realize it,
accept the differences, and maybe...even enjoy them.

   Joe quickly dressed, and replaced his hairpiece.  There was a small sink in
the examination room, with a mirror above it.  He looked at himself, and
adjusted his hair, and clothing.  When felt he was ready, he went to the door,
and went out.  He walked back up to Dr. Krell's office, but he saw, through
the open door, that Dr. Krell was busy talking to Dave.  He went out to wear
he saw the nurse who was present during his exam.

   "Should I stay in the examination room?"  Joe asked.

   "Well, no, you don't have to."  The woman said.  "I think Dr. Krell will
want to talk to you as soon as he's finished.  You can go back to the waiting
room, if you like."

   "Ok.  I'll wait there."  Joe said.  He hoped that "Miss Dix" wasn't out
there.

   Joe went out and took a seat.  Mike was no where to be seen, and only one
person, who had just entered before Joe was called, was in the room.  He
looked through the stack of magazines, mostly women's, on the small rack next
to his seat.  He selected Cosmopolitan, the cleavage of the woman on the cover
catching his male trained eye.

   He thumbed through the magazine, noticing with hightened interest, the adds
for feminine hygiene products, contraceptives, and underwear.  He thought
about it.  It was almost like this was the female equivalent of an automotive
magazine.  All the products designed to make what you had, look better, or
work better.  For a guy, it was his car.  For a woman, well, she had this
exotic body to maintain.  Yeah, he thought as he thumbed through the sexy ad's
for clothing, lingerie, tampons, and pregnancy detection kits, this is a
woman's "Car and Driver".

   He started reading an article about Pre-Menstrual Syndrome.  He was
wondering what having a period would feel like, when the nurse called his name
again.  Darn, he thought, he wanted to finish the article.  He looked at the
magazine cover, and saw it was the current issue.  I'll have to pick that one
up, he thought as he put the magazine in the rack, and then followed the nurse
back to Dr. Krell's office.

   In the office, Dr. Krell sat behind his desk, with Dr. Bennedict sitting in
one of the seats on the other side.  Dr. Krell motioned for Joe to have a seat
next to the gynecologist.

   "The hairpiece is very attractive on you."  Dr. Bennedict said.  Joe
realized that the man had only seen him undressed, and without the wig.

   "Thanks."  Joe said.  "Karen loaned it to me."  Joe figured the doctors
there must all know Karen.

   "Joe, we have the results of the lab tests of the hair samples." Dr. Krell
said.  "You might be interested to know that, from DNA tests we found that
your hair, at least, still show a male chromosome pattern.  Of course, as it
grows out, that may change.  I would think all the "dead" cells of your body
have not transitioned, only the living cells.  That is easily sufficient proof
of your identity.  It don't change anything, but it does confirm that a so far
unknown phenonoma cause cell changes in you and your two co-workers bodies.
The change, or damage, we might call it, has caused the chromosomes to
distort, to make your genetic structure  to appear to change from XY, to XX,
what normally would be the female form.  I suspect that you are not truly
female, that is, you are not a precise genetic representation of what you
would have been, had you been conceived as a genetic female.  However, the
differences are so slight, so inconsequential, from a practical matter, that
it would probably take an electron microscope to tell the difference.  I
suspect also, that the difference, slight as it is, is far to small to prevent
the normal gynecological functions from occurring.  Joe, it appears that you,
for all practical, and physiological purposes, are now a functional female."

   "Well, I'm glad all the physical examinations and genetic tests agree with
what I see when I look in the mirror."  Joe said.  He understood that Dr.
Krell was just giving him the complete medical synopsis, but what he really
wanted, was the answer to what caused the whole thing to happen in the first
place.

   "Now that we know WHAT has happened, we must concentrate our efforts on why
it occurred."  Dr. Bennedict said.

   "And while that's happening, we will do everything we can, to help make
your situation bearable."  Dr. Krell added.

   "Is there anything I can do to help discover the cause?"  Joe asked.  He
wanted to get back to work...to try to discover what, in or around the
Learjet, or the GPS transmitters, could have caused his plight.

   "We want you, Dave, and Mike to remain here, till tomorrow, so that you can
attend the class we will present tomorrow, probably about nine or ten
o'clock."   Dr. Krell advised.  "After that, you, and Dave at least, can go
back.  Mike may be asked to stay another day.  We'll know by tomorrow, at
noon."

   Joe wondered what that might be about, but decided that it was none of his
business.

   "What else is there today?"  Joe asked.  He was getting anxious to get on
with it.

   "Well, if you have decided to legally change your status to female, there
is some more paperwork to fill out.  We have obtained copies of all your
records, so we probably have most of the information we need.  We'll just need
your signature after we prepare the forms.

   "That's all it takes?  A few signatures?  I write my name on a piece of
paper, and suddenly, I'm no longer a man?  I'm a woman, just as if I was born
that way?"  Joe was amazed at how simple it sounded.

   "You must realize, that this place specializes in such transitions." Dr.
Krell explained.  "You must also understand, that the position you find
yourself in, is where a person desiring surgical reassignment arrives only
after years of chemical, and mental therapy, and extensive cosmetic surgery.
What happened to you is unprecedented."

   "Too bad I didn't want it to happen."  Joe said.  "For an accident, what
ever caused it, it  did one hell of a job."

   "Don't think we haven't noticed."  Dr. Krell said.  "If we can find the
cause of the phenomena, we might even be able to put it to good use."

   "Who's paying for all this, anyway?"  Joe asked the question that had been
at the back of his mind for some time.

   Dr. Krell handed Joe a paper.  Joe looked at it, and saw it was a FAX, from
Honeybone Flight Systems.  It stated that Dr. Krell was to use whatever
resources necessary, to find the cause of the problem caused by the GPS
equipment.  It stated that more information would follow.  That sheet, Joe
realized, meant the Honeybone was concerned, not just for a few of their
workers who got "injured" at work, but also about the legal, and maybe even
medical ramifications of what happened last Thursday.  It was as close to a
blank check as ever existed at Honeybone.

   Dr. Krell looked at his watch.  It was almost one o'clock.  The morning had
gone past very quickly, and they were all hungry.

   "I'm afraid I can't join you Joe, but I think Mike, or Karen are around,
and they probably have missed lunch too."  Dr. Krell said, smiling.

   Joe got up, and walked to the door.  He turned.

   "I'll see you this afternoon?" Joe asked.

   "Oh sure."  Dr. Krell said.  "I'll be here."  I have to see how things are
going with you're friend Dave."  He went down the hall, and entered one of the
examination rooms.

   Joe went out, and asked the nurse where he could find Karen Simpson.

   "I'm sure she's in the classroom."  The nurse said.  "Go down the hall, and
I'm sure you'll find her."

   Joe went walking down the hall, in the direction the nurse pointed.  When
he came to an open door, he looked in, and found a small classroom.  Karen was
sitting in one of the chairs, in discussion with three other people.  Joe
recognized one as Laura, the tall transsexual he had talked to when he first
entered the clinic.  Karen saw him, and motioned for him to come in.

   "Everyone, this is Joe Bates."  Karen said.  "He's here because of
something that happened to him last week."

   "Hi, Joe."  Laura Dix said.

   "Hello."  Joe said. "Nice to meet you all."

   "Karen, now you've got us interested."  Laura said.  "Joe, what happened to
you that made it necessary to visit this place?"

   "Well, I don't yet know what caused it, but they tell me that I've changed
genetically, and physically, into a female.  That's it.  I'm here to discover
the extent of the changes, and maybe figure a way to become male again."  Joe
explained simply.

   "What?  You look like that, and you want to be a guy?"  Laura asked.  "I'd
give almost anything to look half as good as you do."

   "Yeah, but as we discussed earlier,  I'm a guy, not a woman.  I want a male
body, just like you want to look female."  Joe said, wondering if he really
meant what he was saying.

   "It's amazing, isn't it."  Karen observed.  "we think we are, what we think
we are, really has little to do with our appearance.  The ultimate sex organ
is the brain.  What the BRAIN thinks we are, is what we consider ourselves to
be, or should be."

   "Enough of this deep thought."  Joe interrupted.  "Do you want to get a
bite to eat?"  He asked.

   "Gosh, it is lunch time."  Linda said.  "Time passes so quickly here."

   Anyone else want to go?"  Joe asked.  "I think we can fit six in the
Lincoln.  I want to try to find Mike.  Dave is with the doctors."

   "I'll go with you." Laura said.  She got up.

   "Anybody else?"  Dave asked.

   The others declined, and Joe, Karen, and Laura left the room, to find Mike.
Joe went to ask the nurse, when he saw him sitting in the waiting area.  Joe
walked over to him.

   "Are you ready for something to eat, Mike?"  Joe asked.

   Mike looked up at Joe.  He didn't look very happy.  Joe wondered what new
information they had for his friend.

   "Yeah, I guess I still have to eat."  Mike said, not very enthusiastically.

   He got up, and followed them out the door.

   It was an unusual crew who entered the little restaurant.  Mike lead them
and the three "women" followed behind.  They took a seat at a small square
table.  The waitress came over almost as soon as they sat down.  They ordered,
Joe trying to remember to order less than he felt he wanted.  Mike ordered a
steak, and baked potato.  No female portions for him.  He

   Mike seemed uncomfortable sitting with his obviously female looking
friends, even though he was now, at least biologically a woman too.

   "Mike, did they give you any satisfaction this morning?"  Joe asked.

   "Hell, I don't know.  They looked at my crotch, at my chest, they showed me
a picture of male parts, but they didn't really give me any help as to how I
should live with myself."  Mike said, looking very sad.

   "Can I ask you a question?"  Joe asked.  He wanted to find if Mike was
experiencing the same mental changes he was.

   "Sure, ask away."  Mike said.

   "The other day, when we first discovered we all had this problem, I still
felt, inside at least, like I was still a male.  It just seemed like somebody
had messed with my body, changed its appearance.  But now, since yesterday at
least, I've been experiencing other changes, changes in my head, I guess,
strange feelings, I guess I'm beginning to accept this body.  Hell, I think
I'm even starting to like looking like this.   I was wondering, are you
starting to feel like that too?"  Joe questioned.

   "Joe, look at yourself.  You look like a woman.  You're attractive, and,
even the other day it even seemed like you enjoyed what happened to you.  I
can't possibly feel the same way.  What I want, or how I feel... it makes no
difference.  I can't please a woman anymore, whether I want to or not, makes
little difference.  Even if I accept that I'm female now, I couldn't expect a
man to want me, not the way I look.  I'm caught in the middle, and there's no
way out."  Mike sounded desperate.

   "Maybe you need therapy to deal with your problem."  Karen said.  "After
you find out how you want to go... what your options are... then, maybe, Dr.
Krell can help you.  If you want to remain a male,  I think they can help you
with surgery.  I've known a few patients who have come to him with female
bodies, and with hormones, and surgery to create an artificial phallus, they
are very convincing as men.  With you, you hardly need the hormone therapy."

   "Yeah, yeah,  we went through that already."  Mike said.  "Dr. Krell said
that since I had been a male, and have, er...had a functional penis, I
wouldn't be happy with any thing he could create.  Right now though, I'd give
anything to get my cock back.  I can't spend the rest of my life with a cunt."

   "If that's how you feel, I'm sure he can help."  Laura chimed in.  "Dr.
Krell is the best.  I've checked them all out, and he's the best."

   "I hope you're right."  Mike said.  "I just want to get on with my life.  I
don't see how I can do that, looking like this."

   The waitress came, bringing out their orders."  Joe was getting hungry, and
the small portion of grilled chicken breast looked good, but hardly enough to
satisfy him.  They all got down to the serious business of eating.

   "Karen, what can we expect from this hygiene class Dr. Krell told me about
for tomorrow?"  Joe asked.  "I think an assistant named Susan teaches it?"

   "Oh, yeah.  I almost forgot about that."  Karen said.  "He started that
just after my surgery.  In fact, I probably helped it to come about.  Before,
reassignment patients had a hodgepodge of information to get, and to remember.
I guess it all got accomplished, but in my case, as example, I developed an
infection just because I didn't know any better.  And I was a registered
nurse, even then."

   "What's it all about?"  Joe asked again.

   "As I'm sure you realize, there are some physical differences between
males, and females.  Women's bodies are more complicated, and in some ways,
more delicate.  Just wiping your butt the wrong way can cause a vaginal
infection, as I found out, soon after my surgery.  You have breasts now, and
she'll show you how to examine them correctly.  She'll answer any other
questions you have, or might have, after watching the films.  I think you'll
find the whole thing interesting."

   "I see.  It's sort of a "owners manual" class."  Joe said.

   "I suppose that's a good description it."  Karen said, grinning.

   "How about Susan?"  Mike asked.  "Is she a "real" woman, or one of Dr.
Krell's modifications?"  There was a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

   Karen looked straight at him, but kept smiling.  "Susan Stevens is a "real"
woman." She said.  "She's married, has two kids, and is a caring wife and
mother, as well as a dedicated therapist."

   "I'm sorry, Karen."  Mike said.  "I didn't mean anything by it.  I guess I
just have a short fuse."

   "Forget it."  Karen said.  "I understand that you're under a lot of stress,
I would be too."

   With that they finished eating, and when the waitress brought the check,
Joe took it, and paid it.  Honeybone would pay this bill.

   Joe drove them back to the clinic.  When they went inside, Dave was sitting
in the waiting room.  Joe sat down next to his friend.  Mike sat next to Joe,
but Karen and Laura went on in, to resume their conversation in the little
classroom.

   Joe looked at Dave.

   How's it going pal?"  He asked.  "Did you get anything to eat yet?

   "It's going Ok, I guess."  Dave said, smiling weakly.  "No, I haven't had
anything to eat, but I'm not hungry anyway."

   "Did Dr. Krell say what else we had this afternoon?"  Joe asked.

   "Just some paperwork."  Dave said.  "Joe, I don't know what to do about
that."

   "What do you mean?"  Joe asked.

   "Joe, Dr. Krell said I could fill out paperwork to change my legal status
to female."  Dave said.  "But, I can't do that and remain married to Cindy.  I
realize I'm not a man anymore, but I don't want to leave Cindy and the kids."

   "Did he say that you had to?"  Joe asked.

   "He said I couldn't stay married to a woman, if I changed my legal sex.
Dave lamented. State law won't allow same sex marriages in Arizona, and that's
what we would have, if I sign the papers.."

   "What about California?"  Joe asked.  He thought he had once read about
homosexuals getting married in California.

   "I don't know."  Dave said.  I never thought about moving.

   "If you got a divorce, based on your situation, and then, you and Cindy
remarried in California, why couldn't you continue to live where you do now?
If there is a residence requirement, or something, I think Honeybone will help
with that."  Joe considered the possibilities.

   "Maybe that's it."  Dave said. He seemed relieved.

   "How are you feeling?"  Joe asked.  "Was the physical easier today?"

   "Yeah, it was, a little.  Strange ain't it, how the new parts feel so much
like the old ones?"  Dave said, looking at Joe as he said it.

   "Same thing I noticed."  Joe said.  "Sometimes,  it seems like I could just
reach down and find that my penis is there again."

   "It ain't though."  Mike said.  "We're stuck with these cunt's, no matter
what they feel like."

   Dr. Krells administrative assistant called out to them.

   "Can you come in now?"  She asked.  We can have you completed in about an
hour, if you have everything you need."

   They followed the woman into a small room, where there was a table and
chairs.

   "Please wait here."  The assistant said.

   Joe, Dave and Mike sat at the little table, waiting to complete the
paperwork that would make them females, in the eyes of the law.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates15.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 15


                                  Chapter 15
                                  Decisions

   Before long a middle aged man entered the room.  He was followed by Karen
Simpson.  The man was carrying three manila folders.  He took them,  and
placed them on the table in front of Joe, Dave, and Mike.

   "Hi.  My name is Norman Peterson."  The man said.  "I'm an attorney, and
I've been asked by Dr. Krell to help you with the legal ramifications of your
problem."

   "Joe Bates."  Said Joe, extending his hand.  Mike and Dave did the same,
introducing themselves.  Norm Peterson seemed to know who they were already.

   "Dr. Krell told me a little about your problem."  He said.  "While I guess
I'm getting familiar with the many different situations that exist here at the
clinic, I must admit however, this is the most unusual I've seen."

   "Norm here is Dr. Krell's attorney.  He's familiar with the requirements of
most state's laws, including Arizona's."  Karen added.

   "I have some questions to ask you."  Dave said immediately.

   "No problem."  Norm said.  "But I think it would be best to work with each
of you individually.  It might be easier to talk in private."

   "Ok."  Dave agreed.  "Good idea."

   Norm explained California law on changing one's legal status.  He explained
what had to be done to get a revised birth record, and changing all other
legal records.  He explained that with proper endorsement by qualified medical
representatives, just about all records could be changed, with the exception
of records kept by the Department of Defense.  Those were truly permanent, and
he knew of no way to change them.  He didn't offer alternatives to changing
status legally, figuring that everyone there had already decided on that
course of action.

   After talking for about ten minutes, going through a seemingly well
rehearsed format, Norm said he was finished, and ready to talk to each of the
individually.

   Dave wanted to go first, and the others took their manila folders, and left
the room.

   Joe went back to the waiting room, and sat down.  Mike sat next to him,
with Karen on the other side.  No one else was in the waiting area.

   "Sounds like he expects us to all want to become women."  Joe said,
breaking the silence.

   "He sure does."  Mike agreed.  "I have no intention of doing that, today
anyway, at least not until all hope of getting back is used up.  Even then, I
don't know if I would want to be a woman."

   "I wonder if we really have a choice?"  Joe asked, to no one in particular.

   "Well, I do."  Mike declared.  "My records say I'm a man, and nobody can
change that, unless I agree."

   They sat there in silence.  Joe went to the rack, and retrieved the Cosmo
magazine and found the  story he had started previously.  He started to read.
Karen peered  over his shoulder, and saw what he was reading.

   "PMS, huh?"  She asked.  "Are you worried that you might get bitchy one of
these days?"  She teased.  Karen seemed to know how to lighten up the moment.

   "Well, I guess it has to be a concern now."  Joe said seriously.  "I really
do wonder what it would feel like."

   "I'd like to know too."  Karen said.  "But you...both of you...will
probably get to find out."

   "Well, I'd gladly give you MY opportunity, if I could."  Mike said.  "I
have no desire to go on the rag."

   "I don't know how I feel about it."  Joe said honestly.  "If I'm stuck like
this, I guess it has to be considered a natural function, something to get
used to."

   "There's nothing natural about any of this!"  Mike objected.

   "Yeah, Yeah, I know.  But until we can figure out what can be done, we
might as well do the best we can."  Joe tried to calm his friend down.  It was
strange how tolerant of their situation he was becoming.

   Before long, Dave came out, carrying papers in his hand.  He came over and
sat with them.  The nurse called Joe.

   Joe got up, and followed the nurse back into the room with Dr. Krell, and
Norm.  They were sitting on one side of the table, and motioned for him to sit
on the other side.

   "Well, Joe,  and what is you're choice?  Do you wish to remain a male too?"
Dr. Krell asked.  It was obvious that the interview with Dave hadn't gone
well.

   "Sure.  I'd like to remain male, but it don't look like I have that choice,
do I?"   Joe said, grinning slightly.

   "You don't have to sign these papers."  Norm said.  "I'm not sure what we
can do about your legal status if you don't, but nobody can force you to do
anything you don't want to do.  With the way you look, I suspect you might
have difficulty trying to convince anyone that you're a male, but that is one
of your options, if you want."

   Joe crossed his leg under the table.  The two men couldn't see his legs,
and he slid one of his hands along his smooth, nylon covered leg.  He rubbed
the slickness, as he thought.  If I sign this, I will legally be a female, an
most of my records will reflect the change in status.  If I don't, I'll
legally be a guy, but with this woman's body, not fitting in anywhere.  What
choice is that, really?  He took the pen in his hand.

   "Will my school records, my drivers license, pilots license, and all other
records reflect the change?"  He asked warily.

   "That is correct.  We will help you change all the records that it is
possible to change.  The DOD stuff will have the change noted in your record,
but they will not change what is already there."  Norm said.

   "My birth certificate?  How will that be changed?"  Joe questioned.

   "An amended certificate will be issued, and that will be in your file.  You
may personally keep the original, if you desire."  Dr. Krell answered.

   "What if I can change back?  What If you figure out how to make me a male
again?"  Joe wondered aloud.

   "If we can discover a way to get you back, and we will keep trying...  it
will be simply a matter of repeating this same process."  Dr. Krell advised.
"What ever status you prefer, will make no difference on our course of action
in that matter."

   Joe ran his hand up his leg, beneath the soft silk of the slip.  He got to
the top of the hose, and felt the warm softness of the skin of his inner
thigh.  He really liked the way it felt.

   A nervous Joe Bates took the pen, and signed the first paper, he folded it
back, and started to read the next one.  It was a form used to change his
legal name.  He hadn't considered that.

   "What's this?  I haven't even considered a name change."  Joe said.  "Do I
have to do that?"

   "No, of course not."  Dr. Krell said.  "I just thought you might want it,
however.  Of course, Joe is not that unusual as a feminine name, especially if
you shorten it to "Jo" jay-oh, when you sign you name.  I don't see any
problem with keeping the legal name Joel."  Dr. Krell said.

   Joe skipped that paper, and went to the next one.  It was a form for
requesting a new operators certificate, and he signed it immediately.

   "Since that has your picture on it, you will have to go to the DMV, and get
issued a new license.  with this paperwork, it will be like renewing you
certificate.  No tests, and no questions."  Norm told him.

   Joe looked at the next form.  It was a FAA form for requesting a
replacement pilot certificate.  He signed it after he read through it.

   "I don't have a lot of experience with that one."  Dr. Krell said.  I have
talked with the FAA Flight Surgeon at Oklahoma City, and he explained what was
needed.  You will get a new certificate in the mail.  All your ratings remain
the same."

   The next group of papers was DOD related.  Joe read through it carefully.
It was some forms filled out by Dr. Krell, as well as about a six page summary
of what had happened t Joe, and his new status as female.

   "I'm not sure what effect this will have on your security clearance status.
I would think it would have none, but I have no precedent."  Norm said.

   The last paper was for changing his birth record.  He really had concern
about that.  No matter what happened, or how he decided to deal with his
bodies physical changes, Joe still felt that deep down, somewhere inside, he
was STILL a male.  If his birth certificate said he was born a girl, could he
still feel that way?  He thought of the way he now looked, the way he now
felt, and how, even his personality seemed to be changing.  He didn't even
know how he would feel tomorrow.  It was likely he would be even more
feminine, since he was still feeling the changes happening.  It was probably
inevitable, and he might as well admit it.  He took a deep breath, and signed
the paper.

   "You can take the rest of these things with you."   Norm said. "I'll have
these things copied, and give you the forms you will need.  That's all for
now."

   Joe go up, and shook Norm's hand.  It was difficult to get used to having
such small hands.  All the other men seemed to have a much stronger grip now.
Joe went back out into the waiting room as the receptionist called Mike.

   Joe sat down next to Dave.  Dave was looking through his paperwork.

   "What did Norm advise?"  Joe asked his friend.

   "Well, he figured I was just going to sign the papers, and that would be
it." Dave said.  "When I explained my concern, he was sympathetic, and all,
but he didn't really have any good advise.  He thought it would be best if I
changed my legal status to female, as far as my relationship with Honybone,
but when I asked about Cindy, then he thought I better wait.  I guess it's
going to be up to Dr. Krells guy's to get us back."

   "Yeah.  I signed the papers"  Joe said.  "Dr. Krell said if they do find a
way to get us back, I can go through it all again.  It's amazing how simple it
is."

   They sat and waited for about twenty minutes as Mike had his interview with
Norm.  Finally, Mike returned to the waiting room.  He had a smile on his
face.

   "Good news?"  Joe asked, curious to know the cause of Mikes obvious joy.

   "Dr. Krell said he would accept me for reconstructive surgery, if that's
what I really want."  Mike said.  He was almost back to his normal friendly
personality.

   "When does he plan to do that?"  Dave asked, showing interest.

   "He said I better wait until they have exhausted attempts to return us
using the equipment back at Honeybone."  Mike said.  "That might take a month
or so.  I guess I can wait that long.  As long as there is light at the end of
the tunnel."

   "I hope he can do something for me."  Dave said.  "Can he give you a
working penis?"

   "He said that they were making advances every day, and that I might at
least have some feeling.  Anything's better than this."  Mike said, placing
his hand on his crotch.

   "Don't give up on getting back the way we came."  Joe said.  "There is
still a lot of things we don't know about that."  He didn't want his buddies
to blow the chance for a normal recovery.  Changing themselves by surgery
would eliminate any chance to reverse the process, without causing
deformities.

   "Don't worry about it."  Mike said.  "Dr. Krell won't let us do anything
until all possibility of that is exhausted."  Mike sounded like he didn't
expect much from that possibility.

   Dr. Krell came out, and walked over to his three patients.

   "Well, I think we're finished with you for today."  He said.  "Come back
tomorrow morning, about nine thirty, and Susan will be ready with her little
seminar."  He smiled.

   "Is Karen free?"  Joe asked.

   "I'm sure she is."  Dr. Krell answered.  "You'll probably have to track her
down."

   Joe went back down the hall, and found Karen back in the classroom, still
talking to three of Dr. Krell's patients.

   "Dr. Krell say's we are through for the day."  Joe said.  "Do you want to
come with us, back to the hotel?"  He asked Karen.

   "Sure.  I'm ready any time you are."  She said, gathering up her purse, and
a book.

   They walked back out to the waiting area where the others were standing.
They gathered their things and walked out to the car.  As they were driving to
the hotel, Karen looked at Joe.

   "When do you have to back tomorrow?" She asked.

   "We don't have to be in until nine thirty."  Joe replied.  "I guess we just
have the classroom stuff to do, and then we can go back to Phoenix."

   "You got everything done today?"  Karen asked, seeming to be surprized.

   "I suppose so, I don't know what you were expecting, but the interview, a
physical exam, and changing my legal status to female seems like plenty for
one day to me."  Joe said.

   "Yeah, I guess looking at it that way, it was a big day for you." Karen
considered.

   "You don't know how big it was."  Joe said.  "Except for last Friday, I've
never had another day to compare with this."

   Karen turned into the drive at the hotel.

   "What do you guy's want to do this evening?"  She asked, looking at Dave
and Mike sitting in the back seat of the big Lincoln.

   "Get some food, and stay in my room."  Mike said.

   "Me too."  Agreed Dave.  "I don't want to go out in public like this any
more than necessary."

   "How about you Joe?"  She asked looking at him.  "You want to sit in your
room and mope too?"

   "Well, I am hungry, but I don't know about anything else.  I don't think
I'm ready for it."  Joe said.

   "Hey, you're officially a woman now, if you like it or not.  You look
passable, that's for sure, and you're learning how to act like one very
quickly.  This is the place to learn...away from home, where you won't find
anyone who would recognize you."  Karen argued.

   Joe thought about it, and realized she was right.  He didn't want to go
out, but if he was going to be this way for a while...or forever...he had to
get used to it.  And there was no better place than away from home to make the
inevitable mistakes.

   "Well, ok, I'll go with you, if you think I should."  Joe conceded.

   "How about you two?  Mike, you don't look any different, come on along."
Karen asked again.

   "I'll think about it."  Mike said.  "I don't feel too good right now.
though."

   "What's wrong?"  Karen asked.

   "I don't know.  I don't know...Hell, I've been feeling all kinds of strange
sensations.  I don't know which ones are normal, and which ones are a problem.
My belly hurts, and my chest....my nipples, they  hurt when anything touches
them.  My shirt feels like it's rubbing them raw."  Mike complained.

   Joe knew what his buddy was feeling.  He had the same feeling when he wore
his T-shirt the first day.  He hadn't seen Mike's chest, but Joe guessed his
friend had some changes there too, even though the clothes he wore concealed
it.

   "Mike, are you developing breasts too?"  Joe asked.  "Are they real sore?"

   "Well....no....I'm still...I'm not..."  Mike stammered.

   "Damn it, Mike!  You don't have to act macho or anything like that.  We're
all in this together.  It's nothing to be embarrassed about...at least around
us."  Joe was irritated at the way his friend was denying the problem.

   "Ok..Ok..Yeah, I guess I'm getting tits too."  Mike admitted.  I got a
cunt, and now I'm getting breasts.  I admit it.  Are you happy now?"  He
almost shouted at Joe.

   "Mike, don't feel so sorry for yourself.  I know you don't like what has
happened, none of us do, but denying it won't fix the problem any quicker.
You know that."  Joe said.

   "What the hell do you want me to do?"  Mike asked.  "I'm not beautiful,
like you are.  I can't put on women's clothes, and fit right in, like you
have.  What do you want me to do?"  He repeated.

   "Mike, if you need help coping... if there is anything I can do...don't be
too shy to ask."  Karen said.  "I think I can help you get through this.  I
have some experience with it, you know."

   "I don't know what I need."  Mike said.  "I think my body is still
changing.  I don't know...I just don't know what's going on."

   They all got out of the car, and went up to their rooms.  As they walked
down the hallway to their room, they agreed to call each other in about a half
hour, to decide what they would do.

   Joe entered his room, and sat down on the bed.  The early morning wake up,
and the events of the day had left him tired.  His old strength wasn't the
same anymore.  He hadn't exercised for a few days..since his racquetball game
with Jay..and he missed that.  He would have to get back on some type of
exercise program, no matter what he looked like.

   It was awkward laying on the bed in the suit, and he didn't want to wrinkle
it, so Joe decided to change clothes.  He knew he wouldn't want to wear it
anymore this late in the day anyway.  He sat up, and removed the gray heels.
He was now used to walking in the low heeled shoes, and knew he looked good
wearing them, but they sure were not the most comfortable shoes he ever had
on.  He placed them by the bed, and stood to remove the skirt.  When he had
the skirt on a hanger, he started to remove the silk blouse.  He started to
unbutton it, and as he did, his hands brushed against the softness of his
breasts.  It felt great, just to touch himself.  It wasn't a sexual thing
really, but it sure was sensual, and he found he couldn't resist fondling the
softness.  The silky blouse over the slip, and his bra, made his breasts feel
wonderful.  He had always loved the feel of women's breasts, but it was even
better to feel them from both sides.  The soft touch, and the thin, slippery
fabric, made it easy to see, as well as feel, that his nipples had become hard
and stiff.  The sensation was quite intense, and Joe was starting to feel the
familiar dampness that now accompanied his "erection".  It was the first time
he had experienced the pleasurable sensation for a while, and he was relieved
to find that it could still happen.  He had been beginning to worry that he
was going to loose these new feelings.

   Joe quickly removed his blouse, and slip.  He slipped out of the nylon
hose, carefully placing everything either on hangers, or carefully piling them
on the dresser.  He looked over at the full length mirror, and saw himself
standing in his underwear.  He was becoming used to the feelings, the clothes
and all the other things about being a female.  He wondered when he'd ever get
used to his reflection in the mirror.  It's a lot different than Jockey's and
a t-shirt, he thought to himself.  He started to remove his bra, but decided
against it.  He liked the secure feeling it gave to his breasts.  Joe went
over to the TV, and turned it on, looking at the little placard to find the
channel for CNN.  When he found it, he went over to the bed, and lay down
without pulling back the spread.

   Joe lay there, watching the news, and idly rubbing his left nipple through
the thin material of the bra.  If he ever got back, if he ever became a man
again, he would certainly miss this experience.  Of course, right now it
didn't look like that was going to happen any time soon, and he realized that
he was starting to hope he could stay this way, at least for a while.  He had
never been more aware of his body, and now it seemed like everything that
touched it made him tingle.

   As he watched the news he found himself watching the newsperson's, both men
and women.  He found that what he looked at was changing.  While he used to
ignore the men, he now looked at them critically, even their clothes.  He had
always eyed the women, but now, he found himself looking at what they were
wearing, rather than just trying to undress them in his mind, as before.  He
tried to determine why he was now feeling this way, but had no answer.  Maybe
I'm starting to accept the fact that I don't have a penis anymore, he
considered.  With that thought, he tightened the muscles in his crotch, and
felt the now familiar sensation as his vaginal sphincter tightened.  It was a
pleasant feeling, at least as good as if his cock was there, twitching,  He
reached down, and placed his hand on the slick fabric covering the soft, flat
area between his legs.  Touching there felt good, and with his hand, he could
feel that the wetness was beginning to soak through the cotton lining.  It was
making even the outer surface of the black panties damp.  He was enjoying the
caress of his hand on this sensitive area, when he was interrupted by the
ringing of the telephone on the night stand.

   It must be Karen, wanting me to get going, he thought as he picked up the
phone.

   "Joe here."  He answered.

   "Joe?  I'm glad I found you."  The voice on the other end said.

   "Who is this?"  Joe asked.  It obviously was not Karen.

   "It's me, Jim Matheny."  The voice said.  "I just got some more news, and I
think you should hear it."

   "Go ahead, shoot."  Joe said.  He wondered what they had discovered.

   "I was over at Firebird, and I was talking with the line chief.  He asked
when we would be running the GPS tests again."  Jim said.

   Firebird was the FBO that supported Honeybone's flight department with fuel
and any other services.  They were based at Deer Valley Airport.

   "I told him that I didn't know for sure, since it looked like there was a
possibility that the equipment we were using might be causing injury to our
personnel."  Jim went on.

   "He asked what kind of injury, and I explained that it might be causing
cell damage, which had unusual symptoms on the persons affected.  I didn't
want to go into detail, you understand."  Jim continued.

   "Go on please."  Joe interrupted.  "What did you find out?"

   Jim continued.  "Well, he asked who go hurt, and I told him that you, Dave,
and Mike did, but that you were not in any danger."

   "Yeah, ok....ok...go on.."  Joe was anxious to hear what ever news he had.

   "Well, when he heard that, he thought for a minute, and said that he
thought that one of his line boys...a college student named Tim Werner, was
hanging around you guy's last Thursday, while you were calibrating the
transmitters."  Jim revealed.

   Joe thought about it.  Yeah, he did remember Tim being with them while they
were working.  Tim was going to college, and working at Firebird part time so
that he could make a little extra money, as well as hang around airplanes.
Tim was an intelligent, friendly kid, maybe twenty, or twenty-one, and was
about the same size as Joe.  He was always hanging around, watching what they
were doing, hoping to bum a ride in the Learjet.

   "Bob,  that's the line chief's name,  Bob said he hadn't seen Tim since
Thursday.  He was supposed to work Friday morning, and all day both Saturday,
and Sunday.  He didn't show up, and he didn't call.  Bob called his apartment,
but nobody answered.  Bob said Tim was a very reliable guy, and he couldn't
figure out what happened to him."  Jim continued.

   "I asked Bob if he knew Tim's address.  He did, and I suggested that we go
over there, and check for ourselves."  Jim said.

   "I figured that if something happened to Tim, like happened to you guy's,
he might hole up, and be to embarrassed to come out.  Well, we went over to
his apartment, and knocked on the door.  Nobody came to the door right away,
but Bob saw Tim's Camaro on the parking lot, so he figured he was in there.
We kept ringing, and knocking, and finally, somebody came to the door.  It was
a girl,  wearing jeans and a T-shirt.  She had short hair though, like you
guy's, and she looked a lot like Tim."  Jim continued.

   "Oh, shit, another victim."  Joe said aloud.

   "Yeah, I believe so." Jim said.  "I asked the girl...she looked like a
girl...I asked Tim if it was him.  He said yes.  He was too embarrassed to
come out of his apartment looking like he does, and of course, he thought he
was the only one that had the problem."

   "Where is Tim now?"  Joe asked.

   He's still at his apartment."  Jim answered.  "He didn't want to come out,
or go to the hospital.  Bob and I brought him some burgers.  She...er,  he
said he was hungry.  He's scared to death, Joe."

   "He needs to get over here."  Joe said.  If he see's us, at least then
he'll know he's not alone."

   "That's what I was thinking.  I can't get him to go on an airliner, and I
don't have a plane available to get him there.  Can you maybe fly back, and
pick him up?"  Jim requested.

   "Yeah, I guess I can."  Joe said.  He thought about the flight back, and
had another idea.

   "My pal Jay Logan has a Mooney 252."  Joe said. "I'll call him.  He knows
Tim, since he keeps his plane at Deer Valley.  I think I can get Jay to fly
over and bring Tim to us.  We're getting a briefing tomorrow which might help
him too."

   "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.  Tell your friend to fuel up at
Firebird, and Honeybone will pick up the expenses."  Jim said.  "And you do
what you can to help that kid."

   "I'll call Jay, and tell him to get in contact with you.  Where will you be
for the next few hours?"  Joe asked.

   "I'm at Firebird, and I'll stick around as long as I need to."  Jim
answered.

   "Ok then.  I'll call Jay.  If I can't reach him, or he can't get away, I'll
fly back with the 421.  I think I an get hold of Jay though." Joe said.

   "Thanks Joe.  I knew I could count on you."  Jim said.

   "No sweat Jim.  I appreciate the backing you've given us."  Joe said
honestly.

   Damn, Joe thought, another victim.  Were there others?  How many people
would have their lives screwed up like this. He hung up the phone momentarily,
and then picked it back up.  He dialed the number of his best friend Jay.  The
phone rang three times, and then the familiar sound of his buddies voice on
the other end.

   "Hey pal, what you got planned for this evening?"  Joe asked.

   "Not much, I guess.  I just got home, and was getting ready to find
something to eat."  Jay said.

   "How would you like to drive your plane over here to Lindbergh Field?"  Joe
asked.

   "Sure.  I can do that.  You have something you want me to look at?" Jay
asked.

   "No...nothing like that."  Joe answered.  " My boss, Jim Matheney just
called.  They have found another person with my problem.  A line boy named Tim
Werner."

   "Oh shit, yeah, I know Tim."  Jay interrupted.

   "Well, he was watching us Thursday, and I guess he was in the wrong place
at the right time." Joe said.  "Can you fly him over here?   Honeybone will
pick up expenses."

   "Sure, I'll take him over there.  I need the time anyway."  Jay agreed.

   "As soon as you can get ready, get over to Firebird.  They should have Tim
there by then.  I'll meet you on the ramp at JimsAir, on Lindbergh." Joe said.

   "Ok.  See you in a few hours." Jay said.  The phone clicked off.

   Joe thought about what he had just heard.  If Tim had been affected, that
meant that they were probably exposed to whatever changed them, while they
were on the ground.   That information would probably be a significant break
through. It also meant that the GPS was almost certainly responsible for the
problem, since there was unlikely to be any other common denominator.  Maybe
there was hope yet.

   Joe lay back on the bed.  The news from Jim had his adrenaline flowing
again.  Maybe he should call Karen.  He thought about it, and realized that
she was just on the other side of the wall.  There was a locked, connecting
door, and he went to it, and opened it.  On the other side was another door.
He knocked on it, and in a few seconds Karen opened it.

   She stood in the open doorway, and asked what Joe wanted.  She had taken
off the clothes she had been wearing too, and had on only a bra and panties.

   "What's up, Joe?"  She asked.

   "I just got a call from Jim Matheney, at Honeybone."  He said.  "Jim says
that they've found another person who has been changed.  It's a line boy who
was watching us set up, and calibrate the GPS equipment BEFORE we flew."

   "That's interesting."  Karen said.  "That means you all were probably
exposed on the ground, right?"

   "Yeah, I think it does.  That narrows down the cause, at least a little."
Joe said.  "I talked to Jim, and my pal Jay is going to fly the line boy, his
name is Tim Werner, to us here in San Diego.  If all goes well, he will be
here in about three hours, maybe less."

   "That's a good idea.  That'll give Dr. Krell a chance to look him over, and
see if he's ok, as well as maybe help him with the adjustment." Karen said.

   "Right.  Jim said he's really scared, and embarrassed.  I know how he
feels...I know it'll help him just to find he's not the only one." Joe said.

   "How old is he?"  Karen asked.

   "I don't know for sure, but he's a college student.  I'd say twenty ...
twenty one or so."   Joe guessed.

   It must be quite a shock....waking up...finding you're changed...that
suddenly, you aren't a man anymore...."

   "You bet it is."  Joe confirmed.  "I'm just now starting to accept the idea
of looking like this for a long time,  maybe forever."

   "What do we need to do for him here?"  Karen asked.

   "I don't know....Why don't  you come on in...lets talk about it." Joe said.

   Karen came into his room, and Joe closed the door.  He followed her back
into the room, looking at her figure which was easy to see since she wore only
light blue, nylon panties, and on top, only a matching bra.  She turned and
saw that Joe was staring at her butt.

   "Like what you see?"  She teased, grinning.

   "Well, no, I mean...yeah,  I mean...well you know, it's hard to get used to
seeing pretty women running around in their underwear, and keep from staring.
I'm sorry."  Joe apologized.

   "No, don't be.  I'm pleased to find I'm worth looking at."  Karen said,
laughing.  "And I love that description."

   "But, it is true.  I'm really impressed at how you look.  If I didn't know,
I'd never guess you're past."  Joe said truthfully.  Karen, although she was
almost six feet tall, was very feminine looking.  Only her wide shoulders
looked out of place, giving her the look of a swimmer, or athlete. Her breasts
were average, well developed; and were about the same size as Joe's.  Both her
and Joe had smaller than average hips.  But Karen's were maybe narrower,
though her upper thighs were, perhaps, a little heavier.  Hormones were
redistributing her body fat to follow the female form.  Joe, though he was now
genetically female, still had very little extra body fat.  His hips were a bit
wider than before the change, but it was due mostly to changes in his skeletal
structure, rather than changes in amount of body fat.  In that respect, Joe
was more like a young girl, just thru puberty.  He had the curves, but only
starting to acquire all the fat distribution of a female.

   "I wasn't always this way."  Karen said. "When I started on hormones, It
seemed like nothing happened for months.  Then my breasts started to grow, but
just a little.  It really wasn't until after my surgery that they really came
on.  In the last year, I've found that  I have to watch what I eat, I think my
butt  will really spread, if I let it."  She said, bending her fanny around so
Joe could see it.

   "Nothing to complain about as far as I can see."  Joe said, grinning.  "It
looks like Dr. Krell does good work."

   Dr. Krell didn't cause this to happen."  Karen said, smiling, and rubbing
one of her buttocks.  "Hormones did.  Dr. Krell is responsible for this."  She
turned around and patted her crotch.

   "The other day you said you didn't have much feeling in it."  Joe said.
"Does it look real?"  He asked.

   "Well I don't know.  You've got a real one now.  Would you like to see it,
and compare?"   Karen asked.

   Joe thought about it.  The whole thing was intriguing.  Surgically changing
sex. She looked so female....He was curious what she really looked like.

   "Well....are you sure you don't mind?"  Joe said reluctantly.  "I
don't want to seem nosy, but I am curious."

   "Heck, it's only fair.  I saw what you looked like when I assisted the
other day.  I guess I can't complain if you see me.  Besides, we're both
women, aren't we?"  Karen said, logically.

   "Yeah, I guess we are."  Joe agreed.

   Karen pulled her underwear down, and stepped out of it.  She put her arms
out slightly, and turned around.  Then she faced Joe, and put her feet
slightly apart.

   Joe looked at Karen in amazement.  Even without her panties, she still
looked completely female.  Her pubic hair was trimmed into a triangle,
probably so that it wouldn't protrude from tight fitting swim-wear, but not
nearly as close as Joe's.  Joe wondered what Karen had in place of a clitoris.
He knew that was the key to the pleasant sensations he experienced now.

   "Did they give you a clitoris?"  He asked.

   "Sort of."  Karen said.  They tried to take some of the skin from the
underside of my penis and place it where your clitoris is.  I guess Dr. Krell
did the best he could.  It looks real enough, I suppose.  I can feel it too,
but just barely.  Can't say it does much for me sexually."  She reached down
and with two fingers, spread her pubic folds.

   Joe looked at her carefully.  Unlike his own, Karen's genitalia had smaller
inner lips, and those were much smoother, without as many crinkles and folds
as his had.  It also seemed to be very dry.  By comparison, it seemed to Joe,
he was always wet.  Sometimes uncomfortably so.

   "Is it always dry like that"  He asked.  It seems like I'm always soaking
my underwear."

   "I'm sure I don't have the lubrication you have."  Karen said.  "But it's
adequate. If I was going to have intercourse for a long time, I would probably
need some K-Y jelly or something, or I'd get sore.  The same would happen to
you I suspect, but it might take longer."

   "How do you think it would work if Dr. Krell gave me a new penis?" Joe
asked, looking at the doctors work.

   "Gee, I don't know.  I've talked to a few genetic females who had
reassignment surgery to male.   Some were pleased, and others...well, they
wished they had left what they had alone.  I think it's a still few years
behind the male to female operation.  Since you had a real penis, you'd
be even harder to please."  She answered, stepping into her underwear and
pulling it back up.

   "Since I've had this body, and I've been getting used to the way it feels,
I think it would be hard enough to go back to my old body,  much less settle
for one without any feeling at all."  Joe said, thinking out loud.

   "Yeah,  I think you're right.  Dr. Krell does too, and I don't think he's
too keen on changing you guys back surgically."  Karen agreed.

   "Mike seems to think he will."  Joe said.  "He says he won't change his
records to female, no matter what."

   "I know.  And if I were Mike, I'm not sure I wouldn't feel the same way.
It's impossible, I think, to make anybody become the other sex, or to keep
them from changing, if that's what they really want.  It's whatever is in your
head that counts."  Karen observed.

   "I think even that's changing for me."  Joe said.  "The other day, all I
wanted was to get my old body shape back.  But now, I think I'm still
changing...I think I could stay like this...if I had to, that is."  Joe tried
to explain to Karen the confusion that seemed to be inside his head.

   "Interesting.  I'm sure that the gender clinic will want to know about
what's going on in your head.  Don't be afraid to bring it up."  Karen
advised.

   "Oh yeah, sure.  That's easy to say.  How do I tell somebody that, yeah,
I'm really a guy...but no I don't want to be changed back to a man...  how do
I do that?  And besides, I don't know if that's really the way I feel, or if
female hormones, or something, are just making me think that's what I want."
Joe argued.

   "I don't know Joe. I can only guess.  I know when I started on hormones, I
became much more emotional, crying for no reason, stuff like that.  No doubt,
they do affect your head.  After surgery, when my testosterone was much lower,
I began to feel a new contentment.  Maybe that's what you're feeling.  I don't
know.  I doubt if anyone could do more than guess."  Karen answered.

   "Yeah.  If I am stuck like this, I suppose it's just as well that I'm
starting to like it."  Joe said, a smile forming on his face.

   "It's not all bad, is it?"  Karen agreed.

   "No, it's not all bad, that's for sure."  Joe agreed.

   "I guess we better call Dave and Mike, and let them know what's going on."
Karen said, going over to the phone.

   Karen rang Dave's number, and when he answered, she told him to open his
door, and come into Joe's room.  Then she dialed Mike, and told him that Jim
Matheney called, and that he should come to Joe's room too.  She hung up the
phone, went over, and unlocked the door on the other side of the room from her
own.  As she was doing that, they could hear the rattle of the lock, as Dave
opened the second door.  In a few seconds, the door opened, and Dave looked
into the room.

   Dave looked surprised to see Karen and Joe standing in their underwear.
Dave was still wearing his jumpsuit.  Before they could say anything, they
were interrupted by a knock on the door.  Joe went to the door, and opened it
slightly.  It was Mike, and Joe opened the door to let him in.

   Mike came into the room, and stood there staring at Karen and Joe.  He
suddenly realized he was staring, and started mumbling an apology.

   "No reason to apologize."  Karen said. "It's time you admit that you've
changed too.  We're not embarrassed for you to see us.  Are we, Joe"?  Karen
asked.

   "Uh, no, no were not."  Joe said.  He wasn't embarrassed, but he was
uncomfortable.  Mike was still dressed like man, and no matter what he looked
like underneath, he seemed like he was one.  He felt self conscious standing
in his sexy underwear around a "guy".

   "Sit down everybody."  Karen said.  "Joe has some news.  Tell em Joe."

   Joe sat on the edge of his bed, and cleared his throat.

   "I just got off the phone with Jim Matheney.  Thursday, when we were
calibrating the transmitters, a line boy...Tim Werner...was watching us.
Today, they found him hiding in his apartment.  He has been changed too.
I don't know the extent of his changes, but we'll be seeing him in about
two or three hours.  My friend Jay Logan is bringing him over in his Mooney.
Jim wants us to help him, and make sure that he gets whatever assistance
we do from the clinic."  Joe explained.

   "So we were affected on the ground..."  Mike said. "And Tim got zapped
too."

   "Yeah.  Jim says that Tim is really scared... we all know what he's going
through.  Does everybody want to go along to the airport to pick him up?"  Joe
asked.

   "Sure..Yeah...Of course..."  They all agreed.

   "Ok then.  Do we want to get something to eat before we pick him up, or
wait until afterward?"  Joe asked.

   "What do you think?"  Dave asked.  Dave seldom spoke lately, and it sort of
surprized Joe when he did.

   "I think we should eat first, because Tim should probably meet with us
before he spends much time in public.  I think they almost have to drag him
out of his room."  Joe said.

   "Hell, I don't blame him."  Mike said.  "I wonder of his tits hurt like
mine do."  He gently massaged his chest through his shirt.

   "Some lotion will help the irritation."  Karen said.  " Take that shirt
off, and let me see."

   "No, no, it's all right."  Mike insisted.

   "Take the shirt off."  Karen ordered.

   Mike looked at the tall woman.  He started to say something, but stopped,
and began to unbutton his shirt.  He removed it, and pulled his T shirt over
his head.  On his hairless, muscular chest, the objects of his pain and
embarrassment were very evident.  Mike's well developed pectoral muscles now
seemed even larger, due to the small, but definitely feminine, breast
development.  His nipples and areola were fairly large, easily as big as
Joe's, and they were quite erect.  The rough men's shirts Mike wore, had
rubbed the tender tissue raw, and they looked sore.  Embarrassingly, Mike took
a nipple between his fingers, showing Karen, and the others, the small amount
of blood that oozed to the surface of the thin, irritated skin.

   "These darn things really hurt."  He said, rubbing it with the palm of his
hand.

   "Just a minute."  Karen said, going into her room for something.

   In seconds, she was back, with a small plastic bottle with a pump.  She
squirt some of the fragrant white liquid onto the tips of her fingers, and she
rubbed it on Mikes tender area's.  Mike's face became red as he allowed Karen
to massage the soothing body lotion into his skin.  The softness of his breast
tissue looked out of place on his trim, muscled body.  Mike had the slightly
androgynous look of a female body builder.

   "There.  Now, if you'll just wear a bra, or at least, a silk undershirt,
you'll find that you won't have any problems."  Karen admonished.  "Mike,
you'll have to stop denying the changes that you've had.  At least keep from
hurting yourself."

   "Yeah, Yeah."  Mike said.  "That stuff feels pretty good.  What is it?"

   "It's Jergens lotion."  Karen said.  "Here, take the bottle."  She handed
Mike the bottle as he was putting his shirt back on.

   "I guess we better get going if we are going to find something to eat, and
still make the airport."  Joe said.

   Joe looked at Mike. Now that he knew  how Mike looked, he realized that he
could see the slight bulge of Mike's breasts, as well as the definite points
of his nipples poking at his shirt.  He hadn't noticed it before.  It gave him
a new understanding about the problems Mike was facing.

   "Where do we want to go?"  Karen asked.

   "I'd like a steak."  Said Mike.  "Lets go to Mongo's"

   "That sounds good to me."  Dave chimed in.

   "Suits me, too."  Karen agreed.  "I think I'll pass on the steak, but they
have a great soup and salad bar."

   "Mongo's it is."  Joe said.  "Now, let me get dressed."

   Everyone went back to their rooms.  Karen left the door open between her
and Joe's room.  Joe noticed it, but didn't say anything.  He looked at the
clothes he brought, and decided on shorts, and a new top.  The casual look was
ok in a place like Mongo's.

   The group went to Mongo's, and when they finished, they were ready to go to
the airport, and pick up their new friend.

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates16.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 16


                                  CHAPTER 16
                                    CHANGES

   It was about two hours and forty-five minutes from Jim's call to Joe, when
Joe and the gang pulled into the FBO parking area at San Diego's International
Airport.  Karen, who was driving, parked the car and Joe, Dave, and Mike
followed her into the attractive waiting room of the upscale fixed base
operator.  Since it catered mostly to business travelers, it had nice couches,
a TV viewing area for waiting crew, and even places for waiting pilots to
catch a snooze.

   Joe went to the counter. In a moment, he got the attention of a cute young
woman, who was working on a detailed bill, for food, fuel, and other services
for the Falcon 50 visible in the big picture window behind her.

   "Can I help you, maam?"  She asked Joe, who rankeled at the way she said
it.  He felt weird being referred to that way, especially by pretty girl.

   "Yes."  Joe said.  "Has a Mooney 252 arrived yet?  I'm waiting for a
friend."

   "No, it hasn't."  She said.  "But you're welcome to have a seat, and help
yourself to some coffee."  She pointed to a little alcove, where there was
coffee, tea, and a large ice machine.

   "Thanks."  Joe said.  "I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know as soon as
you hear it coming in."

   "I sure will."  The girl said, smiling.

   Joe went back to his friends.

   "We might as well have a seat."  He said.  "They're not here yet.  But I
think they should get here soon."

   They all found a comfortable seat, and Joe picked up a magazine and started
reading about a new commuter airliner.

   Joe was sitting there reading for a while, when his bladder reminded him he
had not emptied it lately.  He got up, and went to the ladies room.  Inside
the attractive restroom, he entered a stall, and was relieving himself, when
he heard the ladies room door open.  He finished, and as left the stall, he
saw it was the girl behind the counter.  She had apparently finished her
shift, and was changing from the little hot pants outfit, to something less
revealing.  Joe smiled at her as he went to the mirrored sink.  The girl had
removed her shorts, and blouse, and was standing there with nothing covering
her fantastic tan but a tiny string bikini, and a little wisp of a bra which
her firm breasts hardly needed.  She was truly beautiful, and Joe had
difficulty avoiding staring at her in the mirror, as he pretended to fix his
hair.  Joe could feel the old excitement building again.

   What is going on?  Joe wondered as he watched the girl change clothes.
Yesterday, he thought he no longer felt any attraction for women, but he
couldn't deny the feelings that were making his heart beat faster, and his
underwear uncomfortably wet.  Joe didn't know if he was glad he still had his
attraction for women, or if it would now simply be an inconvenience, now that
he was legally a woman himself.  Maybe it was strangely exciting, but if meant
going into a restroom, and then getting turned on by seeing your new peer
group partially clothed, doing all the things women do....was it a good thing?
He wasn't sure.

   The girl was buttoning her blouse as she joined Joe at the mirror.

   "Are you going on a flight?"  She asked, in an attempt at small-talk.

   "No."  Joe answered awkwardly.  "My friend is just stopping by.  He's
bringing another friend from Phoenix."  He blurted.

   "Oh. yeah.  I was in Phoenix last month.  I like the beach better.  It's
too dry there."

   "It is dry."  Joe said.

   Joe gave himself one last look, and quickly left the restroom.  Being a
woman was going to be difficult.  He hoped that the wetness of his underwear
wouldn't show through to his shorts.  His panties felt like they were riding
up uncomfortably, too.  He tried to discretely pull them out as he walked back
to the waiting area.

   Joe joined the others waiting for the plane.  Almost as soon as he was
seated, the girl from the ladies room came up to Joe.

   "We just heard a Mooney call ground for taxi to our ramp."  She said.

   "Thanks."  Joe said.

   He got up and looked at the others.

   "Jay's here, I think."  He said.

   They all went over to the window, and watched for the little plane.  Before
long, it rolled into sight.  Another girl, wearing the same little outfit as
the girl that parked them, stood on the ramp, waving two yellow flags, to the
pilot where to park.  The Mooney pulled up to the girl, and it's propeller
snapped to a stop.  In a few moments, Joe could see two people walk to the
front of the plane.  Joe went to the door, and went out to the plane, closely
followed by the others.  He was amazed by what he saw when he reached the
plane.

   Tim Werner had been a hansom guy, about six feet tall, and maybe one ninety
pounds.  When Joe reached the Mooney, he saw his pal Jay, and somebody else.
The other person was smaller than Jay, so he was shorter than five ten, and
although it was over eighty degrees, the other person was wearing a gray
sweatshirt.  Joe went up to the person wearing the sweatshirt, and immediately
recognized him/her as Tim Werner.  He didn't really look exactly like Tim, but
the resemblance was there.  If it wasn't that he had the same relatively short
hair as Tim had, Joe would have thought the attractive young girl was Tim's
sister.

   Tim recognized Joe too, at least he thought he did, looking carefully at
the pretty woman who walked up to him.

   "Joe?  Joe Bates?  Is that you?"  Tim asked.

   "Tim?"  Joe responded, holding out his hand.

   "Joe what has happened....what happened to us?"  Tim asked.

   "That's what we're trying to find out here.  There are some doctors here
who specialize in gender related problems...but they've never had any like us,
unfortunately."  Joe said, smiling.

   "Are we going to be like this forever then?"  Tim asked.  "Am I always
going to look like this?"

   "Tim, I wish I knew.  We can talk about it back at the hotel."  Joe said.

   Joe went over to Jay, who was critically looking at his airplane.

   "Anything wrong?  Joe asked.

   Jay looked at the pretty woman who came up to him, not immediately
recognizing her as his best friend, Joe Bates.

   "Yes, I seem to have an electric fuel pump that keeps popping it's circuit
breaker."  He said, only realizing who he was talking to as he spoke the
words.

   "Joe?  Is that you Joe?  You look so different.  I don't think I'll ever
get used to you having a body like that...and now the hair...holy cow." Jay
exclaimed.

   "No matter what I look like, it's still me here. Jay."  Joe said.  "It's
still me, just a wig, that's all."  He pulled at a lock of his hair.

   "Think you can do something with this pump?"  Jay asked.

   "I doubt it.  I don't have any tools, and you'll probably need a
replacement pump.  Do they have support for Mooney's here?"  Joe asked.

   "I don't know, but I'll ask."  Jay said.  I doubt I'll get anything this
evening."

   "Let's find out.  If you can't, we'll get you a room at the hotel for the
night."  Joe said.

   A line boy came up, and asked what he could do.  Jay asked if they had an A
& P, and if they could get parts to fix his plane.

   "The mechanics won't be in until 0800."  The young man said.  "We might get
somebody to come out, but it'll cost you."

   "No need to call out a mechanic."  Joe said.  "Stay the night, and I'm sure
they can fix it quick, tomorrow morning."

   "Ok.  I'll let the plane sit tonight."  Jay decided.  "I'll be out in the
morning."

   "Ok. sir."  We'll put it on the maintenance ramp, so they'll get right to
it in the morning."  The line boy said.

   Let's go back to the hotel."  Joe said.  He looked for Tim, and found him
talking with Karen, Dave, and Mike.

   "Can we all fit into the Lincoln?"  Joe asked.  "There are six of us now."

   "I think we can manage."  Karen said.

   They all went back to the parking area, and Joe got in the back seat, with
Jay between him and Tim.  There was enough room, but they were seated closely
together, Joe's hips touching Jay's.  Joe felt strange having this new, wider
part of him actually touching his friend.  He was acutely aware of the changes
in his body, as they touched a male for the first time since he acquired them.

   They drove back to the hotel quickly.  Joe wondered if Tim was hungry.

   "Do you want to get something to eat?"  Joe asked his new friend.

   "No, I had something before we took off.  I don't seem to get hungry very
often now...among other things."  Tim said.  He seemed a bit relieved to see
others sharing his strange affliction.

   "You'll probably find that your metabolism has changed, or will change."
Karen said.  "That may change your eating habits."

   "It certainly has changed about all my other habits."  Tim said.  "I hope I
can get changed back, cause I don't think I could ever get used to being like
this."

   "When did you first notice the change?" Joe asked Tim.

   "Well, Thursday night I started feeling real funny, and my chest started to
hurt.  I didn't think much of it and I went to bed.  I woke up at about four
in the morning.  I had to piss real bad.  When I touched my cock, I it seemed
it was really short, or something.  I went into the bathroom, and there I
realized something had happened to it...it felt all right, but it didn't look
normal.  I didn't know what to do, so I watched and I see and feel my self
slowly changing...turning into a girl, I guess...I don't know...Joe what could
cause this to happen to us?"  Tim's now feminine sounding voice was breaking
as he spoke, but he still had a male inflection.

   "As far as we know, something in the GPS system causes chromosome damage,
somehow causing the cells to sort of revert to a default, female XX form."
Karen said.  "I don't know if it is possible to cause further changes, or to
find a way to reverse change that has occurred.  It would take some form of
selective cell modification capability.  Up to now, consistent cell
modification has been beyond our capability, except at the most simple level."

   "So we're stuck like this?"  Tim asked.

   "We don't have any way back so far."  Joe said.

   "Dr. Krell would like you to stay as you are, without reverting to surgical
intervention, until his staff can determine that cell modification is not
possible."  Karen went on.

   "Surgical intervention?  What's that?"  Tim asked.

   "They can give you an artificial cock."  Mike said.  "That's what I'm going
to do, as soon as they run out of ideas, trying to change us back."

   "They can do that?"  Tim said, suddenly becoming very interested.

   "Yes, it is possible, but the results are not very consistent, and even at
best, it wouldn't be anything like what you had."  Karen said.  "You might
look like a male, but your new penis wouldn't function for intercourse.  Maybe
not even to urinate."  She continued.

   "It couldn't be any worse than this."  Tim said.  "Hell, I'm wet all the
time, and it itches like crazy."

   "It shouldn't itch."  Karen said.  "Are you keeping yourself clean?"

   "I don't know.  I guess so."  Tim answered.  "I'm pretty sensitive in that
area.  Just touching it, or having my clothes rub it gives me a boner ....at
least that's what it feels like,  like a boner, and wet balls."

   "I think that describes it."  Joe agreed.  "According to Dr. Krell's
people, our bodies are now completely normal female.  I guess this is what it
feels like to be a woman."

   "But, I don't want to be a woman."  Tim said.  "I'm a guy, and I want to
stay a guy.  They got to get my cock and my balls back."

   "Don't get your hopes up, Tim."  Dave chimed in.  "What everybody is trying
to tell you, is that you're a girl now, and you're probably gonna stay that
way, so you better get used to it."

   "Is that really the way it is, Joe?"  Tim asked incestuously.  "Is that the
way it's gonna be?"

   "I don't know, Tim.  Dave might be right."  Joe agreed.  "You better try to
make the best of the situation."

   "The best of the situation?  How do I make the best of looking like this?"
Tim asked."  "How do I get used to these tits?"  He pulled up his sweat shirt,
exposing his fully developed bosom.

   Jay looked down at them, and then tried to look away.  Tim's body had
obviously developed into the female form, and Jay was very conscious he was
now the only male in the car.

   "Keep your shirt on, Tim."  Karen admonished.  "I know you don't like what
happened to you, but try to maintain decency.  You're embarrassing Jay."

   "I'm sorry Jay."  Tim said.  "I just don't think of this body as real.  It
don't seem like it's even my body anymore."

   "No problem."  Jay said.  "You are impressive looking, I must say."

   "Yeah, I suppose I they look pretty good, but it don't seem like it's me.
I'm a guy.  I don't have tits.  I can't go around looking like this." Tim
insisted.

   "Dr. Krell will help."  Karen insisted.  "He'll help you cope with the
problems you are facing."

   They were just arriving at the hotel as Karen spoke.  She pulled the car
into the parking area, and they all got out.

   "We'll have to get two more rooms."  Joe said. "I hope we can get them on
the same floor."

   "It looks pretty full."  Karenn observed. "They might not be able to be on
the same floor as we are."

   They went to the desk, where Jay, and Tim attempted to check in for the
night.  The receptionist at the desk looked at his computer, and said he was
sorry, but they were booked solid for the rest of the week.  Jay looked at
Tim, and they turned and looked at Joe.

   "What do we do?"  Jay said. "They don't have any rooms left."

   "What?  they're booked up?" Karen asked.  "Well, I have an extra bed in my
room someone can use."

   "I do too."  Joe said. "One of you can stay with me."

   "Gee, I don't know...Do you think it would be a good idea?"  Jay asked.

   "What do you mean"  Joe asked.  "We're adults, aren't we.  You can stay in
my room.  We've stayed in the same room before.  We were roommates in school."

   "Yeah, but you didn't look like that, old buddy."  Jay said, grinning.

   Joe felt the blood come to his cheeks, as he realized what Jay meant.  They
may still be best friends, but for them to share a room together wouldn't be
the same now.  The realization irritated Joe.

   "I don't care."  I can handle it, if you can."  He said.

   "Tim, you're welcome in my room."  Karen said.

   "Well...uh...I ah..Ok.  Ok, I'll do it."  Tim stammered.  He had a little
trouble accepting the idea of sleeping in a hotel room with a woman he had
just met."

   They went up to the rooms.  Everyone stopped in the hall, and there they
decided to meet at seven-thirty for breakfast.  Then they went into their
rooms.

   When Joe went into his room, closely Jay following closely behind, he
noticed that the interconnecting doors were still open.  He could see Karen
and Tim go into their room, and asked Karen to come over.  She did, and Tim
followed.

   "Tim, did you bring some other clothes?"  Joe asked."

   "I just brought some jeans, and some T-shirts."  Tim said. "I want to wear
this sweatshirt outside.  I don't want anybody to see me like this."

   "Like they told me,  you better get used to it."  Joe said.  If you try,
you might find that it ain't so bad."  He went to his bag, and dug around,
looking for something.

   "Here, try this on tomorrow."  Joe said, handing Tim a white cotton bra and
some underwear.  "I brought some extra, and I think they'll fit you, too.  Try
'em, they won't make you look stupid. You might even find you like the way
they feel." He grinned at the confused young man.

   "Gee, I don't know...I can't wear stuff like that..." Tim objected.

   "Don't worry about it, Tim."  Karen said.  "I'll help you with it."

   Karen took the clothes from Joe, and left the room, standing in the doorway
until Tim followed her through, and then she closed the door.

   Joe and Jay stood looking at each other nervously.  Joe closed up his B-4
bag, and spoke.

   "I guess you didn't bring any other clothes either."  Joe said, smiling in
embarrassment at his pal.

   "No I didn't.  I didn't think I would be staying over. And I don't think I
want to borrow any of your underwear, either."  Jay said, a big grin forming
on his face.

   "Don't worry, you don't have to."  Joe said.  "I just want to help Tim get
used to the change.  Having Linda around sure helped me with it."

   "Joe, it's amazing how you've adapted."  Jay said.  "You look great, and
you  seem to be doing fantastic."

   "Do you really think so?"  Joe asked.  "I'm trying the best I can.  I have
to admit, it does seem to get easier, the longer I stay this way."

   "Have you found out any news?  Is there really any hope of getting back?"
Jay asked.

   "I don't know, Jay.  They haven't found anything yet.  It looks like it'll
be difficult, if it's not impossible."  Joe said.  "I changed my records
today, so I'm legally a female now, I guess."

   "Really?  You're legally a woman now?"  Jay said.  "If that ain't a kick in
the head.  My old roommate, Joe Bates...a woman."

   "Yeah.  That's the way I see it too, a kick in the head.  I can't believe
its happened to me...that I look like this...that  I might someday become an
old lady...Jay, I don't know if I want to be an old woman..."  Joe started to
become emotional, and looked like he was going to cry.  Jay came up, and put
his arm around him.  Joe started to put his arms around Jay, and was starting
to cry on his shoulder, when he realized what he was doing, and froze.  He
pulled back, and looked at his pal.

   "I'm sorry, Jay."  He said.  "I didn't mean to do that. I don't know what
came over me  I feel so strange sometimes."

   "Hey, no problem.  I'm here for you.  You do what ever you feel like.  I
understand.  You're different now.  You can't help it."  Jay said, trying to
make Joe feel comfortable around him.

   "It's true.  I do feel different.  I don't know if I can help it or not,
but sometimes, I just get overcome with emotion.  I was never like that
before."  Joe said.

   "You were never a woman before, Joe."  Jay reasoned.  "Maybe that's what
the problem is."

   "Yeah, I'm sure that's the problem, but what's the answer?"  Joe asked his
friend.

   "If you're a woman, and you might have to stay a woman, maybe you should
just let your feelings go, sometimes."  Jay suggested.  "I'd understand.  I
think everyone else would too."

   "I know they would."  Joe said.  "Every one has been so good about
understanding our problem.  I thought we'd be considered freaks, or something.
But so far, everyone has been fantastic.  It's made the situation almost
bearable."

   "Well, I'm here for you.  We were buddies before, and we can stay buddies."
Jay said, taking Joe's hand.

   Joe felt strange taking Jay's hand, but the warm, strong hand made him feel
better.  He squeezed it, and Jay returned the squeeze.

   "Could I ask a favor, and would you promise not to be offended?" Joe asked,
slightly embarrassed.

   "Sure.  Anything."  Jay responded.

   "Would you...would you hug me?"  Joe asked.

   "I'd be honored."  Jay said, pulling Joe to him.

   They stood there, arms wrapped around each other.  They were both feeling a
mixture of embarrassment and pleasure, as they held each other tightly.  Joe
was surprised at how strong and muscular Jay felt, and how good it felt to be
held in the strong arms of a man.  Jay was surprise at how soft and fragile
Joe felt in his arms.  He certainly looked like a girl, but now holding him in
his arms, he could feel Joe's breast's pressing against his chest, and could
smell his feminine scent.  It seemed his pal really was a woman now.

   "Gosh Joe, you even smell like a woman, did you know that?"  Jay asked,
breaking the spell.

   "What do you mean by that?  Do I smell strange, or something?"  Joe asked.
He wondered what kind of an odor Jay was smelling.

   "No, you sure don't smell strange, that's for sure.  You smell great."  Jay
laughed.

   "Maybe it's the bath powder. I noticed that it has a scent.  I thought it
reminded me of her."  Joe thought out loud.

   "Well, I like the smell, whatever it is."  Jay repeated.

   "I guess we better get to bed."  Joe said, trying to change the subject.
He didn't know how to handle this male-female thing yet.

   "Yeah.  Which bed do you want?"  Jay asked.

   "Either one is fine with me."  Joe answered.  "Do you want to shower?"

   Yeah, I guess I better."  Jay said.  "But you can use the bathroom first,
if you want."

   "Well...Ok, I will.  I have to get this makeup off...Linda told me I
shouldn't sleep with it on."  Joe said.  The words sounded silly as soon
as he spoke them.

   "Well, you better wash it off then."  Jay said.

   Joe started to go into the bathroom, and then he realized that he didn't
have his shaving case.  He rummaged through his B-4 bag until he found the
things he needed.  He went into the bathroom, and shut the door.  It was now
felt strange being around a man, even if the man was your best friend.

   In the bathroom Joe took off his blouse, and shorts, and then removed his
underwear.  He washed his face, and washed away his makeup.  He brushed his
teeth, and then sat on the stool to pee.  As he sat there, he looked at his
underwear, and decided to wash them out in the sink.  It only took a second,
and his bra and panties were hanging on the towel rack to dry.  Then he
realized that Jay would be in there next, and would see his feminine things
hanging there.  He wanted to take them with him, but they were now dripping
wet.  When he started to leave the bathroom, he realized that he was naked,
and Jay was out there.  What was he going to do?

   Joe looked around, and found a large bath towel.  He pulled it off the
shelf, and wrapped it around his curves, tucking it in on the side.  Now he
was ready to face Jay again.  He screwed up his courage, took his clothes in
his hand, and opened the door.  He went out into the main room, where Jay had
turned back his bed and was laying there, watching the news.  He looked up
when he saw Joe.

   "You done already?"  He asked.  "I thought women took forever in the
bathroom."

   "Maybe they do."  Joe said, grinning.  "I guess I just haven't figured out
what all I'm supposed do in there yet."

   "It appears that you're doing all the right things." Jay complemented.

   "Your turn."  Joe said. He wanted to get his terry romper from the B-4 bag,
and put it on.

   "Ok."  Jay said, and went into the bathroom.

   Joe went to his bag, and found the terry romper.  He took it and put it on
the bed while he removed the towel.  He was just reaching for the romper, when
the bathroom door opened and Jay came out.

   "I wonder if you might have an extra tooth br....."  Jay looked at his
naked friend.

   Joe froze in position, wanting to reach for the towel, but not wanting to
move, and take his hands away from his breasts.

   "Er... excuse me...I didn't realize... I ah..." Jay was uncustomarily
speechless.

   Finally, Joe found he could move again.

   "I...er...I was just putting this on."  He said, picking up the little
romper.

   "God, Joe, you're beautiful, you know that?."  Jay said, walking over to
his friend.  "Can I look at you?"

   "Well...I er...I guess so, sure why not."  Joe stood up, and let his friend
look at his changed body.

   "I could tell that you were softer, and the other day at the health club,
when you wore the leotard... I thought then you looked pretty good...but I
didn't realize how good....how can you stand it, having a body like that?" Jay
asked his pal.

   "Gee, Jay, what do you think I do?  Fondle myself all day?  A lot of people
look like this."  Joe said.

   "Well, if I looked like that, I probably would."  Jay said, a wide grin
forming on his face as he watched Joe put the romper on, his boobs bouncing
sexily as he pulled it over them.

   "Get in there, and take a cold shower."  Joe said, a grin coming to his
face too.  "Look in my shaving kit, I might have a new toothbrush."

   Jay returned to the bathroom. Joe heard the water start to run, and before
long Jay was finished.  He came out of the bathroom wearing only his jockey
shorts.  Joe looked at his friend, the bulge of Jay's maleness now seemed
strangely interesting to him.  He found he couldn't take his eyes from Jay's
crotch.  Jay saw he was looking, and faced him.

   "You really are a woman now, aren't you, Joe."  Jay said.  "Are you finding
me as interesting as I find you?"

   "I don't know, Jay.  I guess I am changing...I'm trying to determine how I
feel about men...about sex...I thought I wasn't interested, but...I don't
know...I just wish I could control what's going on in my head."  Joe put his
head in his hands.

   Jay came over to where Joe was sitting on the side of the bed.  He reached
down, and took Joe's hand.  He pulled him up, and took him in his arms.

   "Would you be terribly offended if I kissed you?"  Jay asked, looking down
into Joe's eyes.

   "Holy cow, Jay...I don't think we..."

   He was interrupted by Jay placing his lips on his.  It didn't feel strange
at all.  Joe let himself melt in the strong arms of his friend, and felt Jay's
tongue try to enter his mouth.  He parted his lips and teeth, and let Jay do
whatever he wished.

   As they kissed, Joe could feel his body responding to the caress that Jay
was giving his back.  He felt the wetness of excitement...felt his breasts
becoming sensitive to the touch of Jays bare chest.  Jay must have felt Joe's
hardening nipples too, because he suddenly put his hand down into the top of
the little romper, and took one of Joe's breast's in his hand, fondling and
caressing it, causing a sensation  Joe had never experienced before.

   Joe had made love since becoming a woman, but only with Linda.  Since she
was a woman, Linda knew how to touch all the right buttons to make Joe's body
feel good,  but Linda couldn't match the strong, forceful feeling of Jay.  It
was a mixture of pleasure, and roughness, and it made Joe's knee's weak.  He
put his head back enjoying the sensation as Jay kissed his neck.  Joe felt his
crotch tighten as Jay's tongue tasted his neck.

   Joe had been wondering what it would be like to be with a man, but he
couldn't have imagined what he was experiencing.  He found he loved it when
Jay touched him.  He wanted to be touched all over.  He seemed to be losing
control of his own body, like it had a mind of it's own.  Joe found that he
wanted Jay.  This new body of his, wanted Jay inside him... It was like he now
had this hollow spot, and it just had to be filled.  He could tell that Jay
wanted him, too.

   "Jay...ah...do I...can I ask another favor?"  Joe asked.

   "God, Joe, anything...just name it."  Jay said, as he caressed Joe's
breast's, which were now completely exposed, the little romper was down to
Joe's waist.

   Jay...would you...could we...I ah...I just want to feel you inside me"  Joe
finally got it out.  It seemed he was having trouble breathing, his breath
coming in little gasps, as he felt himself being overrun by passion.

   "Would I?  I don't think you could stop me."  Jay said.  He stopped the
caressing, and stood back, looking at Joe.

   "Are you sure you want to do this?"  Jay asked his friend, who seemed more
excited than any woman Jay had ever been with."

   "God, yes...I want you...I want to feel you...Please!"  Joe heard his body
pleading for release.  He was no longer in control.

   Jay started to remove his undershorts, and when Joe saw his penis, his eyes
got huge.  Joe knew that Jay wasn't a big stud, or anything, and probably
couldn't even be considered well hung, but when he saw Jay's manhood, the
thought of it going inside him changed his urge from raw desire, to fear.  It
didn't look like anything that big could fit inside him.  At least not without
hurting him seriously.  He remembered the pain he experienced in the doctors
office.

   "Ah...er...I don't know, maybe we shouldn't..."  Joe stammered.

   "What's wrong?"  Jay asked.  He was standing there, his erection was ready
to explode.

   "Should we really be doing this?"  Joe asked.

   "Why not?"  Jay questioned.  "I'm a man, and you're...You are a woman now,
aren't you?"

   "Yeah, I guess so...it's just that...I don't know...I mean...What if I get
pregnant?"  Joe remembered what the Dr. Krell told him.

   "Can you do that?"  Jay asked, showing surprise.

   "I think so. They told me I probably could, and that I should take
precautions if I decided to do something like this.  God, I never thought I
would be wanting to do this..."  Joe was torn between this new, powerful
desire, and basic concern for his well being.

   "Just stand by a minute."  Jay said, and went into the bathroom.  He
returned with a couple of condoms, in their foil packs. .

   "Where did you get those?"  Joe questioned.

   "They were in your shaving kit."  Jay answered, grinning.

   Joe remembered.  Sure, he always kept a few in there, in case he needed
them, just for times like this.  Of course, he never considered he would use
them this way.

   "Ok. Ok. We'll do it.  I've just have to know what it feels like.  But
please, you've got to be gentle.  It looks like that thing can hurt me."  Joe
said, looking at Jay's stiff appendage.

   "I'll be gentle."  Jay promised.  "You can be on top, if you want."

   Jay layed back on the bed, and opened one of the foil packets.  He took the
rubber out, and unrolled it on his erect penis, as Joe watched in interest.
He had never seen another man putting on a condom before, and he was surprised
at how strange it looked.  He must have had a funny look on his face, because
Jay commented;

   "Haven't you ever seen somebody putting one of these on before?"

   "Hell no.  Have you?"  Joe returned.

   "Of course... well er..no, I guess I haven't."  Jay considered.

   "Let me tell you then, it's not the sexiest thing I've seen tonight." Joe
said, unable to suppress a big grin.

   "Let's get on with it."  Jay said.  "Unlike you, I'm under pressure to
perform."  He grinned.

   Joe slid the romper down, stepping out of it, and ran his hand along his
own crotch, in an attempt to tease Jay.

   "Don't worry, I think I can remember what makes your willy feel good.  We
can keep the pressure up."   Joe said, trying his best to sound seductive.
Joe was aware of the effect a female body had on a male's, and noticed that
his actions were having the desired effect on Jay's libido.

   Not really sure how to go about it, but anxious to know what it would feel
like, Joe got on the bed with Jay, then crawled over and straddled his hips.
As he stood there on his knees, Jay's erect penis was almost touching his
belly.  He reached down, and timidly took it in his hand.  It was warm.  He
didn't remember his own penis feeling that warm when he touched it.  He was
impressed by the silky texture, and the almost instant hardness of the thing.
With his fingers wrapped around it, he squeezed it and instinctively moved his
hand up and down.  He had never touched another man's penis before, and he
found it was very different than touching his own.  The lubricant on
the condom made everything very slippery.  Jay let out a little gasp.

   "Now don't get carried away.  I think I'm almost ready to shoot off as it
is."  Jay warned.  "If you want to try it on for size, you better lay off the
preliminaries."

   Joe looked down at the hard flesh.  He lifted one of his knee's and began
rubbing the tip of Jay's penis along the moist folds between his legs.  It
felt fantastic, but he was still apprehensive.  The big thing would probably
split him in two.  Jay pushed his hips up, trying to push against Joe with his
penis.  When Jay did that, Joe would raise his crotch up, and his movements
were keeping Jay from entering him.

   "Come on Joe, put it in, won't you?  You're driving me nuts."  Jay pleaded.

   "I'm working on it.  You'll get your chance."  Joe said.  "I've got to do
this at my own pace, and I don't want to rush it."

   Finally,  Joe took Jay's penis, and placed at what he figured was the
opening to his vagina.  He took a deep breath, and let his body slowly descend
on Jay's hardness.  Jay thrust upwards, and Joe felt it starting to go inside
him.

   Joe tensed for the pain he knew would come.  Suddenly, he felt Jay's hands
on his hips, pulling him down, impaling him.  Joe could sense that Jay was
inside, but was surprised to find that it didn't hurt for him to be there.  It
didn't hurt at all.  It felt sort of strange actually, not particularly good,
but not bad either.  Was this it,  he thought?

   Then Jay started pumping, moving around, and sliding in and out.  Now that
felt great, Joe thought.  He couldn't resist matching Jay's movements stroke
for stroke.  Looking down, Joe noticed his breasts were bobbing along with the
movement, and it embarrassed him.  He dropped forward, and layed down on top
of Jay, closing his eyes.  He let himself be carried away by the new
sensation.  At the top of Jay's movement, Joe was enjoying a pleasurable
friction on his clitoris,  and that was followed by a strangely wonderful
feeling of fullness he couldn't describe.  It was fantastic, and he wanted it
to continue forever...

   After only a minute or so this new sensation, Joe could feel Jay tensing up
beneath him.  He knew from experience what was happening, and tightened his
own muscles, remembering how good it felt to have a snug vagina gripping your
penis. He was surprised to find how pleasurable it was for him too.  Why
didn't women do it more often, if it felt this great?  He wondered.

   "I'm sorry Joe, but I'm going to come."  Jay said.  "You're just so tight,
and feel too good."

   Joe hugged him, pressing Jay's crotch into his own, and tried to crimp down
on Jay's penis as tight as he could.  Jay's legs became stiff, and he squeezed
Joe so tight he could hardly breath.

   "Back off a little, man."  Joe gasped.  "You're crushing me."

   "You're fantastic, Joe."  Jay said.

   Now Joe could feel the twitching of Jay's penis, as it squirt his load.
Joe tried to feel it inside him, but then remembered the condom.  Strangely,
he found himself wishing that Jay wasn't wearing one.  What's wrong with me?
He wondered.  I don't have some secret desire to get pregnant, do I?

   Jay's muscles released, and he let himself go limp.  Joe could feel his
penis, which was still inside him, getting smaller and softer.  He didn't want
the moment to end, but realized that it was not Jay's fault.  He raised his
pelvis, and felt a little pop as Jay's penis came out of his still wanting
vagina.  He rolled off of Jay, and lay on his back beside him.

   "That was good, Joe."  Jay said.  "I think maybe the best I ever had."

   "Oh, yeah?"  Joe looked at him and grinned widely.  "I'm glad you liked it.
But I'm beginning to realize what sex is all about for a woman."

   "Is it better than for a guy?"  Jay asked, becoming curious.

   "Maybe it's just because it's my first time...from this side, of course...
but, yeah, I think it feels better, but it don't last long enough..."

   "I'm sorry...I was just too excited...You felt so good...I couldn't hold
back any longer.  You remember how it is, don't you."  Jay apologized.

   "Sure.  I remember.  I remember all too well.  I remember all the times I
did the same thing, and didn't realize how it left the woman...the way she
felt...the way I feel right now.  Can we do it some more?"  Joe asked.

   "Well, I'm not seventeen."  Jay said, smiling.  "Give me a little while and
we can go again."

   Joe looked down at his pals organ.  It was no longer erect, but it was
still wrapped loosely in the condom.  The condom was slightly tinged with
pink, which Joe realized was a mixture of the lubricant, his secretions, and
blood.  Then he suddenly realized, he wasn't a virgin anymore.  His hymen was
torn completely now, as evidenced by the pink condom.  He tensed the muscles
in his crotch, and felt a small irritation.  He touched himself with his hand,
placing a finger inside his opening.  The narrowing he felt that morning was
gone.  Feeling himself, he also realized that he was still excited, and his
clitoris was begging to be touched.

   Jay watched Joe inspecting himself, and found the sight highly erotic.

   "You're beautiful, do you realize that?"  Jay said.  "Would you mind if I
touched you?"

   "I think I'd love it."  Joe said.  "I still want you inside.  I can't
explain the way it feels...it's really good..."

   Jay touched one of Joe's breasts, and softly caressed it.

   "I think I can be ready to go again soon."  Jay said, and looked down at
his own softness.  He saw the used condom still on it, and started to
carefully pull it off.

   "Look at this pink stuff."  Jay said.  "I don't remember it looking pink
when I put it on."

   "I was a virgin, then."  Joe grinned.  "Now, I'm not."

   "You were a virgin?  I took your....really?"  Jay stammered in awe.

   "I guess I got to loose my cherry two times."  Joe teased. "The second was
much easier, for me, than the first."   He remembered his first awkward time
with a girl.

   "But, I didn't realize you were a virgin."  Jay sounded sorry.

   "What did you think?  When I changed, everything seemed to reform to what
it would be if I were born a female.  There aren't any physical changes when
guy looses his cherry, but there can be for a girl."  Joe put his hand over
his crotch.

   "What should I do with this?"  Jay asked, holding the gooey, come filled
rubber.

   "Flush it.  I don't want it."  Joe said, smiling.

   Jay got up, and took the condom to the bathroom.  Joe heard a flush, and
Jay came back to the bed.  His penis was still limp, and Joe realized then
that he had probably never seen another man's erection, up close and personal,
until today.  The difference in size between the aroused, and limp state was
amazing.  Joe wondered if he'd ever have a penis again.  He wasn't sure if he
cared.

   Jay stood by the side of the bed, just looking at Joe's body.  As he did,
Joe saw Jay's penis began to stiffen.  He reached over, and put his hand
around it, pulling Jay to the bed with his cock.

   "Don't rip it off."  Jay teased.

   Joe squeezed him tightly, and felt him getting harder by the second.  He
slowly ran his hand up and down along the shaft, until Jay seemed about the
same as he was before.

   "Looks like you're about ready for action again, tiger."  Joe said.

   "You just don't give a guy a minute, do you."  Jay teased.  "It must be
really good, the way your acting."

   Joe considered what Jay was saying.  Maybe he was acting a little horny.
But, he hadn't climaxed yet, and Jay had.  As a male, he was used to
performing until he found release.  Now, he was dependant on the endurance of
his partner.  It was a new position to be in, and he was not used to it.
Right now, he just wanted to feel Jay inside him, and find relief.  With
Linda, even since the change,  she had treated him more like a man, always
concerned with his sexual release, and of course, with her, there was no
erection, or lack of one, to be concerned with.

   "Humor me, will you?"  Joe asked.  "I'm not used to this, and I guess I
don't really know how to act."

   "Your doing ok."  Jay said.  "Your doing ok."  He closed his eyes, as Joe
stroked his penis.

   "Let's do it again."  Joe said, getting the second rubber from the stand,
and ripping the wrapper open.

   "I'm with you."  Jay said.  "Do you want to put it on me?"

   "Lay back."  Jay said.

   Joe took the rubber and rolled it on his friend's appendage.  When it was
in place, he layed back on the bed beside Jay, and cupped his breasts with his
hands, trying to tease, and entice his pal.

   "Come and get it."  He said.  He spoke as seductive as he could, but
talking like that made him feel kind of silly.

   Jay rolled over, and put his lips right on Joe's left breast, taking the
whole nipple in his mouth, and suckling like an infant.  The action surprized
Joe, but he discovered it felt very pleasurable.  As he worked on Joe's breast
with his mouth, Jay started fondling Joe's crotch with his hand.  The
combination felt fantastic, and Joe began to writhe with pleasure.

   "Feels pretty good, huh?"  Jay asked, watching Joe move with pleasure to
his touch.

   "Yeah...Ah...yeah, it does."  Joe answered.  His eyes were closed, and his
breathing  had become short gasps.

   "Do you want me to continue, or are you ready to get down to business?"
Jay asked.

   "I...Ah...I don't know...keep doing this for a while."  Joe breathed.

   Joe could feel his pleasure reaching a crescendo.  He found that what he
wanted was for Jay to enter him, but he didn't want him to stop what he was
doing with his hand.  He rolled on his side, and pulled Jay's penis toward his
crotch.  Jay maneuvered into position to enter him, and removed his hand from
Joe's vulva.

   "Don't stop what you were doing with your hand."  Joe begged.  It was
embarrassing to ask, but it felt so good.

   Jay kept his finger near Joe's clitoris, but, with difficulty, he was able
to get his penis into Joe's opening at the same time.  Joe was moving around
so much that Jay just lay there, and held himself in position.  In a few
minutes,  Joe tensed up, and became stiff as a board.  Jay could feel a
rhythmic tightening and loosening, as Joe experienced orgasm.

   Joe lay still, gasping for air.  Jay started to move his hips, but he was
immediately stopped by Joe.

   "Ohh, don't move...don't move."  Joe begged.  "I can't stand it.

   The feeling of Jay's touch on his clitoris now felt excruciatingly painful.
With he was with Linda, she instinctively new when to touch him, and when to
stop.  Jay's more aggressive approach to intimacy was Ok until he reached
climax, but afterward, any touch to that area became intolerable.

   Jay pulled away from Joe, and lay on his back beside him.

   "I hope you you've had enough."  Joe said to his friend.  "I don't think I
can take any more for a while.

   "No I'm fine."  Jay said.  "It was fantastic.  If anybody would have asked
me if I'd ever go to bed with you, I'd have punched them out.  But you were
fantastic."

   "Yeah.  I never thought I would want to do this, but it was almost like I
was out of control."  Joe said.

   "I have that effect on women."  Jay grinned.

   "The hell you do."  Joe said, poking him in the ribs.

   "Anyway, it was fantastic."  Jay repeated. "I don't think it ever felt like
that before.  It was like you could read my mind...you knew just what would
feel good."

   "I guess I did know."  Joe said.  "Remember, a week ago, I was on that side
of the fence.  I still remember it."

   "Is it better on that side?"  Jay asked his attractive friend.

   "I don't know, exactly.  It's good...it's great...but I don't know if it's
really better.  Just different.  You feel pretty good too, you know that?"
Joe told his friend.

   "I had a suspicion, from the way you were acting."  Jay answered.

   "You should feel it."  Joe said.  "It's like somebody turned up the gain on
all my senses.  It's not bad sometimes.  I think maybe I could learn to like
it."

   "Sounds like you might get the chance."  Jay said.

   "Yeah. Joe mused.  "I know.  I don't like to think about it.  It's easier
if I think of it as temporary.  I don't want to consider what my life might be
like if I have to stay like this."

   They lay there talking.  The subjects ranged from cars to planes, even
women.  Eventually, they fell asleep.  Joe lay next to Jay.  He had no desire
to go to the other bed.
 
--
                            Chapter 17
                             LEARNING


     It was still dark when Joe woke up.  He could feel an arm
across his chest.  He wondered what time it was, and looked over at
the glowing display of the clock radio on the nightstand.  It said
five a.m.  Joe wondered if it was accurate.  He decided it must be
close.

     Joe Bates lay deep in thought.  What was it now... Tuesday? 
He had been this way only five days, and already, here he was, in
bed with a man.  Not just any guy either, but his best friend, Jay
Logan.  He thought about last night.  Neither of them had planned
what had happened, but what did come about was beyond his wildest
expectations.

     Only yesterday, Joe had signed papers changing his legal
gender to match his new anatomy.  That alone would have been enough
for most guys.  Then, that same evening, he ended the day by
sleeping in the same bed, and actually having intimate relations
with, his long time best friend.  What was next?  What was
happening to him?  Here he was, in bed with Jay, and he realized,
he was actually enjoying it.  Was he now homosexual?  He considered
the possibility.  Of course, he still thought of himself as male,
at least in his head.  But, there was no denying that his body, and
now, even his body image, was becoming quite feminized.  He
couldn't deny it any more than he could change it.  Joe hadn't
asked to be this way.  He had no control over the new
feelings...the new urges that the change had given his body.

     Joe peered over at Jay.  In the semi-darkness, he could see
the faint outline of his friend's face.  He watched Jay breathing,
and wondered what they might say to each other in the morning.  The
whole thing was a strange combination of familiarity and curiosity,
a mixture of old, and, at least for Joe, very new sensations.  He
was surprised at how natural everything had seemed.  He never
thought he would have the nerve to get this near to a man, but now
it had happened, and it didn't seem so unusual at all.  As he gazed
at his pal, he felt a strange contentment begin to overtake him. 
For some reason, he was glad that he had been able to share this
new experience with Jay.

     Suddenly, Jay stirred slightly.  He coughed, and moved his
arm.  His hand was now directly on Joe's right breast, and although
he was obviously still asleep, he instinctively stroked it once,
and cupped his hand over it.  This sensation felt strange to Joe. 
When he wasn't walking or moving around, he usually couldn't really
sense the new tissue on his chest.  Even when he did, it sort of
felt like a lump of soft fat, bouncing and jiggling with any
movements that he made.  But it didn't feel particularly sexy, or
erotic.  It was now just another part of his body, if anything, a
source of embarrassment, at least for someone who still considered
himself a man inside.  That was most of the time.  As Joe became
more familiar with his changed body, he had begun to accept the
presence of the soft mounds on his now quite hairless chest.  He
was even starting to like the way he looked, enjoying the feel of
soft, feminine clothing which defined his new curves.  At those
times, those little fleshy bulges became more... a mark of his new
femininity, a source of pride, and sometimes... pleasure.  Usually,
when Joe touched his own chest, the sensation was nothing special. 
But, when anyone else touched him there... well, that was differ-
ent.  As Joe lay there, contemplating the touch of Jay's hand, he
felt his crotch muscles tighten involuntarily.  Strange the way it
does that, he thought.  He tensed the muscles himself.  He couldn't
feel any difference there from yesterday, even though he knew he
had changed ... perhaps more psychologically than physically ...
with what had happened just a few hours ago.

     Joe ran his hand over the soft hair on his now somewhat
prominent pubic mound.  Lower down, between his legs, it was still
damp and matted.  Touching there felt good, so he kept his hand
there, gently rubbing the still somewhat unfamiliar, silky soft,
folds of tissue which replaced his male parts. Even when it was
your own, a female body felt so different than a male, he consid-
ered.  Now, everything about it was soft and pliable.  His male
body had been so much harder and rougher.  Even his pubic hair,
which was now closely trimmed, felt much softer, finer than before.
I guess I can get used to this, Joe thought.  Seems I'll have to,
in any case.  Then, he fell asleep again, the contented smile still
on his face.

     ************

     The sun was shining around the edges of the drawn curtain when
Joe woke again.  When he opened his eyes, he saw that Jay was
awake, watching him.  He returned the look, and smiled.

     "Who'd have thought this, huh?" Jay said, returning the smile.

     "Yeah, who," Joe repeated.  He yawned, and raised his arms
over his head to stretch.  It was only then he realized that he was
still wearing the hairpiece.

     "I don't know about you, but it was quite an experience for me
last night," Jay said.  "You were fantastic."

     "Well, I guess we both just did what comes naturally," Joe
replied.  "I suppose it helps that I know how it feels like from
your side."  He grinned with embarrassment.

     Jay kept looking at Joe.  He reached over, and gently ran a
finger along Joe's soft breast, watching its pink tip change from
a soft, full cone to a firm point as he did so.  Joe found that
Jay's light touch tickled the sensitive skin, and he involuntarily
shook his chest slightly, which made his breasts jiggle.

"That tickles," Joe said, feeling an embarrassed blush warm his
face.

     "Joe, I still have trouble accepting what has happened to
you," Jay said.  "You're so beautiful, it's hard to believe that
what happened was caused by an accident."

     "But it's still me, Jay, don't forget that," Joe reminded him.
"And if that's a problem for you to accept...you should spend a day
in my shoes."

     "What do you have planned for today?" Jay asked.

     "Well, we all have to go to the clinic at about nine.  We have
some kind of class, or briefing.  I think its about hygiene ...
stuff like that. We might even talk about contraception too, I
think," Joe explained.

     "So the doctors think you can actually get pregnant?" Jay
asked with curiosity.  "How do they know that?"

     "I don't know," Joe answered.  "I suspect they are making an
assumption, based on what they found during the physical examina-
tions."

     "What did they find?" Jay continued.

     "Nothing, I guess, just that we all seemed to have undergone
a more or less complete transition to a female appearance. 
Apparently, even my chromosomes are now XX, rather than the male
pattern XY.  That means that even my body's cell structure has
become feminized."

     "I suppose it's hard for you to live with, but it sure
improved your appearance," Jay said, a big grin on his face.

     "You're just horny," Joe said, punching Jay's hairy chest
lightly with his fist.  "Seriously, it is hard to adjust to the
differences, but...I will admit, it's not all bad though.  And I
can still feel changes happening...  physical, as well as... I
guess... mental.  I think it's actually affecting the way I think."

     "Well, we both have said, on more than one occasion, that
women process information differently from men.  Maybe it's really
true," Jay said, becoming serious again.

     "Yeah, I suspect it is," Joe reasoned.  "But I still have the
same kind of thoughts... sort of anyway... but I'm certain I'm more
emotional now.  I still like the same things... maybe feelings
about sex excepted... but I know I'm looking at things... reacting
to them differently.  It's quite a strange thing to experience
actually."

     "Do guys really turn you on now?" Jay asked seriously.  "Did
you really want to have sex with me, or did you just want to know
what it would feel like?"

     "I don't know," Joe said.  "Last night, I could feel myself
being taken over by something... I don't know what... I just had to
do it... I don't know if that's the way it is for all females, or
if my male head was having a strange reaction to the new hormones
that must be getting to it... I don't know.  I can tell you it felt
great.  It really did.  Thanks for being there when I needed you."
He grinned.

     "My pleasure," Jay said.  "If you find you need to do it
again, just let me know.  I'm always willing to help you with a
problem like that," Jay's face displayed a wicked grin.

     "We'll see," Joe said, making an attempt at an innocent smile.
"We'll see."

     "Do you think we should get up?" Jay questioned.  "It's almost
seven."

     Joe modestly pulled the sheet over his chest.

     "Yeah, I guess I should."  He said.  "I have to shower, and
it's taking me longer to get ready now.  Actually, I haven't even
done it all by myself before."

     "You can go in first," Jay said.  "Can I use your razor to
shave?"

     "Sure." If you don't mind that I'm using it on my legs," Joe
said, grinning.  "You can put a new cartridge in, though."

     "Ok.  I'll do that."  Jay returned the grin.

     Joe got up, and began to look for his terrycloth outfit.  He
found it embarrassing for him to be around Jay while nude.  Jay
reached down to the floor on his side of the bed and retrieved the
little light blue cover up.

     "Cute," He said, as he handed it to Joe, who quickly stepped
into it, and pulled it over the soft mounds of his chest.

     "I know, I know.  It's hard for me to get used to this stuff
too," Joe said.  "But I'm a little smaller and shorter now.  My old
clothes just didn't fit at all, and I've got to wear something. 
This is what fits."

     "You really look great," Jay said again.  "If you have to be
a woman, at least be glad you're so attractive.  It would be a
bitch to be changed into an ugly girl."

     "You know, that's an unusual thing about it," Joe related.
"When I first see myself in the mirror, I don't always immediately
recognize that it's me.  I guess I'm not used to what I look like
yet.  But when I see myself as I dress... put makeup on, or
whatever, I don't really feel all that attractive... I just feel
like me.  Sometimes, when I put this stuff on, I feel like I'm just
dressing in drag."

     "Well, trust me, old buddy, you're a looker," Jay said.

     "I'll try to remember that" Joe said, and turned and walked
into the bathroom, pulling the door closed.

     In the bathroom, Joe looked at the items on the counter. 
There were little complimentary bottles of shampoo and conditioner. 
Also, there was a packet of bubble bath, and soap.  Joe remembered
the pleasant feeling when he soaked in the tub with Linda, and
decided he would try a bath rather than a shower. He put the
stopper in the tub, and started the hot water running.  Pouring the
packet of bath beads into the flow, he watched the bubbles begin to
form.  While the tub filled, he decided to use the toilet.  He
removed the little terrycloth coverup and dropped it to the floor. 
He sat on the stool to relieve himself.  He was curious if the
changes to his body caused by losing his new virginity would change
the way the flow left his body, but decided that he really couldn't
tell any difference.  The procedure required to urinate was already
much different than when he had a penis.  He didn't... he couldn't
aim... but just sat there, and sort of let it happen.  But the
result was the same.

     He quickly finished, and saw that the tub was almost filled
with warm water thick with bubbles.  He looked at the tub, and
thought about what he was doing.  This time last week, he wouldn't
even have considered doing anything like taking a bubble bath.  But
then, last week he didn't have this soft, sensitive body to deal
with.  He stuck a toe into the water to feel the temperature.  It
felt hot, but tolerable, so he went to the counter, took a wash
cloth and the bar of Caress bath soap, settled into the bubbles,
and let the warmth engulf his body.

       Joe took the soap and begun rubbing it over himself, making
his soft skin soapy slick.  He soaped his chest, enjoying how his
breasts felt when they were covered with the sudsy water. 
Suddenly, he realized he was still wearing the wig, and carefully
removed it with wet hands.  As carefully as he could, he tossed it
over onto the counter top.  With the wig off, his scalp felt cool,
since it was now covered only by his relatively short, male,
hairstyle.  He scratched his head. The shorter hair now felt
unfamiliar.  He went back to soaping himself, and carefully washed
his genitalia.  When his soapy fingers found his clitoris, he spent
perhaps a little more time than necessary making sure that the
little nub of flesh, which now seemed to contain all the sensitive
nerves that had been in the head of his penis, was spotlessly
clean.

     When Joe felt he was finished, and the bubbles were waning, he
got up, and hopped out of the tub.  His slick, wet, hairless body
was still covered with soapy suds.  Joe wondered how he could get
the stuff off.  He remembered why he liked showers better, and
reached for one of the large, thick bath towels on the rack.  The
absorbent towels quickly took the water off, and the soapy residue
actually seemed to make his skin softer.  As he dried his legs,
stubble, which had formed since the last time he had shaved, could
be felt.  What would he do about that?

     He decided to let the water out of the tub, and when it was
gone, he took his razor, and shave cream from his kit, and stepped
back into the tub.  He put some cream on his legs, and then a
little under his arms, Then he started the shower and began
shaving.  From longtime habit, he felt his face, and the softness
he felt there reminded him that he no longer had to worry about
shaving that part of his body.  The hair on his legs didn't seem to
go as high up as the first time he had shaved there, either.  He
had some sharp stubble on his calves, but only light down was
forming on his upper thighs, in sharp contrast to the hairy legs he
had as a man.  Then, of course, he had also had a dark thicket of
hair on his chest too.  That had been replaced by firm breasts,
with only a few hairs around much larger areola.  Joe had plucked
those out when he first saw them, and they had yet to return.

     When Joe finished shaving his legs and underarms, he rinsed
the shave cream off under the shower and turned the water off.  He
got out of the tub and again dried off with the thick towel.  When
he finished, he looked at himself in the mirror over the sink.

       What he saw was now familiar to him.  Only the short hair
was left as a reminder of his former appearance.  To be sure, his
face still had some resemblance to his male look, but now his
reflection was more like that of his sister, if he had a sister. 
His trim, shapely body looked much younger than its thirty years. 
He wondered why, and decided that since he had just developed
feminine secondary sexual characteristics, time and gravity hadn't
done their work on his new shape yet.  Everything...his skin, his
hands...everything about him seemed to have shed ten years.  He
even felt younger, much more flexible.  But, he could tell that he
had lost significant strength.  His body was still well toned, but
the large chest and shoulder muscles he once had were replaced with
the thinner, trim, upper torso of a young female.  Examining
himself in the mirror, Joe was again amazed at what he had become. 
He bent his left arm like a muscle man, and looked at his small
bicep muscle.  He reached over with his other hand, and felt it. 
It was not big, but it was still firm.  He had no flab on his body
anywhere.

     Joe took the cosmetics out of the bag, and carefully tried to
fix his face.  He intentionally made sure not to use much makeup,
preferring a well scrubbed, healthy look.

     When he was more or less satisfied, he was ready to dress.  He
looked at the underwear that had dried overnight.  Should he put
the same stuff back on, he wondered?  What would he be wearing
today?  He couldn't remember what Linda had packed for him, so he
put the terry romper back on, and, taking his clean underwear, he
went back out into the main room.

     Jay was still lying on the bed.  He had turned on the TV, and
was watching CNN.  Joe went to the closet, and looked over what he
had to wear today.

     "Are you finished in the bathroom?" Jay asked.

     "Yeah, you can go in if you want.  I'm trying to figure out
what to wear today.  Linda picked my clothes, and I guess she
expects me to wear this dress.  I don't have anything else here but
a suit, this, and some shorts," Joe said, holding up the red-orange
sundress.

     "That looks like it would look good," Jay said, getting up,
and walking naked into the bathroom.

     Jay went in, but didn't close the door behind him.  Through
the open door, Joe watched his friend stand in front of the stool
and urinate.  It reminded him that he wasn't like that...he wasn't
a man anymore, and he felt a slight twinge of envy.

     Well, if I'm going to wear this, I'll have to find the right
stuff to wear underneath, Joe thought, trying to take his mind off
things he couldn't change.  He went to his B-4 bag, and located the
bra with the wide set straps, which wouldn't show from under the
straps of the sundress.  He then found a matching panty, and took
the things over to the bed. He didn't remove the cover up, but
pulled it down to his waist as he put the almost transparent bra
on.  Wearing it felt strangely sexy, just as when he had tried it
on in the store.  Joe found that wearing women's clothing, even
underwear, sometimes seemed so frivolous.  But, for some reason, it
made him feel good about himself again.

     Next, Joe stepped out of the romper, and quickly pulled on the
nylon, nude colored, panties.  He found a half slip, and pulled it
over his hips.  He decided he would see how he looked without nylon
hose, since that would be much cooler.

     Slipping into the red dress, Joe struggled to fasten the
buttons at the back.  When he finally got them closed, he checked
his reflection in the mirror.  The dress fit his shapely contours,
and was quite feminine looking.  Without the wig, his face seemed
somewhat out of place above his attractive figure.  He needed the
hairpiece to give him the look he wanted.  Joe carefully moved his
own hair around, trying to find some way to comb it that might make
the length seem even a little feminine.  He decided that, at least
for a while, he would need the wig.

     Joe walked over to the open bathroom door.  Jay was in the
shower, and the curtain was drawn.  Joe went into the bathroom,
grabbed his wig, and quickly left the steamy room.

     He placed the hairpiece on his head, and found that it needed
a little brushing to get it back into the shape it was in yester-
day.  The steam had caused the wig to get slightly curly, and it
was difficult to get into place.  Joe needed his hairbrush, which
was in his shaving kit.

     With the disheveled wig on his head, Joe went back into the
bathroom and began looking for his brush in the little cosmetic bag
Linda had prepared for him.  As he was doing that, Jay turned off
the shower, and slid the curtain open.  He looked at Joe, who felt
a bit embarrassed, standing next to his wet, naked pal. Jay looked
at him, and grinned widely.

     "Hey, you look good in that, Joe," Jay said, as he stepped
from the tub.  "The hair makes you look even more beautiful.  I
even like that unruly look."

     "I'm trying to get rid of the 'unruly' look," Joe said.  "I
left the wig in here, and the steam hasn't helped it any.  I hope
I can get it back into shape."

     "Don't worry, I know you'll look fantastic either way," Jay
advised.

     Joe quickly left the bathroom.  He stood in front of the
mirror, and brushed the hairpiece until it was as close as he could
make it to how it had been.

     As he examined himself critically, he remembered the little
ear rings.  He found them, and snapped them on his ears.  He didn't
like the way they felt, but they did set off his face.  The little
golden disks contrasted well with his tanned skin.  He smoothed the
dress down his hips, and adjusted the way it fit around his bosom. 
He was doing that when Jay came out of the bathroom.

     "I know I'm impressed," Jay said.  He had seen Joe feel and
squeeze his boob while adjusting his bra.

     Joe didn't say anything.  He was too embarrassed.

     "The dress looks good on you," Jay said.  He came over to
where Joe was standing.  Coming up behind Joe, he reached up
touched one of the small earrings Joe had carefully snapped on,
which were just visible below his hairpiece.

     "These are nice too," Jay said.  "Where did you get them?"

     "Linda sent them with me," Joe said.  "I wore them yesterday,
too.  They're hers.  I don't have any of my own, so far."

     "Are these your clothes?" Jay asked.

     "Yeah.  I bought this the other evening, before we came out
here.  Karen helped pick it out," Joe said.  He spun around, so Jay
could look at him.

     "She has good taste," Jay said. "Is Honeybone paying for all
this new stuff?"

     "Well, no, not so far.  I haven't given it much thought.  I've
just been getting what I need...whatever I need.  I haven't thought
much about who should be paying for it," Joe answered.

     "I think, if you keep the receipts, and keep a record of all
the expenses you incur, you'll probably find them more than willing
to cover them.  I'm sure they're worried stiff about the legal
ramifications of what has happened to you guys... er, girls... ah
women."  The attorney in Jay was again struggling to come out.

     "I guess I've still got most of my sales slips," Joe said. 
"I'll ask Jim about it when we get back."

     "I really think you should," Jay said.  "Especially if you're
going to stay this way."

     "What does that mean?" Joe asked curiously.  "If I'm going to
stay this way."

     "You know... if you're going to remain a woman... you might
find that a lot of things about your life are going to change...
and you might be needing all the financial help you can get."

     "Jim said that he thought Honeybone would let us keep our
jobs," Joe said.  "Whatever I look like now, I still have the same
skills... the same education, as I always had.  I may not be quite
as strong as before, but I can still do everything I have to do."
Irritated, Joe heard his voice rise as he spoke.

     Jay quickly dressed wearing the same clothes as he came with. 
When he was ready, he turned to Joe.

     "Are you going to check out this morning?" Jay asked.

     "I guess we should," Joe answered.  "I'll see what Karen
thinks."  He went to the phone, and dialed the room next door.

     "Karen, Joe here.  Are we going to leave from the clinic?" Joe
asked.

     "Yeah.  I think so," Karen said.  "I don't know what they will
want to do with Tim, but he can probably leave with us, too."

     "How's he doing?" Joe asked.  He wondered how the newest
victim of the change was adjusting.

     "Well, I think ok," Karen answered.  "He took a shower, and
now he's trying on some clothes.  I think he's facing the same
problem adjusting as you are.  I think he likes some things, but is
having a problem accepting it, especially if it might be perma-
nent."

     "Yeah, I know exactly how he feels," Joe said knowingly. 
Everything was much easier to take, if you could think of it all as
temporary.

     "I think we should bag up," Karen said.  "If we do have to
stay tonight, we can check in again."

     "I'll call Dave and Mike," Joe said.  "I'll see you in about
a half hour, for breakfast."  He hung up the phone.

     Joe called the others, and told them to get ready to check
out.  He hung up the phone again, and got his things together.  He
picked up the B-4 bag, and was starting to carry it out, when Jay
took it away from him.

     "I'll carry that for you," Jay said.

     With a bit of irritation in his voice, Joe started to object. 
When he looked at his friend's face, he saw a strange expression
... one he had never seen before.

     "I... I can carry this.  Joe said faintly.

     "But, you know I can do it easier," Jay said, the look still
in his eyes.  "And anyway, I want to."

     Suddenly, Joe realized that the relationship with his best
friend was now very different.  They may still have the same
interests, and hobbies, but now... there was at least one big
difference... they had slept in the same bed.  They had made
love... as a man... and a woman.  They had been close friends, but
now, they were also lovers.  It was very obvious that Jay could not
ignore the fact that his best friend was now an attractive woman.

     Joe and Jay found seats in the lobby.  Before long, Dave
joined them, and he was soon followed by Mike.  Dave was wearing
another jumpsuit, this one in a yellow color, which fit his new
shape quite well.  Although Joe was becoming familiar with what had
happened to his own body, it was still always a little shock when
he saw what had happened to his friends.

     Mike was still wearing his male clothing, but his braless
chest was now quite evident, his prominent nipples poking at his
shirt, bobbing as he walked toward them.  Joe wondered if Mike was
still changing and developing, or if it just seemed so, now that he
knew what his friend looked like.  Mike seemed oblivious to his
appearance.

     Mike greeted them, and found a seat on the couch, next to Joe.
"I don't know," Mike said quietly to Joe.  "I was watching ESPN,
and I found myself feeling strange... I was actually watching the
guys... they... I had trouble concentrating on the game... what the
hell is happening?  Am I turning queer?  I don't know what's going
on with me."  He looked at Joe, as if he had the answer to the
confusion.

     "Yeah.  I know what you're saying," Joe agreed.  "I guess
we're all finding new things about ourselves every day."  It was
hard to put into words, what was going through his mind.

     They had sat there only a minute or two, when Karen walked
into the lobby, followed closely behind by a very self conscious
looking Tim, who was wearing a feminine looking top, and pants
which were almost too snug around his now larger hips.  The clothes
were probably Karen's, and it was apparent that Tim was a bit more
well endowed than she was.  He had never worn a bra before, and he
self consciously tried to conceal his bulging breasts, which now
seemed even larger, supported by the bra, by awkwardly holding an
arm across his chest.

     Tim stood next to Karen and greeted the others, who remained
seated.

     "You look real good, Tim," Joe said, trying to build the young
guy's ego, but not really knowing how to go about it.

     "Yeah.  Real good.  I feel like Dolly Parton," Tim said,
cupping a breast with his hand for emphasis.

     "It isn't that bad," Joe countered.  "It just feels that way
because you're not used to having them yet.  Before long, you'll
forget they're there."

     "Do you?" Tim asked simply.

     "Well...no, I guess I don't," Joe answered truthfully.  "But
I think I have adjusted to them being there."

     "Then maybe I will too, sometime," Tim continued.  "But right
now, it's embarrassing as hell."  He took a seat on the couch.

     "Let's get something to eat," Joe suggested.  "We can discuss
what we want to do as far as checkout."

     "Good idea," Jay said. "I know I've got to get to the airport,
and see that the plane is fixed.  I have to be in Phoenix by this
afternoon."

     They went into the hotel coffee shop, and ordered breakfast. 
As they waited, they decided on the plan of action.

     "Ok then, as soon as we're done here, we all check out, and
then we drive Jay to the airport.  I'll call Dr. Krell, tell him
what we have planned, and confirm the best times," Karen said.

     "What will they do with me?" Tim asked.  He had no idea what
was in store for him.

     "I think you'll find out what it's really like to be a woman
today."  Dave said, breaking his now customary silence.

     "They'll probably give want to take some blood samples, and
give you a physical."  Karen explained to the young man.

     "Yeah, and I'm sure you've never had one like they're gonna
give you," Mike said.  " They'll be poking things into openings you
probably don't realize you have."

     "Don't worry, Tim," Joe said.  "We've all survived it. It's
not that bad."  He was trying to quell the look of concern that was
on Tim's quite attractive features.

     "Will I have to get undressed around people?" Tim asked.

     "Well, yeah, but don't worry, you'll find that Dr. Krell won't
think you're strange, or do anything to embarrass you.  He'll only
try to help you to cope with what's happened," Joe explained.

     "I hope he can do more than help me cope," Tim said.  "I don't
want to have to get used to the way wearing a bra feels, I want him
to make me not have to wear it."  He pulled at the straps, which
apparently were digging into his shoulders.

     "If he can, he will," Karen said.  "And if he can't, nobody
can."

     "Well, let's get going," Joe said.  "We have a lot to do
today.  Go up and get your things and check out.  I'll meet
everyone at the desk in fifteen minutes."

     They all went back to their rooms.  Joe and Jay, since they
had already brought Joe's bag down, went out into the waiting area.

     In a few minutes, they all met and checked out.  Then they
took their things to the car and drove Jay to the airport.
Archive-name: Changes/bates18.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 18


                  Chapter 18 
                  ANSWERS II 

   The Town Car pulled into the FBO parking area.  Jay and Joe quickly got 
out, and went to the desk.  The others, Karen, Dave, Mike, remained in the 
car. 

   Jay went over to the desk, and began speaking to the girl there. 

   "No sir, they haven't started working on your plane yet."  She said. 

   "Can I talk to the mechanic?"  Jay asked. 

   "Sure.  I'll call him."  The girl said, picking up the phone. 

   In a few moments, a heavy set, middle aged man came from the door to the 
hangers.  He walked up to Jay, and shook his hand. 

   "Hi.  We'll be getting to that Mooney in about fifteen minutes."  He said.  
"I think we'll have you two back in the sky before ten." 
 
   Jay looked at Joe and grinned, but said nothing. As Jay  described the 
symptoms he had the night before, the service manager listened intently. When 
Jay was finished the he spoke. 

   "It sure sounds like a pump has packed up."  He said, and went back into 
the hanger. 

   "The girl behind the desk spoke.  "We have coffee, and rolls over there."  
She said, pointing to an area with a coffee pot, and a couple of boxes of 
doughnuts.  "Please make yourself at home." 

   "Well, it looks like you'll be ok."  Joe told Jay.  "I'd better get 
going." 

   "If you get back tonight, give me a call."  Jay said. 

   "Yeah, I will."  Joe said.  He was noticing something very different in how 
Jay was relating to him.  He wasn't sure how to take it. 

   Joe left Jay at the desk, and went back to the parking lot.  As he walked, 
he could feel the gentle breeze on his legs, and felt it billow under the 
little sun dress.  The feeling was very different from anything he had felt 
before.  He had only been outdoors wearing a dress a few times before, but 
then he always wore pantyhose or stockings.  This morning he wore only 
panties under the dress.  His legs were bare, and the breeze made him feel 
sexy, almost naked.  Joe smiled to himself, enjoying the feeling as he got 
back in the Lincoln with his friends. 

   "He'll be OK.  I think we can go."  He said. 

   Karen was driving, and quickly got back on the road to the clinic.  In 
about eight minutes, they pulled into the small parking area beside the 
clinic. They all went in, and checked in with the receptionist.  Then they 
took seats until called. 

   In less than five minutes, the receptionist called Tim, who followed her 
into Dr. Krell's office. 

   The receptionist came out, and spoke to them, looking mostly at Karen. 

   "Why don't you take them into the classroom, if you like. Susan has some 
tapes for them to watch.  They might be in there already." The receptionist 
said. 

   The others followed Karen into the little classroom.  On one of the tables 
were three video tapes.  Karen went over and looked at them. 

   "How about 'OURSELVES'"?   Karen asked, holding up one of the cassettes.  
"I believe it's meant for girls going through puberty, but I perhaps you'll 
find it interesting too.  It's probably quite relevant." 

   "Yeah, it's just what we need."  Mike said sarcastically.  "Adolescent 
health films." 

   "Never know,  you just might learn something, Mike."  Karen answered back.  
She went to the VCR, and put the tape in. 
 
   On a large color monitor, they watched as the educational film ran.  It was 
obviously meant for young women, but it carefully explained the workings of 
the female, and male, organs of reproduction, showing them as fairly accurate 
drawings, rather than photographs.  As the female organs were explained, the 
four former men watched intently as the anatomy they now possessed was 
covered in considerable detail.  A cartoon like segment showed a girl as she 
developed into a young adult, from pubic hair, to breast development, and 
menstrual periods.  Then, it showed a cartoon of an adolescent boy and his 
journey to maturity, explaining it from the point of view of a young woman.  
Joe found it quite different to watch this now, from the last time he watched 
a somewhat similar movie. Then, he was thirteen, and a curious young male.  
He looked over at Mike, who was also showing a lot of interest in the tape.  
As his eyes moved to his pal Dave, he noticed that while he too was 
transfixed by what he watching, his right hand was idly kneading the soft 
bulge of his left breast as he watched.  Dave must have felt Joe's eyes on 
him because he looked over, and saw Joe smiling as he watched him.  
Embarrassed, he folded his hands on the table. 

   When the tape finished, Karen went to the VCR and  rewound the cassette.  
She held up the other two. 

   "Do you want to watch these now, or take a break?"  She asked. 

   "Let's watch em."  Mike said quickly.  "What are they about?"   His 
attitude had changed quickly. 

   "Well, this one is about clothing, and cosmetics.  It's an introduction to 
the Real Life Test.  Dr. Krell has this to show his reassignment patients." 
Karen answered.  "It's pretty long." 

   "What's the other one?"  Dave asked.  His interest had obviously been 
peaked by the first tape. 

   "This covers contraceptive methods."  It's actually intended for medical 
students, or doctors, but you all of you can probably appreciate it. It's 
thirty two minutes long.  I don't think I've seen it either." Karen answered. 

   "Well. we don't need that one."  Dave said.  "At least I won't." 

   "It might be worth watching."   Karen returned.  "You are all probably 
fertile females now, and you had better understand what that means." 

   Joe understood all too well the significance of his situation.  He thought 
about last night, and how it seemed he was almost beside himself, seemingly 
unable to control his new desires.  He couldn't remember ever being that 
overwhelmed by masculine passion. 

   "I'd like to see it."  Joe blurted out.  The others looked over at him and 
grinned.  Mike spoke. 

   "You ready to try out the new equipment"?  He said. 

   "We might be this way for a long time...maybe for the rest of our lives."  
Joe said matter of factly.  "We might as well face that reality." 

   "Joe's right.  I don't know how you feel right now, but you might change 
your mind as time passes."  She put the tape in the machine, and pressed 
play. 

   This film was obviously meant for a mature audience.  It was a no nonsense 
review of birth control methods, showing the advantages, disadvantages, and 
performance statistics of each form, from the condoms, to oral 
contraceptives.  While watching it Joe decided he would ask Dr. Krell about a 
diaphragm.  He wondered how he could bring the subject up. 

   As the tape finishing with a review of the various methods, the instructor, 
Susan Stevens entered the room.  She took a seat next to Joe, but said 
nothing.  Joe could detect the pleasant scent of her perfume.  When the tape 
finished, she walked to the front of the room. 

   "Good morning."  The nurse said.  "My  name is Susan Stevens.  I'm a 
registered nurse.  I've been married for ten years, and I have two children. 
I've been informed as to what has happened to you, and I'm here to help.  
Feel free to ask any questions you want.  You won't embarrass me.  I'll try 
my best not to embarrass you.  Susan Stevens was a very attractive woman, 
perhaps in her early thirties.  She sat on top of the small desk in the front 
of the room, and her fitted white uniform did little to hide her attractive 
figure. 

   No one wanted to be the first to speak,  preferring to wait for others to 
break the ice.  Susan looked at each of them, the friendly smile never 
leaving her face. 

   "I work here at the clinic on a regular basis, so I see many examples of 
gender disphoria.  I must admit, however, I've never heard of a case like you 
three have experienced.  I've seen your files...quite interesting.  Before I 
joined you here, I was in the examination room with Dr. Krell as he checked 
over your friend Tim.  It is really quite amazing."  Susan said. 

   The others just looked at her, saying nothing. 

   "Come now.  You've been like this what...five..six days?  You must have 
some questions about yourselves, your anatomic changes, in that time. 

   Surprisingly, Dave spoke first. 

   I'm a married man.  The father of two kids.  How do I explain to a four 
year old son why I look like this?   And my wife, how do I relate to her?"  
The feminine tone of his voice had a bitter edge. 

   Well, I'm not sure about what can be done about your marriage." Susan said.  
"Dr. Krell has people looking at the problem.  For the immediate future, how 
does your wife feel about it?  Does she reject you?" 

   "Well, no."  Dave said. 

   "Then don't reject her."  She went on.  "I don't know how you feel about 
her, or will feel about her as time goes on, but if you can...if you still 
have feelings for her, tell her.  Let her know.  I think she'll understand.  
Give her some time." 

   "Yeah, but look at me.  I can hardly please her, looking like this." Dave 
lamented. 

   "Give her a little credit."  Susan said.  "I doubt that sex is at the top 
of her priority list right now. She's probably most concerned for your 
feelings, and with trying to help you cope.  Talk to her.  Ask her.  Just 
don't push her away." 

   "But what about my kids?"  Dave asked again. 

   "Answer the questions when they ask.  Don't tell them more than they want 
to know.  You might find that at such a young age, they'll accept almost 
anything as normal."  Susan advised. 

    Dave shook his head in agreement. 

   "What does a period feel like?"  Mike blurted out.  "Will I know its going 
to happen before blood comes out?" 
            
   "Well, that's a tough one."  Susan looked at Mike with a understanding 
grin.  "From personal experience, sometimes I feel like hell for a day or two 
before my flow, and sometimes it comes as a complete surprise.  Most likely, 
you'll know something is going to happen before it does.  You'll probably 
retain water, and your breasts often feel very tender because of that.  All 
women are different though, and it will probably take time to learn your own 
bodies pattern.  Also, I don't know about a situation like yours, but when 
adolescents get their first menses, it's often irregular for some months, 
then it settles into a predictable pattern, more or less.  Of course there 
are always exceptions.  Are any of you menstruating now?" 

   They all looked at each other, and shook their heads. 

   "Well, don't lose any sleep worrying about it.  It really isn't that bad. 

   The discussion moved to questions about hygiene, and self examination, how 
to keep their new female parts healthy, and working properly.  Mike was 
asking most of the questions.  It was obvious that he had been at a distinct 
disadvantage compared to Joe and Dave, both of whom were assisted with the 
changes by the women already in their lives.  Mike asked what he could do 
about his sensitive nipples.  Susan gave him advice similar to what Karen had 
recommended, and advised that he wear a bra, or a silk camisole under 
clothes. Mike said he didn't know how to buy, or wear a stuff like that.  
Susan said that they should view the other tape, and Karen told him she'd 
help.  The conversation continued until Tim came into the room, and took a 
seat.  Susan greeted him, and quickly went over her self introduction again.  
She quickly went over the questions which had already been discussed, and 
asked Tim if he had anything to ask, or to add. 

   "I feel strange...well...kinda horny or something...I don't know..." Tim 
said with great embarrassment.  "Often...sometimes, I feel like I'm getting 
an erection.  I know that can't happen, its obvious when I see myself that it 
would be impossible now.  But, I...I feel like I still have my cock, but know 
I don't.  It seems all I can do now is wet my underpants.  What the hell am I 
supposed to do?"  Tim asked. 

   "Tim, I think you must try to get used to the way you ARE.  I've seen what 
you look like.  You aren't deformed, or anything.  Sure, your genitalia is 
changed...to be sure, but you are still normal...for a genetic female, and it 
appears that's what you have become, at least that's what your body is now.  
We can try to help you get accustomed to the differences...adapt to what you 
have become."  Susan said. 

   "Yeah, I know.  I just came from Dr. Krells office.  You saw what he did to 
me in the examination room.  Just now, he just told me he thought I was 
healthy, and normal, FOR A FEMALE!   A girl!   He said I was a probably a 
girl! You can't possibly  realize how hard that is for me, just to walk 
outside looking like this."  Tim said loudly.  His now feminine voice showed 
his frustration.  "I'm a guy...I just turned twenty one.   Hell, I just had 
sex for the first time last year...and now...my cock is gone, and I've got 
tits...real ones...and it seems that nobody can do anything about it." 

   "Please.  Calm down."  Susan said with authority.  "I realize it's 
difficult.  Mike here, and Dave, and Joe too...They have the same adjustments 
that you do.  We don't know for sure that it's permanent, at least not yet. 
But even if it happens to be, you're going to have to quit feeling sorry for 
yourself.  You say you're a still man.  Well then...quit whining." 

   The hard way Susan spoke to Tim surprized Joe.  He looked over at the young 
man with the body of a young woman, as Tim wiped the tears welling in his 
eyes.  Joe knew the way Tim was feeling...the emotional roller coaster they 
were all on.  He reached down, and took Tim's hand in his own.  It felt very 
soft.  He gave it a squeeze, which Tim returned. 
 
   Tim looked at Joe with desperate eyes.  "Joe, what am I going to do? What 
will my parents say when they find out what's happened to me?"  He asked. 

   "Don't worry.  I'm sure they'll understand, when they find out what 
happened.  This certainly isn't your fault.  Ease up.  You just gotta ease 
up." Joe said, continuing to hold Tim's hand. 

   "I don't know.  I just don't know."  Tim said. He was holding Joe's hand 
tightly, and Joe could feel him shaking.  It amazed Joe just how feminine Tim 
now looked and felt. 

   "We've all got to help each other get through this."  Mike said.  He now 
had suddenly become more accepting to their plight. 

   The receptionist came to the door to the room, and said something to Susan.  
She went back to the front of the room. 

   "Why don't you all watch the last tape, and then I'll take some more 
questions, and then Dr. Krell wants to See Tim again.  The rest of you will 
be free to go."  Susan said. 

   "Will Tim be able to leave for Phoenix with us?"  Joe asked. 

   "I'm not sure.  Maybe, if you don't leave until later in the day.  Do you 
have reservations?"  Susan asked. 

   "We have our own plane, and can leave whenever we are released."  Dave 
said. 

   "Well, that's convenient."  Susan said, obviously impressed. 

   She put the last tape in the player, and they all watched.  It had 
obviously been made at the clinic, and Joe recognized many of the people in 
it, including Susan and the nurse-receptionist. 

   The tape was unusual, but informative.  It covered such diverse subjects 
as choosing and applying cosmetics, how to measure for, and purchase clothing 
and undergarments, how to sit, tips on how to walk in women's shoes, and 
skirts,  detailed procedures for performing a breast self exam, and even the 
proper method they should use to wipe themselves to prevent vaginal 
infection.  It apparently had been created for voluntary gender reassignment 
patients, and it included a section on post-operative care.  The pictures 
displayed made Joe wonder why anyone would subject themselves to such a 
terrible hardship.  They had to really be displeased with the anatomic 
features they were born with, to be willing to undergo such pain and 
suffering, both mental and physical. 

   They watched in silence, and when the tape was rewinding, Tim spoke. 

   "I guess that's our fate, huh?   We might as well get used to it. Nobody 
really knows how to bring us back...and we're stuck like this forever." He 
said with uncharacteristic sarcasm. 

   "I don't know Tim.  You might be right.  Then again, we won't know unless 
we give Dr. Krell and the doctors a chance to find out what caused it. Since 
we don't really know that yet, there is no way to say it's permanent. As 
everyone has told you, it would be best if you can learn to adapt to the 
situation.  You might not like it, I realize that, but, your not in pain. You 
still have perfect health, and there is no reason you can't try to adjust. 
Everyone is trying to help...everyone wants to find out how to change you all 
back.  If it's possible, and I think it is, it will happen.  We just can't 
predict when that might be."  Susan again spoke to Tim with that somewhat 
harsh tone.  Joe realized that she was right.  It would do no good for any of 
them to mope, and feel sorry for themselves.  That wouldn't change a thing. 

   "If there are no other questions, you three are free to go.  Please take 
an information packet with you."  Susan pointed to the four large manila 
envelopes on the table behind them.  "Tim, You need to meet with Dr. Krell 
again." 

   "I'd like to talk with Dr. Krell too."  Mike said. "I have something to ask 
him before we leave." 

   "I'll ask."  Susan said, leaving the room. 

   "Well, she was certainly the prettiest drill sergeant I've ever seen." Joe 
said. 
 
   "She's right though."  Mike said.  We might as well do the best we can, if 
we're gonna be stuck like this for a while." 

   "That's certainly a change."  Dave said, looking at Mike, his raised 
eyebrows showing his amazement at Mike's new attitude. 

   "Yeah, I know.  But while I was watching the film...I don't know...I guess 
I just realized...maybe it really ain't so bad to be like this.  Maybe I'm 
just getting used to it, or something, but for some reason, I'm starting to 
like the way I am.  It's not so bad."  Mike said, saying the words to himself 
as much as speaking to the others. 
  
   Joe looked at Mike.  He wondered what had come over his friend.  Just 
yesterday, Mike had been so resentful of what happened to him, and now... It 
was the same feeling that had come over Joe a few days ago...a feeling of 
acceptance...a strange contentment.  Joe realized that he was no longer even 
concerned whether he could ever get back to normal.  It was as if his 
definition of "normal" had changed...was still changing.  Would this happen 
to each of them? 

   Tim followed Susan out the door, and Mike followed them both.  They went 
to Dr. Krell's office, and soon Susan and Tim came out, leaving Mike to talk 
with the doctor.  

   In maybe fifteen minutes, Mike came out.  He walked to the waiting room 
and told Tim that Dr. Krell wanted to see him.  He then took a seat next to 
Joe. 

   "Well, I did it."  Mike said.  "I signed the papers." 

   Joe knew exactly what he meant.  Yesterday, he too had completed the 
paperwork changing his records to match his new gender.  Even with the 
strange change in attitude that had overcome him, it was still a big step to 
take.  He and Mike were now legally as well as physically, women.  Only Dave 
and Tim had not made the switch, and Tim was in Dr. Krell's office right now.  

   Susan came and Karen came out of Dr. Krell's office.  

   "You three are free until four thirty.  Tim will be busy until then. If 
you want to go out for a while, that would be ok.  Tim can go to lunch with 
me."  Susan said. 

   "It's about ten.  What would you like to do?"  Joe asked. 

   "How about helping me with some of those clothes I'll need."  Mike 
suggested shyly.  He still had trouble saying the words. 

   "Yeah, we could do that."  Karen said.  "The mall is open.  It's only a 
few miles away." 

   "Ok then, lets go."  Joe said. 

   The three went out and got into the Lincoln.  With Karen driving, they 
proceeded to the large shopping mall. 

   "Mike has done it, he's signed the papers.  I still can't believe it." Joe 
repeated to no one in particular, as they drove along.  

   Mike had been the most "macho" of the group.  He had also been the most 
unusually changed of the four, since he had been taking steroids at the time 
of the genetic "accident" which had affected them.  His body had feminized, 
but, probably due to the foreign substances in his system at the time of the 
change, he had retained more muscle mass than the others, and some parts of 
his body had developed somewhat ambiguously.  His genitalia had metamorphosed 
to the feminine form, he now possessed a normal vagina, but the clitoris was 
quite large, though not nearly large enough to function as a penis.  His 
chest was wider than most women's, but his body hair had now reverted to a 
feminine distribution, and his apparently still developing breasts that were 
now about the same size and shape as Joe's, though on his larger torso they 
seemed to be smaller. 
 
   They pulled into parking, and walked into the uncrowded shopping mall. 
Mike, who was still wearing male clothing, was getting nervous as he walked 
alongside Joe. 

   "Do you think this is a good idea?"  He asked.  "What will they think when 
they see me?" 

   "Don't worry about it."  Joe said.  "Nobody knows you here.  And besides, 
once you get those clothes replaced, you won't raise an eyebrow." 

   "You really think so?"  Mike said. 

   Joe looked at Mike.  His friend was now maybe five foot eleven, or so. He 
had been at least six foot tall before... A big guy.  He was still big, at 
least as tall now as Joe had been before the change.  But big as he was, 
there was now little doubt that Mike Osborn was a female.  The shirt he was 
wore was not tailored for the breasts which seemed to want to tear the 
buttons out.  At times his sore nipples would make themselves evident by 
appearing to try to poke through the fabric.  Mike's hips...even with his 
wide chest, there was little doubt, from the look, to the way he slightly 
swayed as he walked, that they were the hips of a woman.  His bluejeans, 
which had been quite snug fitting on his male shape, were now strangely tight 
in some areas, baggy in others.  The blue fabric was lighter beside the 
zipper, where the bulge of his male appendage had worn it.  Now it was now 
loose and baggy in that area, testament to the change that had occurred. 
   
   "I think you'd have more trouble passing as a man than a woman now." Joe 
said honestly. 

   Mike seemed relieved.  Joe knew how he felt.  No matter what he looked like 
in the mirror, Joe had felt extremely self concous when had gone to buy 
clothes, especially the first time.  The feeling that all around him thought 
he male attempting to dress in drag was almost impossible to overcome. 
    
   They walked passed a Victoria's Secret store, and Mike stopped at the 
window.  He looked at the silks and satins.  The display included a sexy 
sleep set, many styles of lacy bras, and colorful panties of all types.  Even 
though Joe was now accustomed to wearing female things, even to the point of 
enjoying it, he still didn't like the lacy stuff.  His taste ran more to the 
soft slick silks and colorful satins and nylon fabrics.  When his body was 
male, he had loved the sophisticated, sexy look of a woman's body in snug 
fitting, unadorned, shiny, nylon panties.  Of course, now that he had 
actually worn those things, he found he liked the feel of the softer, more 
absorbant cottons better.  They looked almost as good, and his now more 
sensitive skin loved the soft feel of cotton. 

   "Find something?"  Karen asked Mike. 

   "I don't know...I'm just looking...Gee, I don't know if I can wear stuff 
like this, no matter what I'll look like."  Mike said to quietly to Karen, an 
embarrassed smile on his face. 

   "Maybe you should consider something a little plainer for your first." 
Karen advised, trying to ease his concern. 

   "Yeah.  Let's go inside."  Mike said, showing a sudden burst of 
confidence. 
 
   The four of them went inside the store, which was decorated to look like a 
Victorian era shop, and was scented with a potpourri of floral odors. Silks 
and Satins hung everywhere.  There were drawers filled with panties, matching 
bras, and all types of ladies lounging and night wear.  Karen, who had 
obviously been there before, went to a table which displayed many styles of 
panties.  She picked up a white cotton hipster, which was styled a bit like 
men's briefs, but had leg openings cut almost all the way to the wide elastic 
waist band. She held them out to Mike. 

   "How about these?"  She asked. 

   Mike took them and held them up.  He looked at the very narrow band 
separating the leg openings, and grinned with embarrassment. 

   "I hate to think that these would fit me."  He said. 

   "They're pretty stretchy."  Karen said.  "I think they will." 

   "Ok. I'll take them then."  Mike agreed.  "I guess I'll need a few pair 
won't I." 

   "Yeah.  You might look for some other styles you'd like.  They don't all 
have to be plain as those." 

   As Mike and Karen were looking at the selection, an attractive young sales 
woman joined them. 

   "Are you finding what you want?"  She asked.  She had obviously thought 
that Mike was a guy, shopping with Karen.  She realized her mistake when she 
saw the mounds under his shirt.  She looked at Mike carefully, trying to 
figure this tall man-woman. 

   "I'm just trying to buy some underwear."  Mike said to her with an 
embarrassed smile. 

   The saleswoman was embarrassed at her mistake. But...he looked so male from 
a distance, she thought.  His hair.  His size.  She excused herself 
awkwardly, and started to help another shopper. 

   While Karen was helping Mike, Joe began looking at the many feminine things 
offered for sale.  On a table, be saw a shiny black thong bikini panty, with 
a matching bra.  It made him think about the sexy black things Linda wore the 
other day.  He wondered how his new shape would look in these.  Only one way 
to find out, he thought.  Joe went through the selections until he found both 
items in black, and in his size.  He found the bra first, and then found the 
tiny panty.  The bottom consisted of an elastic waist band, with a thin 
triangle of fabric cut to just about cover the pubic area with very narrow 
strip which went around the back and connected with the waist band.  The back 
strip would probably be completely concealed in the cleft of his butt.  Joe 
found himself wondering what Jay would think about the outfit.  He suddenly 
realized that he was thinking more about how Jay would like it, than how he 
himself felt about it.  Another change in his personality?  He realized that 
he was thinking about quite a bit that morning. 
  
   He took his selections over to where Mike, Karen, and Dave were continuing 
to shop.  Dave just walked along with the others, not saying much, pausing 
now and then to feel or hold some item.  He showed little interest in buying 
anything for himself. 

   Karen looked at what Joe held in his hand.  She grinned broadly. 

   "Couldn't resist, huh?"  She said to Joe. 

   "Hey, if I gotta be a girl, I might as well try it.  Right?" Joe said. 

   "Right."  Karen agreed.  "I bought something like that, first chance I had 
after my operation.  Just to celebrate being able to wear it."  Karen went 
on. 

   Mike, his selection of underpants in his hand, had moved on to another 
table on which many styles of bras were carefully arraigned.  He held one up 
and looked at it curiously. 

   "How do I know what size to wear?"  He asked. 

   "We'll have to measure."  Karen said.  She went to the desk where the sales 
woman was standing, now watching the curious group out of the corner of her 
eye.  At Karen's request, she handed her a measuring tape. 

   Karen came back to the table. 

   "Let's go in here Mike."  She said, taking his hand. 

   She lead him to one of the two dressing cubicles.  In a minute, Karen came 
out, and sorted through the assortment, searching for a bra.  She didn't find 
what she wanted, so she went to the saleswoman, and spoke to her.  The woman 
went to a drawer in the many cabinets by the wall, and began showing Karen 
various bras also stored there.  Karen selected one, white, plain, and made 
of cotton, and took it into the dressing cubicle where Mike waited patiently.  
In a few minutes, they both came out of the cubicle.  The white outline of 
the bra was evident under the shirt Mike wore, and his uplifted breasts now 
strained even harder at his shirt buttons.  They went over to the drawers and 
Karen held up different styles, and types of bras, with Mike shaking his head 
in agreement, or dissatisfaction at one type and the other. They soon had 
about three choices, and they went back into the cubicle. Another five 
minutes passed, and they came out again.  Mike's face was red with 
embarrassment, as he went over to where Joe and Dave were standing.  He was 
still wearing one of his selections...it could be seen where it stretched the 
fabric of his shirt apart between the buttons.  He now needed a top that fit 
his new shape. 

   "I think the next stop should be for a new shirt."  Joe said, grinning, and 
pointing at Mikes chest. 

   "Yeah, I guess so."  Mike said.  "I didn't realize I was this big." He 
continued.  "It does feel kinda good though...not so loose."   He shook his 
chest. 

   "I know exactly what you mean."  Joe said.  It hadn't taken him long to 
appreciate the secure feeling he got when he put on his first bra. 
    
   They paid for their selections, and left the store.  The next store they 
came passed was JC Penney's.  They went inside, and strolled into the women's 
casuals section.  Joe looked at Mike, and decided that they might have to 
move to area with larger sizes.  There, Mike found a number of stretchy tops 
that fit his somewhat unusual contours.   Mike also found some slacks, and 
some denim jeans.  He didn't even bother to look at skirts or dresses.  As 
they were leaving, they passed the exercise wear.  Mike who's life had always 
revolved around athletics, or body building, stopped to look at the colorful 
bodywear. 

   "I always thought this stuff was sexy."  Mike said.  "I never guessed that 
I might be able to wear it myself someday." 

   He looked at the exercise wear, holding up stretchy bodysuits, and colorful 
sweats.  When a young sales woman came up and offered assistance, he asked 
about sizes, and colors, showing no embarrassment.  The girl helped, seeming 
unphased by the big woman with the short hair, who didn't have any idea what 
her sizes were.  Watching Mike, Joe realized that he himself would have no 
trouble being taken for a natural woman.  If Mike could do it, any of them 
could. 

   After trying on various items, even coming out of the dressing room to get 
their opinion, his still hairy legs, and armpits not withstanding, Mike 
purchased a number of leotards, some in cotton, others in shiny spandex.  He 
really seemed to like wearing the form fitting clothing.  Joe had to admit, 
Mike's new shape was somewhat attractive, in a female body-builder kind of 
way. He just needed to do something about his short hair, which made him look 
like a dyke. 

   "You need to do something about that hair."  Joe said, as they left 
Penney's. 

   "I know how to help with that, too."  Karen said.  

   They went out of the mall, and went to a little shop outside the main part 
of the mall.  In one of the little shops along the periphery.  It specialized 
in wigs, and hairpieces, for men and women.  Karen told them that she knew 
the owner, Barbara Simon, who had been one of Dr. Krells patients. They went 
inside, and Karen introduced them to an attractive, middle aged woman.  Joe 
looked at her, and wondered if she had once been a man also.  If she had, it 
was impossible to tell.  She looked, and even talked just like a normal 
woman.  If she was a guy, Joe thought, Dr. Krell was good at his work. 

   Karen explained what their problem, and the woman seemed unphased.  She 
immediately went to the back, and brought out some examples, mounted on 
velour covered heads.  She sat Mike down, and tried a few on him, the third 
try was a perfect match...It  changed Mike's appearance dramatically.  Mike 
looked at himself in the full length mirror, but didn't say a word.  He 
rubbed his hand along his cheek, as if needing to prove to himself that the 
reflection was his own. 

   Mike purchased the hairpiece, and Karen asked Barbara if they could use her 
dressing room to change clothes.  She agreed but said she actually had no 
special dressing area, but they could use the back room.  Mike went back to 
the car, and got his new purchases, and they all went into the back of the 
small shop.  There, in front of everyone, Mike removed his old shirt and 
pants. He took off his male underwear, and replaced them with the white 
cotton hi-leg briefs he had just bought.  The new underwear, cut to fit his 
new shape, looked quite attractive.  He couldn't resist touching and stroking 
the still unfamiliar sleekness of his crotch.  Joe remembered that he had 
done the same thing, first time he had worn panties.  Male underwear, with 
their baggy crotch, bunched up like a diaper.  They didn't look, or feel, 
like clothing cut with the female form in mind. 

   Standing there, in his new bra, and panties, Mike asked if there was a 
mirror he could use. Barbara opened a closet door, exposing another full 
length mirror.  Mike went to it, and for a few minutes, stood there staring 
at himself, sometimes touching...feeling, as if unable to believe what he was 
seeing.  Finally, he went over to the clothes.  He selected a top and pulled 
it over his head.  He  pulled the new jeans on, again returning to the 
mirror, turned and criticaly examined himself.  As all this was happening, 
the others said very little.  All understood what Mike was going through. 

   Finally, Mike turned to them, as if he again realized they were there. 

   "What do you think?"  He asked. 

   "You look beautiful."  Barbara said.  She meant it.  It was true. 

   "A complete turn about."  Karen said. 

   "I can't believe its you."  Dave said, teasing.  "You almost look good."  

   Mike paid for his purchase.  They thanked Barbara, and said goodbye. Joe 
helped mike carry his things to the car.  As he followed behind him, Joe 
found himself looking at Mike's backside, as a guy might do to any attractive 
woman.  The feminine cut of Mike's new clothes emphasized his wider hips, and 
Joe realized that though he was still big, and maybe his shoulders were now a 
little too wide, his friend was had become a very good looking woman. 

   They drove back to the clinic.  When they went in, they found that Tim was 
still with Dr. Krell.  The receptionist said she'd find out when Tim would be 
finished.  She soon came back, and said Dr. Krell would see them all in a few 
minutes.  They waited, and Dr. Krell came out and asked them all into his 
office.  He nodded approval at the transition Mike had made.  When they were 
all seated, Dr. Krell sat down behind his desk, and began to speak. 

   "I'm sure that you all would like to know what has happened to you.  We 
here at the clinic, indeed all over the country, have found your situation 
quite interesting.  I realize that for each of you, the problem is much more 
personal.  I know that, and I sincerely hope you realize that many people are 
doing everything within their power to help.  We have been running analysis 
of your examinations, your blood tests, and I believe we have determined what 
has happened.  We are also narrowing down the cause.  It appears that the 
change of your genetic make-up has been caused by exposure to some form of 
radiation. The one thing in common throughout all this has been the equipment 
that Joe, Mike, and Dave were working with.  Tim also just happened to be in 
the wrong place, at the right time.  The folks over at Honeybone are setting 
up an experiment in the lab there.  They have a large, screened room, a cage, 
which will keep the emissions from the equipment from escaping. It has all 
been set up there, and they will soon be ready to begin running tests.  I'm 
sure you will all want to be there.  I want you to be there." 

   Dave raised his hand to speak. 

   "Can we go home this afternoon?"  Dave asked. 

   "I'll be getting to that."  Dr. Krell said, smiling.  He knew they wanted 
to get home. 

   "This afternoon, I would like to get another blood sample from each of you.  
After that, you are free for the remainder of the day.  Tim has agreed that, 
like Joe, and now Mike, he would probably be able to function best if he 
changed his records.  I have them in process, but they will not be ready for 
him to sign until tomorrow morning at the earliest, around noon, the latest. 
It would be great if you stay until then."  Dr. Krell said. 

   They wouldn't be going home today after all.  Joe raised the question they 
all were thinking about. 

   "Do you have any new idea's how to get us back to normal again?" 

   Dr. Krell frowned.  "I wish I could say I did, but I'm afraid that wouldn't 
be true.  The damage to your chromosomes was so subtle...it is only within 
the last three years that we could even determine exactly the changes that 
have taken place.  Something, probably some form of radiation, has damaged 
the "Y" chromosome that you were born with, and that determines the genetic 
code, and thereby, the genetic sex of the body.  That damage has made the "Y" 
chromosome appear to look and function just like it was another "X". That 
lack of a functioning "Y" is what has caused the changes you each have 
undergone.  That much we are sure of.  Exactly how it happened, I think we 
can find out.  Repairing the damage...well...maybe someday.  I doubt if it 
will happen overnight.  When we can do it, I think then we'll have enough 
knowledge of genetics, that we can solve quite a few problems, many of them  
much more life threatening than what's afflicting you four." 

   "Are you saying we're going to have to stay like this?"  Tim asked. 

   "We have only begun to address the problem."  Dr. Krell answered.  "I 
wouldn't want to estimate when we'll have the answer.  At this time however, 
we do not have a solution." 

   It was exactly like Joe expected.  They had no way back, but they were 
being asked not to give up hope.  A few days ago, Joe would have been 
devastated by what he had just been told.  Only the thought that the 
situation was temporary, and for a reasonably short time, had made it 
bearable.  But something, within the last two or three days, something had 
happened...changed, he wasn't sure what it was, but now, he really didn't 
care.  As he sat there, he realized that if Dr. Krell had told them  that 
they had already found a cure, and that all he had to do to be "normal" was 
take to a pill...he wasn't sure what he would do.  It had only been five 
days...already he becoming conditioned to think about himself differently.  
The changes that had occurred to his body...changes that had made it so soft, 
so much more sensitive, would he want to give that up?  And for what?  A bit 
more upper body strength... the ability to pee standing up? 

   "All of you except Dave will sign the reassignment papers, and you should 
have no legal difficulties.  I am recommending each of you to a therapist, to 
help you to adapt, but I must say, you all seem to be doing quite well 
already.  I want to study that too.  You all have adjusted so well...  As for 
you Dave,  We'll come up with a solution, I don't know what yet.  I want to 
talk a bit more with you tomorrow, and get together with your wife too... 
Perhaps we can work something out."  The unanswered questions made the little 
man shrug his shoulders sadly. 

   "How about an operation?"  Dave asked.  "Can't you just change me back 
surgically?  Look at Karen...she used to be a man too, you turned her into a 
woman."  

   "That's not quite true, Dave."  Dr. Krell answered.  "I didn't turn Karen 
into a woman.  As far as Karen was concerned, she WAS a woman.  I just helped 
to make her body look on the outside what she felt in her mind she already 
was inside." 

   "So what's so different about me?"  Dave asked logically.  "I know that I'm 
really a man.  My wife knows that I'm a man.  Why can't you just make me look 
like a man again?"  

   "If it were really that easy, I'd do it today."  Dr. Krell answered.  And 
if I did that, and tomorrow we found a way to get you back...Dave you 
couldn't go back.  I'm not sure what you'd look like, but I don't think you'd 
like it.  Your genitalia might look less masculine than it does now." 

   "I doubt it could look less masculine."  Dave retorted.  "I know a pussy 
when I see one." 

   "Perhaps reassignment surgery will be best for you."  Dr. Krell returned.  
"But don't rush it too quickly.  I'm afraid when you find what we would have 
to do to your vulva, the limitations of the surgery,  I think you need to see 
what we can do for you before you agree to surgery." 

   "What ever you could do, if it would make me look, even a little, like a 
man again, it would be worth it."  Dave answered cooly. 

   "I will give the matter some thought."  Dr. Krell agreed. 

   He rose up from behind his desk.  "And now, if you would all take seats in 
the waiting room, I'll have the nurse take samples, and then you can go for 
the day."  The busy man had spent all the time he could with them. 

   They were each called in turn, and quickly were finished.  As they were 
waiting for Dave and Tim to finish, Joe and Karen called the Sheraton, and 
tried to get their rooms back for another night. 

   "Well, if there are no others, we'll take them."  Karen finally said.  

   The area was packed with vacationers, and conventioniers, and the Sheraton 
had only two rooms available. 

   The receptionist, who was good friends with Karen, listened to the 
conversation.  She interrupted Karen. 

   "If you have just two rooms, let your friends double up, and you can stay 
with me at my apartment."  She suggested.  "You've stayed there before, it's 
close, and you can go home with me.  I'll be here at the same time tomorrow 
morning." 

   "Is that Ok with you?" Karen asked Joe. 

   "Sure, Why not?"  Joe said.  "I can drive the Lincoln, and I know where the 
hotel is." 

   "It's settled then."  The receptionist said. 

   Tim, who was the last to finish, came down the hall.  He was holding a 
cotton ball in the crook of his arm. 

   "I'll tell you one thing,"  he said "Having such sensitive skin sure ain't 
good when they stick needles into it all the time."  He was grinning, and 
rubbing the soft skin of his arm. 

   They told Tim about the hotel arraignment, and then left Karen, and went to 
the parking lot.  

   "Can I bunk with you?"  Mike asked Joe as they walked to the car. 

   "Sure."  Joe said.  He wondered why Mike asked.  "What's up?" 

   "Oh, nothing much really, I just thought maybe we could talk a little."  
Mike said. 

   "Ok.  Fine with me."  Joe replied. 

   They got in the car for the drive to the hotel. 

                           **************************** 
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates19.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 19


                      CHAPTER 19
                THE CAUSE (part 1)

   The group in the car was quiet as they drove to the hotel.  The short
briefing by Dr. Krell had given them all something to think about.  Each had
always feared that their condition might end up being permanent, but until Dr.
Krell's admittance, they  held out hope that something could be done right
away.  Now, they were being told they could expect to stay as they were for an
indefinite period. The realization of what it all meant was just setting in.
Tim broke the silence.

   "God, I never thought I'd be worrying about having periods, or getting
pregnant, or anything like that."  He said.

   "I never considered that I wouldn't get to be a father."  Joe added.
"Even if I could have children now, I don't know if I'd want to be a mother."

   "At least you ain't a father already."  Dave added.  "I am, and now...I
told can be a mother too."

   It was obvious that the tapes they had watched earlier  that day at the
clinic, as well as Dr. Krell's statements, had made an impression on each of
them.

   "Well, it'll still take some getting used to I guess, but, you know,
I'm sort of starting to like looking like a girl...I think it's kinda fun."
Mike added.

   "Those clothes seem to have  have changed attitude, as well as your
appearance."  Tim said to  Mike.

   "Yeah. I know, but I think the hair is what really makes the
difference."  Mike said, smiling happily. "I don't even recognise myself when I
look in the mirror."

   "I guess I'll need to get one too."  Tim said refering to the wig Mike
was wearing. 

   "Why don't we stop at Barbara's shop."  Mike said. "She's probably
still be open.  It's only four-thirty."

   "Ok.  We can do that."  Joe agreed.  Longer hair had made such a
difference in he and Mike's appearance, as well as  confidence, he figured Tim
shouldn't have to wait either.

   Instead of going directly to the hotel.  They went to the little shop
by the mall.  It was still open, and Barbara had two customers in the shop when
they entered.  She recognized them as soon as they entered, and greeted them
with a friendly smile. 

   "I'll be with you as soon as I can."  She said. 

   They sat waiting for maybe twenty minutes while the other customers,
two older ladies, completed their fittings and left the shop.  Barbara came
over to them.

   "And what is this?"  She said, looking at Tim. "Do you people have a
machine to do this?"  

   "I believe we do."  Joe said.  Without completely realizing it,
Barbara's attempt at humor had probably been quite accurate.

   Barbara asked Tim to sit down, and then tried on various styles of
hairpieces.  The only one that matched his original hair color was a somewhat
short, pixy cut, but it was definitly attractive on Tim's now quite feminine
facial features.  As it had been with Mike, the change in appearance was almost
unbelievable.  As each of them concealed the last vestige of their maleness,
the masculine looking short haircut, they looked feminine in all respects.  Tim
sat in front of the mirror behind the table, and gazed at his reflection.  It
was his turn to be transfixed by the face of a pretty young girl staring back
at him.

   "I think it looks very nice."  Barbara said.  "But if you want another
style, it'll have to be another color, or else you can wait three days."

   "Oh no, I don't want to wait."  Tim insisted.  "This will be fine.  I
like it."  He didn't want to have to wait to have the look he was seeing in the
mirror.

   Joe paid Barbara since Tim didn't have enough money for the hairpeice.
As he paid the money, he realized that Tim probably didn't have much money, and
was probably at a distinct disadvantage to the others when it came to buying
the clothes he needed.  Joe thought about what Jay had told him, and kept the
reciept.  He asked Tim if he needed some more clothes.

   "Well, everything I have on right now is borrowed, either from you, or
Karen."  Tim said.

   "Then I think we need to get you some more."  Joe suggested.  "I'll pay
for them, and I'll give Honeybone the bill." 

   "Do we have to do it now?"  Tim objected.  He was embarrased to shop
for women's clothes. 

   "It's really not so bad Tim.  I thought it would be horrible too, but
once you start, it's really kinda fun...the things are so soft and slick, and
they fit so good.  I now understand why girls like shopping for clothes...it's
totaly different than I what thought."  Mike was sounding almost excited as he
talked about his own experience shopping that afternoon.

   "Besides pal, you signed up...you're legally a girl now anyway."  Joe
couldn't resist teasing the young man who now, especially with the new hair,
looked so cute...so attractive.  Of course, he knew better...he was in the same
position...but maybe it was just that he still had at least a bit of his old
masculine mischievousness, but he just couldn't resist teasing the cute Tim.

   "Yeah, I know, but it's just not easy to accept not being a guy...and
it's even harder to try to think of myself as a girl...I always think other
guys are staring at these boobs, or ogling my butt,"  Tim said,

   "And they are, too."  Joe said grinning.  "You know that.  This time
last week, you would have been looking at a butt like yours too."

   "Yeah, I guess so...it's kinda strange...now that I'm this way, women
just don't seem nearly as sexy to me as they used to.  I wonder why that is?"
Tim asked.

   "Maybe it's because you don't just look like a girl, you actually are
one."  Joe reasoned.  The same thought had already crossed his mind.

   "I guess I do kinda seem like a girl now, and maybe I've even turned
into one...I suppose I probably have, but, when I close my eyes...and when I
think of who I am...what I look like, I still feel like I'm a guy inside."  Tim
mused.

   "Yeah?  Maybe so, but not on the outside."  Dave added.  "Any one of
you have a body that most of the natural women out there would die for."

   "Hey, don't forget, I didn't ask to be this way."  Tim said.  He wasn't
sure if it was envy, or resentment, showing in Dave's voice.

   "I know, but damn it, you three have it easy...all you have to do is
get used to the new parts...then, you can just get on with your life.  I've got
a family   I can't just put on a wig, buy some clothes, and then learn to be a
woman.  But, don't forget, the the same thing has happened to me too, I have
the same feelings...  What the hell am I supposed to do?"  Dave was almost
sobbing.

   They got in the Lincoln, and Joe drove the short distance to the main
mall.

   "It'll work out, Dave.  They'll figure out something for you."  Joe
said.

   "Oh, yeah?  What?"  Dave snapped.  "Right now, it looks like the most I
can hope for is some kind of fake cock, which apparently won't have any
feeling...even Dr. Krell don't seem to think much of that idea."

   "Is that what you want?"  Joe asked.  "Maybe you should stay a woman,
if that's what you really want."

   "Hey, I don't know what I want."  Dave answered.  "I don't have any
idea what I want."

   "Then what ever you do Dave, don't let 'em cut on you unless you can't
stand it any other way.  Joe advised.  "If you don't mind me asking, have you
and Cindy slept together?"  Cindy was Joe's wife.

   "We were in the same bed, but we never touched each other.  I can't
expect her to become a lesbian, or whatever, just because this...this thing has
happened to me." Dave answered.

   "Don't worry about what to call it."  Joe said.  "You are both still
married to each other...what you do together can't be perverted or anything
like that."

   "Hey, old buddy, I know I'm not gorgous, but there's not much I can do
in bed with my wife, or any other woman.  I've undergone the same changes you
have.  I probably have the same feelings you have, too."  Dave returned.

   "Do you want to sleep with Cindy...would you like to make love to her?"
Joe asked. 

   "Sure, she's my wife...I still love her."  Dave answered.

   "Then do it.  Don't worry about what others might think.  It's nobody's
business anyway.  She'll accept you...you probably even smell better than you
used too."  Joe teased.

   "Aw Joe, what can we do?"  Dave asked.  "You know I'm not a man
anymore.  And I'm not sure I even feel like one."

   "Don't be an idiot Dave."  Joe insisted.  "By now...especially
now...you know what will make her feel good.  Just do that.  She'll probably
want to do the same for you.  You might be suprized how much fun you both can
still have...and heck, now you won't have to worry about birth control either."

   "How do you suddenly know about all this stuff?"  Mike asked.

   "I live with Linda, remember?"  Joe said, winking at him. 

   Joe opened his door, and got out.  They went into the mall at the same
entrance as that morning.  Mike took Tim by the hand, lead him right to
Victoria's Secret.

   "You just gotta get some of this stuff."  He said.  "It just look's and
feel's so sexy.  I just love it."  Mike had really made a complete transition.

   Tim was less sure of himself, but Mike, who was still much bigger and
stronger, just pulled him in the store.  They were acting like teenagers, out
the first time without their parents.  Tim was already wearing a bra, and Joe
knew it was his size, since he had loaned it to him the day before.  He told
Tim what he thought his new sizes were, and Tim reluctantly started looking,
and selecting items to try or buy.  Mike was acting as the expert advisor the
whole time.  The sales girl from earlier in the day was still there, and it was
obvious she recognized the group.  She looked carefully at Mike, sure she
recognized him, but was wracking her brain to figure what was so different
about this big woman.  She now looked far less masculine.  The hairpiece, and
the women's clothing had made a big difference in Mike's appearance.  But the
girl just couldn't place what the difference was.

   Tim finally picked out some underwear...probably more to please Mike
than himself, and then he even followed Mike into the fitting room to try some
bras on.  Joe could hear Mike talking to Tim the whole time they were in the
small room.  He couldn't get over how Mike was acting.  This big macho guy, who
now seemed suddenly fascinated with the details of being a woman.

   Maybe it's a good thing.  Joe though.  He considered his own feelings 
and reactions to what had happened to his own body, and he realized that maybe
he wasn't that much different than Mike.  Would this acceptance of their new
sexuality touch each of them eventually?  He wondered. 

   After Mike had helped Tim find his selections, and had tried on each
item that was practical to try on, they went on to other stores.  Tim, having
just turned twenty one, had much different tastes in clothes than the older
"women".  Even Mike, who was only twenty six, had much different ideas about
what looked good on Tim's attractive form.  It soon became obvious from the
type of things he stopped to look at...the kind of questions he asked, that Tim
liked the short skirts and tight, stretchy tops that were "in".  Although he
was embarrassed to wear them, those kind of things were what he thought he
needed.  Of course Mike, who's taste in fashion never went past exercise wear,
knew or cared little about things like that.  When Mike showed less interest,
Tim began to look at the things he thought he liked.  As he was looking, a
sales girl, probably about his own age, came over to help Tim.  The former
young man certainly needed her assistance, but he could hardly speak.  It was
very difficult for a twenty one year old male to ask a twenty one year old
female to help him select a skirt and top for himself, no matter what he looked
like. It didn't make any difference to Tim that the friendly young lady was
actually somewhat jealous of his shapely figure.

   The sales girl was finally able to get this stuttering customer to tell
her what she  was looking for. This tall, very shy girl didn't even know what
sizes she was looking for.  When she finally helped her pick out some
selections, she even seemed reluctant to go into the dressing rooms.  She kept
looking back at her three older friends, one of whom looked like she had her
hair cut like a man.  When the girl finally came out of the fitting room (it
took forever) so that she could see herself in the full length mirror, she
seemed quite embarrassed to be seen in the short skirt, even though she looked
fantastic in it.  She acted like she had never worn anything like it before,
even though she had one of the trimmest shapes the sales girl had ever seen.
When she looked at herself inthe mirror, the girl seemed almost like she was
looking at someone else, she touched her hair, her hips, even felt at her
breasts, as if she had never noticed them before.  It was strange to watch her
as she turned about, observing herself in the three sided mirror.  Then, the
other three women came over and looked too.  They all seemed to be seeing this
young lady for the first time.  Finally one of the women spoke.

   "I think it's you."  Joe said. 

   "I just can't believe it.  I feel like I  have to pinch myself, to
believe this is me."  Tim exclaimed.

   Oh, come on, thought the sales girl.  You do look good, but not that
good. 

   "I think it's just right for you." The sales girl said.  And I think a
some black shoes would go nice with it."  She pointed to the mannequin, which
was wearing almost the same choices.

   "Oh, yea...I guess I'll have to get some shoes too..."  Tim muttered.
He was still admiring his new look. 

   "They're down on the lower floor."  The sales girl said.  "Will there
be anything else?" 

   "Yeah,  I'll need some more...I guess a few more..."  Tim said
absently. 

   The sales girl looked at him.  What was with this girl?

   They spent anothe hour selecting things with the young sales girl, and
then went walking throughout the mall shops, each of them looking, sometimes
trying something on, sometimes even buying.  The only one who didn't seem to be
having fun was Dave, who looked, sometimes touched, but never tried anything
on, and refused to buy anything.  Mike was able to get both Tim and Joe to get
some colorful exercize wear for themselves.  Joe already had some which he had
bought the first day, but Mike insisted, and Joe was in the buying mood.

   Finally, loaded down with packages, most of them Mike and Tim's, they
struggled back to the car.  Driving back to the hotel, it didn't sound anything
like four men in the car, as Joe, Mike, and Tim discussed the different things
they had seen, as well as the things they had purchased.

   When they went in, they got their rooms, and had their bags brought to
the rooms.  As agreed, Mike roomed with Joe, and Tim and Dave were together.
Jeo went into his room, placed his bags of purchases on the end of the bed, and
dropped down on it in exhaustion.  He had long ago decided that the pumps he
was wearing surely had not been made for walking in.  Though they looked great,
they lacked the comfortable support of the more substantial men's footware.  He
kicked them off, and pulled the sun dress up to his hips and began to massage
his sore feet while  enjoying the cool air on his tired legs.  When he looked
over, he saw that Mike was watching him, eyes wide, grinning.  Suddenly he
realized that that by pulling his dress up so high, he had exposed his bottom,
and the sight of his panties had caught Mike's eye.

   Mike realized he was staring when he saw Joe cover himself in
embarrassment.  He quickly appoligized.

   "Gee Joe, I'm sorry.  I know we're both women now, but I couldn't
resist looking when I saw you laying there like that.  It...you were just so
sexy looking, I just couldn't help looking..."  He stuttered with
embarrassment.

   "Hey, don't worry about it."  Joe said grinning.  "I know how you
feel.  I find myself looking at you sometimes, too.  And Tim...ain't he
something."

   "Yeah, SHE sure is."  Mike agreed.  "Do you think we should start
calling ourselves women?  I mean, if we want everybody else to treat us like
women now, I guess we should do the same ourselves."

   "Yeah, I guess we should, but it's sure a hard thing to do...I still
think that deep inside, I'm a guy.  I guess I'm sort of getting used to the
idea of looking this way, but it still seems strange to think of myself as a
"she".  Joe said as he sat back up on the bed, smoothing the dress over his
knees.

   "Same here.  Mike agreed.  "But you know, if Dr. Krell called right
now, and said he had just discovered the secret to get us back...I don't know
if I'd rush to go and do it.  Ain't that wierd?  What's going on anyway?  Why
am I suddenly starting to enjoy this so much?"

   "Don't worry, you're not the only one who feels that way.  Joe said.
"I'm starting to like it too.  It must be the different hormones, or
something."

   "So do you think we're really turning into women?" Mike asked.

   "Well, let's see, we just came back from a shopping spree where you and
Tim looked at more clothes in one afternoon than I did in a year...and I even
liked it too.  Now, I'm sitting here, wearing a dress, and I just realized I
need to pee.  Now, if after this afternoon's little shopping trip, I still have
any doubt that I've turned into a woman, I'm fairly sure I'll be reminded of it
when I go in the john, and pull down these panties I'm wearing."  With that,
Joe got up and went into the bathroom.

   When he came back out, Mike was standing in his underwear, looking at
each of his purchases, laying each item on the bed. 

   "You know, I think just looking at this stuff gives me a hard-on."
Mike said, grinning.

   "It is some nice looking stuff." Joe agreed.  "But you've gotta do
something about those hairy legs."  He started to look through the bags which
contained his new purchases.

   Joe found the little black bra and panty set.  He held up the little
wisp of black nylon which was the little thong bikini.  It didn't look like it
would cover him, even with the changes.  Mike saw it too, and grinned.

   "Come on Joe, try it on."  He asked.

   "I don't know..."  Joe really wanted to put it on, but he didn't really
want to put himself on display. 

   "I just know you'll look great wearing that stuff."  Mike continued. 

   "Aw, all right..  I would like to see how they fit." Joe admitted.  He
carefully unbuttoned the red sun dress and stepped out of it.  Looking down
at his chest made him smile.  His nipples were quite visible through the thin,
almost transparent fabric of his bra.  It was still a strange experience having
tits, he decided, but he was beginning get used to the idea, sort of.  He
reached behind his back with both hands, unhooked the back strap, and felt his
bra loosen.  He squirmed out of the tangle of straps and then scratched under
his soft mounds at the red marks made by the underwires.  Joe dropped the old
bra, and picked up the new little black one.  This one had the catch between
the cups, and he could see what he was doing as he fastened it.  He ajusted the
cups over his breasts until they felt just right.  This new lighter bra felt
as if it might provide somewhat less support that the one he had just removed.
It sure did look sexy though, but in a very different way than the sheer one.

   "You have such a great body." Mike said softly.  Admiration, as well as
perhaps a bit of envy, was quite evident in his voice.  "It sure makes me wish
I hadn't taken those steroids."

   "You look ok, Mike."  Joe said truthfully.  "They don't seem to have
affected you that much."

   "Maybe it don't look like it much, but I sure do feel like I'm still a
guy sometimes, like my cock is still there.  It's almost embarrassing feeling
sometimes."  Mike rubbed the front of his panties, where his penis should have
been.

   "Actually, I think that sensation might be normal."  Joe said.  "I feel
the same way too.  I'd bet that even natural women feel like that.  They
probably just don't realize what it is."

   Yeah, you might be right, but I know I've never seen a woman with a
clitoris as big as mine."  Mike retorted.

   "And I guess you've seen 'em all?"  Joe said. 

   "Well, I've seen a few."  Mike said.  "So your still sleeping with
Linda, even now?"

   "Well...er, I ah, Yeah, I...we have slept together."  Joe cautiously
admitted.  "And it was pretty good too."  

   "But, what did you do with her?   How...what can you do now?"  Mike
asked innocently. 

   "Maybe I ain't a man anymore...and maybe I don't have male equipment,
but I still know what women like...maybe even better now than before."  Joe
said.  "And I can tell you, these new parts ain't missing a thing when it comes
to erotic sensation.  It feels like all the old nerves are still there, maybe
moved around a bit, and I think they've even have had the gain turned up a
little, too."   He grinned as he spoke.

   "You've noticed that too?" Mike asked.  "I was thinking that I must be
really screwed up, after having my cock kinda shrivel up, and then still being
horny all the time.  The urge does seem to be tapering off a little bit lately
though."  Mike announced.

   "Yeah.  For me too." Joe said. "Dr. Krell said that maybe I was getting
familure with the new sensations, and that maybe my testosterone level would
start to decrease.  It was far too high for a female, he said."

   "Do you...er..have you ever thought about what it would be like to
sleep with a man...to have sex with one?"  Mike asked.

   "Well...I'll admit, the thought has crossed my mind." Joe admitted.  He
wasn't about to say anything about last night.

   "I don't know if I could do it...I mean...some other guy's cock...all
that...but I don't know, I just can't seem to get the idea out of my mind.  I
find I'm constantly wondering how it would feel."  Mike wondered out loud.

    "I suppose it just might be pretty good." Joe answered.  "Dr. Krell
says all our organs are normal, even the stuff that's changed, and that
everything should work just like any normal woman's...and heaven knows, they're
sensitive enough, that's for sure."  He was actually relieved to hear that
somebody else was experiencing the same feelings he had been having lately.

   "Yeah, but the thought of laying next to another guy,  I don't know if
I could that."  Mike continued.   "It would have to feel weird."

   "Maybe it wouldn't, once you got...you know...into it."  Joe countered.

   "Yeah. Maybe you're right.  I just don't know though."  Mike said. 

   "There's no need to rush something like that." Joe mused.  "It looks
like we might have plenty of time to get used to the idea."

   "Yeah, it does look like that, don't it." Mike agreed.  "I sure have
trouble with the idea of spending the rest of my life as a woman...hell, I just
can't see myself looking like my grandmother."

   "It is kinda hard to accept isn't it."  Joe admitted. 

   "So far, everything has been interesting...sort of...it even feels
kinda exciting, and I'm even learning to like some of the things about this.
At first, I thought I was really gonna miss having a cock, but...you know...I
really don't...except for taking a piss.  I just don't think I'll ever get used
to peeing like a girl."  Mike said, rubbing the soft little bulge between his
legs.

   "It is different, isn't it.  I guess I miss that part of being a guy
too." Joe agreed.   

   "Of course, there are some compensations."  Mike continued.  "Have you
ever made yourself come yet?"  Mike wasn't one to mince words.

   "Well...yeah, I suppose I have..."  Joe said cautiously.  He wondered
what Mike was leading to.

   "Pretty wild, isn't it?"   Mike said, grinning.  "First time I washed
myself, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.  And it just keeps coming
back for more.  Hell, I almost rubbed myself sore.  I still feel a little
tender down there."

   Joe pulled his panties off, and tossed them on the bed.  He picked up
the little thong bikini, stepped into it and pulled it over his hips, The tiny
wisp of black cloth covered most of his pubic area, narrowing to a thin crotch
strip that went between the legs, riding up the back in the cleft of his
buttocks.  He could feel it where it touched sensitive areas.  His entire rear
end was essentially bare.  He looked down, over his breasts, and saw that the
front of the bikini at least covered his bush, but even with his close trim,
some pubic hair showed around the edges.  Joe pulled the tiny "V" of cloth away
from his crotch, and let it spring back, which helped to cover some of the
hair.  It felt very sexy just wearing it, and Joe thought it probably looked
that way too.  He liked it immediately.

   "That looks really great."  Mike exclaimed.  "Damn it Joe, you are
just so damn beautiful." 

   "I know I've changed, but I don't know about beautiful...  And this
thing feels like its riding in the crack of my behind...I guess it is."   Joe
still felt awkward getting compliments on his new appearance.

   "Well, it's true, you really are beautiful.  Tim is too, in a sorta
"teenage" kind of way...but you...man if I still had my old body... I don't
know..." Mike grinned a wicked grin as he said the words.

   "Well, don't forget, you look pretty good too."  Joe returned the
compliment, feeling his face reddening.  "You seem to be still changing.  Am I
right?"

   "Yeah, I think so.  I'm pretty sure my boobs are still growing, or
filling out, or something.  I don't know...but I feel like I'm still getting
softer...all over."  Mike ran hand over his breasts as he spoke.

   "Maybe the steroids only slowed the change, but can't stop it."  Joe
considered. 

   "Well if it was going to stop the change, it's too late now."  Mike
said.  "I not only look pretty much like a female, I even think I feel like
one, at least most of the time."

   "Well then, shave those hairy legs, will you."  Joe teased. 

   "Yeah, I will."  Mike said.  He began going through his small bag,
looking for his shaving kit.  When he found it, he went into the bathroom, and
shut the door.  Joe could hear the toilet flush, and the shower start to run.
As Mike cleaned up, Joe removed the sexy feeling new underwear and put his old
things back on.  He found some shorts, and a light blue top, and put them on.
Using the remote, he snapped on the television, and lay back and watched the
news.

   In a while Mike came back out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around
his body.  He had removed the hairpiece, and with the towel hiding his curves,
again looked a just bit like his old self.  Mike had obviously shaved his legs
bare only moments before.  Joe watched him as he dressed, and smiled when Mike
removed the towel. It was strange to see the familure head of his friend, above
a now quite hairless, and very curvy, female body.  He realized that his own
reflection was probably quite similer.

   Mike stepped into, and pulled on one of his new stretchy bodysuits, and
covered it only with colorful nylon shorts.  He was obviously enjoying the way
he now looked, eyeing his reflection in the mirror over the dresser as he put
the things on.  Joe had to admit that Mike was becoming quite attractive.


   "Want to work out with me?"  Mike asked.  "There is a great exercize
room downstairs." 

   "Aw, I don't know...I know I should...but..."  Joe protested.

   "Come on, you know you need it too."  Mike said.  "And I'd sure like
the company."

   "Ok.  I'll go with you."  Joe answered.  He went to his bag and took
out the exercize clothing he just bought.

   When Joe was ready, they went down to the exercize area.  There were
three guys there, and  Joe and Mike found that they were immediately the
primary object of attention of the others in the room.  Joe went to a
stationary bicycle and climbed on, and Mike tried his new, muscles on the
weight bench.  As Joe sat there pedaling, he watched Mike strain to find his
new lower limits.  Then, one of the young men came over, and climbed on the
other bike.  At first, the guy said nothing, seeming to feel out the situation,
but in a few minutes, he spoke, obviously very nervous.

   "This is a nice place, isn't it?"  The young man asked, making small
talk. 

   Joe looked over at him.  "Yes.  It is nice."  Joe said, smiling.  He
tried to sound and act as feminine as he could, but was feeling terribly self
concous.

   "Is that your friend over there?"  The guy continued. 

   "Yeah.  He...she's my roomate."  Joe answered. 

   "She can sure lift."  The man returned.  "She looks pretty strong." 

   If you only knew.  Joe thought.  But he said.  "She's been lifting for
quite some time." 

   "Are you gonna be over in the lounge later?"  The guy blurted out.  It
was obvious that he was even more nervous than Joe, but not much.

   "I don't think so."  Joe answered.  "I have to get to sleep early."  He
wasn't ready to fight off the lounge lizards. 

   "Oh, you should come down.  The place is swinging every night."  The
guy continued.

   Then you won't need me there.  Joe thought. 

   "I just don't think I can."  Joe repeated.  He turned back and looked
at Mike, who was now dealing with one of the other guys.

   "Sure you can.  What did you say your name was?"  The guy wouldn't be
shot down.  Joe found he admired his tenacity. 

   "I didn't say, but it's Joe."  Joe answered, trying to appear more
friendly than he was feeling just then.

   "Joe?  What's that short for?  Jo-ann?"  He asked. 

   "No.  My name is Joel.  But I've always been called Joe."  Joe replied.
 
   "Joe sounds like a guy's name."  The guy went on.  "But it sounds good
on you.  My name's Mike."

   "Thanks Mike."  Joe answered.  Great.  Another Mike,  He thought.   

   "What's your friends name?"  Mike asked.  He was running out of things
to say, but was desparately trying to continue the conversation.

   "She's...er...her name is Mik,,,ahh...Michelle...I call her Mike too."
Joe stammered. 

   "That's interesting."  Mike said.  "We have the same names." 

   "Look Mike...I don't think I'll be at the lounge tonight.  I'm really
sorry."  Joe said, trying to sound kind, as well as apoligetic. 

   "Ok. But you'll be missing out on a good time."  Mike said. 

   Joe rode on in silence, and Mike continued pedaling too.  Joe was aware
that the young man next to him was watching him move out of the corner of his
eye.  He had done the same thing himself, eyeing a good looking girl, using
that image to keep his mind off aching muscles.

   Joe felt a bead of sweat trickle from under the hairpiece, and then run
along his ear.  He reached up, and pulled the hair away from his face.  He
would have liked to remove the wig but knew that would have caused a real stir.
He just kept pedaling, enjoying the feeling only vigorous exercize can produce.

   After twenty minutes on the bike, he found that his new body was
getting tired.  BEfore the change, he could have kept this pace for an hour.
He stopped pedaling and went over to Mike, who was seeming to enjoy the company
of the the other guy, who was hanging around him like a puppy.

   "I think I'm going back to the room."  Joe said.  "I'm tired, and I
need a shower."

   "Ok.  I think I'll hang around here for a while yet."  Mike said. 

   "Later."  Joe said, and walked out of the room rubbing his face with a
towel. 

   "Bye, Joe."  Mike (the guy) said.  "Come back down later, if you can."

   "Yeah.  See you later Mike."  Joe said, and walked over to the
elevator.

   Joe went to his room, and went straight to the shower, and started it
running.  He had worked up a good sweat, and his clothes were quite wet, but he
noted that, even when he was sweating,  he still smelled different than he did
as a guy.  He quickly removed his clothes, and in a few moments, he pulled back
the curtain and stepped in, enjoying the warm spray on his back, but
remembering to shield his sensitive breasts with his hands whenever he faced
the spray.  He lingered in the warm spray for a while, and then hopped out of
the shower, drying off quickly.  He was now  starting to get familure with the
new curves and crevases his body had acquired with the change.  He left the
hairpiece off, and, finding his terrycloth romper, he slowly pulled it on.  Joe
then pulled the spread back from the bed, and collapsed on it.  Joe's tired,
soft body, smelling fresh from the shower,  felt good, but  very sleepy.  He
closed his eyes.

   It seemed like Joe had only been sleeping a few minutes, when he heard
Mike enter the room.  He opened his eyes, and saw his friend, his new leotard
soaked with persperation, come in, and go straight into the bathroom.  The door
closed, and almost immediately, Joe could hear the shower start to run.  He
looked at the clock radio.  He was suprized to find that he had been sleeping
over an hour.  Joe closed his eyes again, and again he was awakend by Mike.
This time when he came out of the bathroom, again wearing only a bath towel.

   "Joe...I just met a guy...you saw him...Gordon...he thinks I'm a real
girl...  He wants me to come down to the lounge later."  Mike said. sounding
almost like he asking Joe for permission.

   "Are you gonna go?"  Joe asked. 

   "I don't know.  Do you think I should?"  Mike questioned. 

   "Well, do you want to?"  Joe returned. 

   "Yeah, I think I do, but maybe I don't.  I don't know...I'm scared.
What if he finds out that I'm really a guy?"  Mike asked. 

   Joe looked at his friend standing at the foot of the bed, wearing only
a bath towel.

   "Mike, open the towel, and let it drop to the ground."  He said. 

   Mike opened the large white towel, and let it fall to his feet. 

   "Now, look down.  What do you see?"  Joe asked. 

   "I don't get it, what do you mean?"  Mike asked, confused.  

   "Unless you tell him, there is NO WAY he'll know that you USED to be a
man.  You aren't one now   You don't even look remotely like one."  Joe said.

   "Yeah.  Yeah.  I guess you're right."  Mike agreed. 

   "By the way, I told your guy's partner, the one who was trying to hit
on me, that your name was Michelle, but that I always called you Mike." Joe
warned.
 
   "Oh yeah.  I didn't even think of that."  Mike said.  "I even told him
my name, that I was Mike Osborn."   

   "Did he say anything about that?"  Joe asked  "It sounded too wierd
when I told the other guy, who's name was Mike too, that I was Joe, and you
were Mike."

   "Michelle huh?  Michelle...Michelle....I kind of like it.  You know, I
never thought of using another name, but maybe I should."  Mike said, beaming
with a strange happiness.

   "Well Michelle, are you going to go to the lounge tonight?"  Joe asked.

   "Will you go with me?"  Mike, now Michelle, asked.

   "Nope.  I'm going down to the restaraunt and get something to eat, and
then I'm going straight to bed.  That Air-Dyne wore me out."  Joe said,
yawning, and raising his arms over his head.

   "But if I go, what should I wear?"  Michelle asked. 

   "Man, I don't know.  You only bought jeans and shirts, and all that
exercize stuff.  Joe said.  "Call Karen.  She'll help you out." 

   "What's her number?"  Mike asked. 

   "Hey,  I don't know.  She went home with that receptionist.  I'm not
even sure what her name was."  Joe replied.

   "I'll look at what I've got here.  Michelle said. Maybe I can find
something ok  to wear." 

   "Don't ask me."  Joe said.  "I have enough trouble of my own, I'm the
last person to ask for fashion advice."

   "Aw, Joe, you're easily the best dressed of all of us."  Michelle said.
"You always look great." 

   "It's Linda...and Karen....I don't have any idea what I should wear."
Joe said.  "I just wear what they tell me to wear." 

   Watching Mike/Michelle standing there, naked, looking through his/her
bags, Joe thought he should remind Michelle about something. 

   "Don't forget what Dr. Krell and Susan said."  Joe reminded. "If you
decide to try out the new equipment, make sure you and Gordon use some
protection.  If anything happens, it'll be YOU getting pregnant now."

   "Aw Joe, don't worry about that, I have absolutely no intention of
sleeping with anybody."  Michelle said.

   "But it's not sleeping that causes the trouble."  Joe said, thinking
that he was sounding like Michelle's father, or more likely, her mother.  

   Joe remebered how he had felt when he was with Jay, and "Michelle"
seemed at least as infatuated as he had been then.

   "Ok, Mother."  Michelle teased, as she pulled a new pair of panties on.

   Mike/Michelle carefully put on one of her new bras, and again went to
the mirror.  She looked at herself criticly. 

   "You know, I ain't too bad looking, I guess.  But sure I hope my boobs
get at least a little bigger yet."  She said.

   "I didn't know you were a 'tit man'"  Joe teased. 

   "Aw, Joe, you know what I mean.  I have such big shoulders, bigger
breasts would play them down a little."  Michelle decided.

   "Now you're really sounding like a woman."  Joe said. 

   "But it's true, ain't it?"  Michelle asked. "They would, wouldn't
they?"   

   "I don't know, maybe they would."  Joe said.  "You already look ok to
me." 

   "Yeah, but what would a guy think?"  Michelle asked, and then realized
what had just been said. 

   "Well excuuuse me."  Joe mocked.  "I'm sure I don't have any idea what
a GUY might think."

   "I'm sorry...but you know what I mean.  I mean...like Gordon."
Michelle said.

   "Oh, yeah.  Gordon."  Joe continued.  "I'm sure Gordon likes women with
big tits." 

   "Lay off Bates."  Michelle said in a way which might have sounded
menacing, if it hadn't come from someone wearing a pink bra, with matching
panties. 

   "Yes mam"  Joe mocked.  But he stopped the teasing.  It was so amazing,
seeing what had happened to this big guy, just one week after his chromosomes
had been jumbled, or whatever.  He knew the same thing was happening to him
too.  

   Michelle found a pair of jeans, and picked one of the tops they had
just bought.  He clothes might be ok, if it was real casual in the lounge. 

   "It'll have to do."  Michelle said, arainging the hairpiece, and
brushing it with Joe's hair brush.  "I don't know about this long hair though."

   "Let's get something to eat, what do you think?"  Joe asked. 

   "Yeah, I am getting hungry."  Michelle agreed.  "We should call Dave
and Tim, I guess." 

   They called the other room, and made araingments to meet down stairs in
a half hour.  Joe got dressed in shorts and a top, and he and Michelle left the
room. 

   Next....PART II of "THE CAUSE" 


                                   CAUSE II 

                             CHAPTER 19 (PART 2) 
                                       
                             THE JOE BATES STORY 

     Joe called to Tim and Daves room.  They agreed to meet in fifteen 
minutes, downstairs in the hotel lobby.  When they arrived, Tim and Dave were 
already there.  Tim was wearing some of his new purchases and now, along with 
the physical changes brought about by the metamorphosis and his new hair 
style, the young man's very feminine body looked exactly what Joe thought of 
as "cute".  Dave of course still wore the now familure yellow coverall.  It 
seemed to Joe that Dave's hips and butt looked little larger each time he saw 
him, but his friend didn't seem to notice. 

     "Where do you want to eat?" Joe asked. 

     "I don't have a preference." Dave responded.  "Right here will be fine 
with me." 

     "Yeah, Sounds ok to me too." Mike added. 

     "How about it, Tim?" Joe asked.  "Is this place satisfactory to you?" 

     "Sure, absolutely." Tim said.  "I only hope I can afford it." 

     "Don't worry about paying for it." Joe said.  "I'm putting this on 
expenses.  I'll cover yours too." 

     "Great!" Tim said. 

     Everyone followed Joe and Mike into the quite formal dining area of the 
hotel.  They stood at the podium, and in a moment the head waiter came to 
them.  He looked at the group of women with a critical eye.  

     "Good evening ladies." He said.  "Will there be just four of you?" 

     "Yes." Joe answered. 

     "Follow me, please." He continued. 

     Joe, Dave, Mike and Tim followed the waiter single file to a dimly lit 
table in a quiet area of the restaraunt.  He positioned the chair out for 
Joe, who looked at him a moment, until he realized what was going on, and 
then carefully sat down.  Using Joe as an example, the others followed suit. 

     "Your waiter will be with you momentarily, ladies." The waiter said, as 
he smiled and left. 

     "Well.  That was sure the royal treatment." Mike said. 

.     "Oh, I don't know." Joe said.  "It's probably just the way they treat 
women here.  Maybe we'll just have to get used to it, if we can." He grinned. 

     "It is kind of nice." Tim said.  "I guess not everything about this is 
bad." 

     "How's it going, Tim?" Joe asked.  "Are you getting used to it yet?" 

     "Well, Yeah, I guess so." Tim answered.  "That is, if it's possible to 
get used to something like this happening to you." 

     "Well I guess I just gotta be the first to tell everybody" Joe 
announced. "Our Mike here, Mike has decided to answer to the name Michelle.  
And...he's ...no, she's... even going on a date tonight." Joe teased. 

     "A date?" Tim asked incredously. 

     "Don't listen to him." Michelle (Mike) said.  "I'm not going on a 
'date', that's just his bullshit." 

     "But what about the 'Michelle'?" Tim asked. 


    "Well...I don't know, I was kinda thinking...maybe it might not be such a 
bad idea...it's kinda like my name, and it don't sound so strange when I tell 
people...people who don't know about me...my name.  Telling people my name is 
Mike sounds kinda strange now, don't you think?" Michelle asked. 

	"No worse than Tim, or Joe." Dave answered. 

     "Tim and Joe can do whatever they want." Michelle said.  "I'm going to 
try it for a while at least, and see how it works.  Maybe you guy's should 
consider other names too.  If we're going to have to live like this, we might 
as well blend in as well as we can...make the best of it." 

     "I wonder what name I could use?" Tim thought aloud. 

     "How about Tina?" Michelle suggested.  "I used to know a girl with that 
name.  She looked a little bit like you do, too." 

     "Naw, I dont like it." Tim said.  " I don't care wha you guy's think I 
look like, I don't want a "cutsy" name like Tina.  My sister's name is Becky. 
I wonder what she'd say if...when she see's how I look...hell, I think I've 
got bigger boobs than she does." He suddenly went quiet as he considered his 
now changed relationship with his sister. 


     "How old is she, Tim?" Joe asked, trying to keep him talking, and not 
feel sorry for himself and what had happened to him. 

     "She's about a year older than me." Tim answered.  "I just turned twenty 
one, and she'll be twenty two next month." 

     "Does she still live at home?"  Joe asked. 

     "Well, right now she's at home, but she'll be moving to Flagstaff as 
soon as schools out." Tim said.  "I don't know if I want her to see me like 
this." 

    "If you plan to go home, I don't think you'll be able to hide it." 
    Mike/Michelle said. 

     "Don't remind me." Tim said.  "I don't know how I can ever tell my dad 
what has happened to me.  I think he'd just die." 

     "Maybe not."  Joe said.  "I take it you haven't told them yet." 

     "God no." Tim said.  "I havbe been hoping that somehow I'd be able to 
change back...you know...wake up, and look like a guy again." 

     "It don't look like it'll be that easy." Joe said.  He was glad that he 
didn't have to face his own father, who was deceased, looking as he did.  He 
didn't know about telling his own mom that her only son was now her only 
daughter. 

     "Yeah.  I think your right"  Tim said. 

     The waiter came to the table with menus.  He asked if anyone would like 
a drink.  Joe asked for a beer.  Mike thought that sounded good and did the 
same.  Dave asked for scotch.  Tim said nothing, but the waiter stood waiting 
for the young lady to order.  

     "I'll have a Michelob too" Tim finally said, looking up from the menu, 
and seeing that the waiter was waiting for his response. 

     "I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask for your ID." the waiter said, 
apologicly looking at the young girl. 

     With extreme embarassment, Tim took his wallet from the small hand bag 
he had just bought that afternoon.  From it he retrieved his drivers license, 
which still had his male photograph, and of course, there was still an "M" in 
the block labled sex.  The waiter looked at the card, and then back at Tim. 
He looked again, and with a totally confused look, he gave the ID back.  He 
said nothing, probably so unsure as to what was going on that he thought it 
best to do nothing.  This young lady...and it was quite obvious that Tim was 
female...was either an idiot trying to use her brothers drivers license, or 
something very wierd was going on.  He decided it best to leave it alone.  He 
had asked for ID, that's all the manager had ordered him to do.  Let the cute 
kid have a drink if she wants one. 

     In a few minutes, the waiter returned with their drinks, and asked if 
they were ready to order.  They were, and in turn, they told him what they 
wanted. 

     When the waiter left, Joe took a swig from his glass.  It still tasted 
great, but he knew from experience that one maybe two of these now had the 
effect of twice that number.  Tim drained his glass in very few swallows.  It 
took more than just becoming a girl to change the way he downed a brew.  He 
put the empty glass back on the table. 

    "You better watch out." Joe advised.  "If your at all like me, I think 
you'll find that you can't hold anything like you did before." 

    "Aw, it went down just the same." Tim said, a big grin forming on his 
face.  "Besides, your paying the bill, aren't you?" 

     "Yeah.  I'll pay for it." Joe said, grinning.  "But I'm not sure I could 
carry you upstairs anymore." He grinned, flexing his arm, and rubbing his 
firm but small bicep. 

     The service in the hotel restaurant was good, and almost immediately the 
waiter noticed Tim's empty glass.  With some suprize, he asked if Tim would 
like another. 

     "Sure.  Keep them coming." Tim responded, the words sounding funny 
coming from such a feminine voice and person. 

     Tim was well into his second Michelob when Joe finished his first.  Mike 
and Joe were hardly drinking at all.  Before Tim could order another, the 
waiter brought out the salads.  They started eating immediately, and again, 
Tim acted more like the twenty-one year old guy he was born as, than the 
soft, feminine person he had become. 

     "I guess didn't realize how hungry I was." Tim said, hungrily wolfing 
down the salad. 

     "Your acting like you haven't eaten in a week." Joe said, watching him 
in amazement. 

     "I haven't eaten very much lately." Tim answered.  "I just haven't been 
hungry, until now." 

     "Your going to have to watch how much you eat, too." Joe advised.  
"Karen said that it's really easy for a female to gain weight.  And, every 
bit if it goes to the hips and butt." 

     "I don't think I have any problem with that, do you?" Tim asked.  Like 
Joe, the change had left his body with very trim hips, especially for a 
woman, and a firm derrier, and he knew it. 

     "Maybe not today, but if you don't watch it, it'll grow on you."  Joe 
said.  

     "Just look at my ass if you want to know what it can be like." Dave 
added.  "I didn't really lose my gut, I'm just sitting on it now." He said, 
somewhat sarcasticly. 

     "Exercize with me." Michelle (Mike) said.  "We'll have that butt off in 
no time."  He said to Dave with a grin. 

     "I'll have to think long and hard before I could step inside a gym 
looking like this."  Dave replied. 

     "Hey, but it's kinda fun." Michelle said.  "You wouldn't believe the 
sights in the locker room." He winked at Joe.  As far as Joe knew, Michelle 
had never even been in a women's locker room yet. 

     They finished their meal, but not before Tim downed two more beers.  
When they were ready to leave, it was becoming obvious that Tim was feeling 
the effects.  His speech was becoming a little slurred, and he was speaking 
much louder, his inhibitions almost completely gone.  When he got up, he 
clung to the back of the chair for support.  Joe saw his young friend had a 
problem. 

     "Having some trouble Tim?"  Joe asked with a chuckle. 

     "I ah...no.  I'm ok." Tim insisted.  "I'm just a little dizzy, that's 
all."  

     "Yeah.  We can see that."  Dave said.  "You're shit-faced Tim." 

     "I admit, I do think I feel a little buzz.  But really, I'm just fine." 
Tim again insisted.  "I think I better just go up to the room for a while." 

     "That's a good idea."  Joe agreed.  Are you going to go with him Dave?" 

     "Yeah, I'll take little miss muffet up to her room." Dave said, trying 
to hold back a laugh.  It was quickly becoming obvious that Tim could barely 
walk. 

     It was all Dave, with Joe's help, could do to get the very tipsy Tim to 
the elevator.  Tim kept objecting to their assistance, and sometimes did so 
quite loudly.  When Joe's hand accidently touched Tim's breast, slightly 
pinching it between him and his arm, Tim objected loudly. 

     "Hey, lay off the boobs." Tim said.  "You think just because I'm a a 
little drunk I can't feel you touching me?" 

     "I'm not trying to touch you." Joe said with a snicker.  "I'm trying my 
best to help you walk." 

     They finally got Tim to his room.  They sat him on the bed, and then 
stood there a moment, wondering what to do next. 

     "Now what?" Tim asked.  "You two just going to stand there, and look at 
me?" 

     "We're trying to decide what to do next."  Joe said laughing. 

     "Ok then, stand there.  I'm going to go take a piss."  Tim decided. 

     He tried to get up, but was having dificulty rising from the bed.  Joe 
grabbed his arm, and pulled him to his feet. 

     "Can you make it to the bathroom?"  Joe asked. 

     "I'd prrreacheat it if you'd help me get in there."  Tim conceded. 

     Joe assisted Tim to the bathroom.  When he got to the stool Tim stood 
there, and fiddled with the zipper at the front of his shorts.  He finally 
got the zipper down, and with his finger, started to probe around inside his 
shorts, as if looking for something.  Joe watched him, trying to figure out 
what he was trying to do. 

     "Just what are you up to now?"  Joe finally asked. 

     "Well, what does it look like." Tim said.  "I'm trying to take a piss. If 
I can just get my damn dick out, that is." 

     His foggy, confused mind had apparently forgot about the changes which 
had occured. 

     "I don't think that's going to work Tim." Joe said.  "Maybe you better 
just pull your pants down." 

     The results of the probing and Joe's words started to bring Tim back to 
reality.  He unbuttoned the waistband of the shorts, and pulled them down.  
He stood there, looking down at the blue panties he wore.  He looked over at 
Joe, and then back down at himself.  Finally, he broke out in laughter. 

     "You know what?" Tim asked.  "I forgot I was a girl.  I was thinking I 
was still a guy, and I was trying to piss standing up.  For a second there I 
was just having trouble finding my cock...It felt like it was just somehow 
caught between my legs or something.  Ain't that rad?  I thought it was just 
caught or something." He kept laughing, seeming to be amused by how his new 
body had tricked him. 

     Joe and Dave watched as Tim pulled down his underwear and then awkwardly 
sat on the stool, then they left the room. 

     "Think you'll be ok with him?"  Joe asked Dave. 

     "Sure.  If he don't come out in a few minutes, I'll go in after him." 
Dave said.  "You know, if a few beers made him forget about this, even if for 
a minute, I think I envy him." Dave said.  "I might just go out and get a 
six-pack myself." 

     Joe grinned at his friend.  "If you think it'll help, go ahead and try 
it, but you know as well as I do, it really won't change anything.  And just 
don't get so screwed up that you can't get up tomorrow." He said. 

     "Don't worry." Dave said.  "I'll probably just stay here and nursemaid 
 our little miss muffet."  

     "I'm going back to the room and hit the sack." Joe said.  "I don't know 
why I'm so tired." 

     "Maybe it's because you didn't get much sleep last night." Dave said, 
grinning.  

     Joe went back to his room, wondering what Dave meant by that last 
statement.  Did he know what he and Jay had done the night before?  

     Mike (Michelle) was standing in front of the dresser mirror, looking at 
him (her) self, and trying on each the tops she had bought that day. 

     "What dou you think?  What should I wear?"  Michelle asked hopefully. 

     "I think what you have on is as good as any." Joe advised.  "Maybe you 
should get some other things tomorrow." 

     "Yeah.  That won't help me tonight though."  Michelle said. 

     "What time are you going down there?"  Joe asked. 

     "I guess about eight." Michelle answered.  "I'll go down in a half hour. 
If nothing is going on, I'll only stay an hour or so." 

     "Are you sure you're really ready for this?"  Joe asked. 

     "Hell, I don't know Joe." Michelle mused.  "I thought it was a good idea 
when he...Gordon asked me...I'm more than a little nervous now, though." 

     "Don't go if you don't want to." Joe advised.  "Nobody's expecting you 
to do anything like this so soon." 

     "I might as well give it a try." Michelle said.  "As you said, nobody 
can tell I ain't a natural woman, and it'll be a challenge to try to act like 
one." 
     
     "Just don't get in any deeper than you really want to."  Joe said. 

     "Hey, I'm a big bo...girl.  I can take care of myself." Michelle said, 
grinning at her slip up. 

     Joe quickly removed his clothes, including his underwear, then pulled on 
the comportable little terry romper.  He snapped on the TV with the remote, 
and then pulled back the spread from the bed.  He lay down, bunching the two 
pillows up behind his head.  Remembering the hairpiece, he took it off and 
carefully placed it on the nightstand.  The air felt cool on his head as the 
conditioned air blew through his short hair.  He ran his hand through it, 
wishing it were as long as the wig so he could forget about wearing that.  In 
due time, he knew, all in due time... 

     Finally, Michelle left, and and Joe was left alone.  He tried to watch a 
movie, but was soon fast asleep. 


                       ******************************** 

     Mr. Bates....  Mr. Bates....  Joe could hear someone calling his name. He 
looked around.  He was in a room...it looked a bit like a hospital room, or 
maybe a laboratory of some kind.  A young, very pretty nurse was standing 
over his bed, shaking him and calling his name. 

     "What do you want?  Is something wrong?"  Joe asked. 

     "I was trying to wake you." The woman answered.  "You've been sleeping 
for hours.  I was beginning to wonder if you were ok."  

     "Yeah, I'm fine." Joe answered, taking stock of his senses as he woke. He 
pulled the sheet back, and saw that he was wearing a hospital gown.  He 
acidently brushed his chest, and didn't feel the familure softness of his 
breasts.  That's strange, he thought.  He placed a hand under the gown, and 
as he felt his bare chest, he realized that it was again covered with hair, 
and the only bulges evident were those of his well developed pectoral 
muscles.  It seemed that his soft breasts had departed as quickly as they had 
appeared. What's going on here, he wondered again.  The nurse saw his 
suprize, but remained silent and watched as he inspected his body.  Joe 
reached down and carefully felt between his legs.  There, instead of a tiny, 
sensitive, clitoris imbedded in the cleft of a moist vulva, he discovered a 
semi-erect penis, and under that, a testicle filled scrotum.  Since he had by 
now become familure with his new feminine shape, these male organs seemed 
unfamilure, and strangly huge. 

     With a start, Joe rapidly sat up in the bed.  This movement suprized the 
nurse, who jumped back quickly.  He swung his legs over the side of the bed, 
and stood up.  With that, it was obvious that he had also returned to his 
former height.  He ran his hands over his chest, his hips, and again touched 
himself between his legs, finding it difficult to believe what he was 
feeling. But, it was perfectly clear, his body had become male again. 

     The nurse, who had been watching in interest, finally said.  "Mr.  
Bates, I think you better get back into that bed.  I'll have to call the 
doctor." 

     "What is going on anyway?" Joe asked, confused.  "How did this happen to 
me?" 

     "But don't you remember?" The nurse said.  "They've discovered the way 
to change you back to normal.  They tried an experiment on you yesterday, and 
as you can see, it worked.  But you better lay back down, until the doctor 
can check you over." 

     "But I'm ok...can't you see that?" Joe insisted.  He could feel the new 
strength in his muscles as he stretched his arms over his head. 

     "I'll call the doctor right now.  The nurse said, as she backed out of 
the room.  

     "I want to put some real clothes on." Joe told her as she left the room. 

     Joe then went over to the dresser near the wall.  When he opened a 
drawer, he found it contained only his female underwear...panties and a 
bras...no outer clothing at all.  He went to the small closet.  When he 
opened it he again found only his women's clothes.  He took out a hanger 
which held a top and pair of shorts.  It obvious that these things wouldn't 
fit him now, even if he dared try putting them on.  He went back to the bed 
and sat down on the edge, quite confused. 

     He was sitting there only a minute when the door to his room opened, and 
woman entered.  Joe was suprised to see it was his girl friend, Linda. 

     "Linda!  Look at me, I'm a man again!"  He exclaimed.  

     "I heard Joe, and I came right over." Linda said.  "Are you happy about 
it?" 

     "Sure I am.   Aren't you?" Joe asked.  

     Linda walked over to his bed, and slowly pushed him back, until his head 
was again resting on the pillows.  Seductively, she put her soft hand under 
his hospital gown, and grasped his penis.  She slowly, gently ran her fingers 
up and down along the stiffening shaft, and Joe closed his eyes, enjoying the 
familure old sensation...a feeling he thought he would never again 
experience. As she stroked him, Linda placed her lips on his.  Joe could 
smell her and taste her sweetness as they kissed deeply.  He reached up and 
tried to put his arms around her, but she kept pushing them away, so that he 
couldn't get them around her.  Finally, he gave up trying to hold her, and 
just let her pleasure him.  In a very short while, he experienced the release 
of orgasm, and then felt Linda slide into the bed along side him.  He put his 
arms around her incredibly soft body, and held her tightly.  He suddenly 
became very tired. With Linda firmly in his arms, Joe fell fast asleep.  It 
seemed everything was working out after all. 

     
                   ************************************** 



     Joe woke as he heard a key fumbling at the door to his room.  From the 
glow of the TV, he could see someone enter, and go over to the other bed. 
When the light on the side of the bed snapped on, Joe could see that it was a 
woman.  He looked down at Linda, and saw that he was hugging his pillows.  
The "other woman" was Michelle, coming in from his/her evening out.  Joe 
looked down at himself, and saw, as well as felt that his boobs were 
back...he was still a woman.  As a final confirmation, he tensed the muscles 
in his crotch, and could tell by the now familure sensation, that his new 
penis had only been a dream. 

     "Are you awake?"  Michelle asked, looking over at Joe. 

     "I am now." Joe said.  "But you wouldn't believe the dream I just had." 

     "Sorry I woke you." Michelle said as she removed her top, then softly 
scratched her breasts as the bra came off. 

     Joe looked over at the clock, it was two-thirty.  Mike/Michelle must 
have had a good evening. 

     "Well, how'd it go?"  He asked.  

     "Not so bad...not really bad at all." Mike/Michelle said, a smile 
forming on her lips.  "You know, I think I'm really gonna like this." 

     "Anything you can tell me about?" Joe asked.  He was curious how his 
friend did on his first social evening as a woman, in mixed company. 

     Michelle smiled broadly.  "I though I'd kill somebody if they suggested 
I'd ever dare kiss a man, but tonight I actually did just that...just a 
little peck, and just outside that door, and my heart is still pounding from 
it." 

     "So you kissed Gordon, huh?" Joe asked.  "Was it as good as kissing a 
woman?" 

     "Hey, you know, it wasn't really that much different." Michelle 
answered, still smiling.  "But I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to all the 
touching." 

     "What touching?"  Joe asked. 

     "I think Gordon really is a "tit man".  Michelle answered, grinning.  He 
kept trying to sneak a feel of these things whenever he had a chance." 

     "Did it bother you?" Joe asked, about ready to laugh at his friends 
description of his introduction to womanhood. 

     "Well, I guess it didn't 'bother' me.  At first, I would just push his 
hand away, but he persisted, so I decided to let him go...get a good feel if 
thats what he wanted...and then see what he would want to do next." 

     "What did he do?" Joe asked, his interest becoming peaked. 

     "Nothing.  Nothing except feel my boobs...touch them all over...and I 
admit, it did start to feel kind of good, too.  I think if he had just kept 
it up, he could have done anything else he wanted...I thought I was going to 
leave a puddle on my seat...I finally had to go to the bathroom and freshen 
myself up." Michelle grinned.  "I found out something else too." 

     "What's that?" Joe asked. 

     "I think females get 'blue balls' too." Michelle said indelicately.  
"And tonight, I had em...bad." 

     "Sorry to hear it." Joe said, almost cracking up.  "And what did you do 
about that?" 

     "Nothing...what could I do?" Michelle asked.  "When I finally went to 
the bathroom, it was so crowded, I could hardly 'do' myself there.  I'm ok 
now though." 

     "Well, I'm sure glad to hear that." Joe chuckled. 

     Michelle went into the bathroom, and came out a few minutes later.  She 
put on one of her old T shirts to sleep in.  Like Joe, Mike had always slept 
in the nude before, but now prefered to wear something while she slept. 

     Joe snapped off the TV, and lay there in the darkness, trying to get 
back to sleep.  He began to think about the dream he had been having.  It had 
all seemed so real.  He could feel it, just as if he had really been changed 
back. It was the first time since the change had occured that he had 
experienced the feeling of having his maleness, and he realized that though 
he had become resigned to his present fate, he still missed his old status.  
He closed his eyes to the darkness and tried to sleep, hoping that at least 
the dream would return. 


                ********************************************* 


     Joe was awakened by the sound of the clock radio as it blasted out a 
Beatles tune.  The first thing he did when he woke, as was becoming a habit, 
was feel between his legs, never giving up hope that he might awaken in his 
old body.  But as usual, his fingers only brushed along the moistness of his 
vulva.  He continued to stroke the silky softness lightly, enjoying his light 
touch to that sensitive area. 

     Swinging his head around in the darkened room, Joe looked at the red 
glow of the LED's on the radio.  Seven-thirty already.  The night had gone by 
quickly.  He loo ked over at Mike/Michelle, and saw that she was also 
stirring, not wanting to get up, but knowing it was that time. 

     Joe crawled out of bed and staggered to the bathroom.  He started the 
shower running and pulled down the terrycloth romper, stepping out of it, and 
then sat and relieved himself as the water temprature stabilized.  He 
finished on the toilet, and felt the shower stream.  Satisfied, he took his 
soap and wash cloth, and stepped in.  He finished quickly and stepped out to 
dry off. When he finished doing that, he wrapped himself in a towel and went 
out into the main room.  He decided to dress before applying makeup.  
Michelle was still in bed, the covers pulled over her head.  Joe shook the 
bed with his foot. 

     "You got the bathroom, sleepy head."  He said.  

     Mike/Michelle pulled the covers off her face, and gave Joe a mean look. 

     "What time do we have to be at the clinic?"  She asked. 

     "I think we should get there at least by nine-thirty." Joe said.  
"That's only an hour and a half from now." 

     Michelle sat up in bed, and then reached down, and carefully felt her 
breasts.  Joe smiled as he watched his friend inspecting her body. 

     "Find something you like?"  He asked. 

     "I was just checking, trying to tell if I'm any bigger this morning." 
Michelle answered.  "I'm not sure, but I think they're still getting a little 
bigger every day." Mike/michelle smiled, somewhat embarrased. 

     "Well, Gordon will like that."  Joe teased. 

     "Hey, what the hell, we all have to deal with this thing in our own way, 
right?" Michelle protested. 

     "Yeah, I guess that's true." Joe agreed.  "If your way is to want to 
look like Dolly Parton, that's ok with me." 

     With that, Joe went to his bag, and pulled out the little black bra and 
panty set he bought yesterday.  As he stepped into the tiny panty, he 
considered what Michelle just said.  He knew, from last nights dream, that he 
had last night, that deep down inside, he still wanted to be a man...and he 
he still liked women too.  But...the reality of the situation was...he wasn't 
a man anymore.  At least he no longer had a male body...he wasn't so sure 
about his brain.  Even if that had become female now too, at least it still 
contained all his old male memories.  And the new hormones that were now 
coarsing through his veins...well, they were making living in the body he now 
posessed tolerable...no...more than tolerable...enjoyable.  And now it 
seemed, he found that wearing this kind of stuff was fun...so why shouldn't 
he do it? It was how he dealt with this "thing".  In his own way. 

     Joe had finished putting on his sexy underthings, when Michelle came out 
of the bathroom wearing the T shirt.  She went to her bags and pulled out 
some underwear.  Joe looked at his friend.  

     "Are you done in there?" Joe asked. 

     "You want to go in there again?"  Michelle asked. 

     "I want to put on some makeup."  Joe said. 

     "Oh, yeah?  Can you show me how to do that too?"  Michelle asked. 

     "Well, I'll do my best" Joe said, and then went to the closet and took 
out the suit.  Just seeing it caused him think of Linda.  He removed it from 
the hangers, and, after donning a slip, he put the business-like outfit on. 
When he moved, Joe feel the thong back of the little panty between his 
buttocks, and that constant reminder of what he wore underneath gave him a 
strangly good feeling. 

     "What you really need is for somebody who knows what they're doing to 
help you." Joe said.  "Remember, I'm just a beginner at this stuff too.  I'm 
sure Karen would be glad to help." 

     "Yeah, I'll ask her I guess." Michelle said.  "But I'm gonna watch what 
you do anyway, if you don't mind." 

     "No problem." Joe answered.  "Just hope you don't pick up any bad habits 
by watching me.  Yestarday and today are the only times I've ever done this 
without help." 

     "It looked ok to me yestarday." Michelle decided.  "You must be doing it 
right, I guess." 

     Joe went to the bathroom mirror, and proceded to do his face.  When he 
was finished, he helped Michelle do the same, using his cosmetics.  The 
colors were not as favorable for Michelle's complexion, but were 
satisfactory. 

     "You should go to the mall, and get a makeover." Joe said.  "It's 
rediculously expensive, and they sell you all kinds of stuff, but they will 
show you what you need...what looks best for you.  And it wasn't even 
embarassing...for me at least." 

     "What do you mean by that, Bates?  Michelle asked.  "Do you think I'd 
have a problem." Mike/Michelle was still somewhat insecure about her 
appearance. 

     "No, nothing like that, you dope, I just wasn't sure if yould be 
emmbarrased to have a woman teach you to wear makeup.  I guess I still have a 
problem thinking of you as you are now.  You've changed so much...we all 
have."  Joe said. 

     "Yeah, I know what you mean." Michelle agreed.  "While ago, when I 
looked at myself in the mirror...it wasn't really me staring back, was it?  
If it wasn't that my head has changed too...I don't really know how to 
describe what I mean...I don't think I could handle this.  Sure, at first 
it's kind of interesting...exciting even...to wake up looking like a woman, 
but it don't take long to realize that this ain't just some fancy costume 
we're wearing, it goes all the way to the bone.  We don't...we can't just 
take it off at night. At first I thought just getting used to the physical 
differences would be the hardest part, but hell, that's 
nothing...well...almost nothing.  (Michelle rubbed her crotch). I think the 
worst of this is the different way other people relate to you...I was still 
taller than a lot of those guys in there last night, and I think I could have 
even whipped a few of them, even while I'm like this.  But to those guys...in 
their eyes...most of em anyway, I could tell that they just saw me as a dumb 
woman.  Somebody to treat 'nice'...buy a few drinks, and maybe, if they got 
lucky, take up to their room.  I guess I can get used to that...most natural 
woman do I suppose...but that's gonna be the really hard part, as I see it." 
She looked at herself in the mirror, as Joe finished putting on the finishing 
touches. 

     Michelle looked into Joe's eyes, and saw they were wet from tears 
welling in them. 

     "Are you gonna cry on me Bates?" Michelle asked, trying to sound like 
the tough guy he used to be. 

     "Damn it Mike...er Michelle, I can't help it.  What you just said, it's 
the same kind of thing I've been feeling.  I guess it's the hormones, they do 
make having the bod more fun, I guess, but I think they've turned me into a 
sob sister, or something...almost anything makes me cry, it seems." Joe said, 
wiping his eyes, smearing the light makeup he had just applied. 

     "I guess we better reserve judgment on the 'fun with the bod' till those 
hormones do what they're gonna do and we get our menstrual periods." Michelle 
said.  "That's another one of my big concerns about all this.  God, I never 
thought I'd ever be worrying about periods...at least not my own period.  All 
the blood and all, I don't know if I really want to go through that." 

     "I thought you were getting all ate up with this 'female' thing." Joe 
said.  "Now you say you're afraid of having a period?" 

     "No. Not afraid.  I just don't want to have one, that's all." Michelle 
answered. 

     "Well, assuming we're both normal, for women that is, I guess we'll have 
one every month for the next fifteen, or twenty years.  Unless we happen to 
fool around and get ourselves knocked up, that is." Joe said, grinning. 

     "That's another thing..." Michelle said.  "I don't know a damn thing 
about being a mother...having kids...none of that stuff like that." 

     "Hey, do you really think you would be any smarter if you were born 
looking like this?" Joe asked.  "I really doubt that natural women are privy 
to some secret knowledge, things we can never learn." 

     "Maybe you're right, I don't know, I just know I wasn't taught to put on 
makeup, and my mom surw never taught me anything about periods either.  Now. 
here I am, with a body that seems to be getting more female every day, and 
when I think about that, it's pretty damn scarry." Mike/Michelle admitted. 

     "Yeah, I agree with you, when I think about it, I'm not sure I can 
handle it.  But, if we just take it a little at a time, maybe we can get 
through it." 
 Joe said. 

     They finished dressing, and then repacked their bags.  By then it was 
time to meet the others down stairs.  They went down to the coffee shop, and 
found that Dave and Tim were already there.  Tim looked a little rough.  His 
big blue eyes were bloodshot, and he was holding his head in his hand. 

     "How's it going Tim?"  Joe asked. 

     "Don't ask." Tim said.  "I don't know what happened.  Four beers NEVER 
did this to me before." 

     "You're a different person now, you know." Joe reminded him.  "A lot of 
things are different.  You better remember that." 

     "Yeah, I know, I know.  I just didn't think it would be that different." 
Tim lamented. 

     They quickly ordered and ate their breakfast.  Tim only sipped orange 
juice, and downed a glass of alka-seltzer.  When they were finished, they 
again checked out of the hotel, and drove to the clinic.  When they arrived, 
it was still a little early, and they were not quite ready for Tim, and the 
others.  Finally Tim was called in, and he left the others sitting in the 
waiting room.  Joe gathered a stack of magazines, and started reading. 

     In a little less than an hour, Tim came back out, a strange smile was on 
his face. 

     "Well, it's done, for better or worse."  He said. 

     "What do you mean?"  Joe asked.  

     "I signed the papers...I guess it's official...I'm not a guy anymore." 
He said, sitting down next to Joe. 

     "Welcome to the club." Joe said.  "I'll let you know what the dues are." 

     "I guess we're done here." Mike said.  "I haven't seen Karen yet, 
though." 

     "Yeah, I thought she'd be here by now." Joe considered.  He got up and 
walked to the receptionists desk. 

     "Where is Karen?"  He asked her. 

     "Oh, don't you know, she's back in the classroom, waiting for you do 
finish."  She answered.  "Why don't you go back and find her?" 

     Joe went down the hallway, looking in each open door until he found 
Karen, sitting at a table, reading a book. 

     "Gee, I thought you overslept or something." Joe teased.  "We're ready 
to go back to Phoenix, I guess." 

     "Ok." Karen answered.  "I got here pretty early, and I guess I got tied 
up inside this book."  She closed it, and replaced it on the shelf. 

     They walked up to the front, and when they got there they found Dr. 
Krell was waiting for them.  

     "I'll be there tomorrow morning." He said.  "They have been getting 
things ready, and I think were ready to try some experiments." 

     "Ok.  We'll see you tomorrow morning." Joe said.  "Do you know where to 
meet us?" 

     "Honeybone will send someone to pick me up at the airport." Dr. Krell 
said.  

     After they said thier thank-you's and good-bye's, everyone again loaded 
into the Lincoln for the ride to the airport.  When they arrived, Dave went 
to the plane to preflight, while Joe went to check weather, and file.  In 
maybe ten minutes, Joe was back at the plane.  

     "Severe clear as usual, except for a little smog."  Joe said.  

     "All ready to go."  Dave said. 

     They piled into the Cessna 421 for the flight back to Arizona.  Joe took 
the right seat, and Dave made the take off.  When they were at cruise, Joe 
looked back at the others in the cabin of the plane. 

     "Do you want to fly?"  He asked Tim. 

     "Sure."  Tim said.  "I thought you'd never ask." 

     As Dave flew, Joe carefully crawled out of the right seat.  It was more 
difficult that he realized since he was wearing the snug fitting skirt.  Even 
though his changed body was more flexible, he found that he was now more 
limited in his movements by the clothes he often wore. 

     Wearing pants, Tim easily maneuvered himself into the right seat.  When 
he was belted in, Dave gave him control of the aircraft. 

     "You got it." Dave said.  "Keep that needle centered." He pointed to the 
colorful horizontal situation display on his side of the panel.  Since the 
421 was usually used as an avionics test aircraft, the panels could be easily 
changed out, and had been replaced a number of times since Dave and Joe had 
been flying it. The right side was also equipped with basic instrumentation, 
but did not have the sophisticated electronic display of the left side. 

     Tim, who was a private pilot, had only flown singles, and was cessna 
twin was the largest he had flown.  He did a good job of keeping the needle 
centered, and held the planes altitude to IFR standards. 

     Before long, they were approaching the Phoenix area.  Dave handled the 
radios, and Tim followed the instructions of the controller as he gave them 
new headings and altitudes to fly, as they approached Deer Valley airport, 
north of Phoenix.  They were told to follow a Beech Baron, and Joe could see 
it about five miles ahead.  He could tell by its yellow color, and the accent 
of its pilot as he spoke to approach, that the Baron was a Lufthansa trainer, 
from Goodyear airport southwest of Phoenix. 

     "Can I land it?"  Tim asked. 

     "Think you can?"  Dave replied. 

     "Yeah, I think so." Tim said.  "If I can get the seat high enough to see 
over the panel."  

     Since he had undergone the change, Tim had become smaller than he had 
been as a male.  He had perhaps lost only a little more height than the 
others, but it seemed to come from his torso (his legs were almost as long as 
before), the change in size was most evident when he was seated.  Now, he 
needed the seat raised in order to see over the panel as he landed.  Dave 
took the controls as Tim fumbled with the recalcitrant seat mechanism.  Joe 
found it humorous to watch the young man, his breasts jiggling provocatively 
as he struggled to move the seat.  Finally he was able to make the stubborn 
seat move forward and upward, and he was finally able to see out the front of 
the plane on landing.  He held up a funnel shaped object to which a hose was 
connected, which led under the seat.  The relief tube.  On the 421, this tube 
was connected to a venturi, and it allowed the pilot to urinate without 
leaving his seat.  Joe had used it only once, as he flew the plane solo to 
Minnesota.  He wondered if it was even possible to use it now.  He decided 
that it would at least be very awkward.  Even if he could physically do it, 
it would now be necessary to pull his underwear down.  That would be a trick 
in the small cockpit.  Not very dignified, and certainly not at all ladylike. 

     Tim carefully tucked the tube back under the seat.  Then looked back at 
Joe. 
     
     "Looks like you got it."  Joe said, giving him thumbs up. 

     "Yeah, finally." Tim said, rubbing his left breast where it had been 
pinched by the seat belt as he worked on the seat.  "Seems like these damn 
things are always in the way." He grinned. 

     "But they make the clothes fit so well." Joe teased.  He just couldn't 
resist kidding the young man. 

     Tim gave Joe a dirty look.  Tim liked Joe and he knew they were just 
teasing him because he was youngest, and also maybe because he did have the 
most breast development of them all, except maybe for Dave.  And so far, Dave 
didn't count. 

     Even though he had been feminized like the others, Dave didn't try to 
look or act feminine in any way.  He had conceded enough to wear a bra, but 
it was more to keep his substantial bosom from bouncing uncomfortably than to 
emphasize it.  He always wore coveralls or other figure concealing clothing. 
He wasn't bad looking, he could actually be quite attractive if he tried, but 
he intentionally did nothing to bring attention to his new body shape.  He 
even tried to lower the tone of his voice when he talked, trying to make his 
now feminine voice sound as masculine as he could.  He would sometimes 
forget, and the difference was humorous sounding, somewhat like a young man 
going through puberty, but reversed. 

     Deer Valley Airport became visible in the windshield, maybe ten miles 
ahead.  Approach cleared them to tower frequency, and Dave reduced the power, 
so that they could slow, and configure for landing.  Soon the sound of the 
flaps moving to the first setting could be heard, followed soon by the gear. 
When they were on dogleg to final, Dave selected landing flaps, and gave Tim 
the new airspeed to fly.  Tim followed the instructions carefully, and flew 
smoothly, with a look of intense concentration on his attractive features. 
Without any assistance from Dave, Tim landed the Cessna, his first multi-
engine touchdown.  He grinned from ear to ear as he taxied the plane to the 
Honeybone ramp. 

     "Good job."  Dave conceded.  "I couldn't have done better myself." 

     The engines stopped turning, and Joe went back to open the door.  They 
were greeted by the maintenance crew.  It was only eleven thirty in the 
morning, and they were expected.  

     "Morning Joe." The mechanic said.  The mechanics name was Tom Garson.  
He had known Joe for some time and, like Joe, was a sports car nut.  It was 
the first time he had seen Joe since the change had occured and he looked the 
engineer over carefully, while trying not to seem overly curious. 

     "Hi Tom."  Joe replied. 

     "You're looking good."  Tom said absently, trying to sound nonchalant. 

     "Ain't that the truth." Joe agreed, a big grin on his face.  "But I can 
get used to it, if you can." 

     "Sure, no problem here." Tom said.  "But it is hard to believe that its 
really you there." 

     "Believe it, its still me." Joe said, as he began removing the bags from 
the plane.  

     Tom pushed Joe aside and began doing the heavy work of moving the bags. 
Not that anything was really that heavy, but Tom's instincts prevented him 
from letting a woman perform that kind of exertion. There was little doubt to 
Tom that the person next to him was anything but a woman.  Her/his clothing, 
appearance, size, shape, even the way she was straining to lift her bags, it 
was obvious that Joe Bates really had become a female. 

     At first the intrusion irritated Joe, but then he realized that nothing 
was intended by it.  It was just his own appearance which had caused Tom to 
react that way, and he might as well try and get used to it.  Tom loaded the 
bags on a little cart, and pulled it in the hanger office.  Joe went over to 
Dave, who was filling out the trip report. 

     "What else do we have to do today?"  Dave asked. 

     "I don't know, but I doubt it would be much." Joe replied.  They walked 
together into the office.  The mechanics would refuel and service the Cessna. 

     When they entered the office, the dispatcher was at his desk.  He looked 
over Joe and Dave carefully. 

     "Joe...Joe Bates?" he asked, somewhat embarrassed to have to ask such a 
question to someone he had known for a few years. 

     "Yeah Ted, its really me."  Joe said, smiling at the embarrassed man. 

     "I figured you'd look a little different, but gosh, I didn't realize..." 
He didn't know what to say. 

     "Yeah, I know." Joe agreed.  "Believe me, its not easy for us either. But 
inside, we're still the same guy's." 

     "Yeah, ok, well...anyway, Jim Matheney wants you to call as soon as you 
land."  Ted said.  "He'll be at his office all day.  

     "Thanks Ted." Joe replied, going over to the phone, and realizing that 
Ted, and everyone else in the room could not take thier eyes off of him or 
Dave.  Dave sat down at a desk to phone home, while Joe used the wall phone.  

     He dialed the number to Jim's office, and his boss immediately answered. 

     "Jim."  

     "Hi Jim.  Joe here." Joe said.  "We're back, safe and sound, relatively 
speaking." 

     "Well, I'm glad to here that.  What did you find out?"  Jim asked. 

     "Nothing much really.  They exmanined us again, and I guess they decided 
that we're not in any danger.  But I don't know how long we'll have to stay 
this way.  Looks to me like it might be for some time."  Joe told him. 

     "Yeah.  Dr. Krell has been talking to me.  He's hoping to get some clues 
from what we do here.  We have the cage set up with the transmitters. 
Everything can be operated from outside the cage." Jim said.  "I just don't 
know what they plan to put in the cage...animals I guess." 

     "Yeah, probably." Joe said.  "Eventually, they'll probably want to try 
us."  

     "I've heard of a lot of the things that radio energy can cause.  But I 
never thought it could cause something like what happened to you guy's." Jim 
went on.  "How's it going, Joe?" 

     "Well, I guess it gets easier as time passes." Joe replied.  "It really 
don't hurt, or anything, but it is a hard thing to get accustomed to." 

     "I guess so."  Jim said.  "I just don't know how you can do it." 

     "Really not much choice I guess." Joe said.  "Life's a bitch, and then 
you die." 

     "Do you have time to stop over here before you go home?" Jim asked. "Dave 
too, if he's still there." 

     "Sure, we'll be right over."  Joe replied.  "What do you have in mind?" 

     "Oh, nothing much really." Jim answered.  "I just wanted you to see what 
we have set up, and get your opinion on it before we meet with Dr. Krell 
tomorrow." 

     "Ok.  We'll be there in oh, maybe thirty minutes.  Is that Ok?" Joe 
said. 

     "Absolutely."  Jim answered.  "See you soon."  

     "Bye."  Joe hung up the phone. 

     Joe went over to the desk were Dave was sitting. 

     If you have the time, Jim would like us to stop by at the shop before we 
leave for the day."  He said. 

     "Yeah.  I can do that."  Dave replied.  "Any idea what he wants?" 

     "I think he just wants us to look at what he has set up for tomrrow, 
before Dr. Krell arrives."  Joe said. 

     Karen, Mike/Michelle and Tim came into the room, and Joe told them what 
he was going to do. He asked Tim and Mike if they could be at the Honeybone 
offices tomorrow morning. Mike agreed that he could, but Tim didn't know 
where it was.  Dave told him he'd take him over if he'd drive to his house.  
Tim knew where that was from thier discussion the night before. 

     Joe asked Karen if she thought she could be there.  She said she wasn't 
sure yet, but that it might be possible, since it was likely that Dr. 
Bennedict would want to be there too, and she would probably go along.  

     They said thier good-bye's, and Joe took his bag to his car.  Dave 
followed, and they drove to thier meeting with Jim, at the office.  When they 
arrived, Jim showed them the test installation.  The transmitters, each with 
thier small antenna, were set up in a large, almost cage-like "room" made of 
wire mesh.  The fine weave of the wire screen was there to shield observers 
from any effects of the radio energy by containing it within the room.  The 
size of the mesh was small enough to block transmisson of any frequencies the 
system was likely to generate.  There were closed circuit video cameras with 
recorders and monitors set up, to record all responses of the test subject, 
whatever, or whoever that might be.  Joe wondered who would volunteer for 
such an strange assignment, but then after he considered it, he figured that 
probably many of Dr. Krell's patients would be more than willing to undergo 
such an experience.  Indeed, if it could consistantly cause what had happened 
to him, people would pay money for it.  It would be an interesting task...and 
the outcome of it would certainly affect his life as much as anything he had 
ever done. 

     They agreed to meet in the morning, there at the test lab, at nine.  Joe 
and Dave left Jim, and each went home.  Dave to Cindy, his wife, and Joe back 
to Linda's house.  Tomorrow would be a big day for both of them. 

                  **************************************** 
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates20.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 20

     
              Chapter 20
              Adjustments

     As Joe drove to Linda's house, he passed the building which housed the
local office of the Department of Motor Vehicles.  Seeing the sign made him
think of all the paperwork Dr. Krell's attorney had given him.  He needed to
take a letter fhe was given by Dr. Krell, along with his old operators
license, and obtain a replacement...one which properly indicated his changed
status.  He had already passed the entrance when he decided to stop in, and
get it over with.  He quickly turned around and pulled into the parking lot.
There were only three other cars there, maybe they wouldn't be so busy now. He
wondered what might be said when they read the letter...what they would think.
Nothing he could do about that, he decided.  He removed the manila envelope
from his bag and looked through it till he found a smaller envelope containing
the letter.  He took it out and read it.  It was on Dr.  Krell's letterhead
and was really quite short, only two paragraphs, but it said a lot.  He read
the first sentence. "I have examined Joel Bates and have determined from the
results of that examination, that her body is anatomically female, and that
all legal records should reflect that status." Joe could feel a rush of blood
come to his cheeks as he read those words.  It made everything which had
happened seem so permanent.  It was also perhaps, the only place he had seen
himself referred to, in writing as a "she", and it put a lump in his throat
when he read it.  He carefully folded the paper and put it back into the
envelope.

     Joe opened the small bag he carried and removed his billfold.  He found
his drivers license and looked at it.  A male image stared back from the
photograph under the laminated plastic.  His old male face. When he thought of
his appearance, that face was still how he thought of himself in his minds
eye, but he knew that wasn't really the way he looked anymore.  He ran his
hand along his soft cheek, feeling its smoothness, and brushed his fingers
through the hair of the wig which now covered his ears.  No, he certainly
wasn't like that anymore.

     He placed his things back in the purse. Then, with very weak knees, he
got out of the car and entered the building.  He found that there was only one
other person there doing business, a young mother with two small children.
She was not in line, but was sitting in the seats along the wall, probably
waiting for her paperwork, or something, Joe thought.  He went to the counter
where a middle aged woman was standing.  He was glad it wouldn't be a man who
waited on him.  That might be even more embarrassing.

     "Can I help you?"  The lady asked. 

     "Yes.  I need to change my drivers license." Joe said nervously.  He
opened his purse, and nervously retrieved his old certificate. 

     "Just married?"  the woman asked, a big smile forming on her face. 

     "No, not really." Joe answered.  He handed her his license, and then took
the envelope containing the letter from Dr. Krell.  

     The woman looked at the old certificate, looked at Joe, then back at
the certificate.  She had a confused look as Joe handed her the paper.  She
opened it and read it, then again looked at Joe very carefully. 

     "My goodness." she remarked  "This is most unusual."  

     "Yes, mam." Joe said simply.  He didn't know what to say anyway, and
decided that as little as possible might be the best.

     "I've read about this kind of thing." the lady went on.  "But you're the
first person I've actually seen who's had that operation." 

     She thinks I've had a "sex-change" operation, Joe thought to himself.
Then he considered it.  Maybe just let her think what ever she wants.  He said
nothing.

     The woman looked at Joe carefully...at his face, and then lower, at his
figure.  She re-read the paper, and then looked at the photograph on his
license.  Finally she spoke.

     "Honey, that doctor sure did a fantastic job on you." she said.  "I only
wish I looked that good." 

     "Thank you."  Joe replied. 

     "I'll have to check the book on this." The woman said, reaching under the
counter, and pulling out her dog-eared copy of the regulations.  

     She went to the index, and then started thumbing through the book,
reading a paragraph here, and another there.  Finally, she looked back up at
Joe, who was so nervous he was almost shaking visibly. 

     "I can't find anything that says I can't do it, so why not?" she said.
"I can see that you're a woman.  There is no reason the state shouldn't
correct your certificate." she said, winking.

     Joe felt relief spreading throughout his body.

     "Please come over here, hon." the woman said, pointing to the Polaroid
camera that would take his new picture. 

     In a few minutes he had his picture taken, filled out the form, and paid
the fee.  Then he went to the seats by the wall to wait for the new
certificate to be prepared.  He sat down next to the woman, who he decided was
probably close to his age, maybe a bit younger.  He smiled at her.  She smiled
back, but her main concern was the two year old boy by her side, who seemed to
want to do nothing but squirm around.

     Finally, the woman behind the counter called his name, and Joe went up to
retrieve his new drivers license.  The woman had a big smile on her face as
she handed it to Joe.

     "Welcome to the sorority, darlin." she said.  "I know it took guts to do
what you've done, and I just want you to know I'm behind you." 

     "Thanks. I really appreciate that."  Joe said, flashing her a smile.  

     Great, Joe thought.  She probably had just recently watched an segment of
Donohue, or maybe even read some article in the National Enquirer, and now she
thinks that I'm like one of the characters on that show.  Oh well, at least
she's not some kind of female red-neck, he decided.

     He walked out of the DMV office with his new license in his hand, and a
big smile on his face.

     Joe got in his RX-7 and drove to Linda's, relieved that one major hurdle
had been overcome.

     It was three in the afternoon when Joe drove up the driveway.  He hadn't
eaten since breakfast, and he was getting hungry.  He was a little surprized
to see Linda's car sitting in the garage.  He took his bag from the car and
carried it into the house and put it in his room.  Linda was nowhere to be
found, so he went to the glass doors and looked out at the pool. He found her
there, asleep on a lounge, an open book lying across her chest.  Joe opened
the sliding doors and went over to the sleeping woman.  She heard the clicking
of Joe's heels as walked alongside the pool and she opened her eyes.

     "Hi Joe.  You're finally back, I see." she said, smiling.  "I was
expecting you yesterday." 

     "We had to stay over until this morning." Joe replied.  "Another person,
a line boy, was also affected by this thing.  We only found out about him
yesterday, and Jay flew him over in the afternoon. They weren't finished till
this morning."

     "There's another guy changed like you are?" Linda asked.  "My god, have
they found out what's causing this yet?"

     "Well, this guy, his name is Tim, he was probably with us when he got
it." Joe explained.  "He was watching as we calibrated the transmitters."

     "And so now he's become female too?" Linda asked, looking amazed.

     "Yeah.  So it seems."  Joe said. 

     "You look very nice in that outfit, Joe." Linda said.  "It's hard to
believe that its really you." 

     "Yeah.  I know."  Joe said.  "I've been told that." He smiled thinly.

     "Are you finished for the day?"  Linda asked. 

     "I don't have to go in till the morning." Joe said.  "They have the
transmitters set up in a sort of containment cage, and tomorrow we'll be
trying them out." 

     "On you?"  Linda asked, showing concern. 

     "No, not yet anyway." Joe said.  "I really don't know what the actual
agenda is gonna be."

     "If you're done for the day, why don't you get into something more
comfortable, and then come out here with me for a while?"  Linda asked. 

     "Ok.  I guess I can do that." Joe agreed.  "But I have to find something
to eat first." 

     "You go change clothes, and I'll fix something." Linda said.  "What
would you like?" 

     "Oh, I don't know."  Joe said.  "Do you have any tuna salad?" 

     "I think I can make some." Linda said.  She got up and walked into the
house.  She was wearing her black one-piece swimsuit, and Joe walked behind
her, watching her movements as she walked.

     As Linda prepared the sandwiches, Joe went back to his room.  He opened
his bag and removed all the clothes inside.  He took the dirty underwear and
piled it on the dresser.  He would hand wash those things later, he decided.
The other clothes he either piled up to put in the laundry, or hung them on
hangers in the closet.  He went back to the dresser and, from his underwear
drawer he pulled out the lime green swimsuit Linda had given him.  He held up
the little green bottom, placing his fingers in the stretchy waist band.  It
was still difficult to accept that things like this actually fit him now.  He
looked at the bra-like top.  He knew that fit him even better than it did
Linda, and she knew it too.  That's why she told him she didn't want it back
after she had loaned it to him last Saturday.  He shrugged his shoulders, and
tossed the two pieces on the bed.  He took off the gray suit and satin blouse,
then stood there, looking at himself in the mirror over the dresser.  Although
it had been five days since he had awoke to find himself like this, but it was
still difficult to believe his own reflection. The feeling was as if he was
inside some one else's body.  As he gazed at his reflection, he found he just
couldn't resist running his hands along the profile of those soft breasts, and
then down...feeling the slickness of the satin slip covering his hips.  He
could feel the very pronounced hump of his protruding hip-bones.  He wasn't
sure...could it be it felt a little more evident than the last time he had
examined this part of his anatomy.  Could it be that he was still subtly
changing?  Possible...but he hoped not.  He thought about what Mike said that
morning, about how he felt that his breasts might still be
developing...getting larger.  He touched his breasts, enjoying the feel of the
slick softness.  Unlike Mike, Joe considered that his new breasts were quite
big enough, and it didn't seem that there were getting any bigger.  His touch,
as well as the thoughts that were going through his mind, made his nipples
harden...he could feel them, even through the thin, seamless cups of the
little black bra he was wearing.  He liked the sensation.  Of all the changes
his body had undergone, his new breasts, and these sensitive nipples, were
probably the most noticable difference.

     Joe stepped out of the slip, and removed his bra.  His breasts always
felt cool right after they were exposed to open air.  He couldn't remember his
chest ever feeling like that when he removed his T-shirt.  Probably his skin
was just more sensitive now.  He started to pull down the tiny black G-string.
Looking at the tiny underwear caused smile to appear on his face.  There was
hardly anything to it...the black nylon barely even covered his closely
trimmed pubic hair.  He slowly pulled it down his hips, watching himself in
the mirror as he did so.  He inspected the narrow triangle of soft, dark blond
hair, trying to decide if he should trim it so that it wouldn't peek out from
the hi-cut legs of the suit bottom.  Joe could feel some stubble, but decided
that it would probably be ok, at least for now.

     He went over to the bed and picked up the little suit bottom, then
carefully stepped into it and pulled it up his hips.  Joe found that just
doing that gave him a strangely erotic feeling.  The snug fit of the stretch
fabric always seemed to emphasize the amazing change his anatomy had
undergone, and he was finding that he actually liked the soft, rounded
sleekness that accompanied this new gender.  If, before the change, you had
asked Joe which part of his body had been the most important to him sexually,
he likely would have said it was his penis.  But now...now that it was no
longer there...he discovered that he didn't really miss it...at least not for
sexual purposes anyway.  This new genitalia was, he decided, a quite suitable
replacement for what had been taken from him...even if it did take some
getting used to.  He did miss the convenience of male parts when it was time
to urinate, though.  For simplifying the task of taking a pee, he had quickly
found that having that penis dangling down there had been quite handy.  That,
and maybe the fact that the (almost identical) sensation of an erection was
now also accompanied by the uncomfortable feeling of wetting his underpants.
Those were the only things about his changed body that he didn't find to be at
least as good as before.  Much of the time, he didn't even think about having
a vagina.  It was so tucked away, down there, between his legs, not really
visible without a mirror. You almost had to touch it to know it was even
there...most of the time anyway, when it wasn't uncomfortably wet from
excitement.  He remembered last evening...watching Tim...how the changed young
man had been confused by his own body after his brain had been dulled by
alcohol.  He closed his eyes...it was really true... if you couldn't see what
you looked like...and if nothing was touching you down there, the sensations
of female genitalia really was not that much different.  When he really
thought about it, it did feel was somewhat as if his penis was being gently
pulled down...sort of tucked in...between his legs. Since it now felt like
that all the time, he had become used to it.  He couldn't even tell, there
wasn no sensation, that his balls were no longer there.  Of course, that
change was likely to make itself known once a month. He looked at himself as
he slowly ran his hand along the gap between his legs, tracing his fingers
along the narrow crotch strip of the swimsuit.  What he had become, under that
sleek suit bottom, looked and felt pretty good. Sometimes...(he thought about
Jay, and what they had done the other evening)...being stuck like this might
even be kinda interesting.

     Joe looked at himself in the mirror again.  He put the swimsuit top on,
and then wondered if he should remove the wig.  It was hot, but he was getting
used to the feeling.  It might feel cooler without it, but as he checked his
appearance, he knew he liked the way the longer hair made him look.  I'll
leave it on, he decided.  I probably won't be getting in the pool anyway.  He
went to the bathroom and got a beach towel, then went to the kitchen.  Wearing
only the bikini, he felt self concous as he walked through the house, so he
wrapped the towel around his hips like a sarong.

     Linda was standing at the counter, scooping tuna onto slices of bread,
and then adding a leaf of lettuce to each sandwich.  She made one for Joe, and
one for herself, adding a handful of chips to each plate before bringing them
to the table.  There was already a pitcher of iced tea on the table, and Joe
poured a glass for Linda and then one for himself.  They sat across the small
table from each other.

     "Well, how did it go, Joe?" Linda asked.  "Have they come up with
anything yet?" 

     "I don't really think so." Joe said.  "I think they're just trying to get
us to accept the situation the best we can." 

     "You mean they still don't have any idea what caused it?" Linda
questioned.

     "Well, I think we have some idea about that, but just knowing that is a
long way from knowing how to correct it." Joe answered.

     "So then what?" Linda asked. 

     "I don't know." Joe said.  "I guess I better get used to wearing your
clothes." He grinned, and snapped one of the shoulder straps of the swimsuit. 

     "But, how can you stand it?" Linda asked. "I mean...you look ok...and I
know you're healthy, and all that...but...I mean...your a man.  How can you
stand it, having to go around looking like a woman?" 

     "I guess I could ask you the same question, couldn't I."  Joe said. 

     "Yeah, but I was always like this, I didn't have a choice." She retorted.

     "Choice?  What do you mean by choice?" Joe objected.  "I don't have any
more choice about this than you do.  I certainly didn't ask for this to
happen, and I sure ain't trying to keep from changing back."

     Linda was silent minute or two as she thought about what was said. 

     "I'm sorry Joe.  I shouldn't have said that." She apologized.  "I just
don't know what to think about this.  I just want it to be the way it used to
be."

     "I know.  I do too." Joe said.  "I just don't know when, or if, that will
ever be possible.  Until then, I guess I'm stuck like this."

     "I'm sorry." Linda said again.  "I didn't mean what I said.  I just don't
know what to do to help you." 

     "You are helping me." Joe said.  "You have helped me a lot already...just
by being around...teaching me how to live with the changes.  I'm sorry I can't
be what you need.  Sometimes I think it might be worse for you than for me, in
some ways."

     "I don't see how that could be." Linda said.  "You have to live day and
night with that body." 

     "Yeah, but it is MY body." Joe said.  "I realize it looks different...a
lot different...believe me, I KNOW that. But it's still mine."

     "But, you're a man.  How can you stand it?  Having to go around looking
like that...like a woman." Linda questioned.

     "But that's just it." Joe said.  "I more than just look like a woman.  I
guess I actually am a woman.  Hell, sometimes I believe I'm even beginning to
think like a woman, if that's possible.  Believe me, it's weird...and I know I
can't explain it."

     "But..what about us?"  Linda asked.  "How do you feel about me?" 

     "I don't know...I mean...look at me...hell, I'm wearing this
swimsuit...its yours...and it fits me." Joe said.  "Things just can't be the
same between us with me looking like this."

     "What are they doing...what do they do at this clinic?" Linda asked.
"Can't they operate...can't they perform surgery, make you a male again?" 

     "Yeah, they could probably do some things to make me look more masculine
than I do, but Dr. Krell says that it wouldn't make me a real male, not like I
was anyway, and also, if they would do something, and then if they found some
way to really change me back...I'd be stuck...I don't know what I'd look like
if they tried to change me back after cutting on me.  Some kind of mutilated
freak...probably.  I don't want to try that...at least not yet." Joe explained
carefully.

     "So you're going to stay that way...looking like this?"  Linda asked. 

     "I just came from the Department of Motor Vehicles, I'm now legally
female."  Joe said.  "I even have a new drivers license." 

     "Really?" Linda said in amazement. "They gave you that?  Just for
asking?" 

     "Well...I do have an letter from the clinic...from Dr.  Krell...and it is
all I need to change my records.  At least all my civilian ones anyway."

     "So you're a woman now?" Linda asked, looking at him from across the
table. 

     "I think I've been one since last Friday." Joe said.  "But I signed the
papers yesterday." 

     Linda just sat there silently...looking at what the man she loved had
become...not knowing what to do...even what to think about the whole thing.

     Finally, she spoke again. 

     "So what should we do?" 

     "What do you want to do?"  Joe asked back.

     "I don't know.  How do you feel about me...do you still want to stay
here, with me?  I...ah...I mean...do you still like women?  And how do you
feel about men?" Linda asked. 

     "Do I still like women?" Joe asked.  "Yeah, I guess I do.  I mean...I can
feel myself changing...changing in all kinds of ways, I don't know what I'll
want to do, what I'll feel like wanting next.  This whole female thing...I
think now I can understand why a guy can't figure women out...Hell, I guess I
am one...and I know I can't figure myself out." Joe said.

     "What can I do?" Linda asked.  "How can I help?" 

     "Just be here for me...don't push me away...not yet anyway."  Joe asked. 

     "I won't do that."  Linda said. "I would never do do that." 

     "Why not?" Joe answered.  "I mean...what if turns out I'm gonna be like
this for the rest of my life?  That's entirely possible you know, maybe even
probable...what then?  How do YOU feel about women?  And what about men?  I
know you like men.  Won't you want...won't you need a man once in a while?" I
know I can't be one for you now, damn it...maybe I might even want to find one
of my own." He looked at her, and grinned.

     "Are you serious?" Linda asked.  She wasn't sure what to think, but it
was becoming obvious that anything might be possible. 

     "Hey, I really don't know, but until I know what's happening to me, I
can't rule anything out." Joe said.  He didn't want his new feelings to come
as a shock to her.  He still loved her, but he knew his feelings were changing
quickly, and he didn't know what would happen.

     "Well..." Linda said.  Then she was silent as she considered it all.  It
was hard for her to accept Joe looking like this, but to think that he might
actually want to be with a man...that was really hard to swallow...

     When they finished eating, Linda got up and went back out to the pool.
Joe quickly washed the plates, and then went to the pool and stretched out
next to her.  Linda look at him, and reached her arm out, placing it on his
shoulder.

     "Whatever happens...I'll understand." She said. 

     Joe looked into her eyes, and could feel the tears welling in his own as
he rubbed her arm with his hand. 

     "Linda, I don't know what's going to become of all this, but what ever
does happen, it's not you're fault...you've been fantastic throughout all
this.  I don't know if I can ever really be a man again...it don't look too
promising to me...but no matter what...I know I'll always love you.  I just
don't know how I'll be able to express it." He said. 

     "Well, if we can't be lovers, at least we can be best friends, can't we?"
Linda asked smiling. 

     "At least." Joe answered, a big grin forming.  "But...maybe we can still
try to be lovers too." He winked.

     "Yeah.  I'd like that." Linda said, she got her finger under the shoulder
strap of Joe's top, and teasingly pulled it away from his shoulder. 

     "Do you?"  Joe asked her.  "Do you really want that?"

     "Of course."  Linda said.  "I said I do, and I do." 

     "Are you...do you think we're lesbians?" Joe asked, hoping the question
wouldn't offend her.

     "I don't know...I guess I was wondering that myself...I mean, I never
even considered playing around with another woman...I mean...you're not...I
mean we're...Oh, you know.  Maybe you really are a woman now, and maybe you
even feel like one, but I still think of you as you used to be, no matter what
you look like now.  Maybe we can't have heterosexual sexual relations anymore,
and because of that some people might think we're acting like lesbians...I
don't know...and I don't even care.  I only know I still like being with you,
in every way." Linda tried to explain.

     "Yeah.  Same for me." Joe agreed.  "The feelings I've been having...I've
never had them...never even considered things like this before.  But...when I
was told that I might be this way for the rest of my life...I mean,
well...we're both young, and that could a long time..." He didn't know how to
put into words, the confusing thoughts going through his mind.

     "Let's just let it happen...see how it works out.  Ok?" Linda suggested. 

     "Not much else we can do, as I see it." Joe said.  He leaned back on the
lounge and scratched an itch where the suit was starting to irritate the light
stubble begining to form at his bikini line.

     Linda saw what he was doing, and grinned. "Does it itch?" She asked. 

     "Yeah." Joe said.  "I guess I'll have to clean it up with the razor
again.  It sure grows out fast. I guess didn't realize it would itch like
this."

     "I told you to keep it trimmed, or it would do that." Linda admonished,
with a grin. "Either let it grow out, or keep it shaved." 

     Joe looked over at her.  

     "I guess I'm starting to get used to this, at least a little...but it's
so different..."  He said. 

     "I'm amazed at how you've adapted." Linda said. "Less than a week, and
you're acting almost like you've been a woman all your life." 

     "Maybe that's what it looks like." Joe objected.  "It seems a lot
different from this side." He grinned. 

     "What is it like, really?" Linda asked.  "I mean...which way is
better...being a male, or female?"

     He looked into her eyes.  He could tell she really wanted to know.  He
thought about it.  He had been thinking about that question too...for days. 

     "Thirty years ago, when I was born, I was a boy and of course, I was
raised a boy...an only child. When I discovered girls...the difference between
them and me, I was impressed.  They had such soft, curvy bodies...they smelled
good...they wore such sexy clothes...I really thought that girls were neat."
Joe stared into space as he thought and spoke.  "When I was...Oh...seventeen,
I finally had sex for the first time.  It was pretty good too...I couldn't
believe somebody else's body could make mine feel that good.  But, we were
dumb kids, and I got her pregnant.  She gave the baby up...I don't know any
more about it..." Joe could feel the tears welling.

     "Please go on." Linda begged.  This was the first Joe had ever told her
of this part of his past. 

     "Well, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I really thought that some
day... maybe with you... I'd get another chance.  A chance to REALLY be a
father. Now, it looks like that will never happen.  That makes me a little
sad, I guess."  Joe said.

     "What happened to the girl?  Did you love her?"  Linda asked. 

     "Hey I was seventeen.  Yeah, I thought I loved her, but I don't know...If
I really did, I guess I would have tried to find her later.  We broke up, and
I think she moved away. I only even thought about it again when they asked me
about it the other day. It's in my military records.  I didn't even know it
was there." Joe said.

     "So that's what you miss most about being a male?" Linda continued.  "The
ability to become a father?" 

     "Gee, I don't really know how to answer the question." Joe considered.
What do you want to know...the physical difference...or the way it's starting
to change the way I think?" 

     "I have plenty of time."  Linda said.  "Tell me all of it." 

     "Well, you can see the way I look, and you know what it's like to be a
woman.  What do you want to know?"  Joe asked.

     "I don't know." Linda asked again. "You woke up the other day with your
body changed to female...it must feel different...it sure looks different."

     "Yeah...sure.  It does feel different.  But not as much different as you
might imagine.  Usually, the only thing that feels different are these
boobs...I can almost always feel them, either bouncing around whenever I walk,
or brushing against things, or...when my nipples get hard...I didn't realize
you could feel that...it feels pretty good, I think." Joe said, grinning as he
spoke.

     "My skin...my whole body feels a lot more sensitive.  I think the nerves
must be closer to the surface, or something...it feels different, but I'm
pretty well getting used to that now.  I don't notice it very much anymore.
I'm more sensitive to temperature changes...I think I get cold easier...at a
higher temprature." He thought some more.  

     "I can usually tell I'm a little shorter too...not really that much, but
I think its all from my body, my legs are probably almost the same length,
cause mostly I can tell the difference when I'm sitting down.  I feel weaker
too.  I know I'm not nearly as strong as before.  My butt feels like its
bigger...I know it don't look that big, but...I guess its my hips, or maybe
its just that now I'm smaller on top...my shoulders that is." He grinned, and
cupped his breasts with his hands.

     "And of course, this..." He moved his hand down to the tiny bulge at his
crotch.  "This is a lot different.  Especially different looking.  It don't
feel nearly as different as it looks.  In fact, a lot of the time it really
don't feel any different, except when it gets wet...of course, sometimes
that's pretty often, sometimes not at all.  Just whenever something gets me
excited." He looked at her and grinned a devilish grin.

     "And who...what, gets you excited?" Linda asked.  Males, or females?"

     "Women, for sure.  Sometimes just like before it seems, except for the
physical difference of course.  I can tell it's changing though...takes
longer to get me going...you know what I mean?"  Joe asked. 

     "Yeah, maybe I do." Linda said.  "What about orgasm?  I know you've had
one now, how does it compare to before?" 

     Joe thought about the difference in the way he experienced climax since
the change.  Yeah, it sure was different, a lot different.  It was hard to say
it was a whole lot better, maybe a little, but mostly just different. 

     "It depends." He said.  "It's a lot different.  It takes longer...not
much longer...so far anyway...but then, I guess it lasts longer too.  And I
suppose its kinda neat not having to worry about having an erection...I was
just starting to notice it was taking me longer to recover after one of our
sessions...I guess I was starting to get old. (he grinned) But now, I guess I
won't have to worry about that anymore." Joe said.

     "Don't you ever wonder what it would be like to make it with a guy...now
that you can probably do that?" Linda asked.

     Joe was silent for a moment, considering what he should say. 

     "Yeah, I guess I do wonder what it would be like." He said.  "How is it?
He asked her, wanting to get the questions way from him.

     "Oh, you know...you've made it with me. You've seen how it makes me feel.
I guess it's pretty good. I don't know what to say." Linda said, her
embarrassement showing.

     "And what do you think it's like to make love to a woman...as a man, that
is?" Joe continued, giving her a dose of her own medicine.

     "I've always wondered about that." Linda said. "I guess everybody
does...I mean, what's the guy feeling, what's he thinking...you know." 

     "Yeah, I do know." Joe said.  "He's usually thinking that this person
he's with...her body...feels fantastic...her vagina like warm silk...her
breasts like little warm pillows...or maybe big warm pillows..." He laughed. 

     "I wish I could change like you did...but maybe only for a day." Linda
said quickly.  "I think it would be very interesting." 

     "Yeah, I wish you could too." Joe teased.  "I'd probably let you go to
bed with me on the first date.  I'd show YOU just how good it can feel to be a
man."

     "I'd like that."  Linda said, touching Joe's arm again. 

     They continued to lounge by the pool, taking in the sun, making small
talk and just enjoying each others company, for another half hour.  Then,
Linda got up, and started to go inside. Joe followed her and they both went to
thier own rooms to change.

     Joe changed out of the swimsuit, choosing a light top with white shorts.
He put the black underwear back on, but then exchanged those for more
conservative colors when he saw how easy the outline of his underwear could be
seen through the thin fabric.  As he deftly slipped into the skin toned,
seamless underwire, he realized that he had come a long way since that first
morning, only a few days ago.  Now, he didn't even have to think about it as
he snapped the little plastic clasp between the cups.  The normal every day
tasks of being a woman were quickly becoming standard practice.

     He went out to the family living area, and sat down on the couch.  He
started thumbing through the magazines on the table.  He hadn't paid it much
attention before, but now he noticed that Linda's taste in reading material
ran from Vogue, to Architectual Digest.  He looked at the small pile of
magazines and realized...before, he would dis-interestedly have thumbed
through the one, and completely ignored the other.  He had shown little
interest in fashion, especially clothing, when he was male.  Now, although he
hardly a could be considered wild about things like that, he found he did have
a mild interest.  He picked up the Vogue, examining the face of the model on
the cover. She was beautiful...maybe early twenties...very smooth
skin...makeup just right.  Joe noticed things like that now.  Before, she just
would have been pretty...and he might have tried to imagine what she looked
like without the little silk top she wore.  Now, he found he looked at the
details...her makeup, hair, even the clothes...and then he looked at the
model. His priorities were changing. 

     Joe started thumbing through the pages, pausing with new interest to
check out the many ads for cosmetics and underwear.  He came to an article on
birth control methods.  He though about the tape he had seen at the clinic,
and about the short briefing on the subject of feminine hygene they had been
given.  With considerable interest, he read the article.  It discussed the
different types, the reliability, ease of use, and drawbacks of each type. He
read the three paragraphs about the diaphram three times.  That, he decided is
probably what he should ask Dr. Krell about.  He knew, from the things Dr.
Krell had already said, that they would be discouraged from using chemical
means like the pill.  Since what had happened to them seemed to be unique, the
doctors didn't want any foreign substances introduced into thier systems.  He
agreed with that...of course when he had been told about it, he really didn't
put birth control very high on his list of priorities.  At that time, he was
more interested in finding a way to change back to male, than going to bed
with one.  But the first time he had been alone with a guy, and his pal Jay at
that...they had been intimate.  He wasn't pushed into it either...he had
initiated it, or at least something inside him did...he hadn't felt completely
in control as it was happening. And he wasn't sure if something like that
would happen again.  But if it did, he wanted to be prepared.  He had enough
things to get accustomed to, he didn't need to add pregnancy to the list.

     Linda came into the room and walked over the couch.  She stood behind it
and started rubbing Joe's shoulders, as she had done many times before.  Joe
was engrossed in the article, and kept reading.  Linda became curious about
what Joe found so interesting and also started reading.  When she saw the
subject of the article, she spoke. 

     "Birth control?" She exclaimed. "I thought you were just telling me one
of the things you miss most is not being able to be a father."

     "Yeah, but I'm SURE not ready to be a mother." Joe said. 

     "Well you know how to keep that from happening...just keep your knees
together." Linda teased.  "Or just sleep with me. (She grinned) I don't think
you'll have to worry about me making you a mother."

     "I guess that is a benefit,isn't it." Joe said smiling.  

     He put the magazine on the table, and using all the strength his body
could muster, he struggled to pull Linda over the back of the couch, and into
his arms. She willingly helped him along, or he wouldn't have been able to do
it.  He was still a little bigger and stronger than Linda, but not much.
Their lips met, and they kissed for a long time.  As they embraced Joe could
feel his own breasts press against Linda's. He found the sensation strangly
pleasurable, and wondered if Linda felt the same way.  He moved his chest
around, so that he was sure she felt his softness.

     "I don't know if I'll ever get used to having these things." He said, as
their long kiss came to an end.

     "Don't you like it?" Linda asked. "You look so nice...you really have a
good figure, you know."

     "Yeah, I guess it's ok, and I have to admit it feels pretty good (he bent
down slightly, again rubbing his breasts on hers), but...I don't know...it
just feels funny...like I'm swollen there, or something." Joe said, trying to
describe the way his new body shape was interpreted by his old body image.

     "You'll get used to it." Linda advised.  "I feel that way too, just
before my period."

     "Gee, I hope thats not going to happen very soon." Joe lamented.  "I
think I have enough to worry about." 

     "If you really are a woman, I'm afraid it goes with the territory. But, I
think you'll find it really isn't all that bad."  Linda said. 

     "But blood...coming of me...it's a little hard to accept."  Joe said. 

     "I had the same concern when I was a kid, I think I was twelve, when I
had mine for the first time." Linda confided. 

     "What was it like...being a little girl and all?"  Joe asked. 

     "What do you mean, what was it like?  How do I answer that" Linda said. 

     "You were a little girl, and I'll bet your mom helped you learn about
girl things...I was a boy, and now...I have to learn all the things...all the
stuff you had years to learn." Joe said.  "It scares me." 

     "I'll help."  Linda said. "But just what do you want to know?" 

     "I don't know...I mean...what was it like, when you got your first
period?" Joe asked. 

     Linda closed her eyes, and was silent.  She appeared to be thinking
deeply. Finally she spoke. 

     "My mom told me what was going to happen...I guess I thought that blood
would just start gushing out...I was really worried, I even thought I might
bleed to death or something.  She bought me some sanitary pads, and I carried
one in my purse for months...I wanted to be ready.  Then, one day, I felt kind
of funny, I thought I had a tummy ache, or gas, or something.  I never guessed
it could be that.  But when I went to the restroom, there was a little brown
stain on my underwear...no gushing blood or anything like that, just a little
spot.  I didn't even realize what it was at first.  My mom saw it when she did
the laundry, and asked me about it.  That's what my first time was like." She
looked at him and smiled.

     "How long did it take before it came on full strength?" Joe asked.

     "I don't know.  It was spotty at first, I didn't even have one every
month, but finally, after maybe six or eight months, it started to get more
regular, and the flow a little heavier.  It never does just 'gush out' though.
But I guess that can happen.  I use tampons most of the time...they're much
more convienient.  Try them when your time comes.  It won't be so bad, don't
worry about it." Linda explained, with a grin.  She had begun to talk to Joe
more like a big sister.  Joe didn't mind though, he was only interested in
what she was saying. 

     Joe and Linda continued talking, with Joe asking questions, and Linda
trying her best to answer each one.  By all his questions, Joe was trying to
learn, in a short time, the things he figured he would need if he was going to
spend the rest of his life with this new body.  Finally evening came, and they
went to their respective rooms to prepare for bed.  Joe removed his makeup,
and took off the hairpiece, then showered, remembering to trim up his bikini
line while in the shower.  Whe he came back into his room, Linda was already
there, laying in his bed, wearing a satin sleep shirt.  Joe was nude, still
drying himself with a towel.  He dropped the towel, and joined Linda on the
bed. They embraced, and then lay back caressing...feeling each other...all
over.  Joe found being with her still enjoyable...she certainly knew what made
his new parts feel good...but, it seemed that something was missing, he
couldn't describe what was missing.  He just did the best he could,
reciprocating...taking turns...doing to Linda all the things that she did to
him, and then they both fell asleep, as usual, in each others arms. 

                       ***************************
--

Archive-name: Changes/bates22.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 22


                         CHAPTER 22
                         THE CAGE

     It was still dark when Joe woke up.  He glanced over at the glowing red
display of the clock radio.  Five o'clock it said.  Another hour and a half
until he had to get up but he wasn't tired.  It had been only about nine when
he went to bed and he wasn't used to going to bed that early, even if he
didn't actually sleep for quite some time after he got there. Joe looked down
at the floor next to the bed, and in the dim light he could see Linda's undies
laying on the floor next to the bed. He grinned...just like old times...only
now, if his had been laying there too, it would have been hard to tell them
apart.

     Joe turned slightly so he could see Linda, who was in bed right next to
him.  In the dim light, he could see the outline of her bosom under the sheet.
It rhythmically rose and fell as she softly breathed.  She was still asleep,
and her face had a contented look.  Was she was dreaming...if she was, what
could it be about.  Him?  Them?  The way they had been?  Or as they were now?
Pulling the sheet down slightly, he unintentionally bared his chest.  He
smiled when presented with this evidence of his own new femaleness.  It should
probabably seem very different with his body changed like this...to look so
feminine, and yet...he was already starting to accept it as normal.  In only a
week he could hardly remember being any other way. Nevertheless, it was still
difficult to accept the possibility of having to live the rest of his life
this way.  To look down and see his body as it was, so completely feminized,
with these new bumps and bulges, was still new, and Joe found it difficult to
keep from exploring his new shape as he lay there in the dim light.  With one
finger he slowly and gently began circling the dark outline of his right
nipple...and watched as the sensitive tissue changed from a soft full cone to
a hard little point.  He could even feel it happen...enjoying the strangely
pleasing sensation.  Mostly, he realized, he was beginning to like the things
that had happened to his body...the way it changed, and was still changing.
It seemed so much more sensitive and flexible now, completely different than
when it was masculine.

     Even with the many problems the changes might possibly cause him, and the
many things he still had to get accustomed to, Joe was finding that it was
often quite enjoyable being female. The very slowly subsiding level of
testosterone in his bloodstream was accompanied by an increasing feeling of
personal well being that he really liked.  Until recently, he hadn't even been
aware of the underlying sexual tension that was part of being male. The new
and pleasant sensations he was experiencing also helped hide the fact that as
his male hormone levels decreased, so did his upper body strength.  But, since
it it was so subtle, he couldn't really feel that it was happening.  As Dr.
Krell had suspected, Joe was also begining to experience a change in his
libido...a lessening...as it slowly adapted to to the feminine pattern.  Like
it or not, he was still changing...still becoming more and more female,
inside, and out.  But even laying here in bed, with his fiance next to him, he
knew that he missed being male less every day.

     Joe looked over at Linda again.  He wondered what she really thought of
him now.  He was certain that she had enjoyed the intimacy with him when he
was a guy.  They had made love many times, and she had obviously been
satisfied.  But now...last night..it wasn't him who had initiated their little
romp.  Sure, he had enjoyed it...Linda instinctively knew how to make him feel
good...but it just wasn't the same anymore.  There was no way it could be.
When Linda touched him...his old...as well as his many new sensitive areas, he
wasn't sure how to react, and would just lay back and let it happen...enjoying
the spectacular feel of her fingers and tongue.  But when it was his turn to
reciprocate...to return the pleasure she had given him...it was then the
differences became most obvious.  As Linda began to move around to his now
more knowledgeable touch, Joe found himself still wanting to satisfy her the
old familiar way...as he had so many times before.  Though he no longer
actually had his penis, he found he that he still longed to get between her
soft legs...to enter her...and he could sense that she wanted that too.
But...of course that was not possible now.  No matter what they did, no matter
what he might try, he could no longer function as a man. Sure, they could
still give each other pleasure...no doubt about that...but there was something
missing.  Joe could feel it, and he suspected Linda did too.  He wished he
could just close his eyes, and once more just be a guy again when he opened
them, even if it was only for a few hours.  Perhaps...especially if only for a
few hours.

     Joe moved his touch lower, to the soft hair on his now quite prominent
pubic mound.  With the palm of his hand, which has also become noticably
smaller since the change, he cupped his entire crotch...what the drawings at
the clinic called his "vulva".  Although usually it felt little different than
before the change, whenever he touched this now very different part of
himself, the new sleekness in the area where his male parts should be still
felt very strange.  His fingertips went between his legs, all the way to the
crease of his buttocks.  The feeling was still foreign to him...there was now
nothing to get in the way...as if his penis had some how been retracted...sort
of pulled up inside him.  His scrotum...he could still feel it...all the
nerves were the same...was now split down the middle to within an inch of his
anus. His testicals were apparently gone.  They had metamorphosed into ovaries
and were relocated much further up, deeper inside his body...he couldn't see
or feel them at all.  As he felt the softness between his legs, Joe wondered
if his legs were now further apart than before.  It sure seemed like it.
Perhaps it was just that his hand was smaller now, or the new shape of his
crotch that made it seem that way.  He thought back to that first
morning...his first steps with his body changed...then, it sure did seem quite
different. He could kind of feel his hips moving when he walked.  But he
didn't really notice it anymore.  Maybe his butt was a little rounder...softer
now, but he was sure his hips were not really any wider...he thought about
when he attempted to wear some of his old pants, they were actually baggy on
him, and he knew his waist was much smaller.  but maybe, along with the other
noticable changes to his pelvis, his hip joints could be a little further
apart.  He had recently read that was to allow room for the birth canal.  He
felt a flush come to his cheeks as he considered that possibility, and worked
to get those thoughts out of his mind.  He didn't want to consider that aspect
of being female right now.  Joe tightened the muscles of his crotch...it was
whenever he did that, he could tell that there was now something very
different down there now.  The muscles which had become his vaginal spincter
were probably located a bit differently than when they had to support his
penis, and they certainly felt different when he flexed them.  But even that
change felt exoticly pleasant.

     He slowly ran a finger along the moist tissues of his new sex, feeling
the touch with nerves that were strangely familiar. The anatomy he touched to
cause these feelings was still new, and as always, he explored his changed
genitalia with as much caution as curiosity.  Gentle probing quickly caused
his labia to swell and part slightly, and he carefully used two fingers to
spread the sensitive opening even more.  He placed the tip of his finger into
the rapidly moistening oriface and slowly drew it along the entire length.  As
he reached the top his finger brushed against his clitoris.  He pinched it
gently with his finger tips, still in awe at how this tiny nub of tissue could
feel so much like his penis.  To his touch it was smaller than a pea, but it
seemed as big as his penis when there was nothing touching it.  Oh, if only it
really was...he would love to bury it between Linda's thigh's...maybe just
once more.  But it appeared that was not to be.  The only vaginal lips his
little penis could get between now would have to be his own.  Joe fell asleep
enjoying his own gentle touch...dreaming unusual dreams...dreams that included
Linda, and...Jay.

                         *************************

     The radio blasted away in song, and Joe reached over and turned it off
quickly. The night had passed to quickly it seemed, and he just wanted to
sleep, maybe till noon. 

     Linda had heard the radio too, and she quickly stirred, rolled over and
opened her eyes.  When she saw Joe, who had tried to pull the sheet over his
head, she smiled and reached under the sheet and started to tickle him.
Although his body was now very sensitive to such things, Joe tried his best to
ignore her.  Finally she moved her hand up and pinched his breast. That jolted
Joe alert, and he grabbed Linda, taking both her breasts in his hands, but
then just fondled them lovingly. Linda smiled, and planted a kiss lightly on
his forehead as she sat up in bed.  She pulled the sheet off and got out of
bed, quietly going directly to her own room.


     Joe lay there a bit longer, trying to get awake.  Then he slowly got out
of bed, and went into the bathroom. While he sat there relieving himself, he
habitually rubbed his face, feeling for stubble.  The smooth softness of his
skin reminded him that his beard was no longer a concern, so he felt his
underarms instead.  Since he had shaved his underarms and legs last night, he
found smooth skin there too.

     Joe brushed his teeth and examined his face.  He had washed it in the
shower and his skin was completely free of makeup.  He carefully felt the
softness of his complexion. He still found it fascinating to see himself in
the mirror, and as usual, he found it difficult to avoid staring at his new
appearance.  He examined the much softer facial skin, looking for signs of
wrinkles...he was thirty years old remember...but found none.  Joe knew that
before the change his male features were already beginning to develop creases
around the corners of his eyes, those distinguished "crows feet" lines that he
figured were caused by squinting into the sun.  He looked at his face now.
The new softness of his skin, the new suppleness, had caused all evidence of
wrinkles to vanish.  He thought he looked much younger than his thirty
years...even for a woman.  He wondered why it was, and decided that maybe it
was because his feminine characteristics were still developing.  He looked
lower, at his body...now slightly smaller...softer, and completely
hairless...his breasts...his chest, he decided his boobs really weren't all
that large but they were well formed, and more like that of a reasonably
developed girl of sixteen or eighteen, not a thirty year old woman.  He
examined his pink nipples... could it be that maybe they were a tiny bit
bigger and fuller this morning?  Was he still changing?  He shook his breasts
and watched as they bobbed back and forth like a young girls. His nipples
responded to the stimulation by stiffening to little points.  He felt quite
pleased...maybe he couldn't be the man he was anymore, but it was obvious,
even to him, that he could be a quite attractive woman. Maybe it wasn't so
bad.  Of course, this new femininity of his was only about a week old...time
and gravity had not yet had time to act on those new curves.

     Without the wig, Joe carefully washed his face again, and then applied
some makeup, being careful to not put very much on.  Today, he would be going
back to work...to be seen by people who only knew him as a man...if they had
to see him this way, he wanted their first impression of him as he was now to
be a good one. His shaking hands gave away the nervousness he was feeling as
he thought about going to work.

     Joe went back out into the bedroom, and saw the pile of underwear on the
dresser.  He realized he still had some time, so he took it into the bathroom
sink and using the soap Linda had given him for the purpose, he carefully
washed out the dainty things by hand.  When he finished washing, and gently
wrung them out, he carefully hung them on the glass doors of the shower.  He
stepped back, eyeing the colorful assortment of panties and bras.  Would he
ever get used to the fact that this stuff was his...the kind of clothes he
would now be wearing every day, maybe for the rest of his life?

     Again going back to the bedroom, and opened his underwear drawer. He
selected some light blue nylon briefs, and a white, seamless cup underwire. He
quickly slipped his underwear on, enjoying the satiny feel, and then went to
the walk-in closet and examined his selection of clothes, trying to decide
what to wear for his first day back...his first as a woman.  He held up each
one of the small assortment of blouses and skirts, dissatisfied with all of
them.  He was eyeing the light gray suit again...he liked the way he looked in
that...when Linda came up behind him.  She was wearing a satin robe, and she
put her arms around Joe's waist, hugging him gently.

     "What are you going to wear today?" Linda asked?

     "I don't know."  Joe said. "I just can't decide." 

     "Let's see..." Linda said, quickly taking charge.

     Linda selected a light cotton blouse, and a blue A-line skirt.  She held
them together, looking at the match, and at Joe's reaction.

     "What do you think about this?" She asked. "It's simple, and
conservative, just what you like...and I think you'd look good wearing it."

     Joe wasn't sure.  The light cotton blouse was so sheer and feminine, he
was concerned at how he would look in it.  But then...he had decided that he
would be accepting of his new femininity...maybe he should wear it. He took
the hangers from Linda, and went back to the bedroom.  Linda went to his
drawer, and selected the slip they had purchased a few days ago.  Joe was
already starting to put on the blouse, he would not have thought about a slip.

     "Put this on first." Linda said.  "It'll help hide cover the sheerness of
the blouse."

     Joe pulled his arm out of the blouse and pulled the slip over his head.
He then put the blouse back on buttoned it, smoothing it over his curves.
Then he removed the skirt from the hanger and started to step into it.

     "Aren't you going to wear hose?" Linda asked with a slight grin. It was
quite apparent that Joe was nervous, and was forgetting the basics of dressing
as a woman.

     "Oh, yeah." Joe said.  

     He lay the skirt on the bed, and took the pantyhose that Linda selected,
and held out for him.  He sat on the edge of the bed, and struggled into them.

     "Most of this ain't too bad I guess, but I don't know who thought these
things up." Joe said.  "I didn't like em before, and I hate em now that I've
worn them."

     "Probably invented by a man."  Linda said matter-of-factly.

     "I don't think so." Joe said. "I don't think guy's like em as much as
women do. At least I don't....didn't."

     Joe finally got the pantyhose on and adjusted to be as comfortable as he
could get them.  He pulled the skirt over his hips, and Linda helped zip and
button the closure located at his back. Joe wondered why women's clothes
always seemed to have the closure in the back, where it could hardly be
reached.  Linda showed him a little trick to help him get the zipper closed by
himself.

     "Draw in your tummy a little." She said. 

     When he complied, Linda tugged the waistband of the skirt, causing it to
spin around to the side.  From there, the zipper and button could easily be
seen and worked with.  When Joe saw it, she spun the skirt back, careful to
get it centered on Joe's backbone. Joe then reached down for the mid-heeled
pumps, and again sat on the bed as he slipped into them.  He stood, and walked
over to the mirror.  He smiled when he saw what he looked like.  Linda had
selected well, and the person he saw staring back was a sophisticated,
professional woman...one with very short hair.  He reached over to the table,
grabbed the wig, and put it on.  He adjusted it on his head, and started to
brush it into position.  He would be glad when his own hair would grow long
enough that he could dispense with the sweaty hairpiece.  But for now, he knew
he looked much better with it on.  Looking in the mirror, he was pleased with
his appearance.  The skirt and blouse fit well, and together they accented his
figure exactly as he liked.  He cupped his breasts in his hands and squeezed
them, as if he still didn't believe they were really a part of him.  Linda
watched what he was doing with interest.

     "Still kind of different, huh?" She asked, a big grin on her face.

     "Can you believe that I really look like this?" Joe asked.

     "I think you are quite attractive."  Linda said simply. 

     "Yeah...for a girl, maybe I am." Joe agreed.  "But its a little hard when
you've been a guy all your life...to suddenly be going around looking like
this."

     "Well, I think you're doing great." Linda said.

     "But...do you really like me this way?" Joe asked.  "I think you need a
man...not a girl friend." 

     "Don't you worry about me." Linda said.  "I'll be ok no matter what you
look like."

     But how...don't you miss it the old way...I mean...wouldn't it be better
for you if I looked like a guy?" Joe questioned again.

     "Yeah, of course I do...so go ahead then...be a guy...just for me." Linda
said, seeming to be irritated by what Joe was saying.

     "Sorry." Joe said.  "I don't mean to feel sorry for myself.  There are
just so many things...I can't figure out what I want...I don't just know what
to do." He stuttered. 

     "Don't worry about it." Linda said calmly.  "I'll help you.  If we find
we can't make it together, let's worry about that if it becomes a problem.  I
don't have any problems now, do you?" 

     "No.  No, of course not."  Joe said. 

     "Ok then." Linda said finally.  "Now, brush that hair again.  You'll want
to look your best today."

     As he made the final checks to his appearance, and adjusted his pantyhose
for the third time, Joe realized it was time to get to work.  He found his
little handbag, and checked that it contained his wallet, and the few
cosmetics that he might need.  He added a few sheets of Kleenex.  Linda made
him apply a little dab of perfume. At first he objected, but then decided that
she knew best...that there was no reason not to make the best impression he
could.

     Joe went into the kitchen and fixed some breakfast cereal.  He wasn't in
a hurry to get to work this morning.  As he slowly ate, and sipped some orange
juice, he thumbed through the magazines which had arrived over the last few
days.  All were Linda's...his mail was still going to his apartment.  He hoped
he could remember to stop there after work to check his mail.  he hadn't been
there in a few days. 

     He finished breakfast, and put the bowl and glass into the dishwasher.
Joe gathered up his things, and went outside.  AS he walked across the drive
to his car, he noticed all the dust on it.  He would need to wash it soon.  He
liked a clean car.

     Getting in the car, Joe quickly noticed the restriced movement that the
somewhat tight knee-length skirt imposed. He hiked the skirt up above his
knees, and when he saw his exposed, nylon covered upper legs, he smiled as he
thought of his first ride with Karen...and how she had done the same thing.
Maybe it wasn't very ladylike, but the freedom of movement, and the wonderful
coolness caused him to keep it that way.

     Joe slowly drove to work, his heart pounding harder the closer he got to
the place where he was sure Dave and he would be the main topic of
conversation.

     He pulled into the parking lot, pulling his skirt to a more modest
position before he drove passed the guard shack. Parking the car, he screwed
up his courage, and, not without some difficulty, got out.  It had almost been
a week since since he had woke to find himself like this, but he had never
been more nervous or self concous about his changed appearance than right now.
He awkwardly retrieved his badge from his bag, and clipped it to his blouse.
When he did that, he saw his male picture staring back at him from the white
badge. He wondered if the guard would notice. Of course, the guard would know
about him, he decided...everybody would know about him.

     He walked up to the gate guard, and started to walk past as usual.  The
guard, not recognizing him, looked carefully at his name tag.

     "Good morning...Joe? Joe Bates?  Er...Mr. Ms. Bates...er yeah
sure...please go ahead." The guard stuttered awkwardly.  He obviously had
heard about what had happened, but didn't recognize Joe until he saw his
badge. Joe smiled pleasantly at the guard, and walked passed.  He was just as
nervous and embarrassed as the guard. 

     The Honeybone facility was large enough that a stranger could walk down
most of the corridors without anyone taking notice.  Joe even passed people he
knew on a first name basis, and they didn't give him a glance.  Of course,
many of the men he passed would turn around and check him out, not because
they recognized who he was, but because they did that to any attractive woman
they passed.  But Joe never noticed that.  He was not yet used to being
considered a sex object by his former peers.

     He finally arrived at the Certification Section offices. Even the short
walk was causing his feet to ache.  By now he could walk quite well in the two
inch heels, but his feet were not used to walking for any distance in such
uncomfortable shoes. He passed Jim Matheney's office and went directly to his
own desk.  It was still early, and no one else was in the other offices yet.
Jim was probably around somewhere...he usually seemed to get to work as early
as six AM.

     Joe sat down and thumbed throught the pile of mail on his desk. It had
been a week since he had been there, and he always recieved a number of trade
magazines, and sales brochures every day.  Nothing in the pile was very
interesting...it would have been difficult to concentrate anyway, with his
heart pounding like a jackhammer. He just sat there waiting
nervously...wondering who would be the first to arrive...the first to see him
as he was now.  Then he began to experince another familure sensation...he had
to pee.  Oh God.  Now what?  Should he use the ladies restroom?  He certainly
couldn't use the more familure men's room anymore.  But the ladies room? What
if somebody he knew was in there?  What if they recognized him?  His heart
pounded harder as he considered the possibilities.  Then again, he
decided...he couldn't avoid such things forever...for now it seemed he needed
to go every couple of hours at least...and besides...he was dressed like a
woman...hell, he was better looking than almost all the secretaries at
Honeybone.  He picked up his handbag from the desktop...if they doubted him,
he could always show them his drivers license, or maybe the letter from Dr.
Krell...he grinned.  What is there to be afraid of?  A bunch of women?
Yeah...he was...but then...he really did have to pee. He slowly got up and
walked out and down the hall to the ladies room.  When he got to the door, he
took a deep breath, and walked in.  Of course, he had never been inside the
ladies room at work before, and his first instinct was to check if anyone else
was in there with him.  No feet were visible under the stall doors...the coast
was clear.  He looked around the attractive room.  He found that, as usual,
the ladies room was much better appointed than the austere men's room on the
other side of the wall.  Nothing over there like this.  There were flowers,
attractive wall coverings, and a very comfortable looking couch.  He wondered
who would want to sit in the ladies room...was it for when it was crowded, and
you had to wait for a stall?  So different than the men's room, which was made
so functional by the usual row of urinals along the wall.  None of those here,
even if he had been able to use one.

     Joe picked a stall and went inside, feeling slight relief as he closed
the door and latched it.  He then went through the still awkward (for him)
ritual of unzipping the tight skirt so he could get his pantyhose down.  Oh if
he only had a fly...not to mention a cock...right now.  With the skirt,
pantyhose, and panties around his knees, he sat down and found the relief he
needed. Just as he pulled some tissue from the roll, he heard someone enter,
and that made a lump form in his throat.  Remaining absolutely still, he
waited till the invader entered a stall before he made a sound.  He finished
up, dressed, and quickly left the stall...pausing only a moment to quickly
rinse his hands and wipe them on the hand towel.  Then he left the restroom.

     Back out in the hallway, Joe was glad to find no one else around, and
quickly walked back to Certification...heels clicking on the polished tile as
he walked.  When he went in, Jim was now in his office, sitting at his desk.
Jim looked up, and Jim couldn't hide his obvious suprize when he saw Joe.

     "Hi Joe.  Welcome back." Jim said.  "My, you're looking pretty good." He
said the last as if he wasn't really sure he should, but trying to hide his
nervousness. 

     "Good morning Jim. And thanks for the compliment.  Linda picked this
stuff out for me.  I'm still having a little trouble getting used to this."
Joe said honestly. 

     "You're doing great, If you ask me.  I know I'd have a lot more trouble."
Jim said smiling, still trying to make small talk...to break the tension they
both felt.

     "It's a little difficult, but it does seem to be getting easier as time
goes by." Joe said. 

     "Sit down, lets talk about what we plan to do." Jim said, pointing to one
of the two chairs in front of his desk.

     Joe sat down, and was quickly aware that his skirt went above his knees
as he did so, and that if he happened to part his legs even slightly, Jim
would have a direct view up his short skirt.  He tried to keep his knees
together, but to remember doing that was still foreign to him and he often
forgot, only to be reminded of his oversight when he noticed Jim trying not to
look, and finding it impossible.  He smiled a knowing smile at his boss, and
tried to demurely fold his legs over to one side.

     "I don't know about this damn skirt." Joe said with embarrassment.
"Sometime's it's really a pain wearing stuff like this."

     "I must say, you do look pretty good in it." Jim said.  "Sorry if I'm
staring...you know how it is."

     "Don't worry about it.  I understand." Joe said.  He knew he would have
done the same thing. 

     "Well...anyway...lets see..." Jim said, trying to get back to the subject
at hand.  "Dr. Krell should be here within an hour or two, and I think he will
want to see the "cage".  I believe he's getting some animals...some
monkeys...or cats or dogs or something...and wants to try them in there.
We've got the transmitters set up, and there are three spectrum analyser
probes in there too.  If we can make it happen again, we'll at least know what
it took to cause it."

     "Yeah.  Dr. Krell said he had no idea what it would take to cause cell
reversion like this...much less reverse the effect.  If you ask me, it looks
like we're stuck like this." Joe said, looking directly at Jim as he spoke.

     "What do you plan to do then?" Jim asked.

     "What can I do?" Joe said, grinning somewhat sarcasticly.  "I've got a
big expense report for these new clothes partially filled out.  You should see
some of the stuff I bought." His grin changed to sexy. He realized that he was
having to fight a tendency to flirt with his friendly boss, and was embarassed
by the thought.

     "No problem...anything you need...anything you want...I've been told to
do whatever's necessary." Jim said, almost appologeticly.

     "I'll tell you what..." Joe considered what he was asking.  "How about
getting that line boy...Tim...on the payroll.  He's a student, and he's sure
gonna need the money, I think he's taking aeronautical engineering...how about
an engineering intern position, or something like that?"

     Jim rubbed his chin with his hand as he considered it.  

     "Yeah, I think I could get that approved." He said.  "Does Tim really
want a job here?"

     "I think he was hoping to get on here after graduation." Joe said.  "He's
pretty sharp, and he's absolutely nuts about aviation.  He still is." He
wanted to make sure that Jim, and everybody else realized that even though
they had changed...changed a lot...they were still as capable of doing thier
jobs as always.

     Just then Dave came to the doorway to Jim's office.  The somewhat plump
guy had, as usual, hid his new curves under a loose fitting jumpsuit.  Joe
wondered how many of them Dave had bought.  Besides the light gray one he wore
today, he had seen Dave in a yellow, light blue, dark blue, and a green one.
The shoes Dave wore, while surely women's, were probably the most androgenous
he could find.  It seemed that Dave refused to enjoy any of the more
interesting aspects of his new feminity the way the others had.  I wonder how
things are going around the Dave's house these days, Joe thought.  Of the four
of them, only Dave was married, and his wife Cindy had been very dependent on
her husband. That, and their young kids, were obviously making this all very
difficult for Dave.

     "Morning Dave." Jim said.  "How's it going."

     "Hi Dave.  Have a seat."  Joe said, pointing to the chair next to him. 

     "Good morning."  Dave said.  "What have you got going for today?" 

     "As I was just telling Joe, we have the transmitters set up in a RF cage,
and we have some some probes in there to record what we do, just in case we
can duplicate what happened the other day."  Jim repeated. 

     "Who's gonna volunteer to be in the cage?"  Dave asked. 

     "Good question." Jim said, smiling. "But, at least at first, Dr. Krell
says he has some animal specimens to try. I don't know if he has any human
volunteers for later." 

     "If we can get it to work in reverse, I want to be the first to try it."
Dave insisted. 

     "Don't worry, when that happens, you'll probably be the first to know."
Jim answered.  "Are you having any problems?" 

     Dave looked at Jim.  "Well, my family life is in the dumper...and my sex
life...damn it, I ain't a lesbian, and Cindy ain't one either...problems?
What do you think?" The irritation showed through as Dave spoke the words. 

     "If it's physicaly possible to change you back...we'll do it.  Don't
worry." Jim assured him.

     "Damn right you will." Dave said, trying to make his feminine voice sound
as menacing as he could.

     
     Suddenly the doorway to the small office filled with the still large
figure of Mike *.  Mike, who now prefered to be called Michelle, had obviously
been on another shopping spree last night.  Michelle, who's body had become
hardly noticably smaller when it feminized, was now wearing a form fitting
pants suit that emphasized her developing figure.  As Joe looked at Michelle,
he decided that indeed, as she had mentioned, her body probably was still
changing, and her bustline was surely more developed than even the day before.
When Joe first saw Mike right after the change, he had hardly any breast
development.  But now...he was almost as well endowed as Joe. Mick/Michelle
was a large woman, but was now becoming quite attractive. The muscle building
steroids he had been taking at the time of the change appeared to have slowed
Mike's transition to feminity, but they sure didn't stop it.

     "Hi Mike." Jim said. "Come on in." 

     Mike greeted them and entered the room and leaned against the wall.
There were only two seats besides the one behind the desk.  

     "Looks like you're getting accustomed." Jim said, looking at
Mike/Michelle. 

     "Yeah." Michelle said. "If this is the way it's gonna be, I guess I
better try to adapt." 

     Mike must be going through the same feelings as I am, Joe thought.

     "Don't give up yet." Jim said. "We've only begun to try to get you guys
changed back." 

     But if it don't happen soon you may find that nobody will want to go
back. Joe thought to himself. 

     "I was just telling Joe about the setup we have in the RF cage." Jim went
on. "We have both transmitters set up, and we have recorders, and signal
analyzers too. Whatever we try, if something works, we'll know what kind of
signal caused it."

     "Who is going to try it first?"  Mike/Michelle asked. 

     "No humans, I think.  Dr. Krell is arrainging for some lab animals to
use." Jim said.  "If he can get results that way, then he'll try it with
people." 

     "Will it work on animals just like people?" Mike/Michelle wondered aloud.

     "I don't know." Jim answered.  "Well have to let that up to them to find
out.  We can only supply the hardware, and data acquisition expertise."

     "Even if this thing can't be made to change us back, I think Honeybone
might find that there could be a demand for what it can do."  Joe said. 

     "What do you mean?" Jim asked. 

     "Damn it Jim, look at us...at Mike there...his genetic makeup has been
altered...maybe permanently.  And look at the results. I doubt if you
could tell him...or me, for that matter...from someone who was born female.
It's that complete.  And not only that.  I certainly had no desire to have my
gender changed...I liked being a guy just fine...but...now that I'm like
this...as time goes on, and I get used to the idea...it don't seem so bad at
all.  I don't know if I feel like that because of something that has happened
to my brain, or what, but that's the way it is."  Joe said. 

     "What are you getting at?"  Jim questioned.

     "While we were at the clinic in San Diego, I met a few of the people who
go there for treatment...gender related problems mostly, I'd guess.  I think
they all want to be the opposite sex, even if it means painful surgury.  And
they even know going in that the results are only so-so, nothing like what
happened to us.  If there was a machine...a booth or something...to go into,
have your chromosomes modified...then just wake up in the morning...I think
you could name your price.  I tell you, if this thing does turn out to be
'reversable' it will absolutely revolutionize the way we think about sex." Joe
said.

     "You really think so?" Jim asked.  "I wouldn't think anybody would want
to mess with their genes like that."

     "I don't know...but I bet if you tried this side of the fence for a
while, you'd change some of your feeling's about women...that I'd be willing
to bet." Joe said confidently.  "I know its certainly had a big effect on my
point of view." He grinned as he said the last.

     "Hey...I like women...and I think I treat em fairly too."  Jim objected. 

     "Yeah, but you don't really know what its like to BE one."  Joe retorted.

     "Well, maybe not." Jim replied.  "But I don't really have any desire to
find out either." 

     Just then the phone rang.  Jim picked it up and spoke. 

     "Certification. Jim Matheney." He said. "Yea.  Please send hi...er, her
here, 428. Ok. I'll send somebody out to escort."  He hung up. 

     "You're friend Tim Werner is at the gate." Jim said.  "Would one of you
go out and sign him in?" 

     "I'll get him."  Dave said, getting up and walking out. 

     In a moment, Jim spoke.  "Dave seems kind of depressed, don't he." 

     "Yeah." Joe answered. "I think having a family is a real problem when
something like this happens.  It's tough enough when you don't."

     "I sure hope we can get you guy's changed back." Jim said. "I don't care
if this thing is commercially useful...it's supposed to be a navigation
system, for heavens sake." 

     "But if it can do what it appears it can do, that will be insignificant."
Joe said. "I really think you might have a very useful medical tool here."

     "We'll see." Jim said. "As soon as Dave gets back, I want to take you all
down to the lab. I don't expect Dr. Krell for another hour.  He's flying in
this morning." 

     Soon, Dave walked back into the office followed by an attractive young
woman, who Joe recognized as the line boy Tim Werner" 

     "Hi. Tim."  Joe said.  "You know Jim here, and Mike, I believe." 

     "Hi."  Tim said shyly.

     Tim was wearing one of the t-shirts and a pair of jeans he bought
yesterday.  The clothes were much more casual than what the others were
wearing, but they looked good on Tim's attractive form.

     "Would you...er, folks want to go over to the lab, and see the RF cage?"
Jim asked. 

     "Sure.  Let's go."  Dave said quickly. 

     They all followed Jim down one hall, and then another, until they came to
some double doors.  Jim opened them and they all went inside.  There they
found a large room filled with benches filled with power supplies and test
equipment. On one end of the room was a large cage like room made of a tight
mesh screen.  It was not all screen, some areas were aluminum sheets, where
connectors were mounted so that cables could pass throught the screen.  There
was a wide door so that hardware could be brought into the cage.  Through the
screen could be seen the bright yellow cases which held the transmitters.
There were a couple of stools, and a work bench in there too.  Otherwise, the
room was empty.  Outside, at another workbench, were located three closed
circuit TV monitors, two spectrum analysers, and a large stripchart recorder. 

     "Well, whatever we do in there, we should have a record of it." Joe said.

     "That's the idea." Jim said. "If we can cause something to happen, we
will want to know exactly what it took to do it.  This should let us know.
And it should be safe enough...at least on this side of the cage."

     "As soon as it's ready to try, I volunteer to be the first to try it."
Dave said loudly.  "As I see it, I've got nothing to lose." 

     "If this thing can cause the type of chromosome changes which it has
apparently already done, then who knows what else it can do...it could easily
cause really strange...even fatal defects." Jim said.  "We'll have to take it
slow.  I don't want to belittle what has happened to any of you, but at least
you are all alive, and as far as we can tell, completely healthy.  We want to
keep it that way." 

     "I'd rather try anything than have to live like this." Dave said
obstinately.

     "If we can prove that it won't cause more harm than good, you'll get your
chance to try it.  You have my word."  Jim said. 

     "What will we try first?" Joe asked.  "To repeat what happened to us, or
something else?" 

     "Well, I'm leaving it up to Dr. Krell's people, but I would like to
verify that it was absolutely this hardware which caused the problem, and not
something else, God know's what." Jim answered. 

     "Try it with a human?  You want to make another guy look like a female?"
Tim asked. 

     "I don't know." Jim answered.  "I'd hope something can be done with
animals...monkees or something like that...I don't know though.  That's up to
the medics."

     "I'll bet he could get all the volunteers he wants." Joe said.  He
thought about some of the patients he met at the clinic, and how they reacted
when they found out what had happened to him and the others. 

     "Well find out what he wants to do real soon." Jim replied.  "Let's go
back to the desk and wait for Dr. Krell's people.  I have some paperwork for
you folks too." 

     They obediently followed Jim back up the hallway.  Anxious to find out
what Dr. Krell was planning to do.

                 ***************************
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Archive-name: Changes/bates23.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 23


                               Chapter 23
                               EXPERIMENTS
                
     "Joe, could you escort Dr. Krell, and whoever he has with him into the
building?" Jim asked.

     "Sure." Joe replied.  He quickly left the room and walked back to the
entrance.

     By now Joe was at home enough with his new physique and the feel of his
clothes that he sometimes forgot, if only for just a moment, that his
appearance had changed significantly.  As he traveled the familure hallways,
he absent-mindedly attempted to move along with the long, easy stride he
always used.  When did, he felt the restricting hem of the skirt at his knees.
He looked down, and was instantly reminded that some things were quite
different now.  He could feel the slight bounce of his breasts moving, and
hear the gentle rustle of his pantyhose when his thighs sometimes rubbed
together as he walked.  He placed his hand on his hip just to feel the satiny
slickness of the slip against his stockings.  He liked the sensation and kept
his hand there, letting it gently brush the side his leg as he walked.  There
were so many interesting things about being this way...wearing clothes like
these...always some new feeling or sensation to experience.  To be like this
forever wouldn't be so bad at all, he thought.

     When he arrived at the entrance, Joe recognized Dr. Krell, Karen Simpson,
and two other people...both men, probably doctors or lab technicians.  He
didn't recognize either of them.  Dr. Krell smiled in recognition when he
spotted Joe.  Karen raised her hand in greeting.

     "Good morning Dr. Krell." Joe said.  "Hi Karen." He added.

     "Good morning." Dr. Krell repeated. "How are you doing this fine day,
Joe."

     "Just fine, I guess." Joe said, smiling.

     "You're certainly are looking good." Karen said.

     "Thanks.  You are too." Joe said.

     They all signed the log, and Dr. Krell introduced the other two men.

     "Joe Bates, I'd like you to meet Dr. John Schwab, and Dr. Richard
Roberts. Among their talents, they're associates of mine.  John is into
genetics research, and Dick's specialty is urology, and they're both very
interested in what's happened here.  If it turns out our research continues
very long, I'm sure we'll have others wanting to get involved on it too." The
little doctor said.

     "I've heard all about you." Dr. Schwab said holding out his hand to Joe.

     Somewhat embarrased, Joe shook his hand, and then took the hand of Dr.
Roberts.

     "I've got to talk with you." The big, friendly looking guy said.  "What
has happened to you is almost unbelievable.  I can hardly believe my eyes."
Dick Roberts said.

     "Well believe me, nobody's having a harder time believing I'm like this
than I am myself." Joe said.

     "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the others." Joe continued.  "Jim
Matheney, he's our Certification Manager...and my boss, and I guess he's your
primary contact here at Honeybone." Joe told them as they walked along.

     "This is quite an impressive complex." Dr. Roberts said.  "I've always
wanted to see how avionics are designed."

     "Do you have an interest in aviation?" Joe asked.

     "Yeah, I guess I do.  Dr. Roberts said. "I've got my commercial ticket,
and a five year old, A-36 Bonanza."

     "That's a pretty good plane." Joe said truthfully.

     "I guess you get all kinds of interesting hardware around here." The
doctor said.

     "Well, sometimes we get a new airframe to use, but usually we gotta use
our test aircraft, and they're hardly new." Joe said. "But, we do work with
the latest in avionics, of course."

     "I have King gear in mine." Dr. Roberts said.  "I have to admit, except
for the DME, I haven't had any real trouble with any of it yet."

     They arrived at the Certification Section offices, and Joe led them into
Jim's office, where the others were waiting.  He introduced them to each
other, noting that the two new doctors carefully eyed Mike, Dave, and Tim
carefully as they were introduced.

     "All of you were together when this happened?" Dr. Schwab asked, looking
at Mike.

     "Well, we were pretty near each other for some of the time." Mike
answered.  "Three of use were in the Lear, and Tim here, he came over to fuel
us, and stayed around to watch us calibrate.  I guess that's really the only
time we were actually together for any length of time."

     "And this GPS transmitter...was it on all the time?" Dr. Roberts asked.

     "Once we turn it on, it stays on all the time. We were real close to the
"A".  The "B" was located at the other side of the airport.  Me and Joe
were the only ones really close to that one while it was turned on." Mike
explained.

     "What kind of power do those transmitters operate at?" Dr. Roberts
queried.

     "Well, it's adjustable over a considerable range." Mike said.  I've got
records of the settings used last thursday, or any other day, for that
matter."

     "So this thing has been used before?" Dr. Roberts asked.

     "Oh, sure.  We've been testing recievers for more than a month." Joe
chimed in.

     "But you've only now had a problem?" the doctor asked.

     "If there was anything happening to me before last week, I certainly
didn't realize it." Joe said.  "Friday morning came as a complete suprize,
that's for sure." He added.

     "Same here." Dave said.

     "Like wise." Mike added.  "In fact, when when I first realized something
strange was happening...that I was changing, or whatever...I hadn't really
changed very much yet, but I could feel something, like an itch or something,
before I could see any change.  Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm still changing,
but its happening slower now."

     "Yeah. Same here." Tim said. "When I got home Thursday night, I felt
really terrible.  I couldn't sleep, my chest felt so strange, and I had a
really bad upset stomach.  I was just laying there, in bed, when I first
realized that something really peculiar was happening. First, I just had to go
to the bathroom really bad. I went to pee and that's when I saw that my
cock...er, my penis was shrinking or something...anyway, it was really hard to
go...to pee with it pulled in like that, but it felt like I really had to, so
I did.  Afterwards, I went back to bed, but I could still feel it...it was
sort if tingling and felt really strange, like it was trying to pull up
further inside me.  It continued that way until it was completely gone, it
feels like its up inside...changed to the way it is now.  I guess I can still
feel it there when I think about it.  But I suppose I am sort of getting used
to it this way."

     Tim started to touch himself, but then he realized everyone was watching
and stopped, looked embarrassed, but then continued speaking.

     "I really didn't know what the hell was going on...I mean...it couldn't
be real...maybe I was just dreaming.  I didn't realize I was...I guess...
turning into a girl until I got up again, early in the morning, and saw just
what I looked like in the mirror. Of course, even then I didn't completely
realize what had happened.  My boobs hadn't grown that much by then, and I
guess I didn't realize the full extent of what had happened to me until
sometime the next morning...I mean...its easy to look and see what's happened
now, but...I'm telling you...there is no way to prepare yourself for something
like this...I mean, I never heard of anything like it before." His soft voice
raised and fell as he described what it was like to watch his body undergo the
changes that had affected each of them.

     As Joe listened to the Tim describe what had happened to him, he decided
that maybe it was better to go through the change like he did, sleeping
through the whole thing.  He didn't even know that anything had happened until
he woke up.  To actually see it happening...to feel it...no wonder Tim hid in
his apartment for days rather than face other people the way he was.  How do
you explain something like that happening to you?

     The doctors listened to Tim's story with interest.

     "I've read you're file." Dr. Schwab said.  "But your description of the
experience really brings out the trauma.  I'm not sure what has happened
exactly...and I'm certainly amazed that something like this could happen
overnight...much less at all."

     "As long as you guys can figure a way to get us back, I don't care if you
can explain it or not." Dave said.

     "Why don't we go and look over the test cage?" Jim suggested.  "We have
everything that was used on Thursday set up, and we're ready for whatever
experiments you might want to try."

     "Good idea." Dr. Krell answered, and looked at Joe to lead them to the
lab.

     Joe looked at the little doctor.

     "Follow me." He said.

     He lead them down the hall, and opened the double doors, holding them
open while the others went inside.

     "It's larger than I thought it would be." Dr. Schwab exclaimed.  "We
could try a number of experiments at the same time with this much room."

     "How will we know how much power to use at this close range?" Dr. Roberts
wondered aloud.

     "I suggest we start with very low power, then increase it in small
increments, never exceeding the settings used outdoors.  The whole system can
take full transmitter power, but maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to use it
all, no matter if we get the desired results or not. It's really close
quarters for that much power, and I doubt that it would help anyway." Jim
suggested.  He was always concerned about safety, since he was responsable for
safety in the lab.

     "We will defer to your judgment on that, Mr. Matheney." Dr. Krell said.

     "Please call me Jim, doctor." Jim said.

     "Sure Jim, and of course, please feel free to call me Ben." Dr. Krell
said, smiling.

     "I'll try to remember that." Jim said.  He was very serious about work,
but liked informality among professionals during operations like this. Of
course, there had never been operations like this before.

     "What do you have planned?" Mike asked, his curiosity hard to contain.

     "Well, now that we know what we have to work with I think we have room
for primates.  I thought we would have to use mice, but this is much better.
We could even use human volunteers, when we get to that point." Dr. Roberts
said.

     "I volunteer for that whenever you want to try it." Dave chimed in.

     "I'm afraid that we would need a control subject for the first attempt."
Dr. Roberts said.  "But you will probably get your chance too." He smiled.

     "It can't be too soon." Dave said.

     The men looked over the equipment, and at the lab in general, appearing
to be concerned about the size of the unused space.  They murmered to
themselves, and then walked over to where Jim and Joe were standing and
watching.

     "I think this will be enough room." Dr. Krell said.  "We'll need room for
some cages, if we are to bring some lab animals in.  I think we can have some
of what we need here by this afternoon, tomorrow for sure."

     "What will we need to do today?" Joe asked.  He was curious what they
would be doing.

     "Well, I think these two gentlemen would like to interview each of you."
Dr. Krell said.  "Perhaps you could come over to Hillcrest, to my office
there, for a while this morning?"

     "Sure.  I can do that." Joe said.  Oh damn, more hospital, he thought.
He was anxious to see what they would be doing in the lab, not answering
questions, or getting examined.

     "I think we need to get to a telephone." Dr. Krell said.

     "Right here." Jim said. "This desk, and this phone is available for your
use.  Please make yourself at home."

     Dr. Krell sat down, picked up the handset.  Dr. Roberts walked over to
Joe and the others.

     "Do you all think you could meet me over at Hillcrest in about two
hours?" He asked.  "It shouldn't take very long, but I do have some
things...some questions to ask.  I think it would be best to do that over
there."

     "A couple of hours?  Sure." Dave responded.  "Will we be coming back here
then?" He was impatient with the seemingly slow progress.

     "I don't think there will be any need for that." Dr. Roberts said.
"Maybe tomorrow afternoon, but not before.  We have a lot of setting up to do
in here till then.  There is no reason for any of you to get involved with
that.  We'll have a number of assistants taking care of it."

     Joe was hoping to get some "hands on" of the equipment himself, but he
was beginning to see that the plan was to sort of let them "be involved," but
probably not use their expertise.  They were now simply part of the
experiment, as far as the doctors were concerned.

     They went back to the offices, and Joe went directly to his desk. Karen
was with them and Tim, since he had no where else to go, followed Joe and
Dave.  Joe looked at Karen, trying to tell if she had any idea of what was
happening.

     "So what now?" He asked.  "Do we just sit and wait till they call us?"

     "I suppose that's all there is to do." Karen said.  "Of course, it's only
about an hour and forty five minutes till you need to be at Hillcrest."

     "Oh yeah.  I almost forgot about that." Joe replied.  "I wonder what
that's going to be about?"

     "I'm not sure really." Karen surmised.  "But I overheard the discussion,
and I think they are still trying to determine the full extent of the changes
your chromosomes have undergone.  They can't understand how this could have
happened in such a short time period.  It's starting to become obvious that it
isn't really over yet, since you all seem to be still changing, at least a
little, don't you agree?"

     Joe looked at Karen.  "I didn't know it was that obvious.  How can you
tell?"

     Karen smiled.  "I'm not sure really.  Mike of course is the most
noticeable, it's easy to see that he's still developing."
 

     "Joe, you and Tim, I guess it's different...not so physical, or
something, more in the way you act...the way you talk.  I can tell you both
becoming more familure with what has happened." Karen said.

     "I guess I am getting a little used to it." Joe said.  "But it's more
than that, I can't explain it...it's like my brain is changed or
something...Hell, I think I'm even beginning to like being like this, like
it's the way I'm supposed to be. Until a couple of days ago, all I could do
was think about figuring out how to get back, try to hold on to my
masculinity...I guess.  Now, I don't care about that anymore. I guess its
taken over my head or something.  I can't really explain it."

     "Yeah.  I think it's the same for me, at least a little." Tim said.  "At
first I hated this, but I guess I'm beginning to accept it all now."

     "How about you, Dave?" Karen asked.

     "Is is really important how I feel?" Dave said sullenly.  "I can't just
decide that I'm gonna be a girl, even if I happen look like one, or whatever."

     "Even you can't change what's happened." Karen said.  "If you try to go
against your feelings, it will just make you unhappy and hard to be around,
and won't change a thing.  I'm speaking from personal experience."

     Just then Jim Matheney walked from his office and came over to Tim.

     "Can you come with me for a few minutes?" He asked.

     "Sure." Tim answered, and followed Jim back to his office.  Jim closed
the door.

     "This has all just got to be temporary." Dave said. "Even if I would get
used to this, I still have to change back."

     "Maybe you do." Joe said.  "But before that, why don't you try to lighten
up?" He tried to cheer up his pal, who seemed to be depressed.

     "What do you want me to do, Joe?" Dave asked.  "Buy a bunch of dresses,
or something?"

     "Hey, I don't know what you want, but you must have something you'd like
to try, I mean, I know your curious, why don't you kick back a little, and try
to enjoy what has happened, rather that fight it all the way.  LIke Karen
said, you've become a Sad Sack, and it ain't helping you, or your family.
What ever happens tomorrow, why don't you try to enjoy today?" Joe tried to
sum up what he had wanted to say to Dave for some time.

     Dave grinned at his friend.

     "I'm sorry if I've become a pain in the ass." He said.  "You know that's
not the way I am."

     "Yeah, I know that." Joe replied, grinning.  "That's why I've put up with
it till now."

     "So what should I do?" Dave asked.

     "What would you like to do?" Joe asked.  "How do you feel about
yourself?"

     "I don't know exactly." Dave answered.  "I guess I'm having some of the
same feelings you are, I don't know.  It's hard to know what I feel like."

     Joe knew what his friend meant.  Even if he was starting to except
himself the way he was, Joe also experienced the strange paradox. Sure, he
looked like a female now, and he was even beginning to like how he looked, as
well as the feminine feelings he was experiencing, at least that's what he
figured they were, he didn't really know what it was supposed to feel like to
be female, he only knew what HE felt like.  But even though he liked it...a
lot, he still felt like he was male...deep inside.  There was just no way he
could change his past.  Until a week ago, everything he did, his every
thought, was naturally from the male perspective.  That was hard...maybe
impossible to change.  The sensation was sometimes as if his changed body was
somehow not really his, that he was inside somebody else, even though he knew
that was not the case. Sometimes, he still felt pretty much like a guy, and
sometimes the new feeling of femininity almost overwhelmed him.


     Karen Simpson joined them.  "It looks like they won't need you guy's here
today.  When you leave for Hillcrest, let me know.  I need to go over there
too."

     Joe looked at Dave.  "Are we ready to go over there?" He asked.

     "Yeah, I guess so...not that I'm looking forward to getting prodded and
poked again." Dave said.

     "I don't think there will be much of that." Karen said.  "Then again, I
don't know what Dr. Roberts might have on his mind."

     "Let's go find Mike." Joe said.
 
     I guess Tim is getting a job offer, Joe thought.

     "We can wait for Tim." Joe said.  "I'll try to track Mike down."

     Joe went out in the hallway.  He wondered were the big woman might be.
He was with them in the lab, and came back out with them, bu then he was
suddenly gone.  He looked into the offices and cubicals along the way as he
toured the hallways.  When he came to the word processing area, he could see
Mike's new hairpiece over the top of the partition.  What was he doing in
here?  He thought. He went over to Mike, who was engaged in conversation with
an attractive young woman, Melody Meyers, who he recognized as having gone out
with Mike in the past. Mike must have seen her in the hall, and is trying to
explain.  Joe thought.  It was hard...Yeah, sure...its still me... Joe had
gone through the same thing with Linda.  It was impossible not to be
embarrassed to have to try to explain to your girl friend that something like
this had happened to you.  First they didn't believe it, and then' if you
could convince them, they felt sorry for you and wanted to help.  At least
thats the way it had been for him and Linda.  He didn't really know the extent
of the relationship that Mike had with Melody.  

     Mike saw him when he turned the corner.

     "Hi Joe." Mike said.  "Here Mel, see...this is Joe Bates, you know him
too.  He's had the same thing happen too." Mike explained to a wide eyed
Melody.

     "Oh God.  I heard the rumors that something like this had happened...but
I thought it was a strange joke.  But I see its really true." Melody said,
leaning back in her swivel chair.

     "Yeah, I guess its really true." Joe said, smiling at the attractive
young woman.  He didn't really know her, but he had often noticed her in the
hall.  She was easily one of the best looking girls in word processing, and he
always noticed the good looking girls.  As he eyed her, he realized that they
were probably almost the same size now...even their figures were very similer.
Hell, they could probably share clothes.

     "Well, I'm sorry for you both...and the others too." Melody said.  "Are
you having problems, or anything?"

     Joe looked at her.  "I don't know about the others, but I guess I'm
getting used to it...the best I can anyway.  It's a heck of a change to wake
up looking like this." He smiled.

     "I just can't believe it." Melody said.  "You both look so natural...you
look just like real women.  That skirt looks positively marvelous on you,
Joe."

     "We've been told that we more than LOOK like 'real' woman." Joe added.  I
think we have all the required parts...inside and out.  It certainly feels
like we do anyway." He grinned at Melody as he rubbed his hand along the soft
curve of his right breast. Even though he looked, and now felt, quite female,
he still had a weakness for pretty girls.  Perhaps not like before. It was
much more subtle now.  But it was making for strange conversation.  He tried
to change the subject.

     "We're going to go over to Hillcrest now." Joe told Mike.  "Are you
ready?"

     "Yeah, I guess so." Mike said.  He looked back at Melody.  "I'll call you
tonight, all right?" he asked.  "We can talk about it."

     "Ok.  Sure." Melody answered.  "Good luck.  You too, Joe."

     "Thanks." Joe said as he turned, and began to walk away.  He was aware
that the other women were looking at him and Mike as they walked passed them.
He understood their curiosity, and smiled at them as he passed.  So these are
my new peers.  He thought to himself. I think this is gonna take some time....

     When Joe and Mike arrived back at Joe's desk, Tim was sitting in the
chair beside it.  He was obviously pleased about something.  He and Dave were
engaged in conversation, and Dave continued to speak as Joe arrived at his
desk and sat down.

     "Yeah, but I'll be willing to bet that over the course of your entire
life, you'll find your earning power reduced. I don't care who you end up
working for." Dave said.

     Dave was giving the young man, who like him, was now a young woman, his
opinion of life as a female.  Tim obviously did not completely agree with his
older friend.

     "I think it depends on the individual." Tim objected.  "If I'm qualified
to do the same work, I should earn the same income."

     "Let me know when you arrive on earth." Dave said sarcasticly.

     "Joe, what's your opinion?" Tim asked.  "Dave thinks that our lifetime
earning power will be reduced if we decide to stay this way."

     "Hell, I don't have any idea." Joe said.  "I suppose women do earn less,
on the average than men, but I think there are many reasons for that.  I'm not
sure that all those reasons would ever apply to us, considering our unusual
backgrounds."

     "Well lets get going." Karen said as she came walking down the hall, and
saw them all together.

     "Do you want to ride with me?" Joe asked her.  "No need to take both
cars, is there?" He didn't mind company on the short drive to the hospital.

     "Ok.  I'll be glad to." Karen said.  I don't know if we'll need to come
back here or not, but its mor or less on the way anyway, isn't it."

     "No problem." Joe replied as they walked down the hall.

     They got in his car and buckled in.  Joe drove to the hospital and didn't
say a word.  Karen spoke first.

     "I was listening to them discuss your problem." She said.  "I don't think
they have any idea as to what has happened to you guys, or what to do about
it."

     "Do you think that means we're stuck like this?" Joe asked.

     "Its hard to say." Karen replied.  She looked over at Joe.  "Would you
mind?"

     Joe grinned.  It must really be obvious that he was beginning to enjoy
his new gender.

     "I don't know how I should answer that." He said.  "Sure, it seems to be
getting easier each day.  I have to admit, I guess I'm starting to like it.
But I really haven't experienced everything yet, have I?" He gave Karen a
questioning look.

     "You are more female than I will ever be." Karen said.  "I'd give
anything to have what you were given by accident."

     "And I wish I could give it all to you." Joe said honestly.  "I guess I'm
getting used to it, maybe even starting to like it, but I really hadn't
figured I'd be spending my whole life as a girl...a woman.  Maybe I'm just
starting to realize what it all might mean."

     "Joe, its hard to change your gender, even when that's what you want more
than anything else in the world.  I am impressed at how your dealing with this
all.  All of you are simply amazing in how well you all are handling it."
Karen said, the admiration in her voice showing through.

     If it was as hard as the first day, I know I wouldn't be taking it this
well." Joe admitted.  "But something...some chemical or hormonal change or
something is affecting me...my head.  Thats actually making it all pretty
easy. I'm actually starting to like it now.  I really can't explain what I
mean."

     "When I started hormone therapy I noticed a feeling like that too." Karen
said.  "I thought I wanted to be female more than anything else, but when I
started therapy, in a few months I KNEW I was female.  I felt like a woman,
even before I started to look like one.  Of course, after the surgury, the
feelings really kicked in. I guess you got both barrels at once." She grinned.

     "I don't know." Joe said.  "But right now, I don't know if I could even
handle being a man anymore.  It just feels too good this way."

     "Yeah.  Yeah, it does doesn't it." Karen said with a knowing smile.

     They arrived at Hillcrest Hospital and Joe drove into the parking area.
They quickly walked the short distance to the office that Dr. Krell maintained
there.  Karen went to her desk, and Joe sat down in one of the seats nearby.
Soon the others followed, taking seats next to Joe.  

     "I wonder what they want now?" Tim asked. 

     "I don't have any idea." Joe said. "But I guess the more doctors we have
working with us the faster we'll find the answer." 

     "Yeah, but what will it be?" Dave asked, speaking to no one in
particular. 

     They were sitting only about fifteen minutes when Joe heard his name
called. He went up to the window, where Karen was standing, talking with the
nurse, or receptionist, who she obviously knew quite well. 

     "Joe, Karen will take you to one of the examination rooms." the nurse
said. 

     Karen began walking down the hall, and Joe followed.  When she came to a
door, she knocked, and when there was no answer, she opened it and motioned
for Joe to go inside. 

     "Go in and have a seat." She said.  "I don't think this will take very
long." 

     "Whats going on?"  Joe asked. 

     "Well, I think Dr. Roberts would like to examine you himself." Karen
said.  "I don't think it will be much, or take long." 

     She closed the door behind Joe, and he was alone in the room. 

     Great, he thought.  Another examination. Since he had undergone the
change a week ago, Joe felt he had undergone more physical examinations than
he could remember.  And they were very different than he was used to...it was
bad enough to have to get used to his new body, without persons prodding and
probing it in areas he was just learning he had.  He looked around the small
room.  The examination table was there, a little partition to undress behind,
and a door, probably a small room for a toilet.  He wondered if he should
undress.  Karen hadn't told him to, and he certainly didn't want to go through
the process if he didn't have to. He just sat there, waiting for orders.

     A quick knock on the door was followed by Dr. Roberts poking his head in.
He handed Joe a small plastic container.

     "There is a restroom in there." He said pointing to the door at the back
of the room.  Please fill this cup, and then remove your clothing.  There is a
gown on the hook.  I' be with you in a few minutes." He closed the door behind
him. 

     Joe looked down at the little plastic cup in his hand.  Sure, fill this,
he thought.  Easy for you to say.  

     Though after almost a week of living with it, Joe was familure with
urinating with his feminized genitalia...feels like peeing with your butt, he
thought to himself the first time he did it. He had never attempted to aim the
urine stream as it came out.  When he first realized that he couldn't go as he
always had, from a standing position, he had automaticly adapted what he
considered was the female...sitting...position.  Of course it worked, you
didn't have to do aything but sit there and let it happen.  But now, he had to
pee into this tiny cup.  How would he do that?  He went into the small
restroom.  There was a stool in there, a sink, and a mirror, nothing else.  He
would have to get the skirt off, and the pantyhose...maybe he should he
undress first.

     Joe went back out into the examination room, and looked behind the
dressing curtain.  There were hangers for his clothes.  He sat the cup on a
little stand and began to unbutton his blouse.  He slipped it off, carefully
placed it on a hanger, then kicked off his shoes.  As Linda had showed him, he
spun the skirt around to the side, and then easily unzipped it.  He stepped
out of the little skirt and then pulled the slip over his head.  He felt the
chill of the room as he stood wearing only the bra, panty hose and panties.
Joe carefully removed the sheer hose, being careful not to snag it with his
fingernails.  A quick flick on the clasp between his breasts and his bra lay
with the hose.  He then pulled the panties down his legs, examining the short,
matted hair which covered his greatly changed genitalia.  His appearance was
all still new to him, and every time he saw himself, the way he was now, he
just had to look.  He tossed his underpants with the bra, and slowly ran his
hand between his legs, feeling the damp hair, enjoying his own touch. No time
for fooling around now, he thought to himself.

     Joe took the short hospital gown and put his arms through the sleeves,
and attempted to tie the little strings behind his back. Luckily, there were
also small velcro tabs, and he satisfied himself with rubbing two of those
together, which at least kept the little gown from opening in back and falling
off. Not that it covered much but his boobs anyway. Joe found that his butt
was exposed, and though the fabric covered his front, if he happened to sit
down, his bottom would certainly be exposed.  What the heck, he decided,
they're going to be looking at all that stuff anyway. He picked up the plastic
cup, and went into the restroom, and from habit, shut the door.

     Joe eyed the cup, and went over to the toilet.  He stood in front of the
stool like a guy, holding the cup below his crotch. No, I don't think so, he
considered, and spread his legs apart, attempting to straddle the stool.
Holding that position, he positioned the cup between his legs, in the
approximate spot he guessed the pee would come out.  He wasn't exactly sure
where that spot was, however.  He tried to relax his muscles, in a attempt to
start the urine flow.  Nothing would come...he was just too nervous. He tried
to think about something else, but it was almost impossible.  What an strange
position for a guy to be in he thought, and started to giggle.  Jay would
probably die laughing if he could see him like this.

     Holding the cup with one hand, Joe rubbed the area around his clitoris.
Although the tissues which were now his clitoris still felt amazingly similar
to the tip of his penis, though much more sensitive, it had none of the
sensations his penis had when he used that to pee.  Now of course, his urinary
opening was located much further down, sort of between what had become the
inner lips of his vaginal area, but to Joe still felt somewhat like the shaft
of his penis, or maybe his scrotum. It was hard to be definite, the nerves in
the area seemed to sort of blend together.  Sometimes now, he could feel a
slight burning sensation from there as he urinated, and he could tell that
that was where the pee was coming from.

     Using the fingers of one hand, Joe separated folds which formed the lips
of his vulva, attempting to expose the opening of his urethra. He rubbed
around the area where he figured it would be, and could feel the little bump
with his finger near the bottom of his pubic bone.  He could certainly tell
when he touched the right spot.  Keeping his lips spread apart as well as he
could, he held the cup to his crotch, and again tried to relax.  This time he
felt the urine start to come, and was ready to reposition the cup if his guess
was wrong.  As the warm flow arrived, it trickled into the cup, over his
fingers, and to his dismay, a small amount even ran down his leg. He carefully
moved his fingers around in an attempt to get it all to go only into the cup.

     Joe finally captured about half a cup full, and decided that it was
probably enough. His bladder was empty, in any case. He put the cup down,
grabbed some toilet paper and quickly wiped the wetness from his hands and
legs. After carefully drying off, he threw the wet tissue into the toilet in
disgust.  There just had to be a better way to do this. Women couldn't
possibly have this much difficulty doing this, could they? He would ask Linda,
if he could think of a way to bring up the subject.  All cleaned up, Joe took
the cup back out and placed it on the work stand.  He then sat down on the
edge of the examination table, to wait for the embarrasment which he knew was
to come.

     He had been sitting for about ten minutes, at least it seemed that long,
when there was a knock on the door. Before Joe could answer, Dr. Roberts poked
his head in.

     "Are you ready to go?" Dr. Roberts asked.

     "Ready as I'll ever be." Joe replied.  He wasn't looking forward to any
of this.

     Dr. Roberts entered the room, and went over to the stand. He looked at
the sample, then turned and looked at Joe.  He had a little device with a
light on the end that Joe recognized was used to examine ears and eyes. He
came over to where Joe was now standing next to the examination table.

     "Dr. Krell and Dr. Schwab will be here soon." He said.  "Just relax."

     "That's easier to say than do." Joe said, smiling nervously.

     "Yeah, I guess it is." Dr. Roberts said. "I imagine it is a little hard
to get used to all this."

     "That's sure an understatement." Joe exclaimed.

     Dr. Roberts took the light, and peered into Joes eyes, shining the light
into his pupils. Joe wondered what he was looking for, and asked. 

     "Oh nothing really." Dr. Roberts answered.  It's just routine when
checking on a patient to check the eyes.  I guess you might say they're sort
of a window to the brain."

     "Oh yeah?" Joe said.  "And how does my brain look?"

     "Do you think there's a problem with it?" Dr. Roberts asked, grinning.

     "I don't know." Joe said truthfully. "I know there sure have been some
strange thoughts in there the last few days."

     "I'll bet." Dr. Roberts replied.  "I guess this must be hard to take, I
mean I haven't seen you any other way, and you look perfectly normal to me,
but of course, you are actually a man...at least you were." He smiled.

     "Yeah." Joe said.  "I really was.  Now, I don't know what I am.
     
     "Sometimes, I still feel like I'm still a guy, believe it or not, I can
actually forget what what I look like now." Joe went on.  "But just moving
around, or have something touch me, then it's all back again. Of course, I
guess it isn't really that bad though. Actually, sometimes, maybe even most of
the time lately, I guess I kinda like being this way. Is that wierd? I don't
know if maybe my brain is changing too, or what, but its starting to feel
kinda normal, even kinda good.  Do you have any idea what I'm trying to say?"
He looked at the doctor, who had a puzzled look on his face.

    "Well, I'm trying to understand.  As far as I know, there have never been
any other cases like yours.  You guys are writing new chapters in the books."
Dr. Roberts said.

     There was another quick knock, and Dr.'s Krell and Schwab came in
followed by Karen, who was now wearing a white nursing outfit.  Dr. Krell was
engaged in conversation with Dr. Schwab.

     "Yes, and the hormone levels are different each time we check." Dr. Krell
said.  Dr. Schwab only rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 

     Dr. Krell greeted everyone, and then looked at Joe.

     "Joe, would you remove that gown for a moment and show these doctors just
what has happened to you?"  Dr. Krell asked.

     Feeling a flush come to his face, Joe reached behind his back, and pulled
the velcro apart, letting the little gown slip down his arms.  He lay it on
the table, and stood naked in front of the three doctors and Karen.

     "There seems to be normal skeletal and breast development." Dr. Schwab
said.  "And you say this all occured overnight?"

     That's what was reported." Dr. Krell answered.  "One of the others, Mike,
seemed to develop secondary characteristics much more slowly." 

     They were talking about him and his condition as if he wasn't even in the
room.  Joe wondered if there was a reason for acting in this detached way.  He
had noticed it before.  When two or more of them would get into a discussion,
they seemed to ignore him, even if he was there and could hear everything
being said. It was a strange, somewhat degrading thing for him to experience,
as if they felt he was incapable of comprehending what was they were talking
about.

     "You can put the gown back on." Dr. Krell said. "And then please lay down
on the table."

     Joe quickly pulled the gown over his shoulders, and hopped up on the
table.  Karen helped him get into position, and covered him with a sheet.

     Joe saw Dr. Roberts go to the cabinet and watched him retrieve a dreaded
speculum.  He held the metal ends in his surgical gloved hands to warm them.

     Joe waited in expectation for what was to happen. 

     In a moment he felt the sheet being pulled back, exposing his bottom.  He
felt someone touching him, examining his external genitalia.  Dr. Krell began
talking.

     "As you see, there appear to be scar tissue surrounding the clitoris.  It
seems to be more exposed than is typical.  From questioning, I discovered that
he was subjected to circumcision as an infant.  That is perhaps the source of
the scar tissue."

     As he was heard Dr. Krell speak, Joe could feel someone examining that
part of his body. Then he felt his lips being spread apart.  He wondered of
Dr. Krell would notice the change in his hymen. If he did, he wasn't saying
anything.

     Joe heard a metalic clicking sound, and then felt the strange sensation
of something being inserted into his crotch.  Unlike the last time, it went in
easily, and wasn't really uncomfortable like before.  When he felt the device
spread his vaginal opening, he did feel some minor discomfort, but it wasn't
bad, and he tried to take his mind off of it by listening to what they were
saying.

     "Amazing.  It all appears perfectly normal." He heard Dr. Roberts say.
"There is normal distention of the cervix, and the upper vagina is fully
developed.  Have you performed a CAT scan?"

     "Certainly." Dr. Krell answered. "Completely normal in appearance...for a
biological female."

     "Have any of them experenced menses?"

     "No. Not yet, but I suspect it to happen."

     The speculum collapsed and was withdrawn.  Joe had to fight the urge to
reach over the sheet and rub his crotch. Dr. Krell spoke to him again. 

     "You can clean up and get dressed now Joe."

     The doctors left the room.  Karen stayed and helped Joe, taking the sheet
away.  As soon as she did, Joe put his legs down and spun around, sitting on
the edge of the table. 

     "You can wipe off with these." Karen said.  She didn't leave the room,
but watched as Joe wiped the traces of K-Y jelly from his genitalia.  Having
someone watch him do something so personal was embarrasing, and Joe wondered
why Karen was doing it. He quickly finished, and went over to his clothes to
dress.

     "I was watching when they examined you." Karen said.  "You really are
female, aren't you."

     "What did you think?  That they were making it all up?" Joe replied. "Of
course I am.  I thought you watched the last time."

     "I was there, but I didn't really look that closely." Karen replied. "Now
I know you better, and know more about you.  I guess the real facts of just
what has happened to you guy's just hit home." 

     Joe looked at the big friendly nurse and grinned.  "It hit home for me
last friday.  I guess I'm getting used to it now."

     Joe pulled his underwear up, and put the bra back on.  His firm breasts
didn't really need the support, but he somehow felt better with it on.  He
could now put it on with out even thinking about it.  Much had change in only
a few days. Joe sat in a chair, and pulled the pantyhose on, then the slip,
and then he put the outerwear on.  When he was dressed, he looked in the
mirror, and straightened his hair.  Throughout it all, Karen watched in
silence. When Joe was ready to leave the room, she spoke. 

     "You are so atrtractive, I find it hard to believe you were a guy." She
said.  "I wish something like that could have happened to me. I have to admit,
I'm feeling a little jealous of you."

     "But you're a woman now too." Joe said, refering to Karens gender
reasignment surgury.  "And you're certainly good looking.  What is there about
me to be for you to be jealous about?"

     "I may look like a woman, but you ARE one...you heard Dr. Krell.  He
expects that you'll menstruate.  I'll never be able to do that." Karen
lamented.

     "Well, I don't know if I would be envious of that." Joe said.  Of course,
even as he spoke the words, he knew that the ability to become a mother was an
important part of being female.  That element of his condition was only
recently becoming something he could bear to think about.

     "Just don't ever forget how lucky you are, Joe Bates." Karen said, and
went out the door.

     Before he went out Joe looked at himself in the mirror one last time, and
thought about what Karen said.  He adjusted the hairpiece, and wondered about
Karen. He had ever seen her act this way.  Apparently, she was not as happy
with her situatiuon as she appeared.  He felt sorry for her.  Maybe his
changed body didn't match his brain either, but he was finding that he was
enjoying it more every day.  Maybe his brain had changed too, and the only
thing about him that was still masculine were his memories.  He knew one
thing, he sure wouldn't want to change his body back to male surgicly, that
was sure. In fact, he didn't know if he would want to go back, no matter how
easy, or complete the doctors might make it.

     Joe went into the waiting area and took a seat.  Apparently, each of the
others had been called too, and were in the examination rooms.  He had
apparently been the first.  He sat there about five minutes, when Mike came
out and took a seat next to him.

At first Mike didn't say anything, but then he looked at Joe and asked. 

     "Did you have to pee into a cup?"

     Joe looked at Mike and grinned. "It was a bitch, wasn't it." 

     "How are we supposed to do that now?"  He asked. 

     "Don't ask me." Joe said.  "I'm going to ask Linda about it, if I can
figure a way to bring it up."

     "There's gotta be an easier way...I mean...the damn stuff seems to come
out all over." Mike went on. 

     He had apparently tried something like Joe did.  Both former men were
quickly learning how to live with a feminized body.

     Soon all the others came out too, and when they were all out there, Karen
came out, Dr. Krell followed her.  He spoke.

     "We are finished with you.  Thank you for your patience. I'll see you all
at nine tomorrow, at Honeybone."

     Karen looked at Joe.

     "I'll call you tonight." She said.  "I'll have to stay and work this
afternoon."

     "But your car is over at Honeybone." Joe retorted.  

     "I know." Karen said.  "Dr. Krell will drop me off to pick it up later."

     They all left the hospital. Joe wondered if he should return to
Honeybone, or if he should go home.  He decided to go home, stopping at his
apartment before going to Linda's.

     Joe drove to his apartment.  He parked in the lot, and went up the walk,
stopping at his stuffed mailbox before going to his door.  He got his key from
his small handbag, and went inside.

     It had been days since he had last been there, and he felt a certain
familurarity when he entered the room. He put the stack of bills, magazines
and junk mail on the table, and went to set the thermostat to a more
comfortable temprature. He had turned it up when he left, and it was very
stuffy now.

     Joe went to his bedroom, looking, seeing all the things of his male
world. He realized that even though he was starting get accustomed to his
situation, he was beginning to miss the more carefree life of a single male.
He wanted to find Jay and play a game of racquetball.  Sure he could still do
that, but it was different now.  Maybe, after the other night, a lot
different.

     Stepping into his walk in closet, Joe saw the clothes hanging there.
Clothes he might never wear again. Along with the change he had experienced,
he was now an inch or two shorter...he hadn't measured...and of course, his
shape was very different. His trim, muscular, masculine body had metamorphosed
to a feminine softness.  It was still trim...but during the last week Joe had
acquired the light layer of fat under his skin that makes females so soft.
That, his changed skeletal structure...his hips were a bit wider...his
shoulders narrower, and a still decreasing upper body muscle mass, made him
look much different now. If he even tried, his male clothing would just hang
on him.

     Suddenly Joe was overcome with emotion.  He wasn't sure what it was
caused by...he just felt a flush come to his face, and tears well in his eyes.
He went over to his bed, lay down, and put his arms over his eyes.  What was
happening to him? He could tell that something...hormones or the changes in
his brain...he didn't know, was making him feel more emotional now.  He had
noticed it often, it was often very difficult to avoid tears now, usually for
what he considered were the most trivial things.  It must be part of being
female, he considered. At home alone now, he had no reason to hide his
emotions, and he began to sob. The tears ran down his face, and he knew that
he was messing up his face.  Too bad, he thought, I'm just going to let this
one go, and not even try to stop it. Was this what it was to be like from now
on...breaking into tears for the smallest things? He didn't know if he would
ever really get used to acting like this.  He wished he could go to sleep, and
wake up with his male body, and brain, again.  Maybe for just a day.  Yeah,
that would be great.  He'd call Jay, they'd maybe go flying for an hour, and
then go to the club and play a few games.  Yeah.  He just wanted to sweat...to
feel like a guy again. He rubbed his hand across the softness of his breasts.
Sure, it was kind of interesting, even fun sometimes, being a girl, but he
knew that still, down deep, he was still really a guy.  He realized that he
longed to do things like a guy again.  Maybe he really should call Jay.  Jay
always had an idea. Some of them were even pretty good.

     Joe looked at the time.  It was almost three thirty.  Jay would still be
at his office...probably.  He reached for the phone...picking up the handset.
Should he dial?  He lingered for a moment, then dialed the number for Jay's
office.  His secretary answered, and he asked for Jay, using his own name when
the secretary asked who was calling.  Jay's secretary knew Joe as a man, but
she didn't recognize his feminine voice.  Too bad, Joe thought, she might as
well get used to it, if this was how it was going to be from now on.  Finally,
Jay came to the phone.

     "Hi Joe.  What can I do for you?" He asked cheerfully. 

     "God Jay, I'm sorry to be calling you at work." Joe said, sniffling, and
rubbing his nose with his hand. "I just had to talk with you...with somebody."

     "What's the matter Joe?" Jay asked.  He could tell that something was
wrong. It sounded like Joe was crying His friends now soft feminine voice was
more husky than normal.

     "I don't know...I don't know...I'm just getting so tired of all this
female stuff all day long." Joe answered.  "I just gotta get back on some
familure ground.  I didn't know what to do, so I called you."

     Jay wondered what was happening with his best buddy.  He seemed to be
handling it all so well.

     "What do you want me to do Joe?"  He asked. 

     "When will you be getting through for the day?" Joe asked.  "I was
wondering if you'd want to get some hood time?"

    Joe was Jay's instructor, and Jay was working on his instrument ticket. 

     "Fly?  Well, yeah, I guess I could get away...maybe in an hour." Jay
answered.  "Where are you?  I'll pick you up."

     "I'm at my apartment now." Joe said.  "But I have to go change clothes at
Linda's.  None of the stuff here will fit me anymore."

     "Ok.  I'll pick you up at Linda's...say in little over an hour?" Jay
said.
     
     "Ok.  I'll be ready." Joe answered.  "Thanks Jay...thanks a lot."

     "No problem Joe...for you...anytime. In an hour." He hung up the phone.

     Joe hung up the handset.  He had done it.  He was meeting Jay, and they
would go flying. That would take his mind off all this...or would it.  He
thought about Jay, how they had been together only a few nights ago.  They had
slept together...made love...it wasn't...it couldn't ever be like it was
before. He could even tell by the way Jay talked to him...sort of gentle or
something...Jay would ever acted like that before.  And why did he insist on
picking Joe up?  He had never done that before.  They had always driven thier
own cars to the airport.  Now, Jay wanted to come over and pick him up.  He
hadn't thought about it while on the phone, but it seemed a little strange
now, as he thought about it.  Joe bent his knees, and in doing so saw his
shiny, hairless, hose covered legs, and the short little skirt he was wearing.
Could he really blame Jay for treating him like a girl? Wasn't that really
what he really was now?

            ****************************************************
--

Archive-name: Changes/bates24.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 24


                                  Chapter 24

     Joe wondered what he should wear to meet Jay.  He didn't know why
exactly, but he felt a strange indescribable feeling whenever he thought about
his pal. He didn't know what was causing it, but knew he was abnormally
anxious to meet him again.

     Going to the bedroom closet, Joe looked at the male clothes hanging
there.  He went back out and opened a dresser drawer.  There he found his
undershorts and T shirts. These T shirts could still be worn, he decided.
They might be a little big now, but he had noticed that Linda liked them too
large when she wore them. Most girls seemed to wear them that way.  He began
looking through the assortment, the many logos, some displaying airplanes,
airshows, or automobiles on the front or back.  He picked a few he liked the
best, the ones he thought would still look ok now, and tucked four of them
under his arm. He slid the drawer closed as he considered trying to find some
jeans.  Nope, he decided, none of these, they were his male pants, and they
wouldn't fit his now maybe only a little smaller, but definitely softer and
rounder shape.  He rubbed his his butt with his hands. It felt like it was
probably still changing, getting a little softer each day. If he was ever
going to wear jeans again, like almost everything else, he would have to get
some new ones.  Or maybe borrow some from Linda to try on.


     Joe looked around his bedroom .  The feeling he got from seeing the
familiar room made him wonder if he should move from Linda's and return home.
He still liked Linda, and she seemed to still like him, but it was easy to
tell their relationship was changing.  He now no longer thought of her as his
fiance, that was fairly impossible now...but rather more like a friend...maybe
a best friend and confidant...and, strange as it may seem, sort of like a big
sister, even if they were practically the same age. With the changes he was
going through, and the things he had to adapt to, he needed someone to
help...to explain the way things worked...sometimes even the proper way to
dress or act.  Linda did that.  She seemed to love doing it.  Their new
relationship sometimes seemed awkward, but he couldn't imagine anyone else who
could make learning the things he had to learn any easier. It was embarrassing
sometimes though, for both of them. But it did make them close, in a different
kind of way than before, as Linda introduced Joe to the trials and pleasures
of being female.

     Walking into the living area, Joe gathered up the pile of mail that he
had collected.  He stopped in the kitchen and decided to check his
refrigerator.  It had been some days since he had been home, and he had left
kind of sudden.  A quick peek and he decided that all was Ok.  He usually
never kept much in there anyway.  Plenty of beer though...and that stuff
wouldn't spoil.  He thought about it, and realized that he didn't really think
he liked the taste of it anymore.  Was his enjoyment of a cool brew also a
victim of these new hormones coursing through his veins?  What was next?  Of
course, that he already knew.  He could tell by the way his heart seemed to
flutter as he was on the phone with Jay, what another difference was.  It
embarrassed him to think it could happen, but he now knew for sure...he
actually found himself feeling excited as he thought about meeting Jay.
Jay...his best friend...his college roommate, drinking buddy, and car hobby
pal. He had always considered Jay his friend...his best friend...but he never
before found himself feeling like this.  Many things concerning his body had
changed...changed a lot in some ways...but Joe still knew when he was being
sexually aroused. There were differences, of course.  An 'erection' no longer
showed now, and he was quite familiar with the uncomfortable feel of wet
underwear that now often accompanied excitement.  It was difficult to accept
that even thinking about his pal Jay sometimes made that happen, but it was
undeniably true.  He made a fist with his hand and rubbed it along the front
of the short skirt he was wearing, feeling the slight bump of his pubic bone
and, below that, the hollow area where his male parts should have been. Like
it or not, what had happened was real, and when he stopped to consider it all,
it really wasn't so strange...his body had changed, probably now even his guts
were female, and his brain was simply trying to catch up, reacting to the
chemicals his changed organs were sending it.  The only thing about him still
male were his memories.  Apparently, he had no more control over these new
feelings and desires than he did the changes in his shape.  Truly a strange
predicament to be in.

     Joe took one last look around the apartment, then took the clothes and
mail, which made quite a handful, and went to his car.  With such a load, he
found it impossible to lock the door, so he went to the car and came back.  As
he was locking his door, a woman who lived a few doors down from him came down
the walk.  She saw Joe locking the door, and looked him over carefully. Who
was this woman coming out of Joe's apartment, she wondered?  She was passing
friends with Joe...at least Joe the male.  Though she was happily married, she
had often watched the attractive guy who lived next to her washing or
tinkering with his car.  What a hunk, she had thought.  She had seen Linda
around Joe's apartment quite often, and figured that they were probably
getting serious.  She hadn't seen Joe all week, and now here's this girl
coming out of his apartment.  It wasn't Linda, but someone younger, and also
quite good looking.  She felt a slight trace of envy as she walked toward the
young woman.

     "Hi." She said innocently.  "Is Joe back?"

     Joe eyed the woman suspiciously.  He knew her. Her name was Kathy Baker.
She was lived two doors down and was married to an accountant.  Joe had always
considered her attractive and thought she always showed an unusual interest in
him whenever they met in casual conversation.  Now, of course, it was obvious
that she didn't even recognize him. She probably thought he was one of his
girlfriends.  What to do?

     "No, he's not here." Joe lied.  "He's on a trip for the company, and he
asked me to watch his place."

     What else could he say?  He just wasn't prepared to explain what had
happened to this woman.  It wasn't her business anyway.  Of course, she was
probably just trying to be friendly.  She'd probably find out the truth soon
enough if he stayed this way.

     The woman smiled and continued on, suspecting nothing.  Joe, his heart
pounding like a hammer, walked to his car and awkwardly got in.  He saw Kathy
again, still watching him. She was sitting in her car, getting ready to drive
away, when she saw that the woman who had been in Joe's apartment also had his
sportscar.  Joe smiled at her and started his engine.  He left the parking
lot and drove to Linda's house.

     When Joe arrived at Linda's, her car was not in the drive.  He looked at
his wristwatch. Four thirty, Linda probably wouldn't be home for at least an
hour.  Just as well.  He preferred to be alone as he tried to find something
to wear to go flying with Jay. What a strange paradox.  He felt he wanted to
do familiar 'guy' things with his pal, but at the same time, for some
unexplained reason, he also wanted Jay to find him attractive.  It was a weird
feeling, and he couldn't completely understand why he felt this way.

     Joe took his things straight to his room.  He piled the mail on the bed,
and put the T shirts on the dresser.  When he did that, he saw his reflection
in the dresser mirror.  He couldn't help looking, and it took a second to
realize that the attractive woman on the other side of the glass was his own
reflection.  He rubbed his hand across his chest, squeezing the softness of
his left boob. Would there ever be time when he became accustomed to all this?

     He flopped on the bed, and pulled his shoes off.  Boy, that feels good,
he thought. But these pantihose are just plain hot.  He tried to pull them
down from under the short skirt, and then decided maybe it would be best if he
took that off first. He stood up, unbuttoned and then unzipped the skirt, and
stepped out of it.  Still wearing the full slip, he pulled it up his hips a
little, then reached under it and tucked his thumbs into the waistband of the
hose and pulled them down, leaving the panties on and relishing the exquisite
coolness as he removed the hose.  I sure wouldn't have thought something so
sheer could be so hot, he thought as he rubbed his hands along the smooth bare
skin of his upper thighs.

     Joe carefully hung the skirt on its hanger, then pulled the slip over his
head. Then he unbuttoned his blouse and took it off, putting it on the same
hanger as the skirt, then put them both in his closet.

     Wearing only bra and panties made Joe feel strangely sexy.  He didn't
know why, but now, sometimes, right after he undressed and almost naked,
wearing only underwear usually, Joe felt weird...kind of voluptuous or
something.  His changed body...his breasts...not that he was really that big
or anything...he sometimes just felt so...so female...so fertile.  It was a of
course, feeling he had never experienced before the change, and right now it
felt so good it actually made his skin tingle.

     Joe went to the dresser to pick out a T shirt.  As he walked, he could
felt his bladder remind him it was full.  He went into the bathroom and, as he
sat there, he looked up and saw the underwear hanging on the shower door.  It
was dry, and ready to put away.  When he finished, he gathered up the dainty
things and took them back into the bedroom.  As he did, he examined each item
as he folded it and placed it in the drawer.  Holding up the black thong
bikini, he was again amazed at how tiny it was.  It was hard to accept that
something like this even fit him.  It took some getting used to the feel of
having that narrow strap in the crack of your butt, but it sure did look sexy.
Joe was tempted to try it on again.  But black will show through under a T
shirt, he thought. But not a black T shirt.

     He went over to the pile of shirts he brought from his apartment.  One of
them had an picture of an SR-71 on the back. He bought it at a airshow in
California last summer.  And it was solid BLACK. No problem with show through
wearing this.  He held it up in front of him.  Yeah, it was a little big now,
but it would be ok.  He decided to put it on.

     Joe located the little bra that matched the bikini.  He unhooked the one
he was wearing and quickly put the black one on. He liked the way it looked
and felt.  Like the panty, it was shiny black, made of nylon, lycra-spandex,
or some slick fabric like that, with no decoration but a tiny pearl between
the cups.  It was slightly stretchy, and it fit his new shape perfectly. He
removed his panties and stepped into the tiny black thong.  He pulled it to
his hips, adjusting the waist so that everything fit smoothly. There wasn't
much to it, but it covered everything that needed to be covered.  It felt a
little strange to wear, cause it touched places that weren't usually touched,
but it sure looked sexy as hell. He almost hated to get dressed.

     Taking the black T shirt, Joe pulled it over his head.  He looked down
and grinned when he saw the way his breasts distorted the drawing of the
SR-71.  Never thought it would look like this when I bought it, he thought.

     He didn't have jeans, so Joe looked at the small assortment of shorts he
and Linda had bought. Before, he almost never wore shorts when flying. Now, he
didn't even have any long pants. Unless he wore a skirt or the pants suit,
he'd have to wear something chosen from this stack. He had worn the white ones
before...and besides, black underwear might show through...the
green?...no...dark gray...yeah...excellent. He pulled them on, tucked the T
shirt in, studied his reflection in the mirror, and then pulled it back out.
It looked ok, he thought, kinda casual, not too feminine, but it didn't hide
the fact that he was now a girl. He finished by putting on some white sport
socks and then his new Reboks.

     Joe went back into the bathroom and started to brush his hairpiece.
It'll sure be better when I don't need this anymore, he thought as he preened
the short hair into place. When he thought about it, the wig felt like a hot,
snug fitting cap. He still wore a trace of lipstick from earlier, and he
decided to wipe it off.  He wanted to look as natural as possible, and found
that a damp washcloth worked pretty good to remove lipstick and mascara. When
he was done, he decided to try a little of the perfume Linda had left on the
sink.  Joe daubed a bit behind each ear, not really knowing how it should be
done, but quessing what might work.  He just knew he liked the way it made him
smell.

     All finished, Joe found his flight bag. He noticed the small handbag
laying on the bed, and wondered if he should take it too.  He didn't want to.
He looked inside the bag.  It contained his keys, his license, and his cash,
and credit cards.  He really needed to take it, but where?  Seeing the flight
bag, he put the handbag inside. He took the flight bag into the living room
and sat on the couch.  If Jay was running on time, he would be here soon.

     All of a sudden, Joe started to feel apprehensive again. What causes me
to feel this way, he wondered? Was it his friend Jay?  Could that be what was
making his knees weak and his pulse rise?  Why should Jay cause this?  They
were just going flying...Jay was his student...and besides, I asked him. He
thought.  Nothing about any of this to be nervous about.  They had flown
together maybe hundreds of times.  Yeah, but I didn't have tits then, Joe
considered.

     Joe sat reading yesterdays newspaper for maybe fifteen minutes when he
heard the sound of Jay's Porche in the drive.  He went over to meet him at the
door.  It was so strange...so formal...to be picked up like this.  He would
have preferred to meet Jay at the plane like always. This seemed more like a
date or something.  He wondered if that's what Jay had in mind. Surely
not...Joe didn't feel ready for that, even if he might have to stay this way
forever.

     Jay rang the bell, and smiled when he saw Joe open the door. Jay had
obviously changed clothes too, and was wearing a sport shirt and jeans. He
looked at Joe, and grinned broadly.

     "You look great Joe." He said approvingly.  Joe looked at his pal, who he
thought seemed to be acting kinda strange.

     "Thanks Jay. You do too." Joe replied nervously.

     "Are you all ready to go?"  Jay asked. 

     "Sure." Joe said. "All I had to do was change clothes.  I brought this T
shirt from my apartment.  It still looks ok, don't you think?"

     "Yeah, it looks great." Jay said with a strange admiration in his voice.

     The way Jay looked at him, and spoke to him, made Joe feel self concous.
He couldn't understand why Jay was acting this way, and he didn't know how to
ask him about it.

     Carrying his flight bag, Joe locked the door, and followed Jay to his
car.  He felt awkward when Jay unlocked his side, opened the door, and held it
open for him. He put his bag behind the seat, and then climbed in. It was
quickly becoming obvious that Jay was treating him the way he treated women.
Joe wanted to object, but decided to hold his tongue.  He couldn't deny
looking like a girl.  He figured that he probably felt, or was beginning to
feel like a girl too.  And it was possible, maybe even likely, that he would
have to be a girl, maybe for the rest of his life. Perhaps he should try to
get used to being treated like this.  It may seem strange, but then, it was
kind of nice too. What could it hurt? Jay seemed to love doing it. He wondered
if he had acted the same way around women. If he did, he hadn't realized it Of
course he now he was seeing it from a completely different perspective. Maybe
something he had read somewhere was really true...anatomy is destiny.

     Joe fastened his seat belt as Jay strapped into the left seat.  They
drove quickly to the airport and pulled into the parking area.  They walked
the hundred yards to Jay's Mooney, and Jay unlocked the door. When Jay hopped
off the wing, Joe crawled up on it and dropped his flight bag on the back
seat. The bag really wasn't heavy, but Joe noticed that carrying it required
noticeably more effort to lift than it used to. Just another result of the
damn feminization his body had undergone, he realized.  He really hadn't lost
much height with the change, and therefore was probably somewhat taller than
average for a female.  He hoped he wouldn't continue to lose muscle mass, but
it was probably unrealistic to expect to remain strong as before, considering
all that had occurred.

     "Where do you want to go?" Jay asked.

     "Do you have a preference."  Joe returned. 

     "Your the one who wanted to fly." Jay said grinning.  "You pick where."

     "I'm sorry Jay, I hope I didn't push too hard." Joe said softly. "I just
want to get away from all the female stuff for a while.  I thought maybe if we
went flying, it might be more like before."

     "Joe, you know I'll help you however I can." Jay said, looking into Joe's
eyes. "But I really don't see how it can ever be like before. Not after the
things we've done."

     Standing close to Jay, behind the wing of the plane, Joe looked into his
eyes.

     "Are you sorry it happened?" Joe asked.

     "Absolutely not." Jay responded quickly. "But I don't see how I can treat
someone I've slept with, had sex with, for god's sake...how can we just go
back to acting like old buddies after that?"

     "Jay, I don't care what I'm like on the outside, I'm still the same
person I was a week ago. Joe said. "I know there are differences, a lot of
them.  I'm sure I'm more aware of them than anybody. I don't even know all the
things that have happened, and maybe are still happening, but I do know it's
still me here. Maybe I look do like a girl, and I may even try to act like one
sometimes, but I still feel like a guy most of the time.  I guess maybe my
sexual preferences are changing...hell, I know they are (he lowered his eyes,
feeling embarrassment)...but I still have a need to be treated like a guy, at
least sometimes.  That's all I'm asking from you."

     "Damn Joe, look at you." Jay said.  "How could I treat you like a man?
Your just too damn beautiful."

     "Can't you just try to forget what I look like?" Joe asked.  "At least
just once in a while, pretend that nothing has happened." He knew, even as he
spoke the words, that they sounded ridiculous.

     "Give me a break Joe." Jay protested, grinning. "Maybe you can forget,
but I'm still male, and for me, I think that's just about impossible. Too many
things keep reminding me." He pointed to the noticeable bulge in his pants.

     Joe felt a warm flush come to his reddening face.  He wasn't used to
causing that kind of reaction in his friend, and he found it quite
embarrassing.  He wished he could just go somewhere and hide until the feeling
went away. It wasn't Jay's fault, he knew he would have done the same thing
himself...sometimes did, even now...slightly different of course, when
confronted by his own reflection in the mirror.

     Joe smiled coyly at Jay. "Just keep that thing away from me." He said
grinning, trying not to stare at Jay's crotch.

     He didn't know why he was so embarrassed, but he was.  There was no way
either of them could forget that some things were very different now.

     "Let's go to Tucson." Joe said quickly, in an attempt to change the
subject. 

     Tucson was about one hundred nautical miles from their home base.  It was
an a easy hop in the Mooney.  Almost too easy. They could fly there, shoot a
couple of instrument approaches, and be back in a couple of hours.  It would
still be daylight when they got back.

     Together, they walked to the Thunderbird office.  Thunderbird was one of
two FBO's which served the Deer Valley airport, and was where Tim worked, at
least before the change. They went inside, and Joe was suddenly aware that all
eyes were on him. He recognized most of the people there, and he just knew
that they recognized him.  He was sure that the news of what had happened had
reached Thunderbird, especially since Tim had stopped showing up at work so
suddenly and uncharacteristically.

     Joe was relieved when they retreated to the seclusion of the Planning
Room.  They had both made the Tucson trip many times before, and niether
really needed to do much planning, but Jay was building hood time for his
instrument ticket, and Joe insisted that they follow all procedures, as if
they were going one thousand miles, rather than a hundred.  Jay went through
the motions of checking the weather...as usual, it was severe clear, and then
filled out a flight plan.  Joe passed the time looking at the wall chart,
hoping Jay would finish quickly and they could get in the air. When Jay
finished, he filed on the computer at the end of the room. When he finished,
he went over to Joe.

     "Are you ready?" He asked.

     "Is it safe to fly?" Joe teased. 

     "Yeah, as soon as I stop at the head." Jay answered. 

     Joe thought a moment.  No doubt about it, he better do the same. He no
longer had the endurance he had before the change, and it was better to be
safe than sorry.  He followed Jay down the hall, but stopped when he turned
and entered the men's restroom.  Joe continued on to the next door, and went
inside.

     Even after almost a week, it still made him feel like an invader each
time he went inside a public ladies room.  He just couldn't shake the feeling
he didn't belong there.  It didn't matter how he looked, or that it would
certainly raise more eyebrows if had followed Jay into the men's room, going
in here just didn't seem right. Joe walked in timidly, and looked around.  The
place was empty. He entered a stall, closed the door, and quickly emptied his
bladder. He finished, and went to the sink to wash up.  While there, he
carefully examined his hair and appearance.  He was trying to develop the
habit of doing that whenever he had the opportunity. It was difficult for a
guy, especially one who usually gave little thought to such things as he had,
to place the same emphasis on looking nice that most women displayed.

     With one last look, and a quick straighting of his clothing, Joe went
back out into the hallway. Jay was waiting for him.  It seemed to Joe that his
pal now often looked at him with a mixture of admiration, humor, and perhaps
curiosity.  It embarrassed Joe whenever he did that. And he was doing it now.

     Joe followed Jay out the door, glad to be back out on the empty parking
ramp. When they were away from the buildings, Joe walked along side Jay.

     "Why do you look at me that way?" Joe asked.

     "What do you mean?" Jay returned.
     
     "I think you know...that shit-eating grin...those cow eyes...I think you
know what I'm talking about. Joe countered, grinning.  He was serious, but
didn't want Jay to take it the wrong way.

     "I do that?" Jay asked incredulously, teasing, but with a huge grin that
was evidence he knew what Joe meant.

     "Yeah, you do, and you know it too." Joe went on, trying his best not to
let his voice sound like a whining woman.

     "Why do I do it? Why do I look at you in a different way than I used to?
Is that the question?" Jay questioned. Without waiting for an answer, he
continued.

     "Could it be because my best friend...my college buddy...my roommate,
partner in womanizing, one of the best practical jokers I know, the best
practical mechanic I know...one of the best pilots, except for me of course,
that I know...this macho guy...suddenly calls and tells me he's been
transformed into one of the finest looking women I've ever seen. And it
doesn't even seem to phase him. Frankly Joe, I'm impressed. I just don't see
how you do it.  I think if it happened to me, I'd either spend the whole day
at home playing with myself, or else I'd jump off a bridge." Jay said.

     Joe grinned. "Of course, I haven't tried the bridge yet, but I can tell
you this...you'd probably get tired of staying home."

     "Joe, we've been friends a long time, what is it now, eleven...twelve
years?  We have about the same interests. We both like cars, airplanes, and
even the same taste in women...at least we did. Jay said, chuckling as he
spoke that last sentence.

     "What are you getting at?" Joe asked. 

     "I think we get along pretty well together. We always have. I like you.
I'm sure you like me too, or you wouldn't have tolerated my constant bugging
you for help with my car. But now, with what has happened...with you like
that...  I don't know for sure, but I think my feelings for you are
changing...I think maybe...Damn it Joe, I don't even know how if I can say
it...I...I think I might even be falling for you, like...like you were a real
woman. Is that a kick in the head, or what?" Jay seemed relieved after he
finished speaking.

     Joe felt a flush come to his face as he listened to Jay. It really didn't
come as a surprize though.  It only confirmed what he had suspected.  Jay no
longer thought of him as just his "buddy". It was obvious by the way he looked
and acted that he considered Joe a "real" woman, and felt he had to treat him
as such. That's why he was so uncharacteristically polite, sometimes even
condescending, and why he was always grinning, and acting awkward around him.

     "You're 'falling' for me?" Joe asked. "Just what are you trying to say,
Jay." He tried to act as if it was all a surprize. He seldom saw his friend at
such a loss for words.

     "Damnit Joe, I don't know...Maybe it sounds crazy to you.  But I can't
help it...I really think you make a pretty nice woman. I hope you don't take
that as an insult, because it isn't meant to be." Jay tried awkwardly to
explain.

     "Well, considering that my chances on getting changed back don't look all
that great, maybe it's a good thing...that you think I make a pretty nice
girl, that is." Joe said.

     "Is that what they're telling you?" Jay asked.

     "I'm sure that they don't even know for sure what caused it yet." Joe
responded. "And even less about how to change us back."

     "So what do you plan to do about it?" Jay asked, wondering aloud.

     "I don't have a lot of options, as far as I can tell." Joe answered. "I'm
just trying to make the best of what I've got."

     "And doing pretty well it seems." Jay complimented. "Most of the time
it's hard for me to remember that you weren't born like that.

     "I guess I am getting accustomed to my body being like this." Joe said.
"But I don't know if I'll ever get used to the way I get treated because of
the way I look."

     "How's that?" Jay asked, "Do you mean bad, or good?"

     "Oh, I guess it's mostly good." Joe answered. "I haven't really found any
real discrimination so far. Of course, it's only been a week, and I haven't
been around that many strangers."

     They were getting near the plane, and Joe was slightly ahead of Jay as
they walked toward it.

     "Well I still think you look gorgeous." Jay said. "You think like a man,
but your more attractive than any woman I know. What more could a guy ask
for?"

     "I don't know about thinking like a man." Joe countered. "And I don't
really think I'm all that good looking either." He ginnned shyly.

     "You don't?" Jay asked. "Why not?  I think you're fantastic looking."
     
     "Do you really?" Joe wondered. He considered the feminizing of his body.
Sure it was erotically interesting to be changed overnight, and then wake up
looking like this, especially at first, and he certainly liked the sensations
from his now softer, thinner, more sensitive skin.  He didn't consider himself
ugly, but he really didn't think he was all that beautiful either.

     "Don't you?" Jay asked. "I don't know if I'd want to stay that way, but I
wouldn't mind spending a day looking like that." Jay volunteered. "I think it
would be interesting to see how the other half lives."

     "Oh yeah?" Joe retorted. "I guess I am one of the 'other half' now, and I
can say this, it's not all that special."

     "You told me you liked it." Jay countered. "And you can't tell me you
haven't played with those boobs."

     "Ok, Ok, I do kind of enjoy it sometimes." Joe admitted.  "Some of the
things about being like this aren't all that bad." He grinned mischievously.

     "Not all that bad?" Jay said. "It hasn't even been a week, and you've
already been in the sack with a guy." Jay teased.

     "And I'm really sorry about that Jay." Joe blurted. "I shouldn't have
come on so strong the other night. I hope you're not too mad.  I guess I did
take advantage of you."

     "Take advantage of me?" Jay retorted. "Hey I'm a big guy. I can take care
of myself." He grinned.

     "Maybe so." Joe continued. "But I think I moved a little fast."

     "Move like that anytime you like, old pal." Jay commended. "It was
probably the best sex I've ever experienced."

     Joe looked at Jay with a frown. "So you think maybe all girls should have
to spend some time as a guy before they become women."

     "If they turn out like you, I think it'd be a good idea." Jay agreed.
"Maybe you can make the equipment that did it to you available to everybody."
He suggested, probably half joking.

     "If only a way can be found to make it all work both ways." Joe added.
"Then we would really have something."

     "Now that you've been a woman for a while, if you could change back and
forth, which way do you think you would stay most of the time?" Jay asked
hypothetically.

     Joe looked at his pal. "I was male for thirty years. I experienced about
all that was possible do...as a man. On the other hand, I've been only been
like this for a week...less than a week even.  It's too early to know. I
probably experienced most of the things a guy could experience.  Now I've been
changed like this. There are still a lot of things about this female stuff
that I haven't even begun to consider yet.  And I might add, it scares me to
death when I do."

     "Oh?" Jay said. "And what are they?"

     "Well, you know about as well as anybody what my body is like now." Joe
explained. "I guess its pretty well completely changed...you know as well as I
that its all female now, right down to the chromosomes." He held his hand out.
"Look at me. There's no way to describe the feeling of finding that even my
hands are smaller...they look pretty much the same, but they'er smaller,
thinner, feminine...I'm that way all over.  In some ways I feel the same as
always, but when I really look at myself, I can tell that I'm softer, weaker,
different in all kinds of ways. On top of that, the doctors say it's highly
probable that I'll...we'll...experience menstrual cycles.  I'll probably have
periods now.  Can you believe it?  And of course, if I have periods, I can
probably conceive.  I could get pregnant, Jay.  Pregnant!  Me!  I wouldn't
know how to be mother to a baby!  What would I ever do if something like that
happened?" He put his hand on Jay's shoulder, squeezing it, as if asking for
for reassurance.

     "Why are you so worried about getting pregnant?" Jay asked. "You know
there are things that can prevent that."

     "Yeah, I know, but I also know how I felt the other night, when we were
together. I've ever felt that way before." Joe explained. I don't know if I
could have controlled myself...if you hadn't known about those condoms in my
shaving kit...I'm sure I would have wanted you to do it any way.  I know I
couldn't have stopped you if you had really wanted to do it. Heck, I wanted it
even more than you did, I think."

     "But it was good, wasn't it?" Jay asked with a smile.

     Joe smiled. "Sure. I was disappointed at first. I really don't know if a
real woman feels what I feel...I would guess they do...but there really isn't
much feeling after you're in there. It sure feels great as it goes in though."
He smiled as he recalled the sensation.  "I can't even describe it, its so
good...so different, especially the second time...it kind of hurt the first
time...but then, after you were inside me, I really could hardly feel a thing
till you started moving around.  No offense." Joe squeezed Jay's shoulder
again, winking seductively.

     "You mean you could feel more whith your penis?" Jay asked. "Does it feel
better now, or was it better before?"

     "I don't know...it's hard to compare. It's really surprizing just how
similar it does feel, most of the time anyway." Joe said. "In some ways, it
feels better now...but in others...maybe not as good. I guess I really don't
know how to answer you."

     "But which do you like better?" Jay persisted. "I've always wondered who
got more out of sex, men or women.  Your the first person who might be able to
answer that."

     Joe grinned. "If real women feel the same thing I do, if they tell you
they don't like oral sex, they've got to be lying through their teeth."

     "How do you know that?" Jay asked, genuinely surprized. "We never did
that."

     Joe didn't say anything, just smiled knowingly. He would just let Jay
wonder about it. If he was going to live as a woman, he'd have to develop his
own version of the feminine mystique.

     Jay looked around.  They were at least a hundred yards from the line
office, and there was no one else around.  They had reached the Mooney, and
were standing behind the tail, out of sight of the office, with its big
picture window.  Jay bent down slightly and planted a kiss on Joe's lips.  It
happened so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that it took Joe completely by
surprize.  After realized what was happening, he relaxed slightly, and let
nature take its course.  It was a feeling he couldn't describe.  Excitement,
mixed with fear, and concern that they might be seen. Still, Joe felt a
strangely pleasant feeling overtake him. In the arms of a man, his pal Jay,
Joe just let his body melt...and loved the way it made him feel.

     After an indeterminate time, Jay released him, and Joe was again aware of
what was going on around him. He pulled his shirt down, and straightened his
hair.  Jay watched him with that cow eyed look that before had irritated Joe,
but now, it didn't concern him at all.

     "Why did you do that?" Joe asked, still recovering.

     "Did you like it?" Jay asked in response.

     "Why did you do it?" Joe repeated. 

     "Why not?" Jay said simply.  "I wanted to, and I thought you might too.
Now I know...you did."

     Joe smiled, embarrassed.  He was at a loss for words.  The way he had
responded to his friends advance proved, to both of them, that he was no
longer the old Joe Bates.  Of course, he had already suspected it himself, but
he didn't really want to admit it, at least not yet, and certainly not to
others. And not to Jay.

     "Jay, I don't know what to say...I guess I'm going to need some time.  I
can't figure out what's going on in my head...sure, I guess my body knows what
it likes, it really does feel good when you touch me...but I just can't get
caught up in the physical aspect of all this so quickly.  Joe said finally,
after thinking it over for a moment.

     Jay kept his arm around Joe, with his hand rubbing his back, feeling the
strap of his bra.  He just looked into Joe's eyes, saying nothing.

     "We better get going, don't you think?" Joe continued. He didn't know
what to do. He hadn't expected Jay to react like this.

     "Uh, yeah, I guess so." Jay said, as if not really listening.

     "Don't worry, Jay." Joe said. "We'll work this out.  I just ain't ready
to be somebodys girlfriend. Not yet, if ever. But if I ever do, you'll be the
first to know." He grinned at Jay, who looked lost in thought.

     After the quick walk-around, they climbed aboard and Jay went throught
the checklist.

     When the engine was running, Jay called clearance delivery, and copied
the transmission.  Cleared as filed.

     They recieved clearance to the runway and after a quick runup, they were
on their way. Joe worked the radios as Jay proceeded on course. The little
Mooney climbed swiftly to the ten thousand feet they had requested. That
altitude would keep them out of some of the thermal activity which caused the
ride to be uncomfortably rough when flying low in the desert. It would be
cooler on the return trip, and they could request a lower altitude.

     Before long, they needed to begin decent to Tucson. The Mooney was fairly
slick, and it was hard to descend without over cooling the engine.  Jay's
plane didn't have the speed brakes which made later models easier to fly in
the terminal area.

     They shot three ILS approaches, and then canceled thier flight plan, and
went over to Ryan Airport to practice NDB non-precision approaches.

     When they finished that, they landed at Ryan, and refiled for the IFR
return trip to Deer Valley.  After another uneventful flight, they landed and
taxied to the parking ramp.  Throughout the flight, Jay had hardly spoken to
Joe, except things relating to the flight, or to make some comment about
something they saw on the ground. After the engine was silent, Jay turned to
Joe.

     "Would it offend you if I asked you over to the Airport Inn for a drink?"
He asked. "I promise I won't try to make a pass, or anything." He said,
teasing.

     "Sure, I think that would be ok." Joe said stiffly. He didn't kow how to
react with Jay anymore.

     They took their bags and drove to the bar just on the other side of the
road from the airport. Joe, Jay, and lots of other pilots who flew from Deer
Valley made it a regular stop after flying, and it was often the scene of some
fantastic hanger flying.

     As they drove up, Joe was glad to see there were only two other cars in
the lot. He didn't recognise either of them.  He was embarrased to have to
explain his situation to people he knew...people who wouldn't know what had
happened to him and the others, but he wasn't going to hide and hope it would
all go away.  That probably wasn't going to happen. Besides, his mood had
changed again, and he wasn't feeling so bad right now. Something...the
hormones...something was giving him an emotional roller coaster ride, and the
highs sometimes felt as good as the lows felt bad.

     Joe followed Jay into the dimly lit bar.  It took a while till their eyes
adjusted from the setting sunlight, but by the time they sat down at a table,
Joe could see the pictures, propellers, and other airplane stuff which
festooned the walls of the cosy little place. It was definitly a pilots
hangout.

     The waiter came over immediately and waited on them. Joe recogised her,
but it was obvious that she didn't recognise him. As he ordered, he wondered
if he should tell her who he was. He decided against it, primarily because he
thought she wouldn't believe such a claim anyway.

     Joe remembering the change in his tolerance for alcohol ordered rum and
coke with ice. That would wet his whistle, and the ice would dilute the drink
if he nursed it for a while.

     The drinks came, and Jay paid for them against Joe's objections. When the
waitress left, he looked at Joe, and then started to speak.

     "So you don't think you're ready to get involved, huh." Jay asked.

     "Jay, it's me here. Joe." Joe said. "How can you expect me to want to
'get involved', or what ever you want to call it, already. Hell, I don't even
know if I'll be staying like this very long. I can't make decisions about
stuff like that now. I don't even know what I want, and I sure don't want to
get mixed up with somebody else right now. I have enough to worry about with
Linda."  He took a long gulp of his rum and coke.

     "Do you still think of Linda that way?" Jay asked. He was suprized to see
Joe, who looked for all the world like an attractive young woman, practicaly
gulp her drink.

     "What do you mean by that 'THAT WAY'?" Joe asked.  "Just because this has
happened to me, I haven't just started over from scratch. As I've said before,
I'm still me in here." He took another big swallow. He was hot and thirsty,
and the cool drink tasted exceptionally good.

     "But Joe, I've seen you, what you look like naked...and how you act. I've
even seen what turns you on. Don't tell me you haven't changed...and changed a
lot." Jay said.

     "I'm not saying that." Joe said. "Sure I've changed, and I'm still
changing...I don't know when it'll stop. But I still have my memory...I still
enjoy the things I always have...maybe it's a little different...maybe a lot
different in some ways."

     "I guess I know you feel about guys." Jay said. "Has your interest in
women changed too?" He asked.

     "Changed?" Joe asked. "Yeah, I guess some of my interests have
changed...I still like girls though, for what it's worth." He grinned. "I
still think their interesting to look at too, but maybe I'm starting to see
them in a different way now...for obvious reasons I guess. It's hard to
describe...at first, it was just like always, except for the physical
differences, and that was really strange.  But more recently...in the last
couple of days especially...other things have happened...my attitude...I don't
know...maybe my brain...the way I think...its really kid of hard to describe.
Maybe I really am going to turn into a woman before this is all over." He
downed the contents, and stared into his empty glass.

     "Do you sleep with Linda?" Jay asked bluntly.

     "Is that really any of your business?" Joe snapped, but with a smile.

     "No, of course not." Jay answered. "But I am your friend, and you know
how I feel about you. Maybe it would help to talk about it."

     Joe looked into Jay's eyes. "Yeah, we still sleep together sometimes." He
admitted.  "But that's changing too...I mean besides the obvious. Linda's been
really helpful through all this...really open minded...to say the least. At
first, it was really a blast...you wouldn't believe what we did together...but
now, it's not really like that anymore. I don't know what's going on, but I
just don't find it all as interesting as at first."

     "Maybe your just not cut out to be a lesbian." Jay said, trying to help.

     "Is that what I am with her now? Lesbian?" Joe said aloud.

     "Gee, I don't know, Joe." Jay said. "With what you've gone through, I
don't see how any of the normal terms could apply. You have to discover what
it is, and then do what's right for you.  To hell with what anybody else
thinks."

     "Right." Joe said. "I agree. But I haven't a clue what I want. That's the
problem. I hope that I can level off somewhere soon, so I can figure out how
to live like this. I can't stay on this pendulum for the rest of my life."

     "And if you decide that you need me, I'll be here." Jay said, taking
Joe's hand and squeezing it.

     They looked at each other across the little table. Jay took Joe's hand,
and Joe didn't pull it away. They didn't speak, but said it all with their
eyes.

     "Thanks. I really mean that Jay." Joe said. He could feel the tears well
in his eyes, as his new emotions took over his personality again.

     "Damn it. I can't stand this damn crying all the time." He said. "But it
seems I just can't stop it."

     Jay looked at his friend. It was strange seeing his buddy...this person
with such a knock-out body...and believe that he was the same person he had
known for so long. It really was Joe...he could tell from their
conversations...but It was also plain that Joe was undergoing changes...not
just physical, that was obvious...but in his personality...his emotions. Look
at him, or her actually, sitting there, trying to hold back tears.  The Joe he
known before had never been like that.  It must be hard to have something take
you over your whole life, he thought.

     "What's the problem?" Jay asked.

     "Nothing...nothing...I just get like this sometimes." Joe said, trying to
force a grin. "Maybe it's some kind of female thing." He joked.

     "Amazing." Jay said. "What's it like...really, Joe?  What's it like to be
female? It seems simply amazing for something like this to happen...so
completely...even your emotions...your personality...amazing." Jay just said
over and over.

     "Like I've already said." Joe answered. "It's not as different as you
probably think it is. Sometimes, I can even forget that it happened...for a
little while anyway."

     "But that body...how do you get any sleep?" Jay continued, speaking in an
awed wisper, and displaying a slight grin.

     "Hey, it's just me." Joe replied. "Sure, it takes a little getting used
to, and I still want to look at myself when I catch my reflection in the
mirror in the bathroom, but you do get used to it...I mean...what about you?
Your bod is interesting too, don't you think?" He teased.

     "Not like yours." Jay said. "Forgive me, but you have the firmest tits I
think I've ever seen."

     The comment about his body made Joe blush.  He arched his back, causing
his chest to become more prominent. He looked at Jay, grinning provocatively.

     "Yeah, they are kinda nice, ain't they." He drawled, chuckling. "And they
feel so good too." He said, seductively cupping one of the soft mounds with
the open palm of his hand. Joe felt his inhibitions free up as even the tiny
bit of alcohol he had consumed reached his brain. He could see Jay was
watching everything he did, and that his actions were affecting his old
friend. It was interesting to see the new power the changes in his body gave
him.  Joe didn't realize it, but he was reacting like some young girls did
when they reached adolescence and discovered the power of sexual attraction.
He found it exciting to watch Jay's reaction to his flirtatious teasing.


     Jay watched Joe carefully. His friend had only consumed half of his
drink, but it was obviously causing him to act strangely. Amazing. Before,
Joe, who really never did drink a lot, could still have easily handled three
of these rum and cokes without any obvious effect.

     "Are you feeling alright, Joe?" Jay asked.

     "Yeah. I'm feeling great!" Joe exclaimed. "It don't take much for a buzz
anymore."  He raised his hand to attract the waitress.

     "You better not have anymore." Jay said. "I don't want to be accused of
taking advantage of you." He teased.

     "I know you wouldn't do that." Joe said. "But, I do have one thing I want
you to promise me."

     "And what is that?" Jay asked.

     "Promise me...if we ever get together again...you know...in bed, that
you'll never do anything without using something...protection...you know." Joe
rambled.

     "Yeah, I know. And don't worry about it." Jay said. "I always carry
something with me, just in case."

     "Just in case?" Joe asked smiling demurly. "In case of what?"

     "You never know." Jay said. "You never know." 

     "Yeah. That's right. I tell you, when it hit's me, I don't think I can
control it...I mean...I always thought sex drive was strongest for the
male...but now I don't know...when I start to feel a certain way, I almost
think my body has a mind of its own. I don't think I could control it if I
wanted too. It's that strong." 

     The waitress came to their table. Joe asked for another rum and coke. He
looked at Jay.

     "And give this handsome guy another one too." Joe said.

     When the Waitress left Jay spoke to him.

     "Don't you think you better slow down?" He asked. 

     "I've only had one so far." Joe answered. "I'll be careful. And besides,
your driving."

     Jay didn't want to sound like a worrier, but he didn't know what to
expect from his friend. He sometimes acted so different now.

     "Just be careful." Jay said.

     The waitress brought the next round. Joe immediately took a long draw
from the sweet drink. Jay paid again, but this time Joe let him without saying
a word.

     Downing the last glass so quickly made Joe realize that he needed to pee.
That observation reminded him of his new anatomy, and what he would need to do
to relieve the pressure.

     "God, I gotta pee." Joe said, snickering. "Whata pain in the ass."

     He got up, and walked straight to the ladies room. The drink had removed
some of the inhibitions he normally had. He really hadn't had that much...he
wasn't really drunk...but his apprehensions were now in the background, and it
felt pretty good to him.

     Entering the small ladies room, Joe looked around. Except for the
waitress, there were probably no other women in the place, and he was alone.
From habit, he looked around for a urinal, and then, feeling for his penis, he
touched his new anatomy. For some reason, it struck him as funny, and he
started to laugh softly. Going to one of the two stalls, he went inside and
pulled his shorts down. He looked down at his panties, rubbing the slick
fabric which covered the changes of his groin. It was all so strange...and so
funny....  He laughed some more.

     Finally, the humor was overtaken by the need to urinate, and he lowered
his sexy little undies, and sat down.

     When he finished, he pulled his panties up, and again felt the strange
sensation of the strap riding in the crack of his butt. He pulled up his
shorts, and then went back out to the table.

     "Sometime, I've just got to show you what I'm wearing underneath these
clothes." Joe said to a surprized Jay.

     "Oh, yeah?" Jay asked. "What is it?"

     "You have to see 'em." Joe said. "Words won't do it justice."

     "You've got my curiosity peaked now Joe." Jay said. "When do I get to
see?" He went along with his friends seemingly wandering talk. Joe was
obviously feeling his drink.

     "Sometime." Joe said. "Not now...not here. Sometime."

     "Have you ever pee'd in one of those little cups?" Joe continued. "You
know, at the doctors office."

     What was he getting at? Jay wondered.

     "Yeah, I guess I have." He answered.

     "Well, You didn't have to do it the way I did today." Joe said. "You
should have seen me. It probably looked like a monkey fucking a football."

     Jay had to laugh. He could imagine Joe filling a specimine cup with his
new anatomy.  Poor guy. He was probably just venting some of his frustrations.
He was just so darn beautiful...how could he stand it?

     "I think I better take you home." Jay said. "You gotta be at work
tomorrow."

     "It's probably still daylight." Joe objected. "And besides they don't
need me there. They're gonna try stuff on gerbels, or monkees, or something
tomorrow. They don't need me."

     "I think I better get you home." Jay repeated. He didn't know what Joe
might do if they continued drinking.

     "Yeah. I guess I'm getting a little blitzed." Joe admitted. "I'm really a
cheap drunk now, ain't I?" He laughed.

     "Don't worry about it." Jay said. "But we better get you home."

     They finished their drinks, and went outside. It was not yet completely
dark, but it would be soon. They drove straight to Linda's house.

                  ***************************************
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates25.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 25


                  The 25th Chapter of the Joe Bates Story

     Linda's car was in the drive when Joe and Jay pulled in. Joe had consumed
two trinks with Jay, and he was certainly feeling the effects. Jay worried
that Linda would be irritated with him, as if it was his fault that Joe had
acquired the buzz which lowered his inhibitions and made him talk about
anything which came to his head.  Apparently, a great many things were passing
through Joe's head this evening...He seemed to constantly talk about something
or another during the drive to Linda's.

     They went inside where Linda was sitting on the lounge watching the news
on TV.

     Hello Joe. And you too Jay." She said. "What have you two been up too?"

     "We went flying." Joe said. "I just had to get away for a while." 

     "And I better be going." Jay said, edging toward the door.

     "Aw, come on Jay, stick around a while." Joe asked. He didn't want his
friend to leave. He liked being around Jay.

     "No, I better be going." Jay repeated. His new feelings for his pal were
difficult enough to deal with, without being around Linda too.

     Joe could sense Jay was uncomfortable. He decided to let his friend go.
If Jay did have new feelings for him, he didn't want Linda to find out. Not
yet, anyway. Things were already confusing enough.

     Jay left, leaving Joe alone with Linda. She came over to where he was
seated, and started massaging his neck. It felt good, but Joe was becoming
uncomfortable being around her...touching her. He wasn't sure why, but it was
a strange thing to deal with.  He just didn't know how to handle it.

     Joe leaned back, and looked up at Linda. She smiled lovingly as she
looked into his eyes.

     "Linda, am I...are we...ah...er...becoming lesbians?" Joe asked.

     She looked at him. "Do you feel like one?" She asked, smiling.

     "I don't know." Joe said. Although he was still feeling the effects of
the drinks, he had still had trouble talking about his new feelings.

     "I realize that I can't be a man...I just don't look like a man anymore,
and I guess I don't feel like one either, at least the not way I should...when
I'm with you.  I think I'm still changing...still turning more female...and I
really don't know when it will stop, or what I can do about it." Joe said.

     "So...You don't like to be around me?" Linda asked.

     "No, no, it isn't that." Joe answered, taking her hand. "I like to be
around you...hell, I NEED to be around you. Who else could help me deal with
all this?"

     "I don't know what we are, Joe Bates." Linda said. "If you think
your...we're both...lesbians, then I guess that's what we are. Does it matter
to you?"

     "Linda, I'm a guy...at least I was a guy. To me, you're a good looking
woman. You still are." Joe tried to explain. "But look at me.  I don't look
anything like I used to. Maybe I'm a woman...maybe I just look like one...but
whatever I am, I just don't understand what you see in me anymore."

     "Joe, to me you're the guy I love." Linda said. "I don't what's going to
happen to us, but I know I'll stay with you as long as you want me too.  Sure,
I wish you still had your male body...God, I hope you can get it back...but if
you can't, I think I can handle it, if you want too.  But, I guess I'll
understand if you don't."

     "Look at us." Joe said. "We look like two women...I mean, I guess we ARE
two women."

     "But if they change you back, it can be like it was, can't it?" Linda
asked.

     "If that happens, I still want to get married...that is if you still say
yes." Joe smiled.

     "I'm ready as soon as you can arrainge it." Linda assured him, tossling
the hair of his hairpiece.

     Joe reached up and quickly but carefully pulled the wig off, and tossed
it on the low table in front of them.

     "This darn thing is hot and irritating." Joe said.  "I guess I look
better with it, but I sure wish I didn't need it."

     Linda started to run her fingers through Joe's natural hair. It was
slightly damp with persperation, and it smelled faintly of the perfume he put
on earlier. Joe leaned back and enjoyed her gentle touch.  With his body
feminized as it was, everything that touched it felt different now, usually
more sensuous.  He still hadn't adjusted to the heightened sense of touch.

     "Why don't you have your hair done?" Linda asked. "You don't need to wear
that wig."

     "What do you mean?" Joe asked. "My hair isn't long enough yet, is it?"

     "Well, it could be a little longer." Linda agreed, pulling his hair down
in front, like bangs. "But I think there might be some kind of style that
would work with the length you've got."

     "Do you really think so?" Joe asked again. He couldn't wait to do without
the wig.

     "Do you want me to call Sally?" Linda asked. Sally was Linda's
hairdresser.

     "Will you have to tell her about me?" Joe asked.

     "Not if you don't want her to know." Linda said. "I doubt if she would
believe it anyway. I can tell her you are your sister, from St. Louis or
somewhere, if that's what you want."

     "Yeah, I do." Joe considered. "I don't want everybody knowing about this
yet. Not until I'm sure we can't be changed back."

     Linda sat down next to Joe, and picked up the cordless phone beside the
lounge and punched in a number.

     "Sally, this is Linda Mitchell. Hi. Yeah, I'm fine. No, I have someone
here who I'd like you to see. He...She needs her hair done...its very
short...a friend cut it for her and she hates it. Yes. I think that would be
ok. Just a minute." Linda looked at Joe.

     "Can you go tomorrow?" She asked Joe. 

     "I don't have to come in to work till noon, at the earliest." Joe said.

     "Really?" Linda responded. She went back to the phone.

     "Sally, she's free tomorrow morning." Linda said. "Yes. Great. I'll tell
her. Her name is Joel. Joel Bates. Yeah, she's Joe's sister...from St. Louis.
Yes. I think they are twins...paternal twins."

     Joe cringed as he listened to the story Linda was concocting. He hoped
her lie didn't come back to haunt him. Twin sister huh? Well, He did look a
lot like his own twin sister, if he had one.

     Linda finished the call and hung up. Joe got up from the couch. He
started to go to his room.

     "Oh, that reminds me." Linda said. "I was in Bullocks over lunch, and I
found this fantastic dress.  I just knew it would be right for you. I know
you'll like it. I put it on your bed."

     Great, Joe thought. Now my girl friend is buying me dresses she just
knows would be RIGHT for me.

     Joe went to his room, Linda following close behind. On the bed lay the
dress. It was a twill cotton shirtdress with a notch collar surplice top.  It
had a pleated knee length straight skirt, and it was an olive color.  It came
with a wide, fabric covered, matching color belt, with a gold buckle. Linda
was right, as usual.  He liked it immediately.

     "You've got to try it on." Linda insisted. If it don't fit, or you if
don't like it, I'll return it tomorrow. I think it's a little big for me, but
it's probably just your size."

     Joe picked it up by the hanger and looking it over.

     "Come on Joe, try it on." Linda said again. "I just know it'll look great
on you."

     As Linda watched, Joe pulled the T-shirt over his head. The thin fabric
of his bra's seamless cups did nothing to hide the little points of his erect
nipples. He absent mindedly rubbed his hand across his breasts, and then
looked down at them. He saw Linda watching, and it made him blush.

     She smiled when she saw he was embarrassed.

     "How is it Joe, are you getting used to all this?" She asked
sympatheticly.

     He looked at her and smiled. "I guess I'll live." He said.

     "I see you changed clothes when you came from work." Linda said. She
looked at the bra and panties laying on the bed. It was obvious that they had
been previously worn.  "Underwear too?"

     "Yeah." Joe said. How could he explain this?

     "I just wanted to." He said. "I don't know why."

     "Sure." Linda said. "Wear what ever makes you feel good."

     Joe unbuttoned the gray shorts and slipped out of them. When Linda saw he
wore the black thong bikini, her grin got wider.

     "God Joe, you are so attractive." She said. "I don't blame you for
wanting to wear things like that."

     "What do you mean?" Joe asked. "You wear stuff like this too." The
panties tickled where they touched him, and he idly scratched his pubic area
as he spoke.

     "You've never seen me in thong back undies." Linda denied. "I think they
make my hips look too big. They look absolutely great on you though."

     "I didn't ask to be this way." Joe said. "But I'm gonna try to make the
best of what I have left."

     "Well, I really wish you were still male." Linda said. "But you do make a
great looking woman."

     Yeah, Joe thought. Thats what everybody thinks. His best friend, and
now...his fiance. Could it happen that Linda and Jay might change places in
his life?

     "I'm trying my best." Joe said. "But I gotta say, it's a little wierd
when your girl friend...your fiance...buys dresses for you."

     "I'm sorry." Linda said. "I just thought you would like it. I know you
need clothes for work if they don't get you changed back soon."

     "Don't be sorry." Joe corrected. "I really like the dress. You have
excellent taste. That's only one of the reasons I love you. But I still have
to get accustomed to wearing this stuff." He removed the dress from the
hanger, and pulled it over his head.

     Without the extra hair of the wig, his head went throught the neck
opening very easily. Joe smoothed the pleats around his hips, and arrainged
the collar around his neck. The dress was the fullest he had ever worn till
now, and it felt a bit strange. He went to the dresser mirror, and liked what
he saw.

     The new dress was perfect. It fit like it was made just for his new
shape. He even liked the neckline. The color was exactly right for too. He
criticaly examined his short hair. Yeah, it did seem a little longer now.
Maybe he really could get by without the wig. He would go to Sally's tomorrow.
Joe discovered what most natural women know. A new dress worked wonders, and
helped to make him feel good about his appearance.

     Linda watched as Joe looked at his image in the mirror. It was obvious to
her that he was becoming more familure with the changes that had take place.
When he first came to her with his problem, he was embarrassed, awkward, and
almost afraid to touch the parts of his body that had changed the most. Now,
he acted much more natural. He adjusted the collar, and tugged at the bodice
to make it fit his shape. It was only when he saw her looking that he showed
any sign of embarrassment.

     "It is getting easier, isn't it." Linda said.

     Joe looked at her. He didn't know how to answer. It was true, it was
getting easier. He had to admit that he did like being able to wear clothes
like those he had on. As he continued to get used to the way his body had
changed, he found that it wasn't so bad either. Of course, having these new
hormones working you over helped a lot in that area.

     "Yeah. it is...sometimes." Joe admitted. "But I don't know if I really
want it to be so easy. I don't know if I want to give up my manhood...I mean I
guess it's already gone...but if I can get it back...I think I should want it
back, shouldn't I?"

     "Only you can answer that." Linda said. "Nobody else...not me...not the
doctors...nobody but you can decide that."

     "I don't know if I can make an intellegent decision about this." Joe
said. "I change my mind as often as my clothes."

     "Some say that's a womans right." Linda said laughing.

     "So now I have womens rights too?" Joe teased.

     "I'd say you've earned them, wouldn't you?" Linda answered.

     Joe just looked at her and smiled.

     "Do you want me like this, or the way I was." He asked bluntly.

     Linda looked at her fingernails. Then she looked back at him.

     "Joe, don't worry about what I like, or what I want." She said, the smile
leaving her face as she spoke. "You do what's right for you. I'll want you
however you are."

     Joe turned and looked in the mirror. By now, he had grown accustomed to
how he looked with the wig. His short hair looked strange, and sort of exotic.
He touched his cheek, feeling the softness. His hand then went to his breast.
He cupped it, as if estimating its weight, then squeezed it slightly. The hand
then continued lower, and he carefully felt his pubic area through the dress.

     "I really do look like a girl, don't I?" He said, turning to look at
Linda.  "I just checked, and I guess I feel like one now too.  I don't have
any choice in the matter, but that's what I am. If tomorrow, next month, or
next year they tell me I can go back, then I'll have a difficult decision to
make. Till then I guess this person in the mirror is what I am."

     "And I'll help you." Linda said. "However you want to handle it, I'll
help you."

     "Should I wear this tomorrow?" Joe asked. "Can I wear it to get a hair
cut?"

     "You can if you want to." Linda said. "It'll probably take less than an
hour."

     Joe thought about Sally's...all the women just sitting
around...talking...gossiping...about god knows what. If they even suspected
that he was really a guy...a rooster in the hen-house...he could imagine the
disturbance it would create.  Of course, there is no way he would be
detected...he may not always know precisely how to act like a woman, but
nobody could ever get him confused with a man. Not unless he told them. And
even then it's doubtful they'd believe him.

     Joe unbuckled and unbuttoned the dress, pulled it over his head and
placed it back on the hanger. He had never thought of himself as a clothes
horse, but now he found himself hoping tomorrow would get here, just so he
could wear the dress. So many things are so different, he thought to himself.

     He reluctantly hung the dress in the closet, and then gathered his
underwear from the bed.  He took it into the bathroom, and piled it on the
sink. He would hand wash it before he went to bed as Linda had taught him.
Linda was watching him carefully, and when he came back into the bedroom, she
spoke.

     "I think your going to be all right, Joe Bates." She said approvingly.

     "Yeah." Joe agreed. "I'm really great at washing panties, ain't I." He
said, with a little sarcasm showing.

     "What's that about?" Linda asked. "Do you have a problem all of a
sudden?"

     "No. Not all of a sudden." Joe said. "I just thought about what I could
be doing besides washing out underwear, that's all."

     "Hey. We all have our little details." Linda said. "Your not above them,
and there's no reason to feel sorry for yourself. You say you've had genetic
damage. Well, then it could probably be a lot worse, you know. You could be
dependent on me, or sombody else to feed you, or dress you...you could be a
veg, or something.  I think you are all damn lucky all you lost was your
precious manhood."

     Joe was suprized at Linda's reaction to his slight bitching. But she was
right. It could be a lot worse.

     Joe put his shorts and T-shirt back on. Linda went to the kitchen, and
when he finished dressing, he joined her.

     "Are you hungry?" Linda asked.

     "Oh, I guess I could eat something." Joe answered. 

     "I was just going to have some watermelon." Linda said. "But we could
grill some chicken breasts if you want more than that."

     "No." Joe answered. "If I'm gonna be a girl, I guess I should get used to
eating like a bird." He grinned.

     They sat at the little counter, sharing little chunks of watermelon that
Linda had cut up earlier and placed in the refrigerator to cool. They made
small talk, with Joe asking Linda how her day went, and then explaining what
was happening at Honeybone.

     "So when will they experiment on humans?" Linda asked.

     "I don't know." Joe answered. "I guess it depends on what happens with
whatever else they try."

     "Who will be the first of you four to try it?" She continued. "Would you
want to be the first?"

     Right now I don't know if I would ever want to try it, he thought to
himself.

     "I don't know who would be the first." He answered. "Dave has already
volunteered. He can't wait to be changed back."

     "I'll just have to get over to talk to Cindy." Linda said. "Dave must be
driving her crazy."

     "He certainly isn't all that pleased with the situation." Joe said. "I
guess I felt like he does right after it happened, but now it's different, I
guess I'm just starting to get used to it or something."

     "If I was changed into a guy, I don't think I could ever get used to it."
Linda mused. "I might like it, but I think I'd miss being inside my own body."

     "But that's not how it feels at all." Joe said. "It still feels like I'm
in my regular body.  Sure, there are differences, having boobs...not having a
penis...and those cause some some things to feel different, and it's harder to
do some things, but usually I really don't feel that much different than
before. At least not physically"

     "What do you mean, not physically?" Linda asked. "I would think that
would be the biggest difference."

     "At first, it seemed like it was." But you begin get used to that...sort
of." Joe explained.  "But later...I think it just really started a couple days
ago...something else happens...I don't know...I guess I started thinking
differently...seeing the world differently."

     "Seeing the world differently?" Linda repeated. "How do you see the world
now, compared to before?"

     "Well, now that I've been going around, looking like this..." Joe put
both hands on his chest under his breasts, pushing them up. "I guess I've been
given a new perspective to see life.  Things that I've always taken for
granted...they're either changed...some a little...some a lot...or else
they're probably gone completely to me.  Maybe I'll get used to
it...practically everything about this seems to get easier with each passing
day...but I have had to learn how to cope with so many different things...new
desires...I don't even know what I'm talking about some times."

     "What are the new desires?" Linda asked immediately. "Do you like men, or
are you talking about something else?"

     "I have to admit," Joe continued. "Being with a guy has crossed my mind,
more than once."

     "What about me...about us?" Linda questioned.

     Joe looked at her.  

     "I don't know." He said. "But I do know I don't feel like I did a week
ago.  I just don't see how I could.  Hell, I'm only human."

     "What's going to happen Joe?" Linda asked.

     "I wish I knew." He replied. "Whatever is happening to me...to my
head...it has me going up and down. Sometimes I don't think I've ever been
happier in my life, and then...in just a matter of seconds...I'm crying out of
control. I don't know what causes it...maybe it's normal for a woman.  I don't
know how a woman is supposed to feel.  I only know how I feel."

     "Do you want to stay like that?" Linda asked. "Do you want to stay a
woman?"

     "I can't answer that." Joe said. "If I answer the way I feel, I'd have to
change what I say every few minutes.  There are a lot of interesting things
about being like this...I've started to love the clothes...can you believe
it...me?  But then...I think about my plans..."

     "What plans?" Linda asked.

     "You know...Us." Joe explained. "One week ago, I thought I'd be getting
married, we'd have a few kids...maybe...eventually...but now..."

     "Does it have to be so different?" Linda wondered.

     "Different?" Joe said. "Come on Linda. Sure, maybe we could still live
together...maybe we can sleep together...but that won't make it like it was.
Maybe I can still make you come, but I damn sure can't make you pregnant."

     "We could adopt." Linda said simply. 

     "Do you really think they'd let two WOMEN adopt?" Joe said sarcasticly.

     "We could try, couldn't we?" Linda asked. 

     "Linda, I've already turned in the paperwork...I'm legally female now.
Joe reminded her. "And even if they somehow let us marry anyway, you probably
wouldn't be happy with me.  You're a normal, healthy woman.  You'd want to be
with a man...eventually.  Hell, I might want to too."

     "So what should we do?" Linda wondered aloud.

     "I don't know." Joe said. "But we don't have to rush anything...at least
not for a while. Give them a chance to examine what has happened, and maybe
they can get us back."

     They finished eating, and Joe cleaned up the dishes. Then he went to his
room. It was after ten, and the things that had happened that day had left him
tired. Linda came to his room.

     "Are you going to bed?" She asked.

     "Yeah." Joe said. "I'll shower, and then I think I'll turn in."

     Linda went to her room, and Joe went to his bathroom, closing the door.
He undressed, and started the shower running. As he was soaping down, he felt
his legs. Noticing stubble, he got the shave cream and razor, and shaved his
legs, underarms, and then carefully trimmed his pubic area.

     If I ever do change back, I think I'd still want to keep my legs and
armpits shaved, he thought to himself as he used the razor. I wonder why men
don't do this. Probably because they're pretty hairy all over, he remembered.
Last week, before this happened to him, his chest, and even his arms, had been
covered with much courser hair. That had all fallen out...he found it on his
bedsheets...and now, except for his head, crotch, legs and underarms, the hair
that remained was much shorter, finer, almost downlike.  He liked the feel of
his smooth, practicaly hairless body now that it was feminized.

     After finishing up, Joe stepped out of the shower and dried with a large
bath towel. As he rubbed the towel over his breasts, and then the still
somewhat unfamilure, delicate area between his legs, he thought about how much
had changed in only a week. He was starting to get accustomed to seeing his
trim, sexy form in the mirror as he carefully washed his face. He brushed his
short hair, trying to imagine ways to make it look as feminine as possible. He
wondered what Sally could do with it.

     Joe finished by brushing his teeth, and then, almost as an afterthought,
powdered his body with the scented bath powder.

     When he finished, he ran water into the sink, and added some soap. He
hand washed the nylons he had worn that day, and then started on his
underwear. When he was about to drop the black thong into the soapy water, Joe
noticed the faint white mark of vaginal discharge on the black cotton crotch
lining.  He smiled as he thought of how it got there. Being around his friend
Jay often made him feel funny...and when that happened he soon felt his
underpants become wet. The new excitement had left its mark. Would it be
followed one of these days by the blood of menstrual flow as the nurse at the
clinic had advised them?  He carefully washed all trace of stain from the
little panties.

     After Joe draped the hose and underwear over the handle of the shower
door, he went out into the bedroom. He hadn't put any clothes on, and he was
wondering if he should wear something when Linda came into his room again.
She had showered too, and now wore a pink silk, or satin night shirt.

     She looked at him, standing naked.

     "Would you like something to wear to bed?" Linda asked, seeing Joe's
somewhat embarrased look.

     "I don't know." He said. "So you think I should?" Before he had been
changed, Joe always slept in the nude.

     "It's really up to you." Linda said. "When I'm by myself, I usually like
to wear something." She confided.

     "I'll see what I have." Joe said. "I don't think I have much but a
T-shirt though."

     "Would you like to borrow something from me?" Linda asked, smiling. She
wanted to help, but she didn't want to offend him.

     "What do you suggest?" Joe asked. He found it embarrasing for him to
borrow clothes from Linda, especially since they now sometimes fit him better
than they did her.

     "I'm sure I have another shirt like this." She said. "Or I think I have
some pajamas."

     "I'll try the shirt." Joe said. The air conditioner had come on, and it
was making him feel cold. The chilled air made his nipples change from soft
full cones to points that looked stiff as rocks. He cupped his breasts in his
hands, not liking the sensation when they bounced as he followed Linda to her
room.

     Linda looked through her lingerie drawer and came up with a light blue,
satin nite shirt. It had a stretchy, fitted bodice, with no decoration but a small
bow at the neckline. It had short sleeves, and below the breasts, was made to
fit very loosely.  She handed it to Joe.

     "Try this." She said.

     Joe took the satiny garment and pulled it over his head. It smelled
lightly of Linda's perfume. When it was on, he looked down at himself. The
little satin shirt came to just below his crotch. It covered everything that
needed to be covered, and it felt amazingly warm. His breasts were outlined by
the soft, fluid fabric. He could feel the fabric rubbing against his hardening
nipples as his breasts swayed gently back and forth with his every move. Why
does everything women wear have to look and to feel so damn erotic, he
thought?

     "I think I like it." Joe said, grinning sheepishly.

     "It looks nice on you." Linda said. "But then, everything looks nice on
you." She mockingly put her hands up in disgust.

     Joe went back into his own bedroom, and Linda followed.

     "Do you mind if I sleep in here?" Linda asked.

     "No, it's all right with me." Joe said. "I was thinking of reading for a
while though."

     "That's OK with me." Linda said.

     Joe pulled back the spread and sheet, then turned off the room light at
the switch, leaving on only the lamp at the night stand. Linda crawled into
bed, and Joe followed, and as he did, he noticed that she wore white cotton
panties under the night shirt. She had never worn underpants to bed since they
had been sleeping together regularly, and he wondered why she did so now.

     "Whats with the underwear?" He questioned.

     "I think I'm going to start my period soon." Linda said. "I decided to
wear a pad, just in case."

     "How do you know that?" Joe asked. He was very curious, since it was
likely that the same thing was going to happen to him eventually.

     "Well, it's coming up on the time." She continued. "And I'm starting to
get cramps, just a little."

     "What do cramps feel like?" Joe asked. "Where do you feel them?"

     "I don't know." Linda said. "They hurt...well not hurt exactly...not
yet...more like just a dull ache in my lower abdomen. My breasts feel full
too...I'm guess I'm starting to retain water...you'll know what it feels like
when it happens."

     "I just don't want to get blood all over everything." Joe said. "I have
this fear that I'm gonna wake up one of these mornings, oozing blood." He
grinned.

     "I don't know what's going to happen with you." Linda considered. "You
may not be like the average girl...but if you are, you'll probably just spot
lightly at first. You'll likely have plenty of warning your first time.  Don't
spend any time worrying about it, Joe...It probably won't be that bad."

     "I hope you're right." Joe said warily.  

     He pulled the sheet up to just below his satin covered breasts and
retrieved the book that Karen had suggested he read.  Linda was content to lie
awake, watching him read.

     Sitting half erect in bed, with two pillows propping him up comfortably,
Joe resumed reading where he had left off days ago. He quickly became emersed
in the explaination of genetics, chromosomes, and sexual differientation and
characteristics, which was the subject of the text. As he read on, and learned
about the very things which he was told had been affected in his own body, he
would sometimes touch himself...feeling a breast...nipple...or hip bone. He
forgot that Linda was lying at his side, watching him in silent amusement.

     After she lay silent for maybe a half hour, she just had to speak.

     "What's that book about?" She asked after she watched Joe feel his
protruding hip bone as he read.

     "Well, its a medical text actually." Joe told her. "Its a little hard to
follow, but it explains the difference between the sexes, from a genetic, or
chromosome level. It covers some of the abnormalities which are known to
exist, and gets into why they happen."

     "Is there anything about what happened to you?" Linda asked.

     "No, not so far anyway." Joe said. "Everything so far has been about
genetic abnormalities which exist from birth. I think maybe we're the first
this has happened to."

     "It must really be interesting, the way it holds your attention." Linda
said, rubbing Joe's arm.

     "It is interesting." Joe said. "I've always been fascenated with
genetics. I just never thought I'd have such a strong reason to get more
interested."

     "Joe..." Linda said, trying to get his full attention. "Joe, if you ever
want to be with somebody else...a guy or whatever...if you want to know what
it's like...don't worry, I'd understand."

     Joe looked at her. He felt warmth come to his face as he blushed.  He
reached down and took her hand in his own.

     After a long moment of silence, he began to speak.

     "I appreciate that." He said, smiling. He wondered if he should tell her
about Jay. Then decided it best not to.

     "The truth is," Joe continued slowly, trying to find the words he wanted
to use. "I really don't know what I want anymore. Here I am, my body seems to
be all screwed up...my penis feels like it pulled up inside me, its still all
there, even if it looks the size of a pencil eraser.  And my chest...well you
can see whats happened to it...but overall I don't feel like I'm missing
anything, I'm all still here, just re-arrainged a little bit." He grinned at
his description of what happened to his body.

     "If it so happens that I look female...and I must agree that I do, then
maybe that's what I am. I don't know...I don't really feel like I'm female...I
don't even know what a female is supposed to feel like." He went on. "All I
feel like is me. And I know that for the last few days, my feelings...my
desires...  they've been wondering all over the place."

     "Do I want to be with a man?  Hell, the idea of it scares me to
death...and yet, look at me. If I'm going to have to be this way the rest of
my life, maybe I should consider it. I know that guys...men seem different to
me now...I can't explain it...maybe because they act different around me
too...I don't know."

     "When I think of what my life might be like if I have to stay this
way...Sometimes it all seems like a dream...sometimes a good dream...sometimes
a more like a nightmare." Joe went on. "If I'm going to start living as a
woman, then I'm pretty sure I don't want to live as a lesbian. I don't think
that's what I am now...even with you...I still feel like a guy...a strange
looking one maybe...I agree, but I just can't think of us as two women...not
yet anyway...but that's probably changing...I can't look at myself in the
mirror much longer without seeing the female I guess I've become...looking
back."

     "You can see it too." Joe said to Linda. "A few days ago...last week, I
wouldn't have worn this... (He pulled at the stretchy fabric of the sleepshirt
bodice.) I would have been too embarassed. But now, I think even my mind...my
brain...is changing...accepting...this new perception of who I am...I suspect
even that might still be changing. Do you have any idea what it's like to have
that happen?"

     "I couldn't imagine." Linda said.

     "Well, of everything that has happened so far, it's been the most
difficult part. " Joe answered his own question. "My body...I guess I can get
used to that...some of what's happened is even kinda fun...I admit, I'm a
little concerned about getting periods...getting pregnant...stuff like that.
But I guess I've resigned myself, and some of it all is kinda interesting. You
probably don't even know how fantastic it feels to have your sense of touch
heightened like this...it's all you've ever known."

     "Yeah. It don't seem so special to me." Linda agreed.

     Joe put the book on the night stand. He switched off the lamp, and
reached for Linda in the dark. When she felt his advances, she reached out for
him, and they hugged each other tightly.

     In only a few minutes, they fell asleep in each others arms.

                         **************************
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates26.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 26


                     The 26th Edition of the JOE BATES Story

     Joe stirred as he heard the rauchous buzz of the clock radio. Linda
reached over and turned it off, leaving the radio playing softly. She had set
the alarm. Joe hadn't even bothered, since today, he had no need to be up till
nine, and then to go to the hairdresser. He wouldn't have any problem being up
in time for that. Linda needed to be up sooner, and she got up almost
immediately after the alarm. She left the room, going straight to her own
without saying a word, probably Joe was still asleep.


     Another day, Joe thought. What was it now, Thursday?  Tomorrow he would
be like this a week already. He had long since given up the hope that he might
wake up somehow miraculously changed back. If anything, he was still changing,
continuing to look and feel a bit softer and even more feminine each day.

     Joe raised his arms above his head and stretched. Then he made what was
becoming his regular morning inspection, checking for differences, new
changes, and anything else that may have occured as he slept. Joe knew he was
still undergoing the strange metamorphosis, but the things happening now were
very subtle, nothing really definite.  Each day, he felt his body get just a
little softer as it proceded to develop the thin layer of fat under his skin
that made female skin feel so different...softer, smoother than a males.  At
the same time, Joe's shoulder muscles, chest, and arms continued to slowly
reduce in overall mass and strength. He was also just beginning to detect some
extra flesh starting to form at his hips and buttocks. Although all this was
happening very slowly, but Joe could could tell, and as he lay there he
thought about the few remaining traces of his masculinity slowly slipping
away.

     Joe tugged at the night shirt borrowed from Linda, raising the bottom hem
up to his waist, and then carefully felt between his legs. Every day it
seemed, the bump of his pubic bone became a little more pronounced. It was
definitely more prominant than before the change, and now that area felt
strange to his touch, with his penis, or clitoris actually, seeming to be a
bit further down than he remembered it just yesterday. I guess my pelvis is
changing too, he decided, hoping that his hips wouldn't get much bigger than
they already were. He flexed the muscles in his crotch...the ones used to stop
the flow of urine when he pee'd.  As he did, he could sense some of the
internal differences too.  It was really only then that he could he detect the
presence of his vaginal spincter.  Usually, except when he bathed, he
practically avoided touching himself down there, as if this most female part
of his body would simply change back to the way it was if he would just ignore
it.

     It sure didn't seem to be happening that way, however.  It all felt so
wierd to his touch.  His balls were completely gone...sure, his penis wasn't
like it had been either...it didn't stick out at all now, and he couldn't even
use it to urinate...much less for sex, but at least he could still feel
it...sort of.  But his testicals...they just simply weren't there anymore,
replaced only by small, sensitive folds of skin.  This skin felt much like his
scrotum, but it was divided down the center. Normally, the slit-like opening
it formed remained fairly closed, mostly hiding what little actually remained
of his penis, and it completely concealed his much changed urethral opening as
well as the new opening that had formed slightly below that. Joe slowly ran
his finger along the soft, delicate folds, and when it felt ready, adequately
lubricated by the slippery secretions that always seemed to be there, he
gently separated the sensitive tissues and cautously placed the second finger
of his right hand inside this new, somewhat mysterious body cavity.

     It was amazing how much the feel of his changed genitalia reminded him of
Linda's. God, how can I even dare think I'm still a guy, he wondered.  Though
he still had some of the sensation of having his penis, it was obvious that he
didn't really posess that organ anymore. Neverless, it was still difficult to
accept the idea of having fully functioning female organs. Joe closed his eyes
and clenched his teeth as he explored himself with his finger.

     He flexed his crotch muscles again, feeling them gently contract on his
finger. It was a most unusual feeling...most of the time, he couldn't even
tell there was a vagina down there, but with his finger inside it, there could
be absolutely no doubt. But almost all the feeling was on outside, the skin
folds, and around the vaginal opening, which itself seemed to be less than an
inch from his anal orifice.  He slowly withdrew his finger and then gently
rubbed his clitoris with the slippery lubricant. Doing that felt so good...and
more familure...very much like he was rubbing the bottom of his penis near the
head, but much more intense. Though it was quite small, his clitoris felt much
more exposed...more obvious to his touch...than Linda's.  The minor surgical
procedure which had relieved him of his foreskin as an infant now served to
expose the tissues that had become his clitoris to an almost painful degree.
But if he was gentle and careful, the sensations he recieved when he touched
there could be almost exquisite.

     Joe had to restrain the urge to move his hips as he slowly, gently
caressed the tiny bundle of nerves, and soon Joe felt the little folds
engorge, creating a sensation somewhat like an erection, but causing his
genital folds to open like petals of a flower and secrete even more of their
clear slippery fluid, as if they were preparing for the entrance of
something...anything.  Just as the other night with Jay, Joe was finding the
urge for penetration to be nearly irresistable.  He had always considered his
sex drive to be quite strong, but the feelings he was now experiencing made a
simple "hard on" seem almost trivial. Maybe he didn't have his penis anymore,
but now the feeling of stimulation involved practicaly his whole body.

     Not knowing what to do to relieve the almost overwhelming demand for
penetration and release, Joe continued the slow, gentle manipulation, creating
a large wetspot on the bedsheets with his juices, until he silently exploded
in orgasm.  It was one of the most intense he had ever experienced.  He was
amazed that when it was over he still had the urge to continue, so he bravely
put two fingers inside himself, careful to avoid any direct contact with his
clitoris, which was now far too sensitive to touch. With his other hand, he
felt under the satin night gown and massaged one of his breasts, feeling the
nipple harden almost as soon as it was touched. Whatever else may happen, Joe
thought, it will all be worth it just to have experienced this.

     Another climax followed almost immediatly after the first, and then Joe
reluctantly stopped masturbating. He placed the palm of his right hand tightly
over his wet, sticky vulva and pressed it as hard as he could. Though he
desperately yearned to have something inside there, he was afraid to
experiment with anything he might have available.  A hard penis was exactly
what was needed right now, he thought to himself, but there were simply none
of those around.  Of course, I guess that's the basic problem, isn't it, he
mused.  He considered Linda...how could she resign herself to living with
him...as he was now, like this? Surely all this must feel the same for her
too.

     As he lay there, his breathing returning to normal, he thought about the
many times he had made love as a male, the last year or so exclusively with
Linda.

     Joe was coming to realize that the methods he had used, the way he went
about making love...was so wrong...far too ham-fisted for Linda or any of his
other partners to enjoy the full satisfaction of being with him. It was
probably too late now, but if he ever did really get his penis back, the
things he learned by having his body feminized like this could serve to make
him an extraordinary male lover.  Slower, gentler, softer...now he knew.  But
of course, it was probably too late now.

     A Joe lay in bed, still recovering from his self stimulation experience,
Linda was dressing for work. With only her slip on, she came into Joe's room
to see if he was awake.

     "I'm going to put some coffee on." She said when she saw his eyes were
open. "Would you like some?"

     Even though they were both apparently women now, Joe thought, Linda was
still instinctively wanting to wait on him.

     "Thanks." He said, hoping she couldn't tell what he had just done. "If
you want to finish dressing, I'll make the coffee."

     "Would you?" Linda returned, genuinely suprized. "You dear. But you
really don't have to get up for a while do you?"

     "I'm not sleepy." Joe explained. "I think I'll get up and get ready. I
can read until it's time to go to over to Sally's."

     Wearing only the nightshirt, Joe started to walk to the kitchen. He would
start the coffee, and then brush his teeth and dress while it perked. As he
walked down the hall, he felt the jiggle of his breasts as he walked. The
stretchy nylon bodice of the little nightgown clung tightly to his curves, but
offered no support. His firm new breasts exibited almost no sag, but without
the support of a bra, they did bounce and sway with every movement. It didn't
hurt really, except maybe if he attempted to run or jump, and even that didn't
actually cause pain, just felt slightly uncomfortable.  In any case, it felt
very strange having his chest moving around like that. Joe had already become
accustomed to the more secure feel wearing a bra provided.  He placed his arm
across both breasts, preventing them from bouncing as he entered the kitchen.

     After putting the coffee on, Joe went back into his room. In the
bathroom he examined his face in the mirror. Taking a washcloth and a little
of the facial soap that Linda had provided, Joe gently scrubbed the remaining
sleep from his eyes. He brushed his teeth, and then, taking a hairbrush, he
attempted to brush his own hair into an acceptable shape. 

     This would be his first time in public without the wig since Karen had
given it to him. He was a little apprehensive about doing it, but if he could
leave the hot hairpiece at home, it would be worth it. He wondered what Sally
would say about his masculine haircut. Linda had already told her that a
"friend" in St. Louis had cut it this way, and she (he) didn't like it.  He
would have to format any story on that premise. Just as well, he thought.

     He brushed his hair the best he could, bringing it down a bit lower in
front than he ever had when he was male. Maybe it didn't look all that bad, he
concluded. It seemed that his hair was getting softer too, at least the bit
that had grown out in the last week. He was glad the hair on his head hadn't
all come out like that on his chest and elsewhere. Being like this was strange
enough...to be completely bald would have really topped it all off.

     When he was finished, it was time to dress. He couldn't wait to wear the
new dress Linda had bought, but still had to decide what to wear with it.  He
glanced over at the shower door, seeing the underwear hanging there. He had
already worn the little black set yesterday evening after work. He loved the
way it made him look and feel. Today, alone around all the women at Sally's,
he wanted to feel as good about himself as he possibly could. Just maybe the
little black bra and thong bikini would help. He knew it was hard to forget
what he was wearing when he had that on. The little undies fit so snug that
they kept him intimately aware of his changed anatomy whenever he moved his
legs.  At first, he always wanted to reach back and tug at it, since it felt
like it was always riding up, but he was now accustomed to that feeling too.
With that in mind, he decided to wear it again. Maybe, the next time he was in
the mall, he would stop at Victoria' Secret and get another set like it, this
time maybe in a different color.  Like Linda said, if makes you feel
good...wear it.

     Crossing his arms in front of him, Joe pulled the light blue night shirt
over his head. He pulled the black bikini from the shower door and slipped it
on. He was unable to resist feeling the slick fabric between his legs.  The
sleek feeling of his crotch, without the familure bulge of male gentitalia,
still felt so strange...just like the first time he touched there that first
morning.

     As Joe put the matching bra on, he thought it felt a little tighter...the
cups a little fuller than just yesterday.  Are these boobs still getting
bigger, or did this underwear just shrink a little when I washed it? He
wondered.

     After he had the underwear on, he went back out to the bedroom. Joe got
the dress from the closet but before he started to remove it from the hanger
he looked at the time...it was two hours before he needed to dress for the
hair appointment. He wanted to wear the dress, but he decided to wait to put
it on.  He found the gray shorts, and the black T-shirt he wore last night,
and quickly slipped those on. It would be easier to kill the time wearing
this, than the dress.

     Deciding to remain barefoot, Joe went to the kitchen, where Linda was
already preparing a bowl of cold cereal for herself. Joe didn't want any of
that, and the coffee wasn't quite finished perking yet.

     "Your hair looks OK that way." Linda complemented.

     "Do you really think so?" Joe asked. "It sure is a lot cooler like this.
I just wish my own hair was as long as the wig."

     "Don't worry, it'll grow out soon enough." Linda consoled.

     They both had resigned themselves that this is how it would be, Joe
thought. 

     Joe watched Linda as she sat eating her cereal. She was looking at some
papers, and didn't notice him looking. She was very pretty, he thought. A
natural beauty, and he found he was seeing her in a different way...not as a
man see's a woman, or even as another woman would, but in another way...a way
he couldn't describe if he had to. Maybe it was the female hormones...maybe it
was male hormones, or actually the lack of male hormones, that was making him
feel this way...to see her this way, He didn't know. But as he sat there,
gazing, he realized an admiration for her he had never realized. He didn't
know what to think about it.

     "You're all right, you know that?" Joe said simply.

     Linda looked over at him curiously, and smiled.

     "Why did you say that?" She asked quietly. 

     "I don't know." Joe said truthfully. "I just thought I should tell
you...I really do appreciate every thing you're doing...every thing you've
done already.  I don't know what I'd do without you."

     Linda stopped eating and looked at Joe. She wondered what was on his
mind...what had made him say those words. She could tell he was under a lot of
stress, what with all that had taken place, but she was amazed at how all this
had changed Joe. She had always loved him, almost from the first. She loved
his intelligence, his somewhat carefree, curious spirit, his zest for life, as
well as his handsome good looks. He always seemed to enjoy whatever he was
doing, always trying to learn more, to experience fully anything he attempted.
But, like a lot of guy's his age, maybe most of them, she thought he had
always seemed to be of the opinion that women were somehow inferior to men in
some ways.  Sure, he liked them...maybe he even loved them, but, it had always
seemed, to her anyway, they were not really to be considered as equals. She
wondered how he felt about womens equality now. Apparently, he seemed to
regard what had happened to him with an attitude which ranged from angry
irritation, to stoic acceptance, to actual pride. As he did with most
everything he ever attempted, Joe had approached it all as a learning
experience.

     It was really amazing to consider what had occured. If she could have
wished it, it couldn't have been any better introduction for a male to
experience what being a woman was like.  Unfortunately, this wasn't something
she had actually wished on him, rather it was more a bizzare industrial
accident, and apparently it had changed the man she loved into someone she was
still trying to understand.  Although he was obviously quite feminine looking
and sounding, almost to a fault...she actually envied his almost perfect
shape...he would sometimes talk and act just like before. It was very strange
when he did that...this person, this gorgeous woman, talking, moving, and
acting just like the man he really was.  But sometimes now, especially since
he returned from San Diego, he was different.  He was more quiet...reserved
maybe, sometimes almost cold around her.

     When he first came to her, he was afraid, confused, and obviously out of
place in what his body had become. Linda had tried her best to help him...to
make him comfortable with what had happened to his body. Although she had
never been intimate with a woman before, she tried to let on as if nothing had
changed...as if she had no problem relating to Joe's new femininity.
Strangely, as she did that, she found herself actually enjoying it. She
suprized them both with the sexual intensity that she showed.  Although the
intimacy of the relationship between them was changed...she was found that
Joe's timidity caused by the changes in his body required her to become the
agressor...and she loved the experience, and she even liked Joe's new feminine
softness too. That confused her. Even before Joe posed the question, she had
already begun to wonder about her sexual orientation. She never even
considered homosexuality an option before, and even now, she never actually
thought about her relationship with Joe that way, but she had to admit...she
really liked intimacy with him the way he was now...she liked the feeling of
being in charge.  The last few days, she found herself starting to wonder what
life would have been like had she been born male instead.  Joe seemed to adapt
to femininity so easily...what might it be like for her to have a male
physique...to be able to give him pleasure he had formerly given her.  It
wasn't that she was unhappy with her femininity, far from it, but if it turned
out that Joe would have to stay as he was now, she would consider volunteering
for the change...she would never voice such a thought...not yet anyway...but
if such an opportunity ever presented itself...  It now looked like almost
anything might be possible.

     "I love you Joe Bates." was all she said.

     Linda finished eating, and put her bowl in the dishwasher. Joe had poured
the coffee when it was ready, and they both sat there, slowly sipping at their
coffee. Linda finished first, and went to her room for a final check of her
appearance and came out carrying her leather briefcase. She went to wear Joe
was sitting and kissed him on the forehead.

     "Good luck at the hairdresser." She said, as she walked to the door.

     "Thanks." Joe returned. "Have a good day."

     When Linda left, Joe went back to his room. Almost two hours before I
need to get ready for Sally's, he thought. He made the bed, then lay on top of
the spread, taking the book he had been reading last night and started to
read. In a few minutes, he was again engrossed in the subject matter.

     It seemed like hardly any time had passed when Joe looked at the clock
and saw it was time to dress for the hair appointment. He felt the strange
nervousness start to overtake him again. It was scary to go alone to Sally's.
It seemed to Joe that a beauty shop would be one of women's private places.
And he'd be there all by himself.

     He got up from the bed, and pulled the T shirt off. He unbuttoned and
unzipped the shorts and pulled them off. He went to the closet and retrieved
the hanger holding the new dress. He liked the way it looked, and couldn't
wait to wear it. He took it out and layed it on the bed while he got a slip
from the dresser. As he was pulling the full slip over his head, he remembered
pantyhose. He found some he thought would look right with the olive colored
dress, and reluctantly slipped them on. Although he actually enjoyed wearing
most of these new feminine things, he really hated pantyhose. From the way
Linda talked about them, he figured she did too. There was a lot not to like.
Although his legs looked and felt great in them, pantyhose were hot, and
sometimes, when he walked, the darn things would droop down making the crotch
a few inches lower than it should be. If I'll have to wear stuff like this
forever, he thought, I'll have to check out other alternatives.

     With the pantyhose and slip on, he carefully removed the dress from the
hanger, and pulled it over his head, placing his thin arms in the short
sleeves.  He buttoned up the few open buttons in front and went to the dresser
mirror to admire himself. The dress fit well, flattering his still developing
form.  Using his hand, he brushed his hair around, trying to look as feminine
as he could.  No problem, he thought. My hair might be a little short, but I
sure don't look like a guy anymore.

     He found his black pumps, and was slipping them on when remembered his
little purse was in his flight bag. He got it out. He knew he'd have to carry
it to Sally's. Any "regular" woman would have one with her.

     With that, he was ready. He had a few minutes, but he decided to drive
over now, rather than wait till the last minute. He walked out to his car,
feeling good about himself, knowing he was well dressed, and quite passable.
When he got in the car, he had a bit of difficulty working the clutch wearing
heels, just like he did that morning. Although he had become fairly adept at
walking in heels, it was still easier to drive barefoot.

     It was only a short trip to Sally's, and as he pulled into the drive, he
thought it might be possible his heart was making more noise than the engine
in his car. He stopped the engine, slipped the seatbelt off, and then slipped
his little heels back on. Taking a deep breath, he bravely walked inside.

     There were four women customers in the shop, along with two bueaticians
besides Sally. Joe sat down on one of the cushioned chairs in the waiting
area.  Sally saw him enter and, as soon she could, came over to where he was
seated.

     "Might you be Joel?" She asked, pronouncing his name Jo-ell, perhaps
thinking it was more feminine that way.

     "Yes." Joe said, smiling at her, and hoping she didn't recognize him. He
had been once, before all this happened, to pick up Linda.

     If she recogized him, she certainly didn't let on. And Linda had told her
that Joel was Joe's sister, so some resemblance would be understandable.

     "I'll be able to get to you real soon." Sally said. "Make yourself
comfortable. There's coffee over there, and some reading material." She
pointed to the stack of magazines on the low table.

     Joe smiled at her, and went to the stack of magazines. They were all
women's interest magazines, and some were about hair styling. Joe took the one
on top, which was Cosmopolitain. He had already reached the conclusion that
Cosmo was roughly the female equivilent of Playboy. Strangely, it always
seemed to have a woman in a low cut dress on the cover...it had always caught
his eye, even before this had happened. He looked at this months cover. Yep,
as usual, there was a young woman wearing a skin tight blue Spandex number
with her cleavage promenently displayed. Joe grinned as he looked at it. The
sexy picture just didn't hold the same pizzazz anymore. He realized he was
just as interested in dress as what was in it.

     As Joe thumbed through the pages, he read the ads with interest. Tampons,
mini-pads, maxi-pads, hygene products...women were bombarded with accessories
for the female body and genitals. As he read an ad about a special soap, made
just for the "outer vaginal area", it made him wonder if he might have a
problem in that area.  Then he remembered...as a guy he actually liked the
smell of a normal, healthy woman. It was an unbelievable turn-on.  Why should
a woman want to mask that with some artifical flowery scent.  Probably because
they don't know that guy's aren't offended by their natural scent, and then
become especially self concous when they read stuff like this.

     He read an article about a sponge used for birth control. It was
apparently placed inside the vagina, and it contained a spermicide which
killed the little buggers before they could get to where they could do the
job. This sponge thing wasn't prescription either...he wondered what it felt
like...if it could be felt at all. He thought maybe, if he got to a drug
store, wherever they sell stuff like this, he'd get some. He didn't know when
the opportunity would present itself to bring the subject of contraception up
to Dr. Krell, but if the possibility for intercourse ever occurred again, he
wanted to be prepared.

     As he was just finishing the magazine when Sally came over to him.

     "Are you ready?" She asked, offering a friendly smile. 

     "Yes...I guess I am." Joe answered.

     "Follow me, please." Sally said, turning and walking away. 

     They walked to the back of the shop, where there were chairs placed in
front of small sinks, placed to allow easy shampooing the head.

     "That's sure a lovely dress." Sally said. "It's just you're color."

     "Thank you.  It's new." Joe said.

     Sally placed a towel around Joe's shoulders, and then had him sit back,
with his head over the sink. She sprayed his hair with warm water. It felt
great.  As she massagged the shampoo into his hair, she began to speak.

     "Linda tells me a friend cut you're hair like this?" She asked.

     "Yes...yes she did." Joe lied. "I was wanting to try something different,
but guess I don't like it like this."

     "How did you have it before?" Sally asked.

     Joe wondered how to answer. He looked around...there were pictures of
different styles on the walls. He finally found a picture of a dark blond
woman, who looked a little like he did now, and who's hair style he liked.

     "It was sort of like that." He said, pointing to the picture. "A little
shorter in front though."

     "And you didn't like that?" Sally exclaimed. "Girl, it'll be a year
before I can get your hair like that again."

     "I don't need it to look like that." Joe said. "Just make it look as good
as you can."

     "Do you have any idea as to what you would like?" Sally continued.

     "Any suggestions?" Joe countered. He had no idea what to say.

     Sally went to a large book, she thumbed through it, and then presented a
page for his comment.

     "I think you have about enough length to try this." Sally suggested. "It
might be a little short, but I think it would work.

     "Let's try it." Joe agreed. He had no desire to drag it out, and he did
kind of like the sort of page-boy cut she offered. Besides, the length of his
hair probably offered few other possibilities.

     When his hair was washed, Sally lead him over to a chair somewhat like a
barber chair, but apparently not as adjustable. Sally placed a silky drape
over him and fastened it around his neck. Then she brushed his hair. She
walked around Joe and then took scissors and snipped a few hairs, then she
took out a spray can of stuff. She sprayed a little of whatever it was, and
combed his hair some more.

     "This won't take long." Sally said. "You have very easy to work hair, and
this style is very simple."

     She was finished in an amazingly short time, and then swung the chair
around so that Joe could get a good look. He had already been watching in the
mirror on the other wall, so he knew that is hair wasn't changed much, but
that it was made to look quite feminine. There would certainly be no need to
wear the wig anymore.

     "I like it." Joe complimented. "You did a fine job."

     "Well, it's a little too short to do much with." Sally apologized. "You
come back in a month, and then I can make it a little better."

     Joe smiled. "Thanks a lot, thanks for the quick service."

     "You tell Linda hello for me." Sally said, as she took Joe's credit card.

     "I will." Joe said.

     "Linda says your from St. Louis?"  Sally asked.

     "Yes." Joe fibbed. "I'm staying with Linda. I think I like the Phoenix
area."

     "Well, welcome to the desert, we're glad to have you." Sally said.

     "Thanks." Joe said again. "Thanks for everything."

     "Oh, by the way," Sally said. "Do you have any of this styling spray?"

     Joe didn't, of course. He took the plastic spray bottle from her hand and
looked at it. NEXUS MAXXISTYLER. He probably better take some.

     "No, I don't think I have any of that." He admitted truthfully.

     "Do you want me to add it onto your card?" Sally continued. 

     "Yeah, I think that would be best." Joe admitted. He didn't have any idea
what this stuff would cost, and he figured he only had about twenty five
dollars in the little handbag.

     "I'll tear up the old ticket, and refigure it." Sally said.

     When she was done, Joe signed the ticket, retrieved his card, and saying
his goodbye's, went out the door.

     He touched his new hair do. It was quite stiff, not at all soft like he
thought it would be. He liked softer styles, not the heavily moussed styles
which were the current fassion. He'd have to be careful not to mess this up.

     As he started his engine, he glaced at the clock in the dash. It was only
ten thirty. The whole hair thing had taken less than an hour. He always
thought that women spent the afternoon in places like that, Of course, he
thought, most of them don't have hair like this either,

     He had been planning to go to work after lunch. They had said there
wouldn't be much going on in the morning, and probably there would be nothing
at all for him to do. What could he do to kill a few hours, he wondered?

     He remembered the ad in the magazine, the one for the contraceptive
sponge. Maybe he could look for some of those. He knew if he ever found
himself alone with a guy...Jay, or maybe even somebody else...he wanted to
have something to use. He didn't want to trust the guy to have a condom, and
he didn't want to carry some of those himself. With Jay, he could explain it,
but with a stranger, he didn't want to think about it. He wondered if he, or
the other guy could tell when it was in there. He grinned, what did he
mean...the other guy?  He was thinking about getting something to stick in a
vagina...HIS vagina.  And yet he was still thinking about himself as one of
the guys.  Old habits were sure hard to break.

     As he drove along, he came to the large food and drug supermarket where
he usually shopped. He figured that the personal products aisle had those
sponges.  He had bought condoms there before, and remembered seeing the
display for them when they first came on the market. Who would have thought
that now he would be thinking about some of them for his own use?

     Joe parked his car the way he always did when he went to a large parking
area, he parked about mid-lot, away from the other cars, the owners of which
all seemed to love bashing their doors into his thin-skinned RX-7. The
difference now was that it was much more work walking the distance in these
heels than the relatively comfortable men's shoes he had always worn.

     He went into the store and went straight for the personal hygene shelves.
There, among tampons, maxi-pads, and of course condoms, he found just what he
was after.

     The package in his hand said Today's Sponge. There were only three in the
box, and it cost four dollars and seventy five cents. Wow! He hadn't really
thought much about price, he just figured they would cost about as much as a
rubber.  All this sex stuff is expensive for a woman, he thought.

     He looked at the box a moment, read what little there was on the
back...it mainly said the directions were inside, and then decided to but
them. He looked around at the other things on display, mostly feminine hygene
products, and wondered if he should get something else too.  He decided that
he would try to get Linda to help him with that. Early on, he had impulsively
purchased a box of panty-liners.  He still had them, so if anything did "sneak
up" on him, he was covered. Having a female body was significantly more
complex than being male, he was starting to realize.

     He carried the box up to the counter, and when he saw that there were
only two checkouts working, and that both were staffed by young men, boys
actually, he almost decided to put it back on the shelf and leave. Then as he
thought a little more, he screwed up his courage, and went toward the counter.
There was nothing to be embarrassed about, was there? It was no different now
than buying condoms before. He remembered his first time for doing that, and
just how nerve wracking it was, and was had to supress a grin as he walked to
the young man behind the counter.

     The checkout boy eyed Joe with a combination of male curiosity and
teenage lust. Though it was Joe's first time to be the object of teenage male
hormones, he knew immediately that the young man on the other side of the
counter had already undressed him with his mind. Joe, rather than look
embarrassed to be the object such an obvious inspection, decided to play it to
the hilt. He looked down at the collar of his dress, and when he saw that it
was open slightly, he decided to pay for the purchase with a credit card.

     When the young man saw what this very attractive, sophisticated, older
woman of maybe twenty five with a fantastic bod was buying, it really made his
hormones go into turbo mode. Joe could see that the young fellow had trouble
keeping those curious eyes off his chest, and that it even took the lad two
passes to enter the box of contraceptives into the pricing scanner.  He hadn't
realized how easy it was...how obvious...to tell when a male was out of his
mind with desire. Of course, when you're seventeen, it don't really take that
much, he remembered.  The young man tore the sales slip from the register, and
gave it and the card back to Joe for him to sign name and phone number.

     Joe casually bent over to sign the ticket, being careful that the top of
his dress was open and in view of the sales boy. There must be some law
against this, he thought, keeping his face down to prevent the the young man
from seeing the grin on his face. He could see that he was giving him a good
view of cleavage, and even a good view of his black bra. It was evident the
kid was in voyuer heaven...the bulge in the crotch of his jeans appeared to be
in danger of ripping out. Joe found his own heart begin to beat a little
faster as he realized he too was enjoying the little flirting session. It was
so amazing...men, especially young men...were so easy...they seemed to be
almost totally visual oriented, and apparently, he now had the ability to make
most of them act like this. He was amazed at the extent of his new power.

     He slowly finished signing, did his best to put on a straight face, and
then stood erect, pushing his chest out and smiling as he looked the young man
straight in the eye.  The young man didn't make eye contact however, as he was
still eyeing Joe's boobs. Joe had noticed that before...now, even Jay
sometimes seemed to stare at his chest when they spoke. Joe wondered if that
happened to most women, and guessed that it probably did...he knew he was
probably guilty of doing it too, at least sometimes. Although he found it
somewhat embarrassing, he realized that it was actually sort of an unspoken
compliment.

     "Thank you for shopping Medex." The young man blurted, having said it so
often that luckily, he could say it without thinking.

     "Thanks a lot." Joe said smiling, speaking softly and demurely while
picking up the package. He knew his voice (which though still changing, still
held just a trace of male huskiness) now sounded rather sexy whenever he spoke
softly. At least that's what Jay had told him the other night. He thought it
might be just the thing to top off this little display. It all made him feel
absolutely wicked as hell. Being ogled could be as much fun as being the
ogler, he decided.  I didn't ask to look like this, he thought, but I don't
see why I can't have a little fun with it.
 
     Leaving the store, Joe drove the short distance back to Linda's and took
the package to his room. Curious about how to use the sponge, he couldn't
resist opening the package to read the instructions. He looked at one still
inside the wrapper.  It was round, sort of like a little pillow, and it had a
little loop on it, probably there to pull it back out.  It seemed pretty
large, but he knew that there was more room in there than it seemed. He was
suprized to find that the instructions recommended that a condom still be used
with the sponge.  He had been hoping that with the sponge, he could experience
what intercourse felt like without the guy's penis sheathed inside a condom.
He wasn't sure why he felt that way exactly, but he knew the screwing with a
rubber felt much different for the guy, and he thought it might feel different
now too.  Would finding out be worth the slight increased risk of pregnancy?
That was hard to say. The whole idea of getting pregnant was still so foreign
that he couldn't even imagine it.

     He took a couple of the sponges and placed them in his shaving kit, the
place he used to keep a couple of condoms. That seemed a little ironic when he
considered it.  The last one he left in the box, which he placed in the
cabinet under the sink in his bathroom. He didn't know what he might need it
for, but it wouldn't hurt anything there, and he doubted Linda would find it.

     After one last check in the mirror, admiring his new hair, he gathered up
his little handbag and went to his car.

     It was almost lunch time and he decided to stop and catch a bite to eat
before reporting for work.  One quick burger at Wendy's was enough, and he
finished it quickly, having to continually remind himself that people would
notice now if he ate his food as quickly as he usually did.

     When he finished his lunch he drove to Honeybone. He parked his car, and
as he walked to the security checkpoint, he saw the gate guard was watching
him approach. Joe wondered if the man recognized him, or if he watched all the
women that closely. Damn likely he did, Joe figured.

     When he presented his badge to the guard, the man cleared him through
with only a wide grin and a friendly wave. Yeah, the man had recognized him,
Joe figured. Probably they all did. He was glad that everyone had been so
understanding about what had happened. He thought it would be much different.
So far though, everyone at work was very nice to him and the others.  He
couldn't vouch for the others, but to now he couldn't say he had experienced
any teasing or persecution. He was glad of that. As difficult as it was to get
accustomed to looking so female, it would have been much harder if they also
had to endure all the other guys teasing and discrimination.  Of course, it
was all still new, and the whole idea was just so outlandish, so unbelievable,
that there was more curiosity than anything else.

     Joe walked the maze of halls to his desk in the Certification Department,
his mid-heeled pumps clicking on the polished terazzo in the main hallways. He
passed other employees, some of which he recognized, but none that he knew
well. They didn't seem to recognize him.  When he reached his work area, there
was no one else around.  He wondered where they might be, and decided that it
was likely they were in the lab. He went back down the hall and entered the
double doors of the lab.

     Inside the lab he recognized his boss Jim Matheney, Dr. Krell, Dr.
Roberts, and Karen.  There were three of four others also, but he didn't
recognize any of them. Dave, Mike, or Tim were not there.

     "Good afternoon Joe." Jim called across the room to him as soon as he saw
who he was.

     "Hi." Joe responded, waving to them, they had all turned when Jim spoke.

     "Your hair looks pretty good." Karen said as she came over to him.

     "Yeah. Linda suggested I try it. I went to someone she suggested. It sure
feels cooler than the wig." Joe said, grinning.

     "You're looking good, Joe." Jim said, habitually shaking his hand when he
reached him.

     "Thanks Jim." Joe said. "Where are the others?" He had expected Dave and
Mike to be there.

     "Well, Dave was here this morning." Jim answered. "But he left after
about an hour.  I don't think things are going as fast as he would like.
These folks are pretty methodical, and they don't ever get rushed."

     "Do you know where Dave went?" Joe wondered.

     "No, unless he went back home." Jim continued. "If you have anything else
you need do, feel free to come and go as you please.  They don't seem to need
much help from us, and I'll give 'em anything they might need."

     "Thanks." Joe said. "But I think I'll stay a while anyway. What's going
on?"

     "Right now they're just setting up the cages and getting the computers
working." Karen answered. She pointed at the row of cages designed to hold
small animals across one wall. 

     At a desk nearby, two men were working on a personal computer, hooking up
the monitor and printer.  It was probably used for record keeping, and perhaps
for typing reports.  It was plain these people were in it for the long haul.

     Joe walked over to where the men were working. One looked up at him,
smiled and said hello. He obviously had no idea who Joe was.

     Dr. Krell came over to where Joe was standing. He greeted Joe with his
usual friendly warmth.

     "What do you think?  The little man asked smiling. "Will this do it?"

     "I hope so." Joe answered.  "What are you planning to put in the cages?"

     "We have been able to obtain five Rhesis Monkees." Dr. Krell answered. "I
think we should try some experiments with primates first, don't you?."

     "You're the doctor." Joe answered.

     "Why...that's right, isn't it." Dr. Krell answered, as if he just
realized it. The man obviously had a sense of humor.

     Joe looked around at everything.  It was obvious that it would probably
be another day at least before they were ready to try anything.  Somehow, he
had thought that they would just be ready immediately, but when he considered
what they were actually trying to do, the scientific approach was absolutely
required here. It was his first experience with biological testing.

     Just then, there was a page over the intercomm for Jim Matheney. Jim went
to a nearby phone, and punched in a number. He listened and spoke for a
minute, looking over at Joe now and then. He hung up, and came over to Joe.

     "That was Mr. Peterson" Jim said. "He found out about what happened, and
he wants to know all about it."

     Mr. "Pete" Peterson was the President of Honeybone. His office was in
Minneapolis. Joe had met the man only once, and was suprized at how much
interest he had showed in the many facets of the big corporation he headed.

     "Is he coming here?" Joe asked. He wondered if the man would want to meet
him.

     "Well, actually, he wants you to come there." Jim answered. "Do you have
any problem with that?"

     "Problem? Why should I?" Joe answered. He didn't relish the idea of being
the subject of discussion and being put on display, but considering what had
happened, it was porbably inevetable.

     "Well then, how about taking the Cessna up to Minneapolis tomorrow." Jim
asked.  "I don't think you'll have to be gone more than two days."

     "All of us?" Joe asked.

     "Well, he only asked for one, but I guess it wouldn't hurt for all of you
to go....well, no maybe just you.  Perhaps we better keep Dave and Mike here
in case they might need one of you for something."

     Yeah, Joe thought. Heaven only knows what they might need any of them
for. But he shook his head in agreement.

     "Ok." He said. "If Mr. Peterson wants to see me, I'll go. Can I take
someone with me?"

     "I suppose so." Jim answered. "Just who did you have in mind?"

     "Well, I don't know if he'll be able to get away." Joe responded. "But
I'd kinda like my friend Jay to come along. He's an attorney, and since I
don't know what Mr. Peterson really wants, I'd like Jay to be there to help me
answer any questions."

     "So you feel you need legal representation?" Jim asked, obviously
concerned.

     "Don't worry." Joe said, a grin forming on his face. "I don't plan on any
legal action, or anything like that. As long as the Company continues to help
us with this mess."

     "Don't you worry about that." Jim responded. "They only want to help you
guys back. I honestly believe they have no plans to exploit any of you."

     "Well, I hope you're right." Joe said. "I really do. But I'll feel better
if Jay goes along anyway. Besides, he's my instrument student, and I can help
him get some multi time."

     "Well I guess it'll be OK, Joe." Jim agreed. "Just don't mess everything
up by coming across too threatening."

     "Have I been any trouble so far?" Joe asked. "I'm the one who's lost my
balls. Remember?"

     "Ok. Ok. You're probably right." Jim layed his hand on and squeezed Joe's
shoulder. "If it happened to me, I'd probably want legal representation
present when I talked to the Man."

     Jim called the hanger, and scheduled the plane for tomorrow morning. He
told the scheduler to plan for an 0600 takeoff.  Joe calculated in his head,
and figured he could get the 421 into Minneapolis before noon.

     When Jim hung up, Joe looked at his boss. He had just thought of another
problem.

     "If you really don't care, I think I'll leave now." Joe said. "If I have
to go into cold country, I'll have to get some warm clothes that fit."

     "Sure. No problem." Jim said. "And don't forget to turn in your expense
reports. Everything you need will be covered.  Get some nice stuff."

     "Don't worry, I will." Joe said, smiling as he gathered up his stuff to
leave.

     He thought he'd call Jay at work from Linda's, and then go on another
shopping spree.  Although the early spring in Phoenix was quite warm, it was
still cool in Minnesota, and he hoped he could find some clothes like he
needed. He wondered if he could get Linda to help him pick out some clothes.
She made it all seem so easy, almost fun. He never cared much about buying
clothes when he was getting men's things, but it was different now. So many
options, textures, colors, and styles. He had to admit, he actually looked
forward to shopping for clothes now.

     As he walked out to his car, he felt the afternoon sun in his face, and
felt another one of those good feelings rush through his body. He didn't know
what caused them...maybe the new hormones or something, he just knew that he
had only felt them within the last week, never before. It was an unusual
feeling, and it made him wonder if "real" women felt it. If they did, they
probably didn't even recognize it, he considered. Just like he had never
really noticed the sexual tension he had as a male, until it disappeared along
with his testicals.

     Joe drove into the drive at Linda's and went in to make some phone calls.
He had plenty left to do today to get ready for tomorrow.


                           ***********************
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates27.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 27


                   The 27th entry of the Joe Bates Story.

     When Joe arrived back at Linda's there was no one home.  Linda was still
at work. He wanted to call Jay and find out if he would be able travel to
Minneapolis with him tomorrow. He'd also need to go shopping, since so far he
had nothing but warm weather clothes. It was still chilly in Minnesota, and
Joe would need something to keep warm.

     Joe went straight into his room and kicked off his shoes. Now, he hardly
noticed walking with the heeled pumps, but when he took them off it felt very
good. He rubbed his tired feet through the nylon of his pantyhose.

     He lay back on the bed and grabbed the phone. He punched in Jay's number
at work, and waited for his secretary to answer.  When she did, Joe asked for
Jay and was immediately put through.

     "Hello. What can I do for you, Joe?" Jay asked cheerfully. It was plain
that he was glad to hear from his friend.

     "What are you doing tomorrow, pal?" Joe asked. "Can you get away for a
couple of days?"

     "I might.  It's been a little light around here this week." Jay answered.
"What do you have on your mind?"

     "I just came from work." Joe explained. "I have to go to see the
President of Honeybone tomorrow. He's in Minneapolis.  I'd like you to come
along if you can."

     "Is this professional?" Jay asked. "Or do you just want company?"

     "Well, I would like you to help with advice if I need it." Joe answered.
"Of course, who knows what else might happen." Joe spoke the last sentence as
seductively as he could.

     "Oh yeah?" Jay answered in mock excitement. "I can hardly wait." Even
though he was teasing, it was evident that he really was looking forward to
seeing Joe. 

     As he thought this, Joe began to feel a little tingle he often had as he
thought about Jay.


     "Be at the hanger at 0600 tomorrow." Joe said. "I think we can make
Minneapolis well before noon. We'll have the 425...you can get some turbine
multi."

     Do I need to take anything along?" Jay asked.

     "Well, bring enough clothes for two days." Joe advised. "I don't think
you'll need any of your attorney stuff. If we have any questions in that area,
I think you'll have time to work it out."

     "Ok." Jay said enthusiastically. "What are you doing this evening?"


     "I just gotta go shopping." Joe answered. "It's still kind of cold there,
and I don't have any warm clothes that fit."

     "I was going to invite you to racquetball after while. Just a game of
three sets." Jay continued.

     "Yeah, I know I ought to do that too." Joe replied. "I think my butt is
still getting bigger."

     "It looks pretty nice to me." Jay complimented.

     "No. I mean it." Joe went on. "I really do think my hips...my butt are
getting bigger. God, I really don't want to have big hips and a huge butt."

     "Joe, your butt is fantastic looking." Jay said again. "It's got a long
way to go before its too big. Trust me on that."

     "You don't have to feel it." Joe objected.

     "But I will if you want me to." Jay teased.

     "Aw cut it out." Joe whined. "If you'll just stop teasing me, maybe I'll
actually let you sometime."

     "Promises...Promises." Jay droned. "You probably tell that to all the
guys."

     "No, only two or three." Joe said. "I usually just do it myself."

     "I'll bet you do at that." Jay mused.

     "Anyway...I don't know If I can make it tonight." Joe said, changing the
topic back to the original. "Maybe we can do something tomorrow, at the
Radison Plaza. Just bring your clothes and your racket."

     "Ok, I'll do that." Jay answered. "Its a lot more fun playing with you
now. The scenery's sure better, and now I know I'll win too."

     The last statement was probably true, Joe thought. It bugged him to know
that he was no longer capable of the level of play required to beat Jay at
will. Hell, he'd probably be even worse now than last time. He didn't know
what made his play so mediocre now...sure he probably wasn't as strong, but
why did he have to be so slow too?  It seemed his only ploy could be to
distract Jay by getting in front of him and then trying do something
provocative.  Maybe it might be cheating, but now it was the only chance he
had.

     Joe wondered if the Phoenix area department stores, which he knew were
now filled with summer things, would even have what he needed to buy.  He
guessed that he could probably find a jacket, and maybe a suitable coat, but
what about a cool weather dress, or pants? Maybe what he had on would do in a
pinch, but it really did look a bit sunny.  Of course, everybody there would
know he was from the Southwest anyway, and no matter what he could get, it
would probably look different than the local style in Minnesota, whatever that
was. Suddenly he realized he was becoming much more fashion conscious than he
had ever been before.  Was this part of being a girl too?

     He swung his watch around on his wrist and checked the time.  It was
three in the afternoon. Only two days ago his new watch fit rather tight on
his wrist. Now it felt a little loose.  Just more evidence that he was still
changing...all over. He wondered what he'd end up like...how he'd look...when
it all stopped, assuming that it had to...eventually.  It just had to. Didn't
it?

     Feeling restless, Joe went out into the sunken living area. As he dropped
into one of the overstuffed chairs, he noticed the TV Guide on the table, next
to the remote control. He reached down and gathered both of them to him, and
then tucked his slick nylon covered legs under him. When he did, he could once
again detect the increased flexibility the change had given his body. It was
weird, the feeling was like he had just somehow become younger...more
flexible...over night.


     Joe punched on the TV, and then started paging through the TV Guide.
Afternoon were soap operas or Opra Winfrey.  Joe channeled over to Opra, and
when the commercial spot finished, Joe found himself watching a show about
transsexual couples. Although he knew the subject was a popular one with Opra,
Donohue, and Geraldo, Joe now had a much greater interest in the subject.

     One of Opra's guests was a post-operative male to female who was still
living with his/her ex-wife. Seeing them made Joe think about Dave. This
guy-turned-girl appeared to be in her mid thirties, and was actually quite
attractive.  Her 'wife' was probably about the same age, and was rather plain
looking.  Although they were not with them on the show, this unusual couple
said they had two children, the result of their ten years of marriage before
the father decided to seek help for his life-long gender identity
problem...help which had eventually changed him into a quite attractive
woman...probably even better looking than his former wife.

     Joe began to think about his talk with Linda last night. How would she
react in a situation like this?  Sure, Linda was certainly prettier than this
woman, but Joe also knew that Linda thought she wasn't as good looking as he
had become.

     The interview/discussion was amazingly frank, with the couple discussing
such intimate things as their former and current sex lives. Each said that
though things had changed 'somewhat', they both still enjoyed satisfying sex.
It made Joe wonder about the woman. Was she really happy living with this man
she had married...who could now be nothing but her lesbian lover?  Joe thought
about what Karen had revealed to him about how sex felt since her operation.
Maybe this ex-guy was as sexually satisfied as he/she could be...but his wife,
Joe couldn't help but wonder if she was truly happy now.  Then again, maybe
she really was a lesbian...Joe couldn't even imagine what that was like.  When
he was with Linda, even now, he still thought of them as man and woman, even
if what they did together now might seem homosexual to an outsider.
Homosexuality had to be a state of mind he thought, not the physical
appearance of the body.

     The interesting television show made the time pass quickly, and before
long it was four o'clock. Soon Linda would be pulling into the drive. Joe knew
she'd probably look forward to going shopping. She always did.  Before, he had
hated it, and whenever she suggested a trip to one of the malls, Joe would try
to beg off, and usually succeeded. Now, the thought of spending the evening
looking at clothes seemed far less dreadful.

     Joe looked down and straightened his dress. Only a week, and he was
amazed how natural it felt to dress like this...even to look like this.  Had
he unknowingly been a closet transsexual all along?  He didn't think so.
While he had always considered the whole concept of a person changing gender
intriguing, he had never considered it something he would ever want to do.
But...only a week, and here he was, wearing this dress, not to mention the
things under the dress, and it all felt as natural as the way it fit his new
shape.  And even the new shape was feeling more natural every day too, he
mused.

     Soon Joe heard Linda's car pull into the drive. She came in and seemed
surprized to see Joe home already.

     "Hi." She said, leaning over the back of his chair and giving Joe a peck
on his cheek. "Home already?"

     "Yeah." Joe replied. "There's not much happening that they need me for,
and I have to get ready to go to Minneapolis tomorrow."

     "Minneapolis? What for?" Linda asked.

     "The president of Honeybone wants to see me." Joe answered. "I can only
guess what it's about." He grinned thinly.

     Linda walked around to the front of his chair. She looked at him, and
made a face like a big sister seeing a younger sibling wearing makeup for the
first time.

     "What's wrong?" Joe asked.

     "Nothing." Linda replied. "I was just looking at your hair. It looks
pretty good. Still a little short, but acceptable."

     "It only took Sally fifteen or twenty minutes for her to cut it like
this." Joe said. "So you think it'll be OK?"

     "Oh yeah." Linda said. "It will be much better when it grows out some
more, but it's not that bad now. Actually, except for the lighter color, you
remind me of Maggie O'Connell...that woman on Northern Exposure."

     "Not that bad?" Joe asked. "What are you trying to tell me?" He hadn't
seen the TV show Northern Exposure, so he didn't know who the zany but
attractive female bush pilot O'connell was.

     Linda giggled. "Don't worry about it Joe. It really is OK." She said.

     "You don't spread much confidence when you make that face." Joe objected.

     "God Joe, don't forget, I'm still trying to get accustomed to the idea of
you looking like that. The hair is only a minor part." Linda reminded him.


     "You're telling me." Joe agreed.

     Linda went to him, and gently brushed her hand along his cheek. She would
never have done that before, Joe thought. The relationship is changing for her
too.

     "What do you have planned for this evening?" Joe asked suddenly, breaking
the short silence.

     "Oh, I don't know...nothing I guess." Linda replied.

     "How would you like to go shopping with me?" Joe suggested. "I have to
get some warm clothes for Minneapolis tomorrow."

     "Sure." Linda said immediately. "That would be fun."

     "Now why did I just know you'd say that?" Joe teased.

     "When do you want to go?" Linda asked.

     "Any time." Joe responded. "We can get a bite when we're done." 

     "Yeah." Linda agreed. "Let's see...you'll need a coat, maybe a jacket,
some sweaters...the selection probably won't be too good right now." She
thought as she spoke.

     "Where should we go?" Joe asked. He knew Linda loved to shop...even just
talk about shopping.

     "If we leave soon, we'll have time to check the stores at Woodland."
Linda said enthusiastically. She was serious and didn't realize that Joe was
finding it all slightly hilarious.

     "Then I guess we better go." Joe said.


     "Do you have everything you need?" Linda asked.

     "I don't know." Joe replied. "I think my underwear's clean...what else
do I need?" He teased.

     Finally, Linda realized that Joe was teasing her. She her face reddened
slightly when she saw he was grinning.

     "Do you want me to go, or not?" She asked, acting offended.

     "Sure I do." Joe said. "Of course I want you to go."
 
     "Well lets go then." Linda said. "I don't know about you, but I'm
famished."

     "Just let me get my purse." Joe exclaimed, stopping for a second when he
realized what he said. He was beginning to get accustomed to carrying it with
him.

     Joe went to his room and picked up the bag. He came back out and saw that
Linda stood by the door holding hers, looking very ready to go. Joe wondered
why she was so anxious to go shopping, but decided that she was probably
always like that about shopping, he had just never noticed it before.

     They buckled into Joe's RX-7 and drove to the mall. I a way it seemed
familiar...Linda, his girl...sitting next to him while he drove. But in
reality it was quite different. Now they looked like...and in a sense
were...just two women going shopping.

     They quickly arrived at the mall, and Joe parked where he usually did,
away from most of the other cars, and the door dings which went with them.  As
they walked side by side into the store, Joe had to resist the habit of
reaching out for Linda's hand.

     When it came to shopping, Linda was the expert and Joe decided that his
best move would be to follow her lead. She had good taste, she knew what he
needed better than he did himself, there was no reason to do anything else but
walk along with her and try to act as much like a natural lady as he possibly
could.

     They walked into Bullocks first. Linda went straight to the department
that sold coats. Surprisingly, there was still a fair selection, and they were
on sale.

     Linda removed a gray herringbone topper coat from the rack. She handed it
to Joe and he looked it like it was some kind of foreign object.

     "Go ahead, try it on." Linda suggested.

     Joe swung the coat over his shoulders while putting his arm in the
sleeve.  The coat went to above his knees, and the silky taffeta lining felt
so sensuous.  He had almost forgot that all this was going to be a treat for
the senses...a lot more than just trying to buy some clothes.

     The coat fit quite well, and Joe liked the look just fine.  He figured
he'd just buy it, but Linda wouldn't let it end that easily. She had other
ideas.

     She took a very dark blue long length coat from the rack and gave it to
Joe, who dutifully tried it on. He liked the gray one better and he told her
so. Linda put the coat back and selected another.

     After four tries, Joe started to take coats from the rack himself. He had
given up on the idea of getting it all over quickly, and he liked the gray
one, but remembered where it was while he acted like he wanted to try others
on. He wasn't paying particular attention to what he was choosing to try on,
and some of his selections raised Linda's eyebrows.

     "Do you really like that color?" Linda asked incredulously.  

     He was wearing a bright green...a color that even he could tell didn't go
with his skin tones. He grinned sheepishly and put it back on the rack. Linda
shot him a strange look.

     When they had exhausted all possible choices...it seemed to Joe like it
must have been at least twenty coats...Linda wanted to go to another store.
Joe went back to the herringbone topper. He tried it on again. Again he liked
the feeling of the lining.

     "Don't you like this?" Joe asked. He liked it best of all of them, but he
trusted Linda's opinion and wouldn't buy it unless she agreed with his
selection.

     "Well, I guess it's not too bad." Linda said grudgingly. "Yeah, if you
like it, maybe you should get it."

     "I don't want it if you don't think it's absolutely right." Joe objected.

     "No, I think it's very nice." She said. 

     Women, Joe thought. Am I destined to be like that too?

     They took the coat to the sales desk. The woman who had been assisting
them while they trying on the whole rack accepted Joe's credit card and they
walked out carrying a large package.

     Next, Joe needed a dress. On the way, Linda noticed some sweaters on a
rack on the back wall of a department that sold blouses. Joe decided that she
must have the eyes of an eagle.

     One of the sweaters was quite attractive, and they both liked it. Joe
thought it looked a little small, but Linda thought it would fit him. She
insisted that they go into the dressing room and try it on.

     Since Joe was still wearing the olive dress, to try on the sweater he'd
have to take that off completely. He wished he would have changed to shorts
and a blouse before he left. Linda went in the compartment with him, and
watched as he took the dress off. Standing in his slip, Joe slipped the
pullover sweater on.

     "There. See. That's not too bad." Linda said.

     Joe looked down at his chest. The woolen top fit a lot looser than he had
thought, but it did emphasize his bustline  somewhat. He pulled the lower
edge down, which made the front appear even more snug fitting.

     "Don't do that." Linda admonished. It's supposed to fit kind of
loose...sort of bulky.

     "I know that." Joe objected. I was just checking if it looked too tight."

     "Dolly Parton you're not." Linda teased. "It's not too tight."

     "Hey, these things are still growing..." Joe objected.

     "Yeah, sure." Linda said sarcastically. "You don't have to rub it in."

     "Rub it in?" Joe asked. What did she mean? "Oh, I get it. Now you're
jealous of my boobs."

     "Well, they are a little hard to compete with." Linda teased. "I don't
think I've been that firm since seventh grade."


     "Hey, I can't help it." Joe reminded her. "I didn't ask to be this way
any more than you did."


     "I know. I know." Linda said. "It's just that when I see you...the way
you look...that figure, its hard to not feel just a little inferior."

     "Don't forget, when I had a choice, I chose you." Joe told her. "You have
nothing to be ashamed of. For me, all this is new...its just a week old.  In
some ways, both physical and mental, I'm probably more like an adolescent than
a mature woman."

     "That's not helping, Joe." Linda said with a frown.

     "I think I'll buy this." Joe said, trying to get off the subject of his
new body parts.

     "Its ok. It looks and I think it fits you fine." Linda agreed. "What else
did you have in mind?"

     "I was hoping you'd tell me." Joe said, grinning. "I think I should get a
more casual jacket too. I won't be dressed up all the time. And some longer
pants. Maybe even some jeans. I want something to wear besides shorts and
dresses."

     "Ok. I guess you're right." Linda agreed.  "Let's go down stairs."

     The casual misses things were on the lower level of the same store. Linda
knew where everything was. Joe followed her down and the first thing they came
to were jackets. 

     Linda pulled a jade colored poplin jacket with a stand up collar and a
contrasting sort of hot pink liner and trim. It was nice, looking rather like
a ski-jacket, but without the shiny nylon. Joe tried it on, and as he walked
to the mirror, he spotted a suede leather bomber jacket. It reminded him of
his leather A2 jacket at his apartment. That had been his favorite jacket, and
he realized it was probably way too big now.

     Joe tried the poplin jacket on, and it fit just fine. He decided to buy
it immediately, but also wandered over to the rack where the leathers were.

     Taking the poplin jacket off and handing it to Linda, he pulled the suede
jacket and tried it on. It was too small, and he removed it and checked the
size. It said Juniors 11. He wondered what size he wore by that measurement.
His male size had been 40 regular but, of course that was before his shoulders
got like this, and of course...the boobs. He looked at Linda for advice.  She
pulled grinned knowingly, and pulled another two sizes larger. Joe tried it
on. It was much better, but still didn't fit just right.

     "I really would like a jacket like this." Joe said. "But I want it to fit
just right."

     "Don't rush it." Linda advised. "You have plenty of time."

     "Yeah." Joe agreed, realizing what she meant.

     Joe paid for the poplin jacket, and they continued down the broad aisles
toward the misses clothes.

     It still seemed terribly strange for Joe to be buying clothes for himself
in an area so obviously set up for young women. Of course, Linda didn't give
him any time for introspection.

     She pulled some jeans from the rack and held them up to Joe's waist,
trying to judge length.

     "You're legs are actually quite long." She said.

     "Yeah, but I think they were longer." Joe said matter-of-factly. "But
it's my upper body that seems to have changed the most."  With one major
exception, he thought to himself.

     "Well, I think you should try these on." Linda said. "We'll start with
this length."

     Joe went into the dressing room. Now he'd have to remove his dress and
his slip. The little cubical was too small for Linda to accompany him and she
waited outside the door. Joe removed his outer clothes and the slip. He tried
on the Levi's and was amazed how snug they fit his butt. Compared to his male
jeans, they were tight around his now softer buns, and he could feel them
riding into his crotch. The feeling was strange but not unpleasant. The length
seemed OK to him too, but he figured Linda better check that. He didn't have a
shirt to put on, but Linda was in the little secluded hallway to the cubes,
not in the main store, and fortunately there was a mirror there too. What the
heck, he thought, and opened the door and went out wearing only the jeans and
bra.

     Linda grinned when she saw him. The Levi's fit his still developing
feminine figure acceptably, but she thought the leg length should be a bit
longer.

     "Wait a second." Linda said. 

     She looked at the size numbers on the jeans he wore, and went back out
into the store. In only seconds, she returned with another pair. Everything
was the same but the length and Joe thought they fit OK. For now anyway.

     "What about my butt?" Joe asked. "I think it's still getting bigger.
Won't these be too tight in a few days?"

     "I don't know." Linda said. "I can only fit you now. If you're still
developing, maybe you should to wait till you stop. That's up to you."

     "No. I'll take these anyway." Joe decided. "I'll wait a few days before I
get some more."

     Joe found a table with some turtleneck tops. He stopped and looked them
over. Linda watched him hold one up to his chest.

     "Go ahead. Get it if you want it." She said. "You'll always be able to
wear something like that, especially for layering."

     Joe took a couple in colors he liked.

     Nearby, they came to exercise clothes. Joe had always like that area
when he passed through this store with Linda. Now, he looked for a different
reason. Sure, he still liked the way the shiny, snug fitting spandex looked,
but he knew he liked the way it felt too. He looked at each item carefully.

     "Do you think there's something you need from here?" Linda asked. "I
thought you had some workout gear."

     "I have one." Joe said. "But I just want to look at what they've got. I
might find something else I want."

     Joe came upon a short terrycloth robe. It only went to below his butt,
designed as a cover-up for going to the locker room, or maybe with a swimsuit.
He decided to buy that too.

     "You're going to clean out the store." Linda teased. Usually, Joe just
followed her disinterestedly...if he even went along at all. But now he was
filling as many bags as they both could carry.

     "If I'm going to be like this, I'm going to get what I want, and dress
like I want." Joe said.

     "I can't argue with that." Linda agreed.

     They both had their arms full as they staggered out of Bullocks. As they
walked down the mall walkway, they came to the Victoria's Secret. Joe
immediately lugged his many packages inside, with Linda followed obediently
close behind.

     "Something you need here too?" She asked.

     "Yeah, I think so." Joe said, somewhat embarrassed by what he was after.
He might look a lot like a woman now, and for sure his interests were
certainly changing, but it was still difficult to admit to Linda that he
actually liked to buy...to wear...things like the stuff they sold here.

     "What are you looking for?" She asked. "Something to wear to bed?"

     "Yeah, I guess I could use something." Joe agreed. He did need to get
some pajama's, or something like that. 

     Linda went to the rack with the flowery night shirts and the lacy satins.
Joe liked the silky satins, but he wanted plain solids, without lace.
Victoria's wasn't the best place to find things like that.

     He finally agreed to a cotton knit boxer pajama set, decorated with
delicate rose print and matching satin piping. It was a bit more feminine
looking than he would have hoped, but he did like it. Linda found a matching
knee length robe and talked him into that too.

     When he finally had the night clothes out of the way, Joe tried to
nonchalantly wonder over to the sexier panties and bras. He idly picked at
them, checking the size, and when he found a panty he thought would fit him,
he held it up.

     "I think this would fit." He declared, "Do you like it?"

     He felt weird, as if he was now trying to dress to please Linda.

     "Sure. But do you?" Linda asked, smiling.

     "Yeah, I do." Joe said. "I think I'll get some of this stuff too. I do
kind of like it."

     He selected a few things, but Joe couldn't find the kind of thong back
panties he was wearing. Maybe he'd have get them when he went back to San
Diego. No problem though, he did find some other treasures to bring home.

     When they left Victoria's they were loaded with as much as they could
carry. Joe had never been on such a massive clothes shopping trip before. But
mostly, with only a few exceptions, he had actually needed the things he had
purchased this evening.

     They took their packages to the car, and then went for something to eat
before returning home.

     As they sat at their table eating, Linda began to speak.

     "Do you want to stay like that Joe?" She asked. 

     Joe just looked at her and smiled.

     The idea does seem to get more attractive every day." He said. "But I
don't know.  For now at least, I don't have any choice.

     "You just look like you're so happy...I can't imagine you going back any
more. Does that seem strange to you?" Linda wondered aloud.

     "I don't know." Joe said. "I don't know what I want...I really don't even
know what I am now.  But I guess if I do stay like this, maybe it wouldn't be
all that bad."

     "Do they have that equipment set up at your job yet?" Linda asked. "Can
it do what it did to you...to somebody else?"

     "That's one of the things they want to find out, I think." Joe answered.
"I don't think anybody really knows that."

     "What do you think it would do to a woman?" Linda said quickly, as if
afraid to ask the question.

     "I don't know that." Joe answered, curious as to what she was driving at.
"Why, what did you have in mind.

     "Oh, nothing really...I was just wondering what would happen if I were to
accidently get zapped by that thing somehow...you know...would I suddenly grow
muscles...get a hairy chest...stuff like that." She asked, nervously speaking
with short, clipped words.

     "Is that what you want?" Joe asked in surprize.

     "How would you feel about it?" Linda countered.

     "Oh man." Joe exclaimed. "I'd have to think about that one."

     "Think about it then." Linda said. "If you're going to stay like that, if
that thing will reverse me like it did you...then I want to do it."

     Joe realized that she was being quite serious. He hadn't expected Linda
say anything like this.

     "OK. I'll think it over." Joe agreed. "But I hope you realize what your
saying."

     "Joe, I've been thinking about it. For days now." Linda said. "If you
have to stay like that, and we can't stay together like this, then I'm willing
to try anything."

     "But if it can change you, it should be able to change me, too." Joe
considered.

     "If doctor Krell called you...right now...and said "Get over here, we've
figured out how to change you back." Would you run right over?" Linda asked.

     Joe stared ahead as he thought it over. She was right. He didn't know
what he'd do. A few days ago the decision would have been easy, but
now...whatever was happening to him had changed the whole perspective of what
'normal' was. Although he did long for the familiar, old way, he certainly
didn't look forward to losing all this. And...he also knew the longer it took,
the harder it would be to go back.


     "I don't know." Joe answered. "I guess it's a good thing that he don't
call, cause I don't know what I would do."

     "That's what I mean." Linda said. "I can see what's happening...its
written all over your face.  Joe what ever has happened to you, its done more
than change your body. I'm beginning think its really changed you into a
woman. And if it can do the reverse for me, maybe we still have a chance
together."

     "But what if we don't?" Joe asked. "What if we were to sneak in the lab
tonight...and turn the machine on you...and then found we really couldn't
stand each other?  Then what? Do you really want to spend the rest of your
life as a man?"

     "Would that be so bad?" Linda asked. "Until this happened to you, that
was to be your fate."

     "But, look at you." Joe responded. "You're a beautiful, successful woman.
Why would you want to voluntarily give that up for what would probably be a
genetic crap shoot. Who know's how it would turn out? As you yourself told me,
I was probably lucky that all I lost was my masculinity."

     "I don't know...I think I'd make a pretty good man." Linda said.
"Actually it looks pretty easy."

     "Well, trust me, there is no comparison." Joe said. "But I don't know how
it could even work."

     "I guess we'd just repeat whatever happened to you guys." Linda offered.

     "No. That's not what I mean." Joe said. "For me, my chromosomes were XY,
and now they're changed, damaged to appear to be XX. For you...or me for that
matter, to change to XY, there has to be something to create the Y chromosome.
I don't know how that would happen. If it didn't, heaven knows what it would
do to you. I think I'd let somebody else try it first." He added.

     "Then you don't think it's possible?" Linda asked.

     "Hey, I'm hardly the expert." Joe said grinning. "I've only started
reading on the subject, and new things are being learned everyday. We should
give them some time at the lab. Who knows what's possible till we try? If it
does work, hell...we can take turns if we want. Or, be what we want...when we
want."

     "I can just see that." Linda said, giggling. "Having a closet with twice
as many clothes...in two sizes."

     "Tell me about it!" Joe said. He knew what that was like.

     "What do you think could be caused by chromosome damage?" Linda asked,
genuinely interested in persuing the subject further.

     "I don't know...almost anything...blindness, deafness, I guess you could
even grow an extra arm or leg." Joe teased.

     "That bad?" Linda responded. "I guess you're right...genetics are the
programing of the body. So like you said, almost anything is possible."

     "Maybe we could work on it, and create our own design." Joe continued.
His engineers mind had started to run with the possibilities of genetic
re-engineering.

     "Our own design?" Linda asked innocently. "How do you mean?"

     "Well, if we could break the code...then we could figure out which
chromosomes do what. If we knew that we could shape ourselves however we'd
like. There would be no need to have only two sexes...you could take your pick
of the best parts of each. I know what I'd like to rework if I could." Joe
went on. He was on a roll, and his imaginative mind had taken off.

     "What's that?" Linda asked curiously.

     "Well, why choose to be either all male of all female?" Joe asked
logically. "I can tell you from my personal experience that there are some good
things and some bad about both." He said.

     "What would you keep?" Linda wondered.

     "Well. You mean keep from what I look like now?" Joe answered. "Or
before."

     "Whatever." Linda asked again. "If you could choose, what would you want
to look like...male, female, or what?"

     "Gee, if I could choose...I know I'd keep the skin I have now." Joe said.
"I like the way it makes me feel...every thing is much more sensitive now. And
maybe these boobs...they're kinda neat, once you get used to them being there.
But I wouldn't want them to be too big. The way they are now would be OK
though."

     "Well, I guess so." Linda agreed. "I don't know how anybody could ask for
better breasts than yours. But what else?"

     Joe thought a second, then answered.

     "I guess I'd want to keep my muscles...at least some of them. More than I
have now, anyway. I sure wish my arms were a little stronger". He said.

     "That's all?" Linda asked.

     "Well...if it was possible...I wish I still had a penis...at least sort
of...I don't know." Joe stammered. "I mean...I am starting to get used to
being like this, and I guess I don't really care that much about being able to
have sex with a woman anymore...but it would be useful to have a penis to pee
with. Like this, a zipper is useless. You don't really know what I
mean...you've always been like you are...but...maybe if it could be made
retractable or something." Joe grinned.

     "A retractable penis?" Linda said. "You'd want a retractable penis?"

     "If it was possible...yeah, why not." Joe said. "It might be the best of
both worlds."

     "I don't know." Linda considered. "I think if I had a penis, I'd want it
to be like all the other guy's."

     "I don't know...maybe I would too, but keep an open mind." Joe said,
smiling widely as he watched Linda thinking about what she wanted.

     They finished eating and Joe paid the bill. Joe and Linda left the
restaurant and drove home. They carried the packages into Joe's room and
opened them. Joe tried on some of the items for Linda and she critiqued them
and helped him with witn wearing them. Joe found that he now loved to try on
clothes...so unlike the way he was only a week ago.

     Since he had to leave early in the morning, Joe began to prepare his bag
for the trip. Linda helped him decide what to take, and when Joe packed his
exercise wear and racquetball stuff, she wondered why he was taking that.

     "Jay want's to play racquetball." Joe said matter-of-factly.

     "I thought you couldn't play that well anymore." Linda said. 

     "I can't." Joe said grinning. "But Jay likes it that way...It's the only
time he's been able to beat me."

     "How would you like to go to aerobics with me?" Linda asked. "It wouldn't
be so competitive."

     "Maybe...OK I will sometime." Joe agreed. "After I get back."

     When his bags were all ready, Joe undressed and prepared to shower. He
went into the bathroom removed his underwear and washed it out by hand, then
took a shower. When he finished, he hung the wet lingerie in the glass shower
door handles.

     Naked, Joe went back into his bedroom. He found the new pajamas, and
stepped into them. They fit perfectly, and he looked at his image in the
mirror. As usual, there was that attractive woman looking back. Did he want to
stay like this, or be a guy again?  On the surface, the choice was easy. It
was fantastic to look and feel like this. But...should he...was he destined to
spend the rest of his life as a woman, or return to male...the way he was
born?

     Linda, who had been in her own room showering too, soon came back.  She
was wearing pajama's now too, and as male looking as she could find. She had
tied her hair back, making it as short looking as she could. Joe had to wonder
if she was already trying to act like a man just to please him.

     "You try to imagine me as a guy." Linda said with all seriousness. "And
I'll try my best to act like one."

     "You really don't have to do this." Joe said grinning at her. It was
hardly possible to see Linda as a man just because of the way she wore her
hair, or clothes.

     "But I want to." Linda said. "I wish I could really be a guy for you and
if I ever get the chance, I'll change what ever I must to do it."

     Joe took her into his arms. Maybe Linda wanted to act like a man, but
when he held her, there was no way she could hide her trembling femininity.
They wrapped their arms around each other and just held on tightly. Maybe the
feelings he had for her were not the same as they had been, but he
couldn't deny they each held strong feelings for each other.

     "Let's go to bed." Joe said. "I have to get up pretty early."

     "Ok." Linda agreed. "Let me hold you as if I were a male. Try and forget
what I look like."

     They got into bed and Joe set the alarm for four AM. He turned off the
light and crawled under the sheet. When he did, Linda came to him and wound
her hand under his pajama shirt, fondling his breasts. It was obvious from the
way she acted that she was trying to act like he had to her when he was male.
Since she knew what felt good, her touch made Joe's body respond. Not knowing
what she'd want him to do Joe didn't reciprocate, but just lay there and
enjoyed what Linda did to him. Soon her hand found its way into his pajama
bottoms and she began to gently stroke between Joe's legs. Joe couldn't resist
moving his hips in unison with her knowledgeable touch, and soon felt his
breath come in gasps. Linda pulled the sheet away and quite forcefully pulled
Joe's bottoms down to his knees.

     Joe worked his feet out of the pajama's and then spread his legs apart,
giving in to whatever Linda wanted to do. She went down and gently flicked her
tongue along Joe's aching clitoris. He put his hands on Linda's head and
stroked her hair as she pleasured him. Just as he began to feel the urge to
have something inside his vagina, Linda must have read his mind, because she
reacted by placing first one finger, and then another slowly and gently into
his wet vaginal opening. As she worked on his clitoris with her tongue, she
slowly moved her fingers around, making Joe almost pass out with pleasure. In
what seemed like only moments, Joe felt a now familiar warmth start at his
pelvis and move outwards and upwards. He placed his hands on his breasts,
enjoying the feeling from both sides. Joe's legs stiffened involuntarily and
he could feel his muscles rhythmically contracting on Linda's fingers.  Female
orgasm involves your whole body, he thought, as he writhed in pleasure.

     When the climax was complete, Joe wanted to hold Linda in his arms. She
willingly complied and began kissing him all over. When she kissed his lips
Joe could smell and even taste the scent of his own genitalia on her lips.
The familiar aroma didn't bother him, but he suddenly remembered how erotic
the same odor had been when he was male. Now however, it no longer had the
same arousal effect on him. Not that he needed it anyway.

     Joe held Linda and she held him. Whatever they considered themselves now,
there was no doubt that they could still make each other happy. But would the
                               world let them?

                          *************************
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates28.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 28


                   THE 28th Chapter of the JOE BATES saga.

     It seemed that Joe had just fallen asleep when the clock radio sounded
the alarm. He gently unwound himself from Linda's arms. Another
morning...another day.

     Looking at the glowing numbers on the radio, Joe saw they read 04:00.
Four in the morning. God, it felt like he had just crawled in the sack. He had
to get up immediately though, since he had promised a show time of six at the
hanger.

     Without making his regular morning examination, Joe sat up and put his
legs over the side of the bed. His bare legs poked from under the top of the
new pajamas.  The bottoms lay on the floor next to the bed.  He grinned when
he thought about the way Linda pulled them off of him last night. He had never
had anyone actually pull his pants off before. Of course, things were a lot
different now. Especially after what Linda told him last night. He still
didn't know how to take that.

     Joe didn't turn the light on, but used the glow of the clock radio
readout to walk into the bathroom. He closed the door before turning on the
light in that room, sparing Linda the glare, in case she happened to be awake.
But she gave no sign of that.

     As his eyes adjusted to the light, Joe looked at himself in the mirror.
The new hair cut was all mussed up, the styling stuff causing it to stay the
way it was rumpled by the pillow as he slept. Before, he used nothing on his
hair, and while it was hardly ever really what could be called neat, it never
looked like this in the morning. He took his hair brush and carefully
straightened it, thankful that it practically fell back the way it was
yesterday.  Maybe having this "girl" hair wouldn't be as hard as he figured.

     As he raised his arms up to brush his hair, Joe could see pubic hair peek
from under the pajama top. Still look like a girl, he thought to himself.  Not
a trace of his old genitals. With one hand, he felt there.  The fine pubic
hair was stiff with the dried secretions resulting from last night's
excitement. He rubbed it briskly with his fingers making it soft again and as
he went lower he touched wetness still there.  Hmmm...  don't remember feeling
like this in the morning before, he thought.

     Joe had to pee so he sat on the toilet, relieved himself and when
through, wiped and carefully examined the tissue. Everything looked normal.
He worried that maybe his period had begun, but the toilet paper was clear
with not a trace of red or brown.  Must just be wetter than usual, he
concluded.  Some of this female stuff is gonna be nerve wracking.

     Joe got up and flushed, then unbuttoned the pajama top with its tiny rose
blossom print. He removed it and lay it on the counter, then inspected his
bare chest in the mirror. It seemed that the growing curves still forming
there looked slightly fuller when he peered down on them than they appeared in
the mirror.  Could it be his boobs actually any bigger this morning?  He
looked carefully.  Hard to tell...but certainly no smaller.  He stood at an
angle to the mirror in an attempt to get a profile view of his new shape.  As
he looked, it again dawned on him that last week he didn't look at all like
this.  Only last thursday night his chest was broad and hairy...not curvy and
soft.  It was so wierd...sometimes...these new breasts seemed like they were
somehow something foreign, and yet these little mounds of fat or whatever they
were...were part of him.

     Standing there looking at his reflection, Joe couldn't resist shaking his
shoulders, causing all the new softness to bounce around provocatively. He
still found it a source of amazement how flexible his chest had become in just
a week. And his nipples...seven days ago less than a twenty-five cent piece in
size, now they were now larger than half dollars and while they were usually
soft pink cones, could harden to stiff points for almost any reason...and
often did.

     Joe took a washcloth and wet it with warm water. He carefully cleansed
the folds and creases his recessed genitals to remove the wet discharge.
Although he hadn't really thought it uncomfortable before, he was quite
surprized at how much better he felt afterward. He rinsed the washcloth in the
sink.

     Standing naked, Joe carefully applied makeup. Not too much, since he was
still quite inexperienced at it and he felt that none was better than too
much   He finished with a little perfume putting some of that at what he
thought were stratigicly correct locations on his body. The smell reminded him
of Linda, but he realized now was probably his scent too.

     Joe looked at the black underwear hanging on the shower door. He was
temped to put it on again, but though he was hoping for the opportunity to
show it to Jay, he had already worn it two days consecutively. Maybe he better
try something else. He took the black bra and panties from the door and
carried them into the bedroom.

     Joe retrieved his bag from the floor and placed it on the bed. He
unzipped the side pouch that contained his underwear and placed the little
black set in with the rest. He then went to his drawer and tried to decide
which he wanted to wear today. It was so different than before.  Then, he wore
white Jockey shorts every day, he didn't have this assortment of colors,
textures and styles.

     Joe chose the beige hi-leg brief. Nothing all that sexy really...just
normal everyday underwear...normal now that he was like this anyway. Compared
to the feeling of the thong panty, he couldn't even tell he had this one on.
Peering down at his body, he rubbed the slick nylon between his legs. So
soft...so smooth...

     For on top he picked one of his two beige seamless cup front hook bras.
Although it was everyday wear too, the undecorated sheer cups looked almost
transparent...enough to let the dark circles of his areola show through. Joe
loved the way his boobs looked whenever wore it.

     Feeling quite sexy with the underwear on, Joe went to the closet to try
to decide what to cover it with. Although they had gone shopping last night to
buy clothes for him to wear today, and had left the mall loaded down with
bags...they had completely forgot to buy a cool weather dress.

     Joe saw the olive green dress that Linda bought for him, the one he wore
yesterday...that would be the best...he thought. Hardly anyone had seen him in
it, it was reasonable for cool weather, and it wouyld probably be OK with his
new coat. He took it off the hanger and lay it on the bed.

     He got a chemise from the drawer and the silver-grey half slip. Then he
went back to the bathroom and retrieved the pantyhose he wore yesterday. He
sat on the bed and went through the grunting and tugging process required to
put them on. He hated to wear them, but he did love the way his legs looked
once they were inside the Hanes Silk Reflections. He just hoped he wouldn't
have to pee very soon.

     Finally, he put the dress on, then went to the mirror. His image pleased
him. He went to the bathroom and used his hairbrush to organize his hair. Not
bad...not bad, he thought.

     Linda had helped to pack most of the things into his bag.  Joe wasn't
even sure what all she had put in there.  He was still using the same military
issue looking bag as before...if I'm going to stay like this for a while,
perhaps I'd better get some more feminine luggage, he decided.

     Getting his shaving kit and checking that the few cosmetics he used were
in it, he then stuffed the kit into the bag too. He found his black pumps, and
his Reboks.  He started to put his Reboks into the bag, but changed his mind
and stowed pumps, going to the drawer and getting the last pair of athletic
socks to wear. He put them on over the pantihose. He decided to wear the
Reboks to fly, having found it difficult to do that wearing the pumps.
There'd be time to change when they arrived in Minneapolis.

     When he was all dressed and packed, Joe looked at the time. It was only
four-fifteen.  He still had forty five minutes till he had to be at the
hanger. He wondered if he should eat something, or if he should get something
along the way. The trip north would take three or four hours...he could
fill the coffee pot on the plane, maybe he could pick up a few doughnuts.
Yeah, that's what he'd do. He gathered up his flight bag, and remembered his
hand bag. Taking both in hand, he started out of the room. Before he left,
Linda spoke.

     "Aren't you going to say goodbye?" She asked.

     "I thought you were still asleep." Joe said. "I'll see you tomorrow
night." He said, going to her.

     She put her arms out, and hugged him tightly. They kissed, the same way
they had done so many times before. For Joe, it simply wasn't the same. He
looked at Linda and smiled.

     Linda looked into his eyes.

     "I think you need to have your ears pierced." Linda said
matter-of-factly.

     "Why do you say that?" Joe asked.  

     "Oh, I don't know." Linda replied. "I just think it would look right on
you, that's all."

     "Gee, I don't know..." Joe responded. "Would it hurt?"

     "Hardly." Linda said, laughing. "Hey, what's the matter?  Are you afraid
to try something that probably most thirteen year old girls do?"

     "I'm not afraid." Joe countered. "But remember...I was a guy...maybe I
still think like a guy...sometimes anyway, but all the external things which
made me a man have either disappeared, or I can tell they're going fast.  I
just know I don't have the pain tolerance I did before.  Everything is just
too darn sensitive now.  I can't help it."

     "It don't hurt that much." Linda said. "I had mine pierced ten...no
twelve years ago.  I think I was seventeen."

     "We can talk about it when I get back." Joe said. He wasn't looking
forward to it however.

     "I'll look for some earings for you this evening." Linda replied. It
seemed she really liked to buy female things for Joe. 

     "See you tomorrow." Joe said. 

     "Call me when you get there." Linda said.

     "Ok. I will." Joe promised. One final hug and he gathered his things and
went out the door. 

     Joe drove the distance to the airport, stopping at a doughnut shop, and
picking up dozen. Far too many for Jay and him, but there would probably be a
couple of mechanics on duty at the hanger, and he knew they could inhale them.

     The sun was up in force when he drove into the lot at the airport. He
didn't see Jay's car yet. Five-forty-five. Plenty of time. Jay was never late.

     Joe went in the gate. As he guessed, Bill and Rick, two Honeybone
Aircraft mechanics, were already there, and were sitting in the break room.
The 425 was already on the ramp. Joe knew they had already topped the fuel,
and probably even had the coffee urn filled. 

     Joe greeted them and they returned it pleasantly. They never commented on
his new status, probably too embarrassed to even mention it. Joe had been
friends with each of them before the change, and it was initially awkward to
be seen by someone he previously knew looking the way he did now, even if he
had already become fairly used to the idea himself.

     Joe put his bags on the table, and went to the coffee pot and filled a
cup. He could feel the eyes of the two young mechanics on him as he walked to
and from the pot. He didn't blame them...he knew he was a curiosity. 

     He took his cup and sat with them at the table.  

     "So...anything new with you guys?" Joe asked with a grin, trying to break
the tension.

     Bill and Rick broke into laughter. Joe joined them. It was obvious that
they had been uncomfortable, and his simple yet obvious attempt at humor over
the situation was all that was needed to break the ice.

     "God Joe, I really can't believe its you." Rick said. "I heard something
had happened to all you guys, but it sounded like a bunch of bullshit. I can
see it's true."

     "Yeah, it's true all right." Joe said. "It's been a week now, and I'm
starting to get used to it a little bit, but it is different."

     "You sure do look like a woman." Bill said. "Sound like one too.  How far
does it go?" He asked curiously.

     Joe grinned. "All the way, I guess.  The doctors say even our genes have
been altered."

     "You mean...even your...I can see you got...er.. breasts, but what
about...ah well, you know..." Bill stammered.

     "Everything." Joe said. "Like I said, it'll take some getting used to.
For all of us."

     "What's it feel like?" Rick asked. It seemed everybody wanted to know
that.

     "Well," Joe said, trying to explain for the umteenth time. "It really
isn't as different as you probably think. My muscle strength is still
changing...stuff like that, but otherwise I guess I look more different than I
feel.  A few things that are a lot different, of course." Joe grinned.

     "I guess so." Rick said. "Are you going to have to stay like that?"

     "I don't really know." Joe said. "So far, they're trying to figure out
just how it happened. When they can do that, then maybe they can find a way to
change us back, if it's even possible."

     "Are Dave and Mike changed like that too?" Bill asked. 

     "Yeah, they sure are.  And Tim Werner, you know...the line boy at
Thunderbird, it happened to him too. I guess it has something to do with the
GPS tests. Tim was watching us calibrate the transmitter boxes." Joe
explained.

     "What's the Company doing about it?" Rick asked. "Do you think it might
affect us too?"

     "I don't know who else it might affect, but if you haven't noticed
anything yet, it probably hasn't done anything to you." Joe answered. "So far,
the Company has been pretty helpful. I gotta go see Peterson this morning."

     "You sure don't act like you're pissed off, or anything." Bill noted.

     "Well, at first I was I guess...all I could think about was to find a way
to change back, but after a while...I don't know...that don't seem as
important now. I guess it's chemical...the hormones, or something. I really
don't know." Joe explained.

     "You mean you like to be like that...I mean you sure look great and
everything for a woman...but...I mean...your a guy. Don't you want your own
body back?" Rick asked.

     "Yeah, I know it seems funny. It does to me too." Joe said. "But you said
I was a guy, and that's right...I WAS a guy. Now, I guess maybe I'm sorta
somehow getting acustomed to the idea of being female. I can't help it...it
just don't seem that bad anymore.  This IS my body...it's a little different,
sure...but its still mine. " He shrugged his shoulders.

     "So you'd like to stay like that?" Bill asked. "How do you feel about
women?" He added.

     "I don't know, Bill. I don't really know." Joe said. "Women... Of course,
my feelings ARE different... I still like em...but in a different way, for
sure. As you can imagine, I have to relate differently with them now. I guess
I'm starting to get that way with guys too." He added, grinning.

     "You're starting to like men?" Bill asked.

     "Well, I don't know about LIKING them...just...I guess I'm starting to
see them in a different way.  But don't worry, I won't start chasing you
around or anything." Joe said, smiling.

     "Man, this is kinda wierd." Rick exclaimed. "You sure are...er...ah kinda
pretty... Joe. I hope you don't take that the wrong way." He smiled as he said
it.

     "Hey, I changed...but I didn't go blind." Joe said. "I know I look
different. I can tell you...I feel different too.  But it is still me here. I
still remember everything...and I know everything I did last week...last
month.  I guess I just gotta get used to wearing different clothes." He
grinned and pushed his chest out as he spoke the last sentence. Ricks eyes
went to Joe's breasts.

     "Damn." Rick said. "Hard to believe those little yellow transmitter boxes
could cause that." He said, ogling Joe's curves.

     Joe felt a little like he did in the pharmacy, with the young check-out
boy undressing him with his eyes.  Again, he found he sort of got a charge out
of being the object of attention.  Was it just another normal "female"
response coming out, he wondered to himself?  Was this what life around men
was going to be like from now on?  Constant subtle...sometimes not so subtle
flirting?

     Joe sat up straight in the chair and subconcously touched his hair.  He
didn't say anything, but just smiled at the two guys.  He was still trying to
think of something clever to say when the door opened and Jay walked in.
Joe's eyes brightened when he saw his pal.

     "Good morning everyone." Jay said. "Where's the coffee?"

     Joe pointed to the counter. Jay went to the pot and filled a styrofoam
cup. Then he came to the table where the others were seated.

     "I feel like I just got to bed." Jay said. "I don't see how you guy's can
get up this early every day."

     "You get used to it." Rick said.

     "When you finish the cup, call DUAT and check the weather." Joe said to
Jay, suddenly going into flight instructor mode.

     "What airport At Minneapolis?" Jay asked.

     "St. Paul, actually." Joe answered. "Downtown Airport."

     Jay got up and went to the PC. After a few seconds trying to figure out
how to use it, he go the terminal program to auto-dial the Direct User Access
Terminal.  He could use that to check the enroute and terminal weather.  He
figured out the airport identifier for St. Paul Downtown, Holman Field, STP.

     After typing in a few numbers, Jay sat back and waited. Soon the printer
started churning out four pages of weather reports and NOTAMS. He took the
paper to the table and handed them to Joe.

     Joe looked at the weather carefully.  Jay stood behind him, looking over
his shoulder.

     "I like your hair." Jay said.

     Joe looked back over his shoulder at Jay. He could tell he meant it.

     "Thanks...I guess." Joe said. "It's still a little short, don't you
think?"

     "Looks OK to me." Jay said. He was obviously still in some kind of awe of
his changed friend.

     "It looks like we can make it." Joe advised. Plan a route for best
winds...not over...say...Flight Level 250."

     Jay went to his brief case and started to remove some charts.

     "Use the charts and flight manual in that Jepp case over there." Joe
said,, pointing to the rack by the wall which held three large, well worn
cases. He planned to help Jay only if he asked for it. The Turbo Prop Cessna
was capable of better performance than Jay's Mooney, but the procedures were
essentially the same.

     Jay had both the Victor and Jet Route charts spread out on the table by
the time he had decided on a route. He presented it to Joe, who had been
observing him carefully. Joe looked at it, and almost instantly accepted what
he proposed. Joe had more flight experience than Jay, but actually he didn't
make that many cross country trips either.

     "Go ahead and file it." Joe said. "Plan Takeoff for 1200 Z."

     Bill and Rick had been watching them plan the flight. Although they both
were A&P mechanics, only Rick was a private pilot too.  Bill, although it was
possible to get him in a plane if you had to, didn't really like to fly at
all. But he was a very good mechanic.  When they heard the proposed takeoff
time, the two mechanics went out to the plane leaving Joe and Jay alone.

     "Are we ready?" Joe asked. 

     "I think so." Jay said. "I know I have everything I'd need for the
Mooney."

     "I think we're ready too." Joe agreed. "I want to stop off at the
restroom one last time."

     "Yeah, me too." Jay said, and followed Joe.

     Joe went into the ladies room.  Jay entered the men's. Jay finished
first and was waiting for Joe when he came out.

     "You reallly are looking good today Joe." He said to his pal.

     "Thanks." Joe returned. "You are too." He smiled.

     Jay took his bag, his flight bag, and Joe's B-4 bag. When Joe objected,
Jay just pointed to the Jep case.

     "You carry that." Was all he said.

     Joe picked up his flight bag and the Jepp case. It was all he could carry
to bring them. He had forgot that he wasn't as strong as before. He followed
Jay to the plane, walking a few paces behind his friend. Jay looked so big and
strong carrying the baggage. Joe couldn't remember thinking of Jay as
particularly strong before. He had always been slightly smaller than Joe. Not
anymore.

     The cabin door was open on the 425 and Rick was inside. The doughnuts
were in the box on a seat and Joe saw that the coffee container was full. He
hoped he wouldn't need to urinate on the flight. There was a potty under one
of the aft seats, but he didn't want to go through the gymnastics required to
get his skirt up, his pantyhose and underwear down, then squat on the little
commode, just to pee. Three or four hours had been no problem before,
now...Oh...for a zipper and cock, he thought, grinning silently to himself.

     Rick squeezed passed Joe in the cabin, and Joe felt his right breast
brush against Rick's arm. Joe looked at Rick, and Rick returned the glance,
slightly embarrassed. Joe smiled and winked at him, then felt the blood rush
to his face...what was he doing?  Flirting with one of his former buddies?
Rick just smiled and went out.

     Joe placed his bags on the seat and went back out too. The mechanics
always did a thorough job with preflight, but Joe always performed his own
quick walk around. Jay followed him around the plane. He had place thier bags
at the rear of the cabin. As they walked around the fair sized twin with its
paint showing its age, Joe pointed out the things he was looking for and
checking.

     Joe found it very difficult to inspect the wheel wells wearing the skirt,
so he asked Jay to look for any signs of leaks or foreign objects. Jay checked
under the wing as Joe stood at the leading edge.

     When they satisfied themselves that there were no problems with the
airframe, Joe and Jay reboarded the aircraft. Company regulations required
that Joe fly from the left side since he was the only company employee on the
flight and was pilot in command for insurance purposes. Since the Cessna was
usually used for avionics development it was configured a little different
that a typical mid-seventies small turbo prop.  On the left side there was now
a single large CRT called an EFIS display. It was driven bu a black box in
the nose and could display all the information usually found on the attitude
director and horizontal situation indicator found in most 425's. On the right,
an extremly capable, but conventional and reliable previous generation HSI and
ADI was fitted. Jay would be well equipped to fly the aircraft cross country
IFR, even from the right side.

     As they were also required to do, Rick positioned himself at the front of
the aircraft, in clear view of the aircrew, so as to stand fire guard while
Joe started the noisy Garrett turbines. Joe adjusted the headset to his head,
trying not to muss his hair too much, Jay was on intercom too, but he just
watched as Joe went through the starting engines checklist, reading off and
performing each line item as he got to it. Joe flew by the book, and while
flying wasn't his primary duty it was the one he enjoyed the most, and he was
pretty good at it.

     When the engines were started, Rick waved bye and went inside, away from
the incessant scream of turbines and props. The tower wouldn't open for
another two hours so Joe looked around to confirm no other traffic around the
aircraft, then began to taxi to the runway. When they were ready to go, Joe
made the take off, then handed the plane over to Jay and made contact with
Phoenix departure. For the rest of the flight Joe would handle the radios,
while Jay flew and navigated.  The two had flown together enough that they
could anticipate what the other needed, and therefore worked pretty well as a
team.

     When they reached cruising altitude, Joe switched on the autopilot. 

     "How about a doughnut and some coffee?" He asked.

     "Sound good to me." Jay agreed. 

     Joe reached around and filled two styrofoam cups, handed one to Jay, and
placed the other in the cup holder beside his seat. He pulled the box of
doughnuts off the seat and placed it between the crew seats.

     Jay selected a doughnut and watched as Joe did the same. He grinned. 

     "I'm suprized that your eating those." He said.

     "What do you mean?" Joe asked.

     "From the way you talked on the phone, I thought you were going on a
crash diet or something." Jay continued.

     "Oh, that. Yeah, maybe I should too. I swear my butt is starting to get
bigger already. I guess it's probably inevitable if I'm going to be like this
that I get wider hips and all that. But I don't want to be one of those women
with big butts.  God, I really don't." Joe lamented.

     "Like I said, your butt looks pretty nice to me." Jay said.  "I think you
have a long way to go before its too big."

     "But I'm telling you... Its only been a week, and I'm sure that I can
tell it's getting bigger, and softer."

     Jay looked over at Joe as if trying to see his hips. He looked into
Joe's eyes.

     "Damnit Joe, I really don't see anything wrong with you. It's probably
just your imagination."

     "No its not." Joe objected. "I know its not my imagination. I'm sure I'm
still changing. My boobs are still getting bigger, my arms and shoulders
smaller, and my butt is getting bigger. I'm sure of it."

     Jay grinned and raised his eyebrows. 

     "Boobs still getting bigger, eh?" He said. "I'd like to see that." He
said teasingly. 

     Joe looked at him and acted as if he was offended.

     "Cut it out Jay." He said, trying to sound hurt. He felt this strange new
urge to flirt with guys beginning to affect how he acted. He still liked to
joke around with Jay but he didn't know exactly how to do it and still
maintain some level of decorum.  When it came to feelings about sex, Joe
figured he still pretty much thought like a guy even though his tastes were
changing and now he really had no choice but to argue the female point of
view. It was a strange position to be in, and he was still learning the rules.

     "I'm sorry." Jay said, trying to sound repentent.  He really wasn't sure
if Joe was teasing or not.  Although his old friend acted and spoke pretty
much like before the change, it was wierd to hear such words in the voice of
the attractive woman he had become.

     Joe looked at Jay and smiled. 

     "They're not that much bigger." He admitted. "But I'm pretty sure they
are still growing."

     "You'll have to let me judge that." Jay said jokingly.

     "Well...maybe you'll get a chance." Joe said seductively. "But for now, I
think we better keep our eyes on the sky."

     They flew on, sipping coffee and munching on doughnuts. In the course of
three hours, Joe downed three of them. When he and Jay each took their third
one, Jay looked at him.

     "If you're really worried about the size of your butt, maybe you better
lay off those things." He said.

     "Yeah, I know." Joe said. "But I'm getting hungry.  I just ain't used to
eating like a bird.  Do you really think it's getting bigger?"

     "It don't look any different to me...it looks fantastic.  And don't see
how you do it." Jay told his friend. "I think I'd go nuts if that happened to
me, but you seem to be adjusting so well."

     "I don't know." Joe said.  "The longer I stay this way, the easier it
gets.  At first, all I could think about was getting back.  Now, I worry more
about why I don't seem to care anymore.  I really think its even affected the
way I think and everything."

     "Well, I know its affected the way I think about you." Jay revealed.
"You're practicaly all I can think about anymore.  If I didn't know better, I
think I'd have to say I'm crazy about you.  You...my best buddy."

     Joe looked at his friend.  He knew how Jay felt.  He was starting to feel
the same way, and he was finding it very difficult to think about a man...any
man...the way he found himself thinking about Jay. They had been close friends
for a long time.  Ten years.  They were probably closer than brothers, and
they had always shared the same interests.  Now, this new relationship that
was beginning to develop was hard for both of them to accept.

     "Yeah, I know... Who would have imagined it would work out like this."
Joe said. He just looked ahead, and smiled.

     "What should we do about it?" Jay asked.

     "Jay, I don't know." Joe answered. "But lets not rush into anything.  Why
don't we just let the chips fall where they will, and see what happens.  All
this is still too new to me. I don't even want to consider committments
now...hell, I'm still living with Linda, for God's sake."

     "I know your right." Jay agreed. "But damnit Joe, I think you should know
how you're making me feel."

     "Hey, I think I'm starting to feel the same way, and I gotta tell
you...it's a strange feeling.  Never in my life did I ever think I'd think the
thoughts I think now...about a guy." Joe felt himself blush, and he grinned as
he said the words into the headset microphone.

     When they were one hundred DME from the last enroute Vortac, Joe
requested a lower altitude.  The kept the power up, and let the Cessna speed
increase as the descended. Before long, Minneapolis center handed them to
approach control. The approach and landing were uneventful.

     WHen they taxied to parking, Joe shut the engines down and secured the
gustlock. He got up from his seat, and retrieved his flight bag. He had placed
his purse in it and he would need that to check his hair and makeup.  But
first, he had to pee.  He was sure his bladder had been effected, become
smaller, since it seemed he had to go at least every three hours now, and it
had been almost four since they had left Phoenix. He hoped he could make the
restroom before an accident.

     "Tell these guys they can move the plane if they need to." Joe said.
"We'll be staying overnight, leaving sometime tomorrow. I just gotta go to the
bathroom."

     "Well, get going then." Jay said jokingly. "I'll take care of things
here."

     Joe took his flight bag left the aircraft and quickly walked across the
ramp to the lounge. As he walked he could sense that the eyes of every male
on the ramp were watching him. It was a strange, not totaly unpleasant
feeling, but one that he never had before the change. Sometimes the planes he
had flown and the equipment installed in them would attract some attention
when he landed at an airport unfamilure with Honeybone test aircraft, but this
was different. If he had just go out of Concord, most of the most of the male
eyes would have still been on his butt as he walked across the ramp.  If they
knew that the reason for his brisk walk was because he was trying not to pee
his pants...would they still watch?  He wondered to himself.

     In the restroom, he quickly relieved himself, then went to the mirror to
freshen up. Wearing the David Clark headset had pressed his hair down, but it
fell right back into place with a quick brushing.  It was not as difficult to
keep his own hair organized as it had been with the much longer length hair of
the wig. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Joe smiled at his reflection
in the mirror, quite pleased with his appearance.

     Joe went back out into the lounge area. Jay was seated in one of the
plush chairs, waiting for him. Joe returned the big grin Jay had and walked
over to the young woman at the counter.

     "There should be a car reservation for us." Joe announced. "Joel
Bates...Honeybone."

     "Yes, Ms. Bates." The woman said. "Its parked just around the side of
this hanger." She went to the rack of keys behind her and selected one. 

     "Here it is...Budget."  She said, handing Joe the keys.

     Joe knew they had reservations at the Radisson Plaza Hotel downtown. He
wondered if they should check in there first, or go straight to the Honeybone
offices. It was not lunchtime yet, but if they did go directly to the office,
they would get there about one half hour before everyone would be at lunch. If
they went to the hotel, they could eat at one of the many restaurants at the
downtown complex and then go to Honeybone. He walked ever to where Jay was
seated.

     "Do you want to check in and eat before we go to Honeybone, or just go
directly there?" Joe asked.

     "Hey, I'm following you." Jay replied.  "I really don't care. What time
is your appointment?"

     "Well, I really don't have an appointment." Joe answered.  "I guess I
could call..."

     "Yeah, Maybe you should." Jay agreed.

     Joe went back to the desk. 

     "Is there a phone I can use for a local call?" He asked.

     "Right over there." The woman answered with a smile, pointing to the
table next to the chair Jay was sitting in.

     "Thanks." Joe said, wearing a fooling grin.

     Joe back over to the table and sat in the other chair. He got his notepad
from his flight bag and looked up a the phone number. He punched in the
numbers and when the operator answered, he asked for Mr. Petersons secretary. 
In a moment, she came on the line.

     "Mr. Peterson's office." 

     "Hi. This is Joel Bates. I work for Honeybone Commercial Avionics in
Phoenix. I'm supposed to meet with Mr. Peterson today.  I've arrived and I'm
at the airport." Joe spoke into the phone.

     "Good morning Ms. Bates." The woman said. "Mr. Peterson is expecting you.
Do you need transportation from the airport?"

     "No, I have a rental car." Joe answered. 

     He wondered why she called him "Ms".  She couldn't see him.  Probably
even sound like a woman on the phone too...

     "Ok then, we'll be expecting you. Will you be right over?"  The woman
asked.

     "That's what I was calling about." Joe said. "I really don't know when
you're expecting me. I figured you had been told I would be there in the
afternoon, and I wondered if I should check into the hotel first."

     "Well, I know that Mr. Peterson has two other people coming after lunch
to meet with you, but I'm sure you're welcome anytime.  I'm sure he's very
anxious to meet you." The woman said.

     "Well...I'll be there as soon as I can." Joe said. "I brought a friend
along.  We may check into the hotel before we report in."

     "That will be fine." The secretary said. "I'll advise Mr. Peterson you'll
be in at one."

     "See you then." Joe said. "Bye."

     "I'll be looking forward to meet you." The woman said.  Joe heard the
phone click off.

     "Let's go and check into the hotel and grab a bite before we go to see
Peterson." Joe told Jay.

     "You're the boss, old buddy." Jay teased.

     Jay carried the big bags and Joe drug the lighter ones to the rental car.
It was at the far end of the lot, and by the time they arrived, Joe was almost
dragging his and Jay's flight bag.  Jay had the much heavier clothes bags and
was carrying them without problem or complait.  Joe was embarrassed by the way
he had to carry the bags just to make it to the car.

     "You don't have any idea what this does to your ego." Joe exclaimed when
he saw Jay watch him struggle with the bags.  "It was all I could do to get
them here.  My arms just don't have any strength anymore.  And it's still
getting worse."

     Jay grinned widely.

     "Yeah, but you're boobs are getting bigger." He teased.

     Joe could feel his face redden with embarrassement.  Jay would never let
him live that one down.

     They put the bags in the trunk and Joe drove the car to the hotel.  He
had been to the Honeybone offices once before, to a project meeting with Jim.
They had stayed at the Raddison Plaza then too.

     The Raddison Plaza check in went smoothly.  The girl at the desk asked
Jay if they wanted adjoining rooms, and Jay answered "Sure". The girl smiled
at Jay and he smiled back.  When they had their bags in the room, Joe went
back down and parked the car in the underground parking garage.

     When he got back to the room, Joe opened his bag and took out his shaving
kit, placed it in the bathroom, and then hung up the clothes Linda had packed
for him.  He was suprized to see she had included one of her sexier chemise.
It was soft ivory colored silk, with lace at the edges and around the low top.
The straps were very thin...more like little ribbons than straps.  Joe had not
seen Linda wear it...indeed it really didn't look like it had ever been worn
before.  Why did she pack this, he wondered?

     He held it up to his body.  It barely went to the widest part of his
hips.  It's a little short for me, he thought.  Then he saw the matching silk
bikini panties.  He imagined how Linda would look wearing this.  Then he
realised...she packed this for him.  It was for HIM to wear.  Did she know
about him and Jay?  How could she?

     There was a knock at the door connecting Jay's room with his.  Joe
dropped the silk chemise on his bag and went over to open the door.  He had
figured Jay would be knocking before long.

     "Just thought I'd see how you were doing." Jay said with a big grin.

     "I'm just fine, thank you." Joe said primly.

     "Where's a good place to eat?" Jay asked.

     "There are a few restaurants here in the hotel, and we're connected to
others by the skywalks you saw as we drove in.  We can get all over down town
without even leaving the building." Joe said.

     "Are you ready?" Jay asked, looking around.

     "Yeah." Joe answered.  "I was just hanging up some of my stuff."

     Jay saw the white chemise laying on top of the B-4 bag.

     "Is THAT yours?" He asked, his eyes getting wide.

     "Quit snooping." Joe said, taking the dainty thing and stuffing it back
in the pouch.

     "Seriously." Jay persisted.  "Do you wear that?"

     "I can if I want to, can't I?" Joe answered, going on the defensive.

     "Sure, you can wear anything you want." Jay answered.  "I just have
trouble thinkig you'd want to wear something that...frilly...sexy...not that
you wouldn't look great in it..." He stammered.

     "I just saw it for the first time myself...just now." Joe explained.
Linda must have put it in my bag.  I don't know why..."

     "Does she know what we did?" Jay wondered aloud, sounding like a little
boy.

     "Man, how could she?" Joe answered quickly, sounding more sure of himself
than he really was.  Why did she put it in his bag?"

     "Can I see it on you?" Jay said.

     "Well...I don't know if I want you to." Joe said demurely.  He had
resigned himself to them getting together again on this trip...actually, he
was looking forward to it...but the thought of parading his new body in front
of his pal wearing white silk...and lace...well...a guy did have to have
limits.

     "Why not?" Jay said.  "What could I see that I haven's seen already?"
Again, to Joe, Jay sounded like a little boy... this time begging for
something he desparately wanted.

     "If you've seen it all, why do you need to see it again?" Joe teased.  It
was kind of fun watching a grown man beg.

     Jay looked at Joe, then he pulled him to him, taking him in his arms.
With absolutely no embarrassment, he kissed Joe on the lips.  Joe felt his
knees getting weak as he decided to let Jay do as he wanted.  He was suprized
how pleasant it was to kiss Jay.  He couldn't figure out what caused it...was
it the feeling of strength he could sense as Jay held him tightly?  Was it
something about the changes in his upper body, with its smaller, weaker
muscles...his sensitive breasts...which were now pressed firmly to Jay's
strong chest?  What caused his knees to want to buckle?  He never felt like
that before the change...with Linda, or any other woman.  But now...both times Jay
had kissed him it had happened...

     Jay kissed for what seemed like a couple of minutes, then let Joe stand
erect.  

     "Sorry...I just had to do that." He apoligized.

     "God Jay, If you only knew how that feels..." Joe said, trying to regain
his composure.

     "It feels pretty good to me." Jay said.

     "Same here, but I'd rather you asked me first." Joe admonished.

     "Didn't you like it?" Jay asked.

     "Damn it Jay...Of course I did...it was great.  My legs almost gave
out...I can't explain how it feels...but even so...  Please don't do it
anymore...without asking.  Joe walked into the bathroom while he spoke.

     "Well, I can hardly keep my hands off you." Jay said.  "You remember how
it is, don't you?"

     "Do you really think it's any different now?" Joe asked.  "Other than
that you're a guy, the urge is the same...maybe even stronger now.  Women have
the same desires...I guess anyway...I can't really speak for the way real
women feel..." He explained.

     "Then why don't we let our feelings come out?" Jay asked.  "We've always
been pals...and now...I don't know how to explain it...you...your...damn it
Joe, surely you realize you've changed into an extremely sensual woman...to me
anyway...you're absolutely gorgous.  And yet, you think like a guy...I can
talk to you." Jay stammered uncharacteristicly.

     "Yeah, sure I know I've changed...believe it...I'm sure it's even more
obvious to me than to you....but...like I've said before...it's still me
here...I'm trying my damnest to adapt to looking like this...feeling like
this.  Like you said...I think I'm doing pretty good...most of the time
anyway...but I just can't jump right into this.  I have to work it out at my
own pace.  Don't try to rush me, ok?"

     Joe spoke as he brushed his hair, and straightened his dress.  He could
sense that the crotch of his panties were wet again.  It was an uncomfortable
feeling, but he was getting accustomed to it.  It too seemed to be one of the
many things that went with being female.

     Jay came to the open door of the bathroom.

     "Ok.  I'll try to slow down." He apoligised.  "Just chew me out when I
get like that.  I guess I just can't help it."

     Joe looked over at Jay.  He smiled.

     "We'll work this out." He said.  "But...I don't know about you, but I'm
hungry."

     "Where do you want to eat?"  Jay asked.

     "Just follow me."  Joe said.  

     He went into the main room, and found his purse on the bed.  He got his
new coat, and put it on.  Even though the restaurant was indoors, they could
probably go right from there to Honeybone, there would be no reason to go to
the room, and it was definitely cool enough for the coat.  Joe's more
sensitive skin seemed feel the cold more easily now.

     They went down the elevator to the ground floor.  There was a little
french style restaurant only a short walk from the elevator.  The matre-de
seated them at a large picture window that looked out on an attractive
shopping mall one floor below them.

     They ordered a light lunch and as they ate their salads, Joe decided to
ask Jay a question that had been on his mind.

     "Jay, have you ever watched the TV show "Northern Exposure"?" He asked.

     "Northern Exposure?  Yeah, I think I've seen it a few times...it comes on
monday nights I think, don't it?" Jay responded.

     "I really don't know.  I haven't seen it yet." Joe said.

     "What's the question?" Jay asked, his curosity was awakened.  Joe didn't
watch television much. Why would he ask such a question?

     "Well, Linda says I remind her of somebody on that show...a woman, I
guess, someone named Maggie O'connell, I think it was." 
     
--
Archive-name: Changes/bates29.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 29


     JOE29 The 29th Chapter of the Joe Bates Story

     *****************

     Jay looked at his buddy.

     "Yeah...Yeah... except for the hair...I guess maybe you do...sort of look
like her." He exclaimed.

     "Do you think she's attractive?" Joe asked carefully.

     "Attractive...yeah...sure...absolutely.  She's beautiful...almost angelic
looking...in maybe a quirky kind of way." Jay said, laughing.

     "Quirky?  Just what the hell does that mean?" Joe continued.

     "Oh, I don't know exactly.  She acts kinda weird sometimes...but then
everyone on that show is kinda weird I guess.  She is beautiful, that's for
sure." Jay explained. He was trying to choose his words very carefully.

     "So you guys think I've started looking like some quirky woman on a TV
show, huh?" Joe asked, not expecting an answer.

     "Hey, I can't help it.  You just do." Jay said, laughing.

     They finished their lunch and then went down to the garage.  They got in
the rental car and Joe drove them to the Honeybone offices.  When they
arrived, they walked into the reception area and told the person behind the
desk who they were.  She cleared them on down a long hallway to another
reception area.  This was where Mr. Peterson's office was.

     Joe introduced himself to the young lady behind the desk.

     "Hi.  I'm Joe Bates.  This is a friend Jay Logan.  We have a meeting with
Mr. Peterson." Joe said.

     "Hello Ms. Bates...Mr. Logan." Said the young woman, eyeing Joe
carefully.  "Pleased to meet you.  I'll tell Mr. Peterson you're here."

     She punched some buttons and spoke softly into the tiny headset she was
wearing.

     She looked up at them.

     "You can go right in." She said.

     Joe again felt the burn of self concousness as he walked to the office
door.  He was becoming quite accustomed to the way he looked and felt now, but
the feeling still hit him whenever he knew he was going to be looked at
carefully.  He looked down at his clothes and smoothed his skirt.  He
carefully adjusted the collar and checked his chest.  The soft mounds there
suddenly felt much bigger than they were, and Joe could actually feel his
nipples where they rubbed against the bra.  He hoped that they couldn't be
seen.  But the relatively thick cloth of the dress hid everything well.  He
thought he looked attractive, but dignified.

     Mr. Peterson was standing behind his desk when Joe entered. He walked out
from behind it and held his had out to Joe.  Joe shook it and then introduced
Jay.

     "Mr. Peterson, this is my friend Jay Logan.  He's been a great help to me
so far.  He's an attorney, but I hope you don't hold that against him." Joe
said smiling.

     "Mr. Logan." Mr. Peterson shook Jay's hand and eyed him warily.  He
obviously didn't know how to take him.

     "I hope we can work this problem out." Mr. Peterson said to Jay directly.

     "I think we can." Jay said smiling.  He could feel the tension in the
air.

     "Jay has been my best friend for years." Joe said.  "I hope you aren't
interpreting him as some kind of threat."

     "Joe...have they been treating you...all of you...acceptably?  Is there
anything you need?  Anything at all we can do?" Mr. Peterson asked.  He was
obviously saying it "for the record."

     "Well, I think everything is going about as fast as it can." Joe said.

     "You look quite...er...healthy...are you in any pain...or anything like
that?" Mr.  Peterson asked.

     "No. I think everything is OK.  I've just changed...a lot." Joe said,
smiling at the man.

     "They've told me what happened.  Are you absolutely sure that the GPS
caused this?" Peterson asked.

     "We're not sure of anything yet." Joe said. "But I think we'll find out."

     "I hope so." Mr. Peterson said as he walked back behind his desk and sat
down.  "Please be seated.  I'd like to talk a few minutes."

     Joe sat in one of the overstuffed chairs.  Jay sat next to him.

     "So you just woke up one morning last week looking this way?" Peterson
asked.  "Are sure you weren't taking hormones or anything like that?"

     "Well, no of course I wasn't...why would I do that?" Joe answered. "Most
of this happened overnight, but there are still changes taking place.  I can
actually feel them."

     "And it doesn't hurt?  There isn't any pain or other problems?" Peterson
asked.  He was obviously very interested in Joe's health.

     "No. Absolutely nothing like that." Joe explained. "Everything is much
more...er...sensitive...but there is no pain.  It feels...I don't know...sort
of normal, I guess."

     "What about the others?  I understand there are four of you." Peterson
continued.

     "They've all experienced basicly the same thing." Joe said. "Dave Skinner
is married.  I think it's affected him even more than the rest of us...its a
little hard to relate to a wife when you're like this."

     "Just how extensive are the changes, if I might ask." Peterson asked.

     "Extensive?" Joe looked at him.  "I think can say this...the only thing
still male are my memories...and maybe some of my habits.  They tell us that
even our genes have been altered...damaged is how it was described...and
that's what has caused our bodies to feminize."

     "Genetic damage?" Peterson asked. "In what way?"

     "Well...I'm not the expert here, but apparently our normal XY chromosomes
have been altered...they now appear XX, like female genes.  That's probably
the reason our bodies have changed like this...and changed so quickly." Joe
explained the phenomenon the best he could.

     "And do you anticipate that a way can be found to change you back?"
Peterson asked.

     "I really don't know." Joe said.  "I think they're still trying to figure
out how it occured in the first place."

     "The no-shit truth now Joe.  What do you really want Honeybone to do
about this?" Peterson asked.

     "Mr. Peterson...for now anyway, I think everyone's doing all that can be
done." Joe responded. He had expected this question.

     He continued.  "Please, just don't give up on this...or the project for
that matter.  I think this can be worth much more valuable than a GPS system.
Even if it isn't reversiblebut especially if it is."

     Peterson looked at Joe. "Call me Pete.  Just what exactly do you mean by
that, Joe?"

     "Well, the other day, when I was at a clinic in San Diego, I met a few
people who are having problems like I have now...but they've been like this
all they're lives.  They feel like they were born with the wrong body and it
gnaws at them constantly.  Doctors like Benjaman Krell attempt to help these
people with therapy and sometimes surgery.  I guess it helps, but it's nothing
like this...  This changes everything." Joe said.  "For some people...I think
this could be a dream come true."

     "You said one of you were married...what's she...he...er...what's
ah..Dave Skinner..  What's he doing about it?" Pete asked.

     "Well, right now, Dave still lives with his family. Three of us have
completed paperwork to legally change our gender...so I guess you can refer to
us as women.  But Dave didn't, since he was married...he couldn't without
getting a divorce...and I really don't think he wants to do that if he can get
back." Joe explained.

     "Do you prefer that I address you as a woman?" Pete asked.

     "You can do whatever you like." Joe said smiling, somewhat embarrassed.
"At first I wanted to deny what happened to me, But now I guess I'm getting
used to it."

     "Won't you have to readjust again if we can change you back?" Pete
wondered.

     "I guess I will, but I'm sure it'd be easier to get used to being male
again...I mean I've got thirty years experience at that." Joe said smiling.

     "Don't take it the wrong way Joe...I didn't know you before, but you're
quite attractive the way you are now." Pete said.

     "Thanks." Joe said.  "I'm getting used to it...and I've got to admit,
sometimes it is kind of interesting to look like this."

     "But let's not forget that what happened was caused by job related
genetic damage." Jay interrupted.

     Mr. Peterson looked at Jay.

     "Just what do you think we should do, Mr. Logan." Pete said formally.

     "I just want to remind both of you that Honeybone is ultimately
responsible for all job related injuries...no matter how unusual they might
appear." Jay continued.

     "Do you feel that our friend Joe here is unusual?" Peterson asked.

     "I have never heard of anything like this happening before, have you?"
Jay returned.

     "No...No, I guess I haven't." Peterson agreed.

     "Well, Joe... Mr. Bates here has been inflicted with some serious
problems." Jay said. "Think about it... and try to for get what his body looks
like now...  While on the job he was subjected to radiation which permanently
damaged his chromosomes...the basic building blocks of his physical being.
This injury has caused significant changes to his body.  He can no longer
function as a normal male...technically he's impotent now. In fact, the damage
has actually caused his male genitals to atrophy...why, he can no longer even
urinate normally.  And further, it has caused him to lose weight and
considerable strength.  In almost every way, he is no longer the normal,
healthy man he was just a week ago."

     "Jay...I don't..." Joe attempted to stop him.  He certainly didn't like
to be referred to as impotent.  Maybe everything was a lot different now, but
it seemed that impotence was hardly a proper description of his affliction.

     "I'm not trying to threaten anyone." Jay continued.  "But I think we all
must consider exactly what happened here.  I feel that's my responsibility to
my best friend."

     "Yes... You're right of course." Peterson agreed.  "If it can be
determined that Honeybone is responsiblethen we will do what we must.  But on
the other hand...I must be sure that Honeybone is responsible."

     "Mr. Peterson...Pete...  I want you to understand that I'm not out for my
own personal gain...I can't speak for the rest of the guys...but...I just hope
that the Company don't desert us either." Joe said.

     "Joe...Joe... I don't think you've anything to worry about in that
respect.  Honeybone is a people company...we're not about to let any of you
go...you're all far too valuable to lose anyway." Peterson smiled.

     Hearing the president of the company say those words were comforting to
Joe.  Although he wasn't particularly worried about his job, he wasn't sure
what that job would be now.  With Peterson on his side, he had less even less
to be concerned about.

     "One thing... Joe, before you go back to Arizona, could I get you to stop
by at this clinic.  I'd like some of our doctors to examine you...a sort of
second opinion, if you will."

     Oh great, Joe thought.  Another physical exam.  He had been subjected to
four already in just a week. Would everybody in the medical profession get to
look at his changed body?

     Mr. Peterson gave Joe a paper which contained an address and phone
number.

     "I think I'll come down to Phoenix in a few days to meet each of you
personally and see what's going on for myself." Pete said.

     "Is that all you wanted?" Joe asked.  He was expecting more to happen.

     "Do you have anything to add?" Pete countered. "I think I have to see all
if it for myself.  The whole thing seems intriguing."

     "Yeah, I guess it is." Joe agreed.

     "It has been a pleasure to meet you Joe." Pete said. "And you too Jay.
Don't worry... Honeybone will stand behind you're friend.  And I appreciate
your concern."

     They shook hands once more, and then Mr. Peterson excorted them to the
door of his office.

     "I'll be seeing you in a few days." He said.

     Joe and Jay said bye to Mr. Peterson's secretary.  It was obvious that
she was dying with curiosity.  Joe just smiled at her and walked on.  Last
week he might have asked her to dinner.  Now, he just followed Jay down the
hall to the entrance.

     "Peterson's secretary is sure a looker, ain't she." Jay said.

     "Yeah, I guess so." Joe agreed. He had paid as much attention to what she
was wearing as to her physical appearance.

     "You guess so?" Jay said, looking at Joe and grinning. "What's wrong with
your eyes pal?"

     "It ain't the eyes, Jay.  It's everything else, I guess.  I'm impotent
now, remember." Joe said, grinning.  He could remember the old feelings, but
they just weren't the same anymore.

     "Yeah...yeah, I guess you can't help it, can you." Jay said.  He looked
into Joe's eyes and smiled as if he understood.

     When they arrived at the front desk, Joe asked for a phone.  The
receptionist pointed to the couch and the phone located at the end table.  Joe
took a seat and opened the small sheet of paper.  He punched in the numbers,
and waited for an answer.

     "Dr. Morgan's office." A feminine voice said cheerfully.

     "Hi. My name is Joe Bates." Joe said, not sure how to start the
conversation.  "I was asked by Mr. Peterson of Honeybone to give Dr. Morgan a
call."

     "Oh, yes...Ms. Bates... Dr. Morgan can see you at ten tomorrow morning."
The voice on the other end said.

     Joe looked at his wristwatch. It was only two in the afternoon.  They
would have the entire afternoon with nothing particular to do.

     "Ok.  I'll see you then." Joe said, and then hung up.

     "Well, now I have a doctors appointment for ten tomorrow morning.  Can
you stay another day?" He asked Jay.

     "Why not?" Jay answered.  "We maybe can have some fun on this trip." He
grinned deviously.

     "Yeah, I know what kind of fun you have in mind." Joe said.

     "What?  And you don't?" Jay countered.

     "Well, like it or not, I don't go around thinking with my dick...at least
not anymore." Joe said sarcastically.

     It was so true, although he did somewhat look forward to more exploration
of his new sexuality with Jay, somehow sex just didn't control his practically
every waking thought as it did when testosterone had him in its fierce grip.

     "What do you want to do then?" Jay asked.

     "I don't know...I think we should go back to the hotel.  I better call
Linda like I promised.  We can discuss what we want to do after that." Joe
said.

     They drove back downtown to the Radisson.  When they go to their rooms,
Joe closed the door between the rooms and called Linda's office.

     "I'm here, and I'm still alive." Joe told her when she came to the phone.

     "Will you be home tonight?" Linda asked.

     "No. They have me scheduled for another physical tomorrow morning." Joe
said.

     "Another examination?" Linda asked. "Aren't you getting tired of that?"

     "Sure." Joe said. "But I guess Peterson wants another opinion or
something.  Really, everything is going Ok I guess."

     "You'll be staying overnight then?" Linda asked.  "Jay too?"

     "Yeah. We're at the Radisson. It's a pretty nice place." Joe answered.

     "Do you have separate rooms?" Linda went on.

     "Of course." Joe answered. "Why do you ask a question like that?" He
wasn't going to bring up the interconnecting door.

     "Oh...I don't know...just wondering...I know you two were best
friends...I didn't know how you'd handle being together now...with the way
you've changed.  I mean...I've seen the way he looks at you." Linda said.

     "And so you think we would want to sleep together?" Joe asked.  Linda was
obviously much more observant than he gave her credit for being.

     "Joe, it's you're life.  You've got to live it.  I just want you to
know...I'd understand if you want to see what its like." Linda said.

     "What its like... What are you talking about" Joe asked incredulously.
He knew exactly what she meant.  He wondered if he should ask about the silk
chemise.  He decided against it.

     "If I could show you what being with a man is like...I would...but I
can't...at least not yet anyway.  If you and Jay....  Well, I just want you to
know...I understand." Linda said haltingly.

     "And you think that's what I want?" Joe asked.

     "No.  That's not what I mean...its just that...I mean...I can see what's
happened to you...how you feel.  It would be understandable for you to want to
experience everything about being a woman.  I know you've got to be curious."
Linda went on.

     This woman can read my mind, Joe thought.  No wonder he had always
thought they were so right for each other.

     "Well, we've got separate rooms.  If something happens between us, maybe
I'll tell you about it.  Joe said, trying to make the whole idea sound far
fetched.

     He didn't know if it would be prudent to tell her if anything did happen.
But could he keep it a secret even if he wanted to?

     Linda seemed satisfied with that.

     "I'll miss you tonight." She said.  "I've been getting used to having
someone in my bed every night."

     "I'll miss you too." Joe said.  "But I'll be back tomorrow."

     "Bye." Linda said. "I love you Joe Bates."

     "See you tomorrow." Joe said.

     Joe hung up the phone and stared at the mirror over the desk across the
room.  What was happening to his life?  Here he was, sitting in a hotel room,
wearing a dress, talking on the phone to his girl friend...his fiance...with
his best friend waiting in the next room.  When would everything settle down?
And what path would it take?  Was he really destined to start a new life...as
a woman...maybe with Jay...or Linda...or somebody...maybe even some other
male?  Is that what his life was to be?  Would he have kids with Jay?  He
tried to imagine what being a mother would be like.  It was almost impossible
to picture.  Sure, it was likely he was now physically capable of conceiving
and giving birth...but could he stand being a mother...to a newborn?  He went
to the television set and switched it on in an attempt to get his mind off the
whole concept.

     The low volume of the television must have been loud enough for Jay to
hear, because Joe had only lay back on his bed when there was a knock on the
connecting door.

     "It's not locked." Joe called.

     Jay came in the room.  He saw his friend resting on the bed.

     "So...what are we going to do this afternoon?" Jay asked. "What's the
excitement in the Minneapolis area?"

     "I really don't know." Joe said.  "I've only been here a few times. I've
been to this hotel, Honeybone, and shopping in the stores around St. Paul."

     "Do you want to go looking around?" Jay asked. "Or, we can just stay in
here the room if you like." He grinned.

     "Damn it Jay.  Is that really all you think about?" Joe asked, laughing.

     "No. It's not all." Jay answered, a wicked grin on his face.  "But it's
the only important thing."

     "Maybe you should try the machine too." Joe said.  "You might suddenly
find that there really is more to life."

     "Name two other things." Jay said, snickering.

     Joe looked at his pal.  He knew there was no way he could argue his
point.  The problem was that his sex drive was changing along with his
perspective of the whole concept.  He knew he still enjoyed sex, now with
either a male or a female, but it seemed that it took something to get him
going now.  His sex drive was no longer running at fast idle all the time.
The physical part actually felt just as good this way too, he considered.
Maybe the mechanics were a little different now, and would take some getting
used to, but sex was still there when he wanted it, but it just no longer
permeated every thought.

     "Ok. I guess it is pretty important." Joe conceded, not wanting to argue.

     "I don't think I would want to try the machine, that's for sure." Jay
said.  "I admit, I do have some curiosity about what it would be like to have
a body like that, but I think I'll pass on actually trying it."

     Joe looked at him.

     "But you think it's OK for me though?" He asked.

     "Hey, I didn't make it happen to you, did I?" Jay responded.

     Jay was right, of course.  It wasn't his fault that all this had happened
to Joe.  Joe knew it too, but he just didn't like the way Jay spoke about his
situation, as if Joe had any  choice in the matter himself.

     "I'm sorry, Jay." Joe said.  "Sometimes I guess I get a little short when
I think you're teasing. Of course what's happened to me is not your fault.  So
what would you want to do today?" He asked.

     "You pick something...I'll follow you." Jay suggested.

     "Ok.  Let's go look around in some of the stores for a while.  Then we
can go to the gym and I'll whip you butt at racquetball." Joe teased.

     "You want to go shopping?" Jay asked, amazed. "Those hormones are sure
affecting your head, aint they."

     Joe grinned a big grin.  It was unusual for him to ask to go looking in
stores.  He had never done that before, except maybe grudgingly with Linda or
some other girl friend.  But now, he just thought he'd like to see what the
clothes looked like in the stores in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.  They were
near some of the best shopping in the city.

     "Hey, humor me, will you." Joe said. "Besides, you might even find that
it's kind of fun."

     "I doubt that." Jay said. "But if that's what you want to do, I don't
really mind."

     Joe got up and walked passed Jay as he went to the dresser. He patted Jay
on the butt as he walked passed.  He had never done anything like that to any
man before, but just felt the need, so he did it.  He turned and grinned at
Jay.

     "Now, get out of here for a few minutes while I change clothes." He said.

     "Can I watch?" Jay asked.  "I'll be on good behavior."

     "Get in your own room, and close the door behind you." Joe said.  "All
that stuff can come later."

     Although he was as interested as Jay in exploring his newfound
femininity, it was still kind of embarrassing, and he wanted to postpone it
all as long as he could.  Tonight would be soon enough.

     Joe removed his dress. Standing in his slip, Joe went to the bag to look
for something to wear.  He found the new jeans and a blouse.  It was a bit
casual, but he figured it would do for the rest of the day.  Maybe he could
find something in one of the shops around here.  He wondered of Jay would mind
shopping with him.  Of course not, he decided.  Jay seemed to like just being
around him.  What was it?  Was he really that sexy, or whatever?  He didn't
think so.  Sure, he knew he looked female enough all right, but sexy?  He
didn't feel sexy.  He was now getting used to the way he looked and was no
longer quickly driven to sexual excitement by just ogling his own curves or
his changed genitals.  Along with his acceptance of his new femininity, Joe
was slowly beginning to think like a woman too.

     He removed the half slip and the pantyhose.  He stepped into the jeans
and pulled them on.  He noticed they fit him differently than his male pants.
They went well above his changing hip line.  He ran both hands along his hips,
tracing their shape. What would his body be like when this all stopped?  When
would it stop?

     He took the blouse and put it on.  Gazing down as he fiddled with the (to
him) backward buttons, he saw the noticeable cleavage of his breasts.  The
blouse fit pretty well.  Joe wondered if his chest was really still getting
bigger like it seemed.  Would this shirt...this blouse...even fit him next
week?

     Joe found his socks and Reeboks, and put them on again.  He went over to
the mirror.  With the jeans and blouse on, he was now wearing the most
masculine cloths he had...at least that still fit him.  They may be more
masculine than the dress, but he still didn't look like a guy, that was
certain.  He went to the bathroom and brushed his hair again. He could feel
the rough denim rubbing his legs as he walked.  It felt so much different than
the slip against his pantyhose.  He realized he was starting to get accustomed
to the feel of feminine clothes.

     He was ready.  He found his handbag and new poplin jacket.  He put the
jacket over his arm and looked in the mirror again.  Did he look too
masculine?  Why was he worried about that?  He decided that everything was Ok.
Hell he was really a guy anyway...wasn't he?

     He figured Jay would have been knocking on the door by now, but he
wasn't.  Surely he was ready to go by now too.  He decided to try a knock on
the connecting door.

     "Are you ready yet?" Joe called out.

     "Sure.  I'm just waiting for you." Jay answered. "Come on over."

     Joe opened the door and went inside.  Jay was sprawled on his bed
watching a movie on the television.  He was fully dressed and grinned when he
saw what Joe was wearing.

     "Well, you sure look different." Jay said.

     "Do you think this will be Ok?" Joe asked apprehensively.

     "Sure.  It looks great to me." Jay answered.  "I guess I've just never
seen you in jeans before, at least since you've been like this." He grinned.

     "Turn around." Jay asked.

     Joe turned away from Jay, looking back at him as he remained on the bed.


     "What's wrong?" Joe asked worriedly.

     "Not a thing.  Not a thing." Jay answered.  "And you're butt isn't too
big at all."

     Joe spun back around immediately.

     "Ok. Ok.  Are you ready to go, or do you just want to lay there and stare
at my ass." Joe demanded, trying to sound irritated.

     Jay got off the bed, the grin never leaving his face.

     "Ok. I'm ready.  Where do you want to take me, anyway?" He asked.

     "I just want to look in some of the shops." Joe said.  "Maybe I can find
something I like that the stores back home don't have."

     "God Joe, listen to yourself.  You sound just like a woman." Jay said.

     Joe looked straight into Jay's eyes.

     "I know it. And that scares me to death." He said, smiling.

     They went out and walked down the hallway and took the elevator to the
floor where the sky walk was on.  As they left the building they were in they
entered the glass walled sky walk and looked down on the traffic filled
streets.

     Joe went to the side and looked out the windows. He put his hand on the
wooden railing.  Jay placed his now larger hand on top of Joe's.  Joe looked
down at it, then pulled his hand away.

     "I'm sorry.  I just thought maybe you wouldn't mind." Jay apologized.

     Joe looked at his friend.

     "I don't mind." Joe said. "It's just hard to get used to the whole idea
of all this."

     He smiled and put his hand on top of Jay's.

     They just stood there and gazed into each other's eyes.  Nothing was
said, but a lot was communicated.  Neither could understand the new feelings
that were coming over both of them. 

     "Let's get going." Joe said.

     They walked along the wide, well lighted aisles, looking in the shop
windows.  When they came to a shop selling women's clothes Joe stopped and
looked at the mannequins in the window.

     "Do you like that?" Joe asked Jay.

     "The important thing is do you like it, isn't it?" Jay countered.

     "Yeah, I guess it's all right." Joe said. "But I want your opinion."

     "Well, it's nice, I guess." Jay answered. "Would it even fit you?"

     "Hey, I don't know." Joe said. "Every time I try something on, I'm always
suprized at what fits and how it looks on me.  Actually, I think it's kinda
fun."

     "There's no doubt about it, your brain has become female, just like you
thought." Jay teased.

     Joe looked at his friend and grinned.

     "I think you might be right." He said.  He walked into the store and Jay
followed.

     The saleswoman was alone in the store when they came in.  She went right
over to Joe and asked if she could be of assistance.

     "Yes please." Joe replied, trying to sound as ladylike as he could.  "I
would like to try on a dress like the black one in the window."

     "You look like a ten." The woman said walking to the rack along the wall.

     She took a hanger from the rack and went to the back of the store. Joe
didn't know if he should follow or what.

     "Was there something else?" She called when she noticed Joe wasn't
following.

     "No.  I'll be right there." Joe answered.

     He walked along, and Jay continued to follow.

     "Maybe you better wait out here." He told Jay, winking.

     "Yeah, sure. I'm sure I'll find that will be great fun." Jay said with
mock sarcasm.

     In the fitting room, the sales woman stood by as Joe removed his blouse
and jeans.  Joe could feel the flush come to his face as he stood before this
stranger wearing only bra and panties.  But she didn't seem to notice his
embarrassment as she helped him try the dress on.

     The dress fit Joe's shape perfectly.  The fitted bodice traced the
outline of his trim but growing bustline.  Joe went to the full length mirror
and looked at his reflection.  The woman staring back from the mirror was
amazingly attractive.  Forgeting for a moment that the saleswoman was standing
there watching, Joe ran both hands along his breasts and down his hips as if
needing to prove that the shapely body inside the dress was his.  The sales
woman was suprized to see this attractive but shy young woman do that.  She
said nothing but her suprize was evident.  Joe didn't notice, however, he was
completely engrossed in his own appearance.

     "Perhaps your husband would like to see it too." The woman said aloud,
breaking the moment.

     Joe gave the woman a questioning look.  Husband?  Oh, yeah... Jay.

     "Yes.  You're right." Joe agreed.

     Wearing the silky dress with athletic socks and no shoes, Joe went back
out into the shop.  Jay was seated next to the fitting room door and looked
around when Joe came out.  His look was that of impressed suprize.

     "What do you think?" Joe asked.

     "It's you." Jay answered.  He said it in a teasing way, but he obviously
meant it.

     "Yeah, I like it." Joe agreed. "I think I'll get it."

     He went back into the fitting room and the sales woman followed. She
brought a belt, and a scarf which she suggested that Joe try with the dress.
Joe looked at her suggestions and tried them on.  He agreed to purchase them
also.  He then removed the new clothing and put his jeans and blouse back on.

     The sales woman took the purchases to the counter and looked at Jay as
she asked.

     "Will this be cash or charge?"

     Joe retrieved his charge card from his handbag and handed it to the
woman.  He carried the hanger with the dress and the bag with the accessories
as he and Jay continued down the mall walkway.

     "Are you just going to buy everything you see?" Jay teased as they walked
along.

     "Not everything." Joe replied. "But I've decided...If I want something,
I'm going to get it."

     "Hey, I don't blame you." Jay agreed. "You look good in this stuff, and
If you want to wear it, why not?  I think Honeybone is willing to cover it,
and I guess you'll be needing stuff like this if you're going to stay like you
are."

     "Don't I know it." Joe said.  "It seems I'm always finding something else
that I don't have and that I need."

     They went along the walkway, looking in the stores, and stopping every
now and then to let Joe examine something closely, or to try it on.  Usually,
he ended up buying it and before long, both of them were burdened with
packages.

     "Do we have to go back to the rooms and unload, are will you be finished
soon?" Jay asked his friend.

     "I guess we have enough." Joe said.  "For today anyway.  Don't you just
love that white dress?"

     Jay looked at his pal.  Joe seemed to be turning into a real shopaholic.

     "Yeah, it's real nice." Jay said.

     They slowly made the trek back to the hotel rooms.  On the way they
discussed how they would spend the rest of the afternoon and evening.  Jay
wanted to play racquetball, and Joe agreed.  He really didn't have any real
urge to play, since he knew he felt he was no longer competitive with his
friend, but he did need the exercize.

     Alone in his room, Joe changed clothes again, this time to stretchy lycra
exercize wear.  The skin-tight garments felt great to wear, and he liked the
way he looked, but they were body hugging, and he was too embarrassed to leave
the room. Although the running bra minimized his new breasts and stopped
everything from bouncing, he still pulled a contrasting crop-top over his
head. Next, he stepped into a pair of nylon running shorts. His hair was still
too short to really get into his eyes, but he slipped on the matching head
band anyway.  Joe topped it all off with the terry cloth cover-up.

     He took his new gym bag, with the new smaller racket, and placed it on
the bed, then lie next to it to wait for Jay's knock on the door.

                           ************************* 

--
Archive-name: Changes/bates31.txt
Archive-author: 
Archive-title: Joe Bates' Story- 31


     They didn't speak as they rode the elevator the five floors to the rooms.
Jay held Joe's hand firmly, and Joe walked close to him.  Joe felt strange
acting subordinate to Jay, but at the same time he experienced an oddly
comforting feeling of safety.  Jay wasn't really that much larger, but he was
stronger than Joe.  Before the change, it was Joe who had been the bigger and
stronger.  Not anymore.  It was a hard thing for both to get accustomed to.

     When they reached the hallway, Joe stopped at the door to his room and
fished his key from his pants' pocket.  Jay nervously watched as Joe opened
the door, then followed him inside.

     Joe could feel his heart pound as he slowly walked to the opposite end of
the room.  He had been at this point a few times before, the awkward start of
a possible night of sex, but never in this position.  He looked at Jay, who
stood self conciously at the other side of the bed.

     "Lighten up, Jay." Joe said. "You know I'm not going to bite."

     "It isn't very easy doing this, Joe." Jay responded. "We were buddies."

     "I thought we still are." Joe responded.

     "Buddies don't usually get into bed together." Jay countered.

     "Hey, if you don't want to do this, I understand." Joe said, smiling.
"God knows, you can probably hear my heart from where your standing."

     "No. I can't." Jay said. "But then, mine might explode at any minute.  I
know I've been teasing you all day... and I think I meant it too, but now... I
just don't know if I can go through with this."

     "I know." Joe said. "I find myself wondering why I would even want to get
in the same bed with you too.  I must be absolutely going nuts." He grinned at
Jay.

     "Let's just see what's on television." Joe continued.  "We can lay here
and watch that, and forget about all this sex crap."

     "You really think that'll be possible?" Jay asked."

     "Probably not. But if something else transpires, what the heck." Joe
grinned mischievously.

     Joe went to the television set and snapped it on.  He pointed to the
remote control fastened to the stand between the beds.

     "See if you can find something good." Joe said. "I'm going to hit the
can."

     He went into the bathroom.  As he peed, he thought about the birth
control sponge and wondered if he should try one on, just in case.

     He retrieved one from his shaving kit and examined it.  Wrapped in it's
protective wrapper it looked sort of like a tiny catcher's mitt.  He ripped
open the plastic and held it by the little tab.  This looks too big to put
inside me, he thought.

     He remembered how he thought the same thing about Jay, and how easy that
went.  He carefully read the instructions on the little paper. Using toilet
tissue, he dried then stood up.  With jeans and underwear around his ankles,
he bent to a squatting position and looked down at his crotch.

     Everything is so much easier with a penis, he thought to himself.

     With his left hand, he spread the sides of the opening and probed around
with the ring finger of his right hand. When he located the exact position of
his vaginal orifice, he took the little sponge, carefully held it as the
directions said, and placed it inside.  Using his index finger, he adjusted
the contraceptive until it was in a location he hoped was covering the cervix.
Though he had explored himself, he had never probed this new part of his body
quite this way before, and it came as a surprize when he actually touched his
cervix with his finger.  It was just another confirmation of the extent of
what had happened.  There actually was a cervix in there, just like in the
picture.  Not only had his external appearance become female but, like the
doctors had said, his internal organs were changed too.  If there was a cervix
in there, there surely had to be a uterus. If he had a uterus, it was only a
matter of time before he would ovulate, then menstruate.  If he did that,
well... He hoped the sponge performed as advertised.  He wasn't ready to try
everything his body might now be capable of.  Not yet anyway.

     With the sponge inserted, Joe stood up.  He examined his reflection in
the mirror.  He couldn't see anything new, it all looked the same.  Everything
was completely hidden inside his body.  He was somewhat surprized that he
couldn't really feel anything either.  He tensed the muscles down there and
confirmed it.  Other than a strange residual feeling from having just probed
around down there, stretching things with his fingers, he felt nothing
different at all.  He realized that his fingers were a wet with his juices.
He held them under the sink and quickly dried his hands on a towel.

     Joe pulled the diminutive panty to his hips, then raised and buttoned his
jeans.  He pulled the sweatshirt back down and examined his appearance in the
mirror.  He decided to give his disheveled hair a quick brush.  With that, he
went back out to where Jay was resting on the bed watching TV.

     "What's on?" Joe asked.

     "Well, Showtime has a comedy special, and HBO is showing Memphis Bell."
Jay said.

     Without looking at the screen, Joe could tell from the 40's big band
sound that Jay was watching the story of flying in world war two.  He had seen
it before, at the movies and also on television.  It was worth watching again.
But right now, his mind wasn't on airplanes, movies, or TV.

     Joe lay down on the other double bed, and then got up again and pulled
the spread away, leaving only the bare sheets.  Jay apparently was trying his
best to keep his attention on the small screen.

     Joe removed his Reeboks and socks, then, leaving his clothes on, he
dropped back on the pillows.

     He tried his best to get interested in the movie, but soon the warm room
and the heavy sweatshirt began to feel uncomfortable.  It also gave him an
idea.

     Without saying anything, Joe sat up and pulled the sweatshirt over his
head, placing it at the edge of the bed.  He watched Jay's reaction out of the
corner of his eye.  He raised his arms over his head and stretched,
emphasizing his new breasts as much as he could.  He knew the shiny little
black bra made his new shape look its best, and he could tell Jay was
transfixed, watching his every move.  He pawed his left breast as if
scratching an imaginary itch.  Joe found it was actually sort of fun to play
this little game and discover Jay reaction.  It was quite exciting being the
tease. He lay back on the pillow to let the bait work.

     At first it seemed that Jay was just going to lie there, doing nothing.
Joe began to feel embarrassment, as if he had just been caught dressing in
drag.  But soon he saw his actions had the desired effect.

     "You look pretty good laying there." Jay said simply.

     "Thanks." Joe said, attempting a demure smile. "That big sweatshirt was
just too hot.  You don't mind, do you?"

     "Heck no." Jay said with uncharacteristic abandon.  "I like it."

     "I do too." Joe said, momentarily sitting up.  "It's kinda funny.  I
thought it would be embarrassing to wear stuff like this, but actually, it's
worse without it.  I mean... the boobs are always there." He shook his chest
provocatively, making his breasts sway slightly.

     Jay watched his friend flaunt his new software.  Joe did look so fine.

     You make it difficult to watch the movie, when you sit there like that."
Jay said.

     "I'm sorry. Do you want me to wear a shirt?" Joe teased.

     "Not at all." Jay answered. "You look beautiful like that."

     "Yeah? Really?" Joe asked.  "I mean... I know I don't compare with Barb,
that's for sure."

     Barb was Jay's current girl friend.  She was rather well endowed.  Joe
had his first glimpse at her generous assets when they had changed clothes
together in Linda's bedroom, some days ago.

     Jay's face showed a look of surprise and then humor.

     "What's this... Do I detect that you're jealous of Barb?" Jay questioned.

     "No. I'm not jealous." Joe objected.  "I'm just wondering how you think I
compare.  I can't even attempt to judge myself that way, but I guess I would
like to know."

     "Well, you are different than Barb, that's for sure." Jay said.  "But I
like the difference.  Sure, you haven't got quite as much on top as she does,
but... like you said yourself, you're still growing." He laughed.


     "But do I look like a REAL girl to you?" Joe questioned. "I mean, I know
I'm kind of female looking... sort of... but do I really look like a woman to
you...  a real woman?" Joe wanted to know.  His confidence in his ability to
pass in his newly adapted gender needed bolstering.

     "Joe, I don't think you look like anything BUT a woman." Jay said.  "What
are you worried about?"

     "Damn it Jay... I guess I don't know." Joe said.  "I realize that I
probably won't ever be male again... and I guess I'm trying my best to get
used to the whole idea.  But I don't feel like a woman.  Hell, I don't know
what a female is supposed to feel like... maybe I really do, and don't even
realize it.  But if I'm going to live like this, I need to know what you, and
others, really think."

     "Look at yourself." Jay admonished.  "You remember what women look like.
You said yourself you saw three of them undress right in front of you, just
this afternoon.  You can answer the question better than I can."

     Jay, I know what I see, but when I look at myself... I can still see the
male me.  I mean... Sure I can see the differences... But, I feel like it's
just me with female parts added... (he grinned) Or with my male parts
missing."

     "OK." Jay ordered.  "Stand up."

     "Stand up?" Joe looked at him.

     "Stand up, and walk around to the front of the bed." Jay said, clicking
the light on bright.

     Joe went to the foot of the single beds. He stood there in jeans and bra,
with his hands held clasped in front of him.  Jay looked him over critically,
saying nothing for about almost a minute.

     "Off with the Levi's." Jay commanded.

     Joe gave him a confused look and then smiled shyly.

     "Come on, off with the Levi's." He repeated.

     Obediently, Joe unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them down.  He stepped
out of them, retrieved his sweatshirt, and placed both on the dresser.  When
he turned around, Jay saw the thong back underwear.

     "Turn around." Jay ordered.

     Joe did a slow three-sixty.  He looked at Jay, the shy smile still on his
face.

     "You wear clothes like that, and you still say you're unsure of you're
sexuality?" Jay asked.  "I'm sure you look better, and more female, than at
least ninety percent of the women in this place, that's for sure."

     "So you like it, huh?" Joe asked, making his hip jut out in a mockingly
sexy pose.

     "Sure.  Black really looks good on you." Jay said.

     "Yeah, I think I like it too." Joe agreed.  "Who would have thought I'd
ever be standing in front of you, or anybody, wearing stuff like this?" Joe
wondered allowed.

     "It's hard to believe you were ever a guy." Jay agreed.  "I know I've
asked you this before, but... what's it feel like to have your body changed
like that?"

     Joe looked into Jay's eyes and grinned mischievously.

     "Well, right now...  it kind of itches." Joe answered, using his
fingernails on both sides of his pubic area at the edge of the panty's narrow
crotch band.  "I think there's a little stubble there.  I haven't trimmed it
for a while"

     "Do you want me to scratch it?" Jay offered.

     Joe grinned nervously.

     "I thought you'd never ask." He said, in his best Madonna imitation..

     "Get your butt over here then." Jay ordered.

     Joe went slowly to where Jay was sitting. Jay reached out and put his
hand on Joe's hip, then ran it down his soft, bare backside.

     "You are so soft and smooth." Jay remarked.  "You feel like a teenager."

     "Have you been feeling up any teenagers lately?"" Joe asked teasingly.

     Jay grinned.

     "It's true, Joe." Jay continued. "I think your skin is softer now than
even a few days ago."

     "That's what I've been telling you." Joe said. "I'm still changing.  I
can feel it happening. I guess it's the hormones or something, I don't know."

     "Well, what ever it is, it looks and feels great." Jay said.

     "Unless your the guy who's body it's happening too, that is. Then it
takes on a whole different aspect." Joe reminded.

     "Yeah, I guess it would at that." Jay agreed.  "But my god, it's just so
amazing... you're so beautiful."

     "Do you know how hard it is to think of yourself as beautiful?" Joe
asked.

     "I'm sorry." Jay said. "But you really are. The change is phenomenal.
The way your voice has changed, you even sound like a woman."

     "Yeah.  But with no balls comes no muscles." Joe reminded him, rubbing
his palm over his pubic area, as if to emphasize the difference. "I was
playing as hard as I could, but you walked all over me today."

     Jay moved his hand away from stroking Joe's smooth buttock, and placed it
on the black nylon covering his genital area.  He could feel Joe's pubic hair
through the soft cloth..  The gentle touch felt great to Joe, and he stood
still, with his eyes closed, taking in the sensation.


     It's a shame." Jay said. "To look so fine, and still want to be a hairy
guy again." He smiled at Joe in a kind of condescending way.

     Joe put his somewhat smaller hand over Jay's, and slowly guided jay's
fingers over the outside his underwear around his pubic mound. Then he moved
his legs apart slightly and moved Jay's fingers to the softness between them.

     "What does that feel like to you?" Joe asked.

     "What does it feel like?" Jay repeated.  "What do you mean, what does it
feel like?"

     "Just what I said." Joe asked again. "You're touching me.  What does it
feel like?"

     "I don't know... What do you want me to say?" Jay stammered.

     "Does it feel like you're touching a woman? " Joe asked. "Does it feel
like you're rubbing a pussy?"

     Jay looked up at Joe. He was sitting on the bed, and Joe was standing
beside it.

     "Well, yeah, I guess it does.  It does.  It feels like I'm touching a...
a female sexual organ." Jay said clinically.

     "Well, I feel it too." Joe said.  But do you know what it feels like to
me?"

     Without waiting for Jay to respond, he continued.

     "I hope this don't turn you off, but it feels like you just ran you're
fingers along my cock, and now you're touching my balls." Joe said. "That's
what it feels like to me."

     "Really?" Jay exclaimed, moving his hand away. "It feels like that?"

     "Yeah." Joe said. "Does that help you understand what it's like to be
like this... To have everybody start thinking of you as a woman, just because
you look like one?"

     "Gee. I'm sorry Joe... I never knew... I thought you wanted to do this...
I mean... I said I only wanted to if you did." Jay apologized.

     "That's the second paradox." Joe continued.  "My body looks female, but I
feel male, and yet... female too... I guess.  But even though I usually think
of myself as a guy... still male, I'm starting to have these thoughts...
these urges...  It makes me wonder if maybe I'm really homosexual or at least,
bisexual."

     "I think you're trying to tell me that you're starting to notice men, and
you don't know what you should do about it." Jay summarized.


     "Yeah.  I think maybe that's what I'm trying to say." Joe agreed. "It's
so confusing."

     "Let's see." Jay said. "You've undergone this change... You're body looks
female.  It still feels male, but also female.  You think of yourself as male,
but at the same time, you're starting to acquire an interest in men.  Does
that sum it up?"

     Joe looked at his pal.

     "Yeah, I guess maybe that's the problem." He agreed.

     "Humm... You've said that it you feel it isn't likely that they'll figure
out some way to get you back... and make you look male again." Jay was
speaking methodically.  "It looks to me like what's happening is probably the
best thing for you.  I mean... If you have to live as a woman, wouldn't you
want to be heterosexual?"

     "I guess I do." Joe said, without conviction. "But what about Linda?"

     "What about her?" Jay asked.  "In you're present state, why not just
think of her as a friend?  With your body like this, I'd say you have little
need for her in bed, wouldn't you?" Jay had begun rhythmically moving his
fingers between Joe's legs.  His action was making concentrating on what they
were saying to each other very difficult.

     "Do you know what she wants to do?" Joe asked.  She wants me to help her
use the machine to make her male."

     "Linda wants to be a man?" Jay said in amazement. "Why would she want to
do that?"

     "I think because she's in love with me." Joe said simply.  "I think
because she realizes that I can't love her like I want to, and she can't give
me what I need.  The other night I told her that I might not mind staying this
way, and the next day she told me she wanted to be a guy."

     "Can they make her one?" Jay asked.  It was a strange question, but with
what had happened already, not unreasonable.

     "As far as I know, If the machine could masculinize her, it could change
us back too." Joe explained. "I don't have an answer for that right now."

     If she was a guy, would you... could you feel the same about her?" Jay
questioned.

     "That's a hard question." Joe considered. "I mean... I do love her, but I
don't know if I'd want to me married to her this way... not as her WIFE."

     "What about sometime." Jay continued.  "Would you consider being a wife,
sometime?"

     Joe looked at the wall, deep in thought.

     "I'm young.  I'd hate to think I'll have to spend the rest of my life
alone.  I mean I was just planning to settle down and marry Linda... But to
get married... like this, as a woman, to become a wife, maybe get pregnant,
have babies... God Jay, it's too early to think about stuff like that.  I'm
still having to remember to sit when I pee." Joe laughed as he voiced the last
sentence.

     "Is it too early to think about trying out the new equipment?" Jay asked,
giving Joe's crotch a squeeze.  He could tell Joe was enjoying his actions
since the little black panties were becoming quite damp.

     Joe looked down at Jay.  It was so strange.  It seemed he was slowly
being overcome by an intense desire to make Jay feel good.  He was finding
that the sex urge manifested itself much different now.  Before, the main
interest was to get his penis inside his partner's vagina.  Now it was all
much more subtle.  He could still detect a strong feeling of desire emanating
from his genitalia, but it was different.

     "No. I think I could use the practice, don't you." Joe teased.  His urge
to get down to business was overcoming his embarrassment.

     "What do you suggest we do?" Jay said.

     Jay was lying on the bed, but he was still fully clothed.  He had slipped
his shoes off, so Joe reached down and pulled his socks off, running his
fingers along the soles of Jay's feet at he did so.

     "Loosen that belt." Joe said.

     Jay did as he was told, and helped as Joe pulled his trousers off. Joe
dropped them on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed next to Jay.  He
began unbuttoning Jay's shirt, and Jay reached up and fondled Joe's breasts.
Joe gently pushed his hand away.

     "You can look, but don't touch." Joe said softly.  He knew that if he
held Jay off, his interest would peak even higher.  When he had Jay's shirt
unbuttoned, with Jays assistance, he removed it and placed it with his
trousers.

     Now Jay lay on the bed wearing only royal blue jockey shorts.  Joe looked
at his friend's crotch, where his erection strained at the cotton fabric. He
was finding it difficult to accept that he could actually want to touch
another man's penis.

     "My goodness." Joe said in mock surprise.  "What do we have here?"

     He placed his hand on the bulge at Jay's crotch.  He gingerly wrapped his
fingers around Jay's manhood and then softly squeezed.  It amazed him how hard
the thing was.  Only a week, and already I can't remember what a real hard-on
feels like, he thought to himself.

     Jay closed his eyes as Joe stroked his penis with one hand and ran his
soft fingers through the hair of his chest with the other.  Maybe Joe was
really a guy and all that, but he looked so good, and smelled so good.  His
hands were so soft too, and he knew exactly what kind of touch felt good to a
guy.  He reached out and put his hand around Joe's back, feeling the strap of
his bra.  He ran his fingers along the strap, hunting for the catch.  It took
a moment, but Joe finally realized what he was trying to do.

     "It opens here." Joe said, reaching between the cups.  

     With one hand, he easily worked the little clasp and the bra separated,
exposing his breasts.

     Jay reached around and fondled one, then the other.  Joe worked his arms
out of the bra and let it fall onto the bed.

     "God, I never thought I'd be doing this." Joe said, as he looked down at
his bare breasts.  "Much less that I'd even want to."

     "What's the matter?" Jay asked.  "Am I doing something you don't like?"

     "No. Not at all. Not at all." Joe answered. "Quite the opposite. I can't
believe how much I'm enjoying what you're doing."

     "Your boobs are fantastic." Jay complimented.  "I can't believe how firm
they feel."

     "I guess that's because they're so new." Joe said matter-of-factly.

     "Yeah, maybe so." Jay agreed. "They're a week old now, aren't they."

     Joe moved his hand which was stroking the light hair on Jay's chest down
until he came the band of his jockey shorts.  He slowly slipped his fingers
under the elastic and felt around until he found what he was looking for.
Using only the tips of his fingers, he rubbed the bottom side of Jay's organ
and as he did, he felt Jay tense up as he experienced the intense feeling.

     While Joe was pleasuring Jay, Jay was softly stroking his breasts.  Joe
continued to sit beside him on the bed while Jay lay back on the pillows.
Both wanted to do more, but were too self conscious to proceed faster.  They
continued until Jay spoke.

     "If you keep that up I'm going to come real soon." Jay was almost
gasping.

     Joe looked at him.  He wasn't sure if it would be best to let him, or to
stop what the was doing and try something else.  It was easy to forget that
even though his own sexual endurance had changed, Jay's still followed the
male pattern.

     "Do you want to?" Joe asked.

     "Well, if you want to get down to business, don't use it all up like
this." Jay said.

     "I want to make you feel good." Joe responded. "But I don't think I'm
ready yet."

     "Lay down here." Jay said.

     As Joe lay down on the bed, Jay got up and knelt next to him.  He began
to stroke Joe's flat stomach and continued to fondle his breasts.  After a few
minutes of that, with Joe just lying back with his eyes closed, Jay touched
Joe's genital area.

     He was still wearing panties, but the thin material only seemed to help
make the sensation feel even better.  Joe opened his legs to give Jay better
access.  It wasn't long before he was moving his hips along with Jay's hand.

     "May I take these off?" Jay asked, pulling Joe's panties down a little."

     "Sure." Joe breathed.  "What ever you want."

     Jay slowly and carefully slid the little black panties down Joe's smooth
legs.  As he did that, he would sometimes stop and massage the soft skin of
Joe's legs.  When he had them off, his attention turned to Joe's crotch.

     He first ran his finger tips along the little folds, which by now had
spread open and were oozing with natural lubricant.  As he touched Joe, his
hips would rise to meet him, and it was plain that Joe was now quite sensitive
in this area.

     "Does this feel good?" Jay asked.

     "Hell yes." Joe said urgently. "It's fantastic."

     As he fondled Joe, Jay examined his pals changed body.  It was amazing
just how feminine he had become.  Except for possibly somewhat wider shoulders
than most women, there was no real evidence that Joe had ever been a man.  He
looked at Joe's genitalia.  Maybe the clitoris was a little more obvious than
some he had seen, but the transformation from male to female appearance was
total.  As Joe had been telling him, his pelvis had acquired a feminine shape,
with hip bones and pelvic bone protruding from a quite flat belly.  Joe's
pubic hair had even assumed the female pattern of a narrow "V", with the top
edge bordering the top of his prominent pubic bone, and from there, a very
narrow strip continued down, between hairless legs.  He could tell that Joe
had trimmed the hair, and when he ran his fingers along the area between cleft
and leg, he could feel a slight stubble.  Jay's face was less than a foot away
from Joe's crotch, and he could detect the sweet, musky scent of an aroused
female.  There was no doubt about it, Joe was all woman now, whether he felt
like one, or not.

     Jay looked at Joe's face.  Joe was laying there with his eyes closed, his
features drawn into a strange grimace.  It was obvious to Jay that his
manipulations were very pleasurable to his pal.  His gaze went back down at
Joe's lower body.  Spreading them, and then moving between Joe's legs, Jay put
his face on Joe's crotch.  He even tasted good.  He began to tease Joe with
his lips and tongue, and as he did Joe instinctively moved his hips, trying to
maneuver his most sensitive parts to Jay's tongue.  After about two minutes of
this, Jay felt Joe's legs tense up and his hips raise off the bed.  Then he
dropped back to the bed.

     "Did you come already?" Jay asked, even though the answer was obvious.

     "God, yeah." Joe breathed.  "How about going inside?" He pleaded.

     "Sure." Jay said. "Give me a minute." He got up and started to go to his
room."

     "Where are you going?" Joe asked.

     "I came prepared this time." Jay said, a big satisfied grin on his face.

     "Get back here." Joe said. "And sit down."

     Joe sat up in bed.  His body desperately yearned to have Jay, but he did
his best to speak.

     "You've been tested for HIV, haven't you?" Joe asked.

     "You know I have." Jay answered. "We both have."

     "Well then, unless you have any objection, let's not use a rubber." Joe
suggested.

     "But I thought you were so worried about getting pregnant." Jay
questioned.  "Do you know something I don't."

     Joe grinned seductively.

     "Maybe I was." He said. "No, I still have to worry about that, I guess,
but I've got something else to try."

     "Have you ever seen those commercials on TV about that contraceptive
sponge?" Joe asked.

     "Yeah, sure." Jay answered. "I think I have."

     "Well, I bought some." Joe continued. "If you don't mind, I'd like to try
this without a rubber."

     "Any reason?" Jay asked.

     "I know how it feels for a guy to do it wearing a rubber... it's not as
good.  I wonder if the same thing is true for me this way." Joe explained.

     "You're right about that." Jay agreed. "What's the old saying... like
taking a shower wearing a rain coat?"

     "Something like that." Joe agreed.  "Anyway, I bought some of those
little sponges, I've got one on now.  I can't even feel its in there."

     "If you're willing, I'm willing, and ready." Jay said, pointing to his
rock hard erection.  Just looking at Joe's attractive body was keeping it
stiff as a poker.

     Joe lay back and moved his legs apart.

     "Come on down." He said sexily.

     Jay went to the bed and lay down next to Joe.  Joe reached for Jay's
appendage and gave it a gentle squeeze.  Not too gentle.

     With that, Jay moved on top of Joe's body and Joe, his inhibitions
overcome by desire, maneuvered Jay's hardness into the soft wetness between
his own legs.  When he found the right spot, Jay came down with one good
thrust and went all the way in.

     "Oooh." Joe moaned softly.  "God, that feels good."

     "Glad you like it." Jay said as he began to slowly move in and out.  "You
feel great to me too."

     "Just keep doing it, but move real slow." Joe commanded.  "Move real
slow."

     Jay did as ordered, slowing down so that it took maybe a full minute for
one in and out cycle.

     Joe closed his eyes and savored the feeling.  Sometimes he would flex his
crotch muscles, as if trying to tightly grip this wonderfully hard, yet
velvety smooth thing inside him.  Whenever he did it, he could tell Jay could
feel it too, because he would stop moving and tense up slightly.  It was a
strange thing.  As a man, he had always felt he was the one in control of the
lovemaking situation.  Now that he found himself on the other side, he still
felt that he had the upper hand.  He was thinking about this when he felt Jay
tense up, then begin to pump furiously.  He was obviously ejaculating.  Joe
could feel Jay's penis begin to jerk the familiar way it did when he
ejaculated.  Joe remembered the feeling of ejaculation, wondering if he would
ever experience it again.  Can't have it both ways, he knew.

     Joe wrapped his arms and legs around Jay as his friend continued to
writhe in pleasure from his orgasm.  Joe tried to imagine the little sperm
which had just entered his body.  They weren't his sperm, they were Jay's, and
they were instinctively looking for an egg to fertilize.  His egg.  He hoped
the little catcher's mitt and the spermicide in it did the job it was designed
to do.

     After a few moments, Jay withdrew, and lay next to Joe.  They were both
temporarily exhausted from the exertion.  Joe looked over at Jay, and began to
run his fingers through the hair on his friends chest.

     "God, that was good Jay." Joe said.  "Much better even than last time."

     "So you like it?" Jay asked. "Do you want to stay that way?  What if they
can make you male again?"

     "I don't know." Joe said, looking up at the ceiling.  "I realize that
there's a chance I might have to choose, but I don't know what I'd want to do.
I seem to oscillate between feeling sorry for myself about what happened, to
just loving to be this way.  Right now, I don't think I've ever felt better in
my life."

     "Well, one things obvious, you've never looked any better, that's for
sure." Jay said teasingly.

     Joe moved his hand from Jay's chest to his crotch.  He pulled playfully
on Jay's penis as he gazed into Jay's eyes.

     "I guess I'm a victim of these new genes and hormones." Joe said. "Thanks
for helping me adjust to it."

     "What are you talking about?" Jay objected. "You know it's my pleasure...
And I mean that literally."

     Joe grinned.

     "No, I mean it." He said. "It's all been kind of embarrassing for me, but
you've been really nice about it."

     "Hey, once I get over the idea of who you were, it's very easy being
around you." Jay said. "I told you the other day that I thought I was
beginning to feel different about you... Do you know what I'm trying to say?"
He stammered.

     "Yeah... Maybe I do." Joe agreed. "But... its one thing to play around
like this, I mean... I was curious... you were curious... but, I don't know
about anything else.  I mean... we're really both guys... under the skin,
anyway."

     Jay ran his finger along Joe's left breast, stopping at his pink nipple,
and then making a circle around it.

     "Maybe UNDER the skin you are, old pal, but your skin is all woman." Jay
said.  "You've gotta admit that."

     "But you're still all man." Joe teased, pumping Jay's erection, which
caused it to assume its previous stiffness."

     "Do you mind if I put this to use?" Joe asked, trying to make his voice
sound as seductive as he could.

     "What's with you?" Jay asked, grinning. "You look so young and innocent,
but you act just as horny as you were before."

     Joe felt his face begin to flush with embarrassment.

     "I told you, it's still me, no matter what I look like." Joe said. "I
can't help it, it all feels so good, why not just enjoy it?"

     "I guess that's what I like about you." Jay said. "A girl who thinks just
like a guy."

     "I prefer to think of myself as a guy who looks like a woman." Joe said,
twisting Jay's penis.

     "Whichever way you want, you're simply beautiful." Jay said, moving onto
Joe again.

     They continued into the night until Joe found he had become too sore to
continue.  Then they fell asleep, with Joe snuggling in Jay's arms, and Jay
relishing the closeness of Joe's soft body.  Neither bothered to set an alarm,
or phone in a wake-up call.  There would be plenty of time to make the
appointment in the morning.

                              ####################
--
     Joe was awakened by the sun streaming into the window of his
hotel room.  It took a moment, but soon felt the arm which
encircled him, and the hand which held one of his bare breasts.  He
remembered...  Jay was still with him.

     Slowly and quietly he pulled the sheet away from his body the
best he could.  Jay was snuggling up close against him.  He could
feel his warmth.  He could also feel something, probably Jay's limp
penis, gently poking him in the rear.

     Joe enjoyed the warm secure feeling of lying in Jay's arms. 
It was easy to understand why women liked doing that.  It felt so
safe.  As he lay there, he looked at his chest.  Jay had his hand
cupped over Joe's left breast.  He could even smell Jay's cologne. 
Joe couldn't remember ever smelling it before now.  It seemed his
nose, like most of his other senses, had become so much more acute
with the change.  Then again, he had really never been this close
to Jay before either.

     He thought about last night.  They had gone to bed quite
early, but Joe figured that he probably had no more than four hours
of sleep.  They spent the night together, experimenting sexually in
all kinds of ways.  They fondled each other, hugging, eventually
even kissing, that initiated by Jay, who probably started it
from habit, but Joe found his body responding to it as they both
adjusted to a quite different relationship.

     They must have engaged in intercourse at least five or six
times.  Joe had quickly lost count.  The sensations he experienced,
once he overcame the self consciousness of acting the new gender
role, could only be described as extremely satisfying.  Joe
couldn't help but be amazed at Jay's stamina.  Jay had gone out of
his way to do everything necessary to make Joe climax, and Joe
quickly lost track of how many times he had done so.  Jay had also
experienced orgasm many times, usually while inside Joe.  They
acted like a honeymooning couple, continuing until Joe simply hurt
too much to continue.  He had worn the sensitive skin of his body
sore.

     Joe reached down to feel between his legs.  He was still wet
there, and the extent of his previous excitement was obvious
by the dampness of the sheet under his butt, but now he could feel
only sore tenderness when he stroked his sensitive pubic area.  It
really stung.  No more messing around for a while, he decided.

     He retrieved his wristwatch from the night stand.  Holy Cow!
It was after eight o'clock.  He had to be at the doctor's office by
ten.  That gave them less than two hours to get ready and get over
there.

     Joe moved Jay's hand from his chest and quickly got out of
bed.  All the moving around woke his sleeping pal.

     "What's up?" Jay asked.

     "Get up." Joe insisted.  "It's past eight o'clock.  I have to
be there at ten."

     "We can make it," Jay said, still half asleep.  "Let's screw
again one more time."

     "Forget it.  We don't have time, and even if we did, I'm too
sore.  I'll be lucky if I can even sit without hurting."

     Jay grinned at his pal.  "No kidding?  I made you sore? 
What's that feel like?"

     "It hurts," Joe said, showing his irritation.  "Trust me, I
wish I could share the pain."  Embarrassed, he shyly rubbed his
pubic area, being careful not to touch the sensitive parts.

     "I have to shower and decide on what to wear." Joe said,
mainly to himself, as Jay slowly sat up in bed.

     "Can we do that together?  It might be fun."

     "Yeah, maybe it would.  But we don't have time to find out. 
You get in your own room and let me get ready."

     Jay looked at Joe.  It was obvious that he had become
strangely enthralled with his old buddy now that he had acquired
the appearance of a beautiful woman.  "You want me to leave?" he
asked incredulously.

     "I think you got the idea.  It was fun, and maybe we can do it
again, but now get out of here so I can get dressed."

     Jay gathered his clothes, not putting anything on.  Joe, also
still nude, watched as his pal picked up his clothes where they
were strewn about, mesmerized with how Jay's partially erect penis
bobbed around as he walked.  He realized that he couldn't remember
ever seeing another naked man standing or walking with a hard-on
until right now.

     Jay looked over and saw Joe staring at his erection.  He
grinned, then his face began to redden.  "What are you looking at?"
he asked, embarrassed by being the object of such obvious interest
by his friend.

     "Nothing.  Not much any way."  Joe grinned at Jay's shyness. 
It was good to see him feeling embarrassed for a change.

     Jay gathered up all his clothes and went to his room.  He
didn't close the door.  Joe looked at the open door, wondering if
he should close it, then decided to leave it open.

     He went to his clothes bag and rummaged through it.  He was
looking for more underwear.  He found a pair of light blue cotton
hip-hugger panties.  He had never worn them before.  He held them
up, examining the tiny scalloped edge of the waist and leg
openings.  It wasn't lace of course, but the trim was more feminine
than on most of his new underwear, with the inscription "Jockey for
Her" encircling the narrow white waistband.  By now, Joe was
completely accustomed to wearing female clothes, but, just as
before the change, he still didn't like lacy undergarments.  He
found he did enjoy the feel of nylon and silk against his skin. 
The blue cotton panties were just plain everyday underwear.  The
scalloped elastic and maybe the light blue color were the only
concession to femininity.

     Joe had only one bra he had not already worn this trip.  It
was the other flesh-tone, seamless cup, front hook, underwire.  Joe
pulled it from the small tangle of things in the bag.  He now liked
the secure feel of a bra, but he still felt uncomfortable when he
had to select one to wear.  It was like having to admit to himself
that he now had breasts.  He did.  He knew he did.  Sometimes he
even somewhat enjoyed the fact that he did.  But he didn't like to
admit it, even to himself.

     Taking underwear in hand, Joe went into the bathroom, closed
the door and started the shower running.  While he waited for the
water to reach a comfortable temperature, he used the toilet.  He
was a little surprised to discover that his overused bottom didn't
hurt when he peed.

     Joe was in a hurry, so he quickly showered.  He dried off,
slipped the underwear on and applied makeup as carefully as he
could.  Everything was getting much easier, but he was still not
very good at it.  He had already decided it was best to err on the
side of too little rather than too much with regards to makeup, but
it was hard to determine when everything was as good as he could
make it.  It took so long to get ready, he thought.  Much easier
when he just had to shower, shave, and brush his short hair into
approximate position.  It was a lot harder now, trying to look like
a "together woman," as Linda called it.

     When he thought he looked as good as he could, he put all his
things into his new cosmetic case and took everything into the
bedroom.  He was surprised to find Jay, already dressed, sitting on
his bed.  He had the black panties in his hand, examining then. 
Joe looked at his pal, who held out the tiny underpants.

     "I just can't believe what's happened to you." Jay said.  "I
mean I know it's you, but you...  To be wearing stuff like this,
and then looking so good when you do..."

     "How do you think I should handle it?" Joe asked, his face
reddening with embarrassment.  "Should I continue wearing guy
stuff?"  He took the panties from Jay, balled them up and put them
in his bag.

     "No.  I sure don't think you should do that.  Besides, I can
see it wouldn't fit you now anyway."  Jay grinned, leering at Joe's
feminine form the one over as he stood in bra and little blue
panties.

     The look on Jay's face embarrassed Joe.  Sometimes, when
everything was right, he actually enjoyed being an object of lust. 
But other times, it was just an embarrassment.  This was one of
those times.  "Take a last look if you want, but then get back in
your own room," Joe insisted.  "Get your bags ready to go."

     "I've got them all packed.  I've been waiting for you."

     "Damn it Jay, get over in your own room.  I need a little
privacy once in a while."

     "Ok.  Ok.  I'll leave." Jay said.  "I'll even close the door. 
Knock when you're decent, ma'am," he teased, as he closed the door.

     Joe had to smile as he thought about his pal.  Had the roles
were reversed, he would probably have acted the same.  He and Jay
had been so close, closer than brothers really, it was difficult
for either of them to adapt to this changing relationship.  Joe, of
course, had the added difficulty of having to adjust to a quite
different status and developing appreciation of men, as well as
discovering his own reactions to his newly formed womanhood.  For
Jay, he faced the dilemma of feeling sorry for what happened to his
best friend, as well as being enthralled with Joe's beautiful
metamorphosis and subsequent clumsy adaptation to femininity.

     Going to the hangers, Joe looked at one of the new dresses he
bought yesterday.  It was an ivory colored wrap dress, made of an
almost silky fabric.  Joe loved the feel.  It looked spectacular
too, he thought.  Not too sexy, and it felt great to wear.  It was
easy to put on, too, since it had no zippers up the back like so
many of the other clothes he tried.  He took the dress from the
hanger and laid it on the bed.  He dug out the black panty hose and
tugged them on.  Then he pulled on a half slip.  He decided to not
wear anything under the dress on top except a bra, hoping it
wouldn't be too cold outside.  He carefully put the dress on,
watching his reflection in the mirror as he did.  He ran his hands
down his body, feeling the soft curve of his still developing
breasts and hips.  Sometimes, he simply loved what was happening to
his body.  And the fabulous feeling of these clothes...


     Next, Joe gathered up all his clothes and shoes and
everything, putting them in his bag.  When he was finished, he
looked at his watch.  Nine thirty.  If they didn't eat breakfast,
and drove right over to the office, they might make it on time.  He
knocked on the connecting door.  Jay answered immediately.

     "I'm ready to go," Joe told him.  "If you'll take the bags,
I'll check out."  He handed Jay the car keys.

     "Sure.  You want me to carry the heavy stuff," Jay said in
mock protest.

     "I didn't hear you complain when I acted like a girl last
night."

     Jay looked at him, his face turning serious.  "I was serious
about everything I said last night, too," he said solemnly.

     "Ok.  I'll remember that."  He wondered what Jay meant by that
remark.  In the throes of passion, did he miss something his pal
had said?

     Joe quickly settled up with the girl behind the counter.  He
noticed that when he had dealings with women now, they generally
didn't treat him with the same courtesy or respect.  At least
that's the way it seemed.  Of course, to them he was no longer a
handsome young man either.  Women considered him to be one of them. 
It was still very difficult for Joe to consider twenty or thirty
year old women as peers.  As his sex drive changed, and his sexual
preferences adapted to a new anatomy, Joe was beginning to lose
some the sexual desire he had for women.  It wasn't completely
gone, just changing, but he still had difficulty with how they
reacted to him, now that his body was so much like theirs.

     Jay had carried the bags to the car in the basement garage and
already returned to the counter when Joe turned to look for him. 
His friend held out his hand.  Joe eyed it suspiciously, then took
it.  They walked hand in hand to the car, Joe feeling very
self-conscious the whole time.  To anyone watching, they were
simply a couple very much in love.  The happy grin on Jay's face
could have been caused by nothing else.  But for Joe, it was simply
an awkward moment.

     They had ten minutes to reach the doctor's office.  Joe
doubted they could make it on time.  He hoped that there would be
no traffic delays.  He hated to be late.  It was embarrassing
enough, with all that had happened to him, without arriving late,
holding up a busy medical practice.  If he was called and wasn't
there, he figured he'd miss his appointment and have to stay
longer.  Of course, doing that might be fun too...

     Jay drove to the office following Joe's instructions.  When
they arrived, Joe walked in the office with Jay following behind. 
Joe was wearing the pumps with the fairly low heels.  He was glad
he had adapted so well to walking in them, but he was still not
comfortable.  He doubted if he would ever be.

     They sat together in the chairs in the waiting area, after Joe
signed in at the desk.  Joe was only seated about five minutes or
less when the assistant opened the door and called his name.

     "Ms. Joel Bates," the woman said awkwardly.

     Joe wondered if she knew what he was there for as he rose from
his seat and followed the woman into one of the examination rooms.

     "Please be seated."  The woman, who wore a nurse's uniform,
said in a kind voice.  "The doctor will be with you in a moment."

     Joe sat on the armless chair, and looked around the room.  The
tiny room was typical of most examination rooms he had ever been
in.  There was the table, with the white paper cover, and the
little metal stirrup things.  He knew what they were for.  God he
hoped the doc wouldn't want to check him there...  but he knew that
was wishful thinking.  In fact, it was probably the main reason for
being here.  That area was the main item of interest in his body
these days, it seemed.

     There was a quick knock on the door and the doctor immediately
entered.  Joe saw that he was young, probably not much different in
age than he was.  And he was good looking, too.

     "Ms. Bates?" The doctor asked.

     "Please, call me Joe."  Joe's face reddened and his heart
beginning to pound.

     The doctor closed the door.  "My name is Mike Morgan," the
young doctor said.  "Joe, I've read your file and I've got to admit
I find it most interesting."

     "Yeah, I guess a lot of people do.  It's been kind of
interesting for me too sometimes."  Joe smiled thinly.

     "I would think it has.  I suppose you've had to go over it too
many times already, but how about explaining what happened once
more, to me."

     Joe looked at the handsome man.  "Well, last Friday morning,
I woke at the normal time, about six or so...  and when I did, I
realized something was wrong...  different.  My skin felt softer... 
my face...  I usually have some whiskers in the morning...  But my
face was smooth.  I wondered what was going on, and when I sat up,
I realized that my body had changed.  I...  I...  Well, I had these
breasts...  I noticed a strange feeling and I then realized that my
genitals were changed too.  I didn't know what was happening, but
it appeared that my body had changed.  It seemed that I had turned
into a girl."

     "It all happened overnight?" Dr. Morgan asked incredulously.

     "Well, not all of it, I guess.  I think I'm still changing,
even now.  But most of what has happened had already taken place
when I woke up Friday morning.  I sure didn't notice anything
unusual when I went to bed that night."

     "And the others, the same thing has happened to them too?"

     "Basically, I think so.  I don't want to speak for what
happened to the other guys, though."

     "It says here that your body is completely feminized, and that
you now appear to be a completely normal, healthy, woman."

     "I don't know how normal I am," Joe smiled.  "But to the best
of my knowledge, I guess I am female now.  At least my body is
anyway."

     "And how do you feel about that?"

     "What kind of question is that?" Joe thought to himself.  "How
do I feel?" Joe exclaimed.  "I think it's pretty weird, but maybe
I'm starting to get used to the idea."

     "Who has examined you?" Dr. Morgan asked politely.  It was
obvious that he was very interested in Joe's situation, but not
sure how to approach this very attractive woman with the strange,
almost unbelievable problem.

     "Well, I guess Dr. Krell has been in charge of everything. 
There have been a lot of others.  I can't even remember all their
names."

     "Have you had a...  a pelvic...  er...  an internal
examination?"

     "I lost count at four of them I think.  I guess you'll want to
look at me too?"

     "Well, I will need to examine you to complete my report," Dr.
Morgan answered, almost apologetically.  "I'll try to be quick.  I
guess it is a little embarrassing.  But I assure you, there is no
need to feel self-conscious."

     "You tell me that after you have some guy stick tools up your
butt," Joe said, trying to be polite, but the irritation still came
through.

     "Mmmm.  Yeah, I guess it is a new thing for you, isn't it?"

     "Trust me, Doc.  There have been a lot of new things in the
last week.  That's just the most humiliating."

     "But it's just normal procedure during a gynecological
examination, Joe.  I'm sorry, but there is no other way to do it."

     "I know that, Dr. Morgan.  But remember, I'm not really a
female.  At least I wasn't.  I'm a guy, just like you are.  It's
just that I woke up last week looking like this.  I'm doing my best
to cope, but it all takes some getting used to."

     "How much did you weigh before this happened?" Dr. Morgan
asked, as if to change the subject.

     "Well, about One-seventy-five, one-eighty.  It varied a bit. 
I think I was leaning toward one-eighty."

     "And how about now?"

     "There's a scale," Joe said, pointing at the device by the
wall.  "Let's find out."  With the changes still happening, he
didn't want to venture a guess.

     Joe stood and walked over to the scale and stood on the
platform.  He carefully moved the weights till the bar balanced at
one-forty-two.

     "One hundred and forty-two pounds," Dr. Morgan said
incredulously.  "You lost almost forty pounds in one week?"

     "Doc, I lost a lot more than weight."  Joe slid the
measurement bar out of the scale, trying to adjust it for height.

     Dr. Morgan assisted until the bar was at the right spot. 
"One-oh-nine and one-half," the doctor called out.

     "I was six foot even, before.  Now I'm closer to five-nine."

     "Incredible," Dr. Morgan said to himself.

     "I guess that accounts for some of the weight loss," Joe said. 
"But I can tell you, I'm sure I've lost a lot of muscle mass, too. 
Although I think some of the mass has been going to my butt."  Joe
put his hands on his hips and ran them around to his buttocks.

     "What else have you noticed that has changed?" Dr. Morgan
asked.  He was obviously in awe of what he was seeing and hearing.

     "As I said, doc." Joe said, stepping off the scales.  "I was
a MAN before this happened.  My body was male.  I had a penis, and
I didn't have these."  He cupped his hands over his breasts. 
"Before, I could beat my best friend at racquet ball every time. 
Now, he can play circles around me, even when he's having a bad
day.  I just don't have any strength anymore."

     "Well, I guess you would lose a considerable amount of upper
body strength with what happened," Dr. Morgan said, as if to
himself.  "But it's hard to believe this all happened in a week."

     "Not a week, doc," Joe corrected.  "Overnight.  One day I'm a
normal guy, the next day I wake up looking like this."

     "Don't take this wrong, but you are quite attractive." Dr.
Morgan said honestly.

     Joe grinned at him.  "That's what everybody tells me.  I guess
I should feel lucky I didn't wake up as an ugly woman, but it's
still a hell of a shock to lose your masculinity.  I'm pretty sure
it even has affected the way I think."

     "For better or worse?" Dr. Morgan asked.

     Joe looked up and saw the man had a grin on his face.  He had
a sense of humor, too.  "I won't comment on that."

"How are you taking this?" Dr. Morgan asked.  "Are you
experiencing depression, or anything like that?"

     "I don't think so." Joe said honestly.  "In fact, sometimes I
feel absolutely great.  There are some good things about this, I
guess."

     "How about sex?  Have you noticed a change in your libido?"

     "Look at me, doc.  What would you think?  I still like girls,
if that's what you mean.  Of course, there's not too much I can do
with one these days.  But guess I'm starting to notice guys too. 
That's a weird feeling, I've got to tell you.  And of course, the
reality is now beginning to dawn that I could be spending the rest
of my life like this."

     "How would you feel about that?"

     "Would you want to be a woman?"

     "This whole thing is so amazing.  It's hard to believe you
were ever a man."

     "Not for me, it isn't."

     "Were you ever on hormones or any other such medication before
or after this occurred?"

     "No.  Not ever.  Why would I do that?"

     "Just what is your sexual orientation, if I might ask?" the
doctor continued.

     "Orientation?  Do you mean am I a homosexual?"

     "Yes, that's what I mean." Dr. Morgan agreed.

     "Well, before this happened to me, I liked women.  ONLY
women." Joe said slowly, as if he was thinking about what to say. 
"But now...  I can tell I'm becoming interested in men.  I'm even
starting to appreciate how they look.  This is embarrassing." 
Joe's face reddened noticeably.

     "Please.  I understand.  Don't be embarrassed.  You're doing
great," Dr. Morgan insisted.

     "So does that make me homosexual?"

     "I don't see how that term applies, in your situation," Dr.
Morgan said truthfully.

     "Well, I don't think of myself as one, if it makes any
difference."

     "So noted," Dr. Morgan said, rising from where he was sitting
and standing near the door.   "Joe, I'd like for you to undress
completely and put this on," the doctor pointed to the hospital
gown hanging on the door hook.  "I'll be back shortly."  He went
out the door and closed it.

     There were some hangers and things next to the seat Joe was
in, along with a little partition, probably made to undress
behind.  Joe got up and slipped the pumps off.

     With the dress off and placed on the hanger, Joe stepped out
of the slip, struggled out of the panty hose, and then unhooked the
bra.  He got the hospital gown and slipped it over his shoulders,
then pulled his underpants off.  Wearing the revealing outfit, he
sat there, waiting for what was to happen next.

     Soon, there was a soft knock on the door, and a nurse poked
her head in.  "Just checking to see if you were ready," she said,
smiling kindly.  "Dr. Morgan will be with you in a moment."

     The door closed again, and in a few seconds Dr. Morgan and the
same nurse entered the room.

     "Please come over here and stand." Dr. Morgan asked in a
businesslike voice.  Joe complied.  Dr. Morgan turned Joe so that
he was facing away from him, and started to place the stethoscope
at various places around Joe's bare back.  The instrument felt cold
to his sensitive skin.

     Dr. Morgan placed his hand on Joe's shoulder and turned him
again, so that they were facing each other.  The doctor looked into
Joe's eyes and throat with a small light.

     "Please remove the gown," Dr. Morgan said.

     Joe opened the little velcro tabs and let the little cloth
fall away.  He held it in his right hand.  Dr. Morgan stepped back
and carefully looked at Joe's body.  Joe could get no indication
from his expression.

     "Please turn slowly," Dr. Morgan ordered.

     Joe slowly did a three-sixty.  He felt very much on display.

     "Ok, please get up on the table."

     Joe hopped up and sat on the edge of the examining table. 
When he was nervous he tended to sit bolt upright, as if at
attention.  Perhaps it was his military training.  Now, it served
to make his chest very prominent.

     Dr. Morgan came close to Joe and with his surgical gloved
hands, he gently, then firmly examined Joe's breasts.  He felt each
nipple, squeezing the tender breast tissue till Joe almost voiced
a painful objection, then he moved his fingers around as if feeling
for something...  anything.

     Joe wondered just what the man was looking for.  He had
examined his new breasts himself many times in the last week.  The
first time he did he had been surprised just how breast tissue
really felt.  On the surface, his boobs looked so very smooth, but
when you touched them, really felt them, you could detect the
underlying nodules, and they felt like they were full of little
lumps.  They certainly weren't just mounds of fat, as he had always
thought before.  He even thought there might be a problem, till Dr.
Krell assured him everything was normal.

     "OK.  You can put the gown back on," Dr. Morgan said in a very
business-like way, "and then lie back on the table.  Mrs. Becker
will help you."

     Joe put his arms back in the gown and touched the velcro
together.  He then lay back on the table as the nurse lowered the
extension on the end.  This part was the most embarrassing.  Joe
wondered if real women ever got used to it.

     The nurse covered Joe with a lime green sheet, which felt warm
in the cool examining room.  Dr. Morgan pulled the lower part of
the sheet away, and Joe could tell that the most changed part of
his body was being stared at by a man.  With his view of Dr. Morgan
blocked by the sheet, Joe had a sensation more of being an observer
rather than a participant in the examination.

     That changed as soon as gloved hands touched him.  He could
feel it as his external genitalia were examined.  Dr. Morgan then
placed his palm on Joe's abdomen, just above his pubic hair.  Joe
felt his penis, or clitoris now, being touched lightly, then
fingers feeling the sensitive labia.  He wondered what was going
through Dr. Morgan's mind as he methodically did his job.

     Joe felt fingers enter his vagina.  They quickly came back
out.  "Hmmm.  What have we here?" Dr. Morgan asked, as if really
speaking to no one but himself.

     What could be the problem?  Joe wondered.

     Dr. Morgan retrieved a plastic speculum, and warmed it with
his hands.  Then, after putting a small amount of lubricating jelly
on the surfaces, he placed it inside Joe.  As before, the sensation
was just slightly painful, but mostly now it simply felt very
strange.  Joe's brain had still not really adapted to the new
opening between his legs, and sometimes when it received sensations
caused by something in there, it was still quite an experience.

     "And what is this?" Dr. Morgan asked.  Joe could feel him
poking inside, but with the speculum in there, any other sensation
was limited.

     Dr. Morgan held up a forceps.  On the end was a small round
object.  The sponge!  The contraceptive sponge!  Joe had forgotten
about it.  He couldn't feel anything, and he had forgotten all
about it.  Oh, God.  How embarrassing.  Dr. Morgan knew what the
contraceptive was.  He looked at Joe, a knowing grin beginning to
form on his face.

     "Had to try it out, huh?" Dr. Morgan asked.

     Joe looked up at the man at the other side of the sheet.  If
he could have willed to happen, he would have died right then and
there.

     "Well, I...  Ah...  I wanted to know what it felt like," Joe
stammered.

     "Hey, I don't blame you.  I think I would, too," Dr. Morgan
said, a very big grin on his face.

     "I do hope you used something in addition to this if you think
you need a contraceptive," Dr. Morgan advised.  "I think these
things statistically are only about seventy percent effective."

     "Is that all?" Joe asked in surprise.  "I thought they would
be as good as using a condom."

     "No way," Dr. Morgan returned.  "I suggest at least you better
use some extra spermicide."

     Dr. Morgan placed the little round sponge in a kidney shaped
pan.  He then continued with the examination.  He spoke as he
worked.

     "How long since you, er...  experimented?"

     "Well..."  Joe, highly embarrassed, didn't really know.  "I
don't know for sure.  I'd say at least four hours."

     "Not really a very good idea to remove it, then.  I'd
recommend that you use something else the night before a pelvic
examination, if you plan to do this again."

     Dr. Morgan wrote something on a sheet of paper, and handed it
to the nurse, who left the room.  When she left, Dr. Morgan spoke
again.  "I sent Mrs. Becker for some spermicidal creme.  It appears
to me that you've got everything you need to make a baby, if you
keep doing what you did last night."

     "What do you suggest?" Joe asked, not knowing what else to
say, but feeling like he should speak.

     "Well, I'd think you should talk that over with your personal
physician.  But even a condom is more reliable than those things. 
Can I ask a personal question...  sort of man-to-man?" the young
doctor went on.

     "Yeah, sure, I guess so."

     "So...  What does it feel like?"

     Joe never spoke for a moment, trying to answer what so many
had already asked, and was so hard to answer.  "Well...  It's hard
to describe," he answered slowly.  "I mean...  everything is so
different, and yet...  in some ways, so much the same."

     "Is it better as a male...  or female?"

     Joe grinned.  "I'm still trying to decide that myself." Joe
answered.  "I suppose I'd have to say it's probably better now... 
I mean...  every thing seems to involve my whole body...  That
feels really good...  But...  I don't know..."

     "I've never talked to anybody who has been both ways," Dr.
Morgan said.  "I find it most interesting.  Forgive me for being so
personal."

     Joe smiled, slightly embarrassed.  "No problem.  I guess I'll
have to get used to it."

     The nurse came back into the room carrying a small tube of
medication.  Dr. Morgan took the ointment and did something between
Joe's legs.  Joe couldn't tell what he was doing, but it didn't
really hurt.

     "I hope this will neutralize any semen which might still be
alive," Dr. Morgan said, almost apologetically.

     Soon Joe could feel the speculum retract and then he felt
fingers inside him, and a hand press on his lower abdomen.  He had
felt that before, and knew that his uterus was being manipulated,
or something like that.  In a moment, it was all finished and Joe
heard Dr. Morgan speak.  "You can get dressed now, Joe.  I'll be
with you again in a few minutes."

     Dr. Morgan removed his gloves and tossed them in a can, then
he left the room.  The nurse helped Joe up and down from the table. 
Joe went to where his clothes were hanging.  He suddenly felt quite
female, perhaps more than ever before.

     "Can I be of any assistance?" Nurse Becker asked.

     Joe looked at her.  She was an attractive woman, maybe five or
six years older that he was.  He wondered what she thought about
him, this guy with a woman's body.  "No, I think I can handle it,"
Joe said, smiling at her.  "I'm starting to get used to all this,
I guess."

     "Well, you're very attractive," Nurse Becker said, as she
began to leave the room.

     "Thanks," Joe said.  "Thanks for everything."

     Joe picked up the light blue panties from the chair.  He
spread the waist band with his thumbs, and looked at the underwear
he was about to step into.  He noticed that the narrow crotch was
still wet from secretions from his body.  He thought about what the
stain was, a combination of his own wetness and Jay's semen.  Jay's
semen, the white sticky fluid that came from his penis when he
ejaculated.  The fluid was probably full of live sperm, sperm
looking for an egg to fertilize.  An egg, which his changed body
was now probably quite able to produce.  The thought of this was
both sobering and awesome.  Joe was beginning to realize the
tremendous responsibility which came with this changed body.

     Joe touched the white wetness on the panty.  It was cool, and
slightly sticky.  This was stuff from his own body.  He ran his
fingers along the length of his genital opening, feeling slight
wetness there too.  At least the soreness caused by the activities
last night seemed to be gone.  He stepped into the underwear and
pulled them up his hips, feeling the cool wetness where it touched
his skin.  He pulled the panty hose up his smooth legs feeling
their shiny sleekness after they were on.

     As Joe bent over to touch his nylon encased legs, he became
aware of his naked breasts, since they sort of hung down when he
doubled over, and without a bra, the soft tissue on his chest
swayed provocatively.  Joe saw as well as felt his nipples, which
had been full soft cones, suddenly stiffen to hard points.  My
nipples act sort of like a little penis, he thought to himself,
smiling at the pleasant sensation.

     Reluctantly, he donned the bra, then stepped into the slip. 
Finally, Joe put the dress on, using the tiny mirror over the wash
basin in the corner to preen himself.

     When he finally decided he was ready, Joe sat in the
chair to wait for Dr. Morgan.  He didn't have to wait long.  There
was a quick knock, and the door opened slightly.  "Are you
dressed?" the doctor called from the partially opened door.

     "Sure.  Come on in."

     Dr. Morgan entered the room, the clipboard with Joe's papers
in his hand.  He sat on the edge of the table and looked at Joe. 
"Joe, you are amazing.  From my examination, I can't distinguish
that you've ever been male."

     Joe looked at the doctor, wondering what he was leading to.

     "I've read your file.  I must say I was skeptical at first,
but now I have no choice to admit that what you, and these other
doctors say is true.  Something has caused you to become a
gynecoid."

     "Gynecoid?"

     "Except for some slight scarring around the clitoris, you
appear normal in every way.  Normal for a mature female, that is."

     "Dr. Krell says that's because I was circumcised."

     Dr. Morgan looked at the attractive woman seated in the chair. 
"Circumcised?  Yes, I guess that's what you would look like now if
your penis had been subject to circumcision as a male infant."

     "What else would you like to see?"  Joe was getting tired of
the almost constant probing.

     "Well, I would like to take a blood and urine sample before I
let you go," Dr. Morgan said.  "I'd like to see if the hormone
levels are continuing to change as shown on your chart.  Then you
can go."

     Another blood test.  Joe thought.  He must have been stuck
twenty times in the last week.

     Dr. Morgan slipped down from the table.  He went to the
cabinet and removed a small plastic container.  Joe recognized it
as a specimen bottle.  "Take this in the restroom and fill it
please.  I'll have Mrs. Becker draw some blood when you get back." 
He handed the little bottle to Joe.

Joe followed Dr. Morgan out the door to a little restroom one door
down.  Great, he thought.  Now I'll need to pull the pantyhose and
everything again.  Joe struggled out of his pantyhose and pulled
his panties down.  He carefully tried to fill the bottle without
peeing all over his hands.  If there was ever a time a penis would
come in handy...

     Finished, Joe capped the bottle, washed his hands, and then
pulled his panties and hose back up.  He buttoned the dress and
smoothed everything, then triumphantly carried the bottle of yellow
fluid to the little window where he was told to put it.

     Nurse Becker saw that he was finished and beckoned him back to
the examination room.  "Please sit down, Joe.  This will only take
a minute."

     The chair was equipped with a little fold-up writing shelf,
and Nurse Becker pulled it in position.  Joe placed his arm on the
shelf, and pulled the short sleeve of the dress away from the crook
of his arm.  He looked at his arm, noticing how much smaller it had
become in the last week.

     "This won't hurt very much," the friendly woman said
soothingly.

     "Everything is just so much more sensitive now," Joe said,
more to himself than to the nurse.

     "Yes.  I guess you've really been through a lot in the last
week, haven't you?"

     "You wouldn't believe."

     Joe felt the felt a sharp pain as the needle penetrated the
vein.  He saw the vial fill with dark red blood, then watched as
the nurse withdrew the needle and covered the puncture wound with
a cotton ball.

     "Hold that on there till it stops bleeding," Nurse Becker
said.

     Joe held the cotton ball in position, his arm bent up, smashing
the wad of cotton against his much smaller biceps muscle.  When no
more blood came out the hole in his skin, he stood up.  "Can I go
now?"

     "I suppose you can," Nurse Becker answered from the sink where
she was cleaning up.  "Come up front to my desk."

     Joe followed the woman down the hallway, watching her as she
walked.  Her white uniform was closely tailored to her shapely
body, and the shadow of her white underwear was plainly visible in
the bright lights.  Joe was enjoying this innocently erotic sight
when he realized that the clothes he was wearing might look the
same way, too.

     When they reached the nurse's desk, Dr. Morgan came from his
office to meet them.  "Well Joe, I hope we didn't inconvenience you
too much," the doctor said.

     Joe smiled and held out his hand.  The man took it and they
shook hands warmly.  "Thank you, Dr. Morgan, Mrs. Becker.  Maybe
we'll meet again sometime."

     "Perhaps we will," Dr. Morgan answered.  "Have a safe trip
back."

     "I'll try," Joe answered, walking to the waiting area.

     Jay was still seated there, thumbing through a magazine.  His
eyes brightened when he recognized Joe.

     "Are you ready to go?" Joe asked.

     "Let's roll."  They went out the door.  They went to the car
without speaking to each other.

     When they were underway, with Jay driving, Joe broke the
silence.  "The weather here looks OK.  I hope everything is good
for the trip home."

     "Do you need to stop anywhere else?"

     "No, I guess not.  I guess we're ready to head for home."  Joe
looked down at his legs, which since his skirt had ridden high up,
were very evident.  He rubbed them, enjoying the smooth texture of
the nylons, not realizing that his idle action was very exciting to
his friend.  "I guess I should change into jeans." Joe said, more
to himself than to Jay.

     "Don't do it on my account.  You look very good like that."

     "Well, thanks, I guess," Joe said looking over and giving him
a grin.  "But actually, it's hard enough to walk in these shoes,
let alone fly."

     "I'll check the weather and file, while you slip into the
little girls room."  Jay couldn't resist teasing.

     "Yeah, you do that," Joe agreed, showing his mild irritation
at the teasing.

     Joe retrieved his bag from the trunk and took it into the
ladies' room.  The room was well appointed, with a couch and small
table.  Joe placed the bag on the table and unzipped it, digging
out the already worn but still clean enough jeans, and a
sweatshirt.

     Standing while he unbuttoned the front of the dress, Joe
quickly stepped out of it and placed it on a hanger, then carefully
placed the dress into the clothing bag.  He stepped out of the
slip, pulled the panty hose down his hips, then sat as he carefully
removed them.  The room suddenly felt cold as Joe sat on the vinyl
couch in bra and panties.  He stood and pulled the denim jeans,
carefully buttoning the fly, and then pulled the sweatshirt over
his head.

     Digging in the bag some more, Joe found some clean socks and
pulled them over his cold feet.  He unzipped the side zipper and
pulled the comfortable Reeboks out of their pouch.  He put them on
and tied the laces.  He found his hair brush and went to the mirror
to brush his hair.  As he stood preening himself, Joe examined his
reflection in the mirror.  It was still difficult to accept that
this attractive woman with the very short hair was who he was.  He
was now starting to become comfortable with the physical aspects of
being female, but down deep his personal body image was still male.

     Sometimes, at times like this, the feeling that he was somehow
still male and just dressing in drag would overtake him.  With his
free hand, Joe felt between his legs and experienced mild sense of
relief that his hand touched only a prominent pubic bone, and then
softness below that, rather than a male organ.

     Satisfied with his hair and with himself, Joe put his things
in the bag and zipped it up tight.  Taking the heavy bag in hand,
he went back out to the lobby.  He placed his bag next to Jay's and
went to the little planning room just off the main room.  Jay was
standing at the table, looking at a long sheet of computer paper.

     Joe walked up behind his friend.  "Now I feel like one of the
guys again," he said in a soft, half joking, tone.

     Jay turned around and looked at Joe.  "Maybe you feel like one
of the guys, but you sure don't like one," he said.  A big grin lit
up his face.

     "What's the weather look like?" Joe said, changing the
subject.  He didn't want anyone to overhear them talking like this.

     "We might get into some real IMC conditions on the way back,"
Jay said.  "How about looking this over?"  He handed the DUAT
weather report to Joe.

     Joe took the sheet and examined it carefully.  Jay was right. 
Weather along the route included two cold fronts.  It was likely
that they would need to traverse at least a few bumpy clouds, and
possibly some light rain.  They could probably miss the icing by
flying west for about a hundred miles before turning south.  This
deviation would add a little to the trip time, but was still well
within the range of the Cessna without requiring an intermediate
stop.

     Joe went to the table, which had IFR charts under Plexiglas
for a top.  He traced a possible route along the VORs for Jay who
watched intently.  Then he spoke.  "Try to file this route,"
quickly running his finger from one NAVAID to another.  Jay looked
at it, then started writing on a sheet of paper.  Since Joe was the
instructor, and Jay was the student, Joe would insist on a complete
flight plan, including fuel burns for each segment, for the entire
route.  Jay went to the Jepp case to get the Flight Manual to
prepare the plan manually.  It was possible to simply enter the
route in the computer and let that set up the entire flight plan, but Jay
knew that Joe would have none of that.  He wanted Jay to do it all
manually, and he would be a stickler for detail.  This would take
some time.

     "I'm going to see if we can get some coffee for the plane,"
Joe said, walking out of the planning room.  He knew Jay would need
some time, and he wanted to let him figure this out alone.

     Joe went to the main desk.  The girl there was on the
telephone.  She hung up as Joe neared the counter.  "Can I help
you?"

     "Yes.  I'm flying the 425 out on the ramp, and I'm wondering
if I could get some coffee for it?" Joe explained.

     "Sure.  If you'll bring the container in, I'll show you where
to fill it," the young woman said.

     Joe turned, and was starting to walk to the plane, when the
young woman spoke.  "I really like that jacket.  Where did you get
it?"

     Joe looked at the jacket he was wearing.  No one had really
ever asked him a question like that before.  "Oh, a store in
Phoenix the other day."

     "It looks good.  You remind me of Maggie on Northern
Exposure."

     Joe grinned.  He'd have to watch that show sometime.  "You're
the second person who's told me that," he said, and walked to the
door.

     The 425 had already been towed to the line, and the cabin door
was standing open.  Joe went inside, and removed the coffee
container from the tiny refreshment center.  Although the plane was
often used for test purposes, it was also used to transport
personnel, so, unlike the Lear, it was configured somewhat like a
normal business aircraft.  There was a tiny galley behind the right
crew seat that contained an electric coffee warmer, and a place for
cups and other supplies.

     Joe carried the stainless steel container back into the
building.  When the girl behind the desk saw Joe, she came out and
motioned for Joe to follow.  They went down a short hallway, the
opposite direction from the planning room, until the came to a
small lounge area.  There was an ice machine and a large coffee
maker which looked to hold gallons of the black brew.  Joe screwed
open the lid of the container and held it under the spigot while
the girl opened the valve.

     Joe said, "Enough," when the container was about three
quarters full.  That was more coffee than he and Jay could drink in
two days.  No need to waste the stuff.

     As they stood together, Joe could detect the scent of the
young woman's perfume.  It smelled good, and reminded Joe of
somebody he once dated.  He looked at the woman.  She was younger
than he was, maybe twenty-five, and very attractive.  "I like that
perfume," Joe said, trying to make conversation by returning the
compliment she had given him earlier.

     "It's Obsession," the woman replied smiling, but slightly
embarrassed by the tone Joe used when speaking to her.

     "It's nice," Joe repeated.  He didn't really know how to
engage in small talk with a woman anymore.

     They walked back out to the lobby, and Joe carried the now
very hot container to the plane.  It would stay warm till they
powered up the plane, and then the heater would keep it hot.

     Joe went back inside to wait for Jay.  He saw the comfortable
seats in the lobby, and decided to sit and rest awhile.  He didn't
get much rest last night, and now he was a little tired.  He sat
down, found a magazine, and before long, was sound asleep.     Linda was in bed when Joe entered the house.  Joe quickly
removed his clothes and joined her.  She was warm and soft, and
smelled of bath powder.  When he touched her, she woke and smiled,
then rolled over to take him in her arms.  She wore a soft satin
night shirt with nothing on the bottom.

     Joe caressed her softness and she responded with a gentle
sigh, moving her hips in response to his hand.  She then reached
down and took him in her hand.  Linda's soft touch felt so good,
such a marked contrast to his hard, rugged, maleness.

     They kissed and held each other close.  Each relishing the
feelings...  Each wanting only to give the other the maximum
pleasure possible.  Joe could tell by her movements that Linda
wanted him, and he wanted her too.

     He was just about to move on to her, when he felt a hand on
his shoulder, roughly shaking him.  "Joe.  Joe.  I think perhaps
you better look at this before I file it."

     Joe reluctantly opened his eyes and looked around.  He wasn't
in Linda's bed.  He wasn't even in her bedroom.  He saw only his
pal Jay looking down at him.  Joe had fallen asleep in an
overstuffed chair in the lounge, waiting as Jay prepared the flight
plan home.

     Joe ran his hand across the front of his sweatshirt.  There
was no mistaking the now familiar sensation of breasts.  It had
only been a dream. As he stared at the smallness of his hand he
knew his body remained quite female.

     Joe reluctantly got up from the comfortable chair and followed
Jay into the planning room.  Among the papers and manuals on the
table Joe found Jay's worksheet.  He compared the proposed flight
plan to the weather printout.  Everything seemed in order.  Joe
looked at the fuel burn calculations.  Those, too, seemed to be
realistic, though Joe didn't take the time to formally check any
calculations.  Right now it was just too difficult to make his mind
concentrate on things like that.  He was glad that he could trust
Jay.  His attention to detail was obvious, and right now Joe's head
was not really in the right place for detail work.  He just kept
thinking of Linda, the way she felt... The way she smelled...

     "Jay, I think this will work," Joe said.  "Enter it in the
computer so we can get on the way."

     Jay looked at his friend.  Joe looked very tired.  He wondered
if there was anything wrong.  "Are you ok?"

     "Yeah... Sure...  I'm fine.  Just kind of tired, I guess.  I
didn't get much sleep, you know."  Joe grinned.

     "Yeah, I know," Jay said, a wicked smile forming on his lips. 
"Will you be ready to launch in a half hour?"

     "Sure.  Sure.  Don't worry about me.  I'm OK.  I just had a
really strange dream, that's all."

     "What was it about?"

     Joe looked around.  "I'll tell you when we get in the air."

     Jay went to the computer to enter their flight plan.  If they
were lucky, the plan would be in the system and ready by the time
they called clearance delivery.  Jay walked over to their bags and
gathered them up to carry to the plane.  He carried them easily, so
Joe decided to stop at the restroom one last time.  He didn't
really feel he needed to pee, but it would be a fairly long flight
and his bladder no longer seemed to have its former endurance.

     Entering the ladies room, Joe found all three stalls were
empty, so he entered one and lowered his jeans.  Pulling the
underwear down, Joe suddenly felt an overwhelming need to examine
his genital area.  He could just see the uppermost part of the
labia, which appeared as light pink skin.  It was still somewhat
red from soreness.

     With two fingers, Joe carefully spread the sensitive tissues,
completely exposing the clitoris.  "God, it sure feels like I still
have my penis," Joe thought to himself, as he ran a finger over the
tiny fingertip-sized bit of flesh that had once been his male
organ.  It was exquisitely sensitive, much more so than before, and
Joe could feel it swell to its new, much less obvious, state of
arousal.  Even when erect, it was still only a tiny bit of skin,
apparently good for nothing but the pleasing sensation it could
provide.  No matter what it felt like, it was totally inadequate
for sexual penetration, and Joe also knew that since it no longer
contained his urethra (that opening was further down below the
pubic bone, hidden between the new labial folds), it was quite
useless for urination, too.

     Joe examined the toilet seat and found it to be reasonably
clean, so he sat and attempted to empty his bladder.  With
concentration, and some straining, Joe was able to coax only the
tiniest trickle into the commode.  Apparently, there was just
nothing much there right now.  Joe peeled a few sheets of tissue
from the roll and wiped himself dry.  Standing, he pulled up the blue
panties and then his jeans.

     He went to the sink and rinsed his hands, then checked face
and hair.  Everything was still OK, so he went back out to the
lobby.  Jay was nowhere to be found, so Joe looked out the big
windows at the plane.  He saw Jay, performing the walkaround,
checklist in hand.  Joe looked around the lobby one last time, then
went out to the plane.  Jay saw him coming and duck walked from
under the wing.  "I'm about through the checklist," Jay said.  "Do
you want me to do it again?" he teased.

     "Do you think I should?" Joe asked with a grin on his face.

     "I'm using the checklist, and everything seems in order."

     "Well then, finish it up," Joe said, with as much mock
authority as he could with his new voice.  He boarded the aircraft,
looking at the bags. Jay had fastened them to the empty seats with
seat belts.  He must be expecting turbulence. Joe thought to
himself with a grin.

     Joe went forward, and slipped into the right seat.  He noticed
that, with his new size, he had to raise the seat much higher than
before to get the right view over the nose.  As he had previously
noticed, almost all the height he had lost came from his upper
torso, since he noticed the difference more when sitting than
standing.  The cockpit of the Conquest was roomy enough, but he saw
when he put the seat belt straps across his hips and shoulders,
they were adjusted much smaller than they used to be, even though
his hips were surely at least as big as than before, indeed, his
butt felt like it was even bigger, though it probably really
wasn't.  It seemed that even the seat back was taller now than he
remembered it to be.

     He was thinking about this when he heard Jay climb aboard.  He
heard and felt the thud of the door closing, and looked back at his
pal.  "Can you get that ok?"

     "Yeah.  I think it's closed correctly." Jay answered back.  He
came forward and saw that the left seat was his.

     "Sit down, Captain," Joe ordered.

     Jay took the left seat, and adjusted the seat and belts to his
requirements.  He took the checklist and laid it on the glare
shield, then found the headset.  Joe reached around to his right,
found the other headset, and adjusted it over his ears.  He heard
the tones and clicks as the radios came alive when Jay clicked on
the radio master switch.

     When they completed the short Before Starting Engines
checklist, Jay looked over to Joe.  "Should I call Clearance
Delivery now?"

     "Yeah. I guess you could.  They might have it already, I
hope."

     Jay looked up the frequency on the Jepp chart and dialed it
in.  He called for their clearance.  Clearance Delivery had
received the clearance and cleared them as filed.  They had
received the altitude they had requested, too.  Joe had hoped for
that, since it looked like it would be rather bumpy on this trip. 
When the clearance was copied, read back, and they discussed it for
a moment, they were ready to start engines.

     Joe read the checklist, and Jay performed the actions required
to get the props spinning.  When they were complete, Jay punched in
the frequency for Ground Control.  "Hulman ground, Cessna Conquest
November seven-five-six alpha, Sanborn ramp, ready for taxi, IFR
Phoenix."

     "Cessna five-six-alpha, cleared to taxi to runway three-zero.
Do you have Oscar?" Ground Control replied.

     "That's affirmative, we have Oscar."  Jay had received the
ATIS but had not properly told ground.

     Joe looked around the ramp.  The ground personnel had already
returned to the line shack so it appeared they were clear to taxi. 
Joe held his thumb up and Jay moved the throttle levers forward. 
When the plane moved slightly, Jay tapped the brakes to confirm
they functioned correctly.  Then he advanced power a bit more and
pushed the right pedal to start a turn.

     They rolled into position at the yellow line and did the final
checks.  When they were ready, Jay changed frequency and called the
tower.  "Hulman Tower, Cessna November seven-five-six alpha is
ready for take off."

     "Cessna five-six alpha, cleared for takeoff, Contact
Departure one-two-one point one.  Have a good day," the tower
responded.

     "Five-six alpha is rolling," Jay said into the microphone as
he slowly moved the power levers forward.

     The Cessna gained flying speed, and when Jay pulled back on
the yoke slightly, the plane cleanly lifted off.  When they passed
the end of the runway, Jay motioned to raise the gear, and Joe
stretched over to reach the handle, which was actually closer to
the opposite side.

     Jay established communication with departure and soon they
were in a shallow cruise climb to altitude. Using the checklist,
Jay made careful adjustments to engine power.  When he was
satisfied that everything was ok, Jay looked over at Joe.  "What
did the good doctor have to say today?"

     Joe grinned, and then laughed a surprisingly feminine sounding
laugh.  "He said it was hard to tell I was really a guy."

     "He's right.  I know I'd never guess if I didn't know you so
well."

     "Yeah, I know," Joe had to admit.  "I know what I look like
now, but it's even harder to accept the way I feel about all this. 
I mean...  I flip-flop from enjoying what has happened, to feeling
sorry for myself even to the point of crying about it... I have to
tell you, I know I'm still changing a little more every day.  I
really don't think I feel very much like a guy any more."
     "With a bod like that, I don't know how you could," Jay said,
giving his pal a leer.

     "Trust me, it's not all fun and games.  I'm scared to death of
this female stuff...  Getting periods, and all that stuff.  I just
can't imagine what that'll be like."

     "Well, most women seem to manage, don't they?" Jay said
flippantly.

     "Yeah, I guess they do," Joe said while he scanned the sky for
traffic.  "But they've had ten or twelve years to get used to the
whole idea.  Me, I can still remember the last time with Linda," he
added, staring straight ahead as he ran the fingers of his left
hand along the fly of his jeans as if to emphasize the significant
difference there.

     "Joe, I just have to know," Jay pleaded.  "How is it better? 
With me, or her?"

     Joe looked over and grinned a seductively knowing grin.  He
didn't really know what to say.  It seemed all the guys asked him
that.  "Apples and oranges.  There is really no way to compare the
two."

     "There has to be.  You say you remember what it was like with
Linda.  You just did it last night with me.  You can't tell me the
comparison hasn't crossed your mind."

     "It crosses my mind all the time.  Truth is, I can hardly
think of anything else.  But to compare how I am now, to the way I
was, I just don't know.  There are some really good things about
both.  I like the, let's call it the increased sensations I seem to
have now.  I wasn't sure at first if that was just because my skin
has become so soft, or what, but now I think it's a lot more than
that.  I suppose I really can't complain about the sex part either.
I think now I can climax till I'm sore.  At least I did last
night."

     "So then, you think sex is better the way you are now?"

     "I don't know... better?  Different... Sure... Absolutely. 
But better?  I just don't know... Maybe.  I can say this, when you
have to take a leak it's a lot different when you're like this.  I
didn't realize how handy it was to just be able to pee standing up. 
Actually, I think I miss my penis more for that than for screwing."
Joe didn't look at Jay as he spoke.  It was kind of embarrassing to
talk about these things out loud.

     "Well, whatever happened to you...  However it was caused,
you have certainly become good looking.  I mean... Not that you
were unattractive before, but now...  God, the transformation is
absolutely phenomenal," Jay stammered uncharacteristically.

     "If we can figure out exactly what caused it, maybe you'd like
to give it a try.  That is if we figure out how to reverse the
effect, of course," Joe said, grinning at his pal.

     "No... No... I'll pass on that.  I don't think I'd want to try
it.  Not that I'm not a little curious.  I mean... it might be
interesting to have boobs and all that stuff...  I just don't think
it would be for me.  I'm pretty certain I like being the way I am."

     "I think if you did try it you would find that it affects
everything, probably even the way you think," Joe said.  "It's
really a lot easier than you probably imagine.  In some ways
anyway.  I mean...  I sure never thought I could ever want to go to
bed with you.  And look what happened."

     "You were good last night.  Really good," Jay said in a
complimentary way.

     "And so were you," Joe said, punching Jay on the shoulder.  He
somehow felt so much physically smaller.

     The plane droned on for almost an hour with the large buildup
of ominous clouds on their left the whole time.  When they finally
reached the Vortac where they planned to turn south, there was
still some weather, but it looked more promising.  They were
clipping along at flight level 250, and the loran readout showed a
significant cross wind.  Things were happening almost exactly as
predicted.

     After a couple of hours, and a couple of cups of coffee, Joe
began to feel the urge to urinate.  The plane was configured with
an onboard potty, but it was almost never used.  Joe had never used
it, and especially didn't want to try the sort of semi-private
accommodation with his new physique.  He would try to hold it the
remaining hour or so.  Jay noticed when he squirmed slightly in his
seat.

     "What's the matter?  You still hurt from last night?" Jay said
almost proudly.

     "No. Nothing like that," Joe frowned at his friend.  "I really
just need to pee.  I think I can hold it for another hour."

     "I never thought I'd hear you say that.  You used to brag
about your cast iron bladder."

     "Yeah, I know," Joe conceded.  "But whatever happened down
there, I think it reduced the capacity in half, at least.  Among
all the other things."

     "Heh, heh.  There is a potty on board, you know," Jay continued
in his teasing tone.

     "I know that too.  But like I said, I think I can make it. 
Just don't worry about me, or my bodily functions."

     "You suggested I try it.  If I do, I want to know what to
expect."

     "I don't think I've been keeping very many secrets from you. 
You know as much about what has happened to me as I do, I think."

     "And I appreciate that, too," Jay said, not able to keep the
grin from showing.

     "Do me another favor, will you?"

     "Sure, what do you want?" Jay asked, the grin still showing.

     "Well, you've seen me, all of me...  What I look like...  The
way I am now...  I mean...  We've done almost everything, I
guess...  How do I compare...  Really...  Can you tell?  Is there
anything at all that still seems in any way masculine to you?"

     "Masculine?  Masculine... about you?  Joe, I don't know how to
tell you this, but I don't think there's a thing masculine about
you anymore, except maybe the way you talk sometimes, and maybe the
way you ask questions."  Jay put his hand on Joe's shoulder, giving
it a gentle massage.

     "And you like me this way, too, don't you?" Joe asked
suddenly.

     The question stunned Jay, who was not expecting Joe to ask
something like that.  "I don't know.  I don't know," Jay stammered. 
"Joe...  We have been friends for a long time.  You know I'd do
anything for you, and I know you'd do the same for me.  Our
friendship has always been special.  I know that this accident has
been hard for you...  God knows it would have to be, but...  I have
to admit, I'm starting to feel something for you...  Something
different, not like two buddies... Two guys.  Different.  I know
you probably still think of yourself as a male...  I know what
happened to you might be reversed...  But, the way you are, the way
you act, damn it, even the way you smell...  Joe, I think I could
be falling for you.  Not like a buddy, but the way you are...  The
way you are now.  The intelligent, beautiful person...  No, the
woman you've certainly become.  And I can't help it."

     Joe stared straight ahead.  He couldn't look at Jay.  He had
suspected that Jay had the hots for his new body for some days now,
but he just figured it was only a manifestation of the same lustful
curiosity that he himself experienced at first.

     "Are you irritated with me?" Jay continued.  "If you are, I'm
sorry, Joe, but I can't help it.  I'm just telling you the truth."

     "And I'm glad you are," Joe said finally.  "No, I'm not
irritated.  I guess I'm flattered.  I should be anyway, I guess. 
I don't know how I feel, really."

     "Yeah, I feel the same way," Jay admitted.  "It embarrassed
me, the way I started to feel about you, almost from the second
day.  I knew who you were, but I still could see only the person
you've become.  Heaven knows I've been trying to keep our
relationship as close to the way it always was, but I'm certain
that's going to be impossible.  I find myself acting very different
when I'm with you, the way you are now.  And I don't see that
changing."

     "I know you do.  At first, it really bothered me, too.  Why
couldn't we just be best friends like always?  But as this week has
passed, and I guess, the change has even further affected me, I
realize that I feel different too.  Maybe it's inevitable, I don't
know."

     The aircraft entered IMC conditions and started to buffet
mildly.  Jay looked at Joe, wondering what to do.  "We're ok," Joe
assured his pal.  "If the bumps get worse than this we should
request another altitude.  It's just as likely to smooth out
though."

     As Joe spoke the words, the buffeting stopped almost
completely.  Joe looked at Jay with a smug grin.  "See.  My brain
is still capable of rational thought, no matter what I look like."

     "Hey, I never thought anything else," Jay objected.

     "I know.  But I guess maybe I did."  Joe smiled.

     They flew on, and before long, they were ready to start a
descent into the Phoenix traffic area.  Joe sat back and let Jay
fly the airplane, offering assistance only when it was requested. 
Jay was familiar with the area and procedures, so he had little
trouble.  He was now operating the Cessna with confidence.

     As they lined up on final to runway 25L, Joe made ready to
take the controls in case of unexpected difficulties.  There were
none, and in moments, they were taxiing to the Honeybone hanger. 
When they arrived, Jay parked and shut down, and Joe went to leave
the plane and use the restroom.  It was a little embarrassing, but
there was no choice.  He had to go.

     The Honeybone mechanics stood by as Joe opened the cabin door. 
He went down the steps and greeted the two me, who he had known for
some time.  "Hi John... Pete...  I'll be back in a minute.  I just
have to use the can."

     "Sure... Get going," John said, a big grin showing on his
face.

     Joe took care of business, then returned to the plane.  As he
walked back he realized that the sweatshirt he was wearing was too
warm for the almost ninety degree weather.  Joe felt a bead of
sweat trickle down his breasts.  After checking around to see that
no one was watching, Joe timidly put his hand under the bulky shirt
and felt himself.  Sometimes, it was as if he was sneaking a feel
of someone else's body when he touched his most feminine parts. 
The bra was damp with perspiration, and he hoped his deodorant
wouldn't give up.  He would really need a shower when he got home.

     Jay and the mechanics had already unloaded the plane and
carried the bags to the hanger.  Joe talked to the men, whom he
knew well, but hadn't seen since the change had taken place. 
"Thanks guys," Joe said.  "I really appreciate it."  He picked up
the bag and as many hangers of things as possible to take to his
car.

     "No problem, Joe," said Pete.  "I heard what happened to you
guys...  I can see it's all true."

     "Yeah.  It's true all right."  Joe smiled.  "But I'm doing my
best to get used to the whole thing."

     "Joe. Jim said to give him a call when you get in," John
called from the other side of the room.

     "Ok." Joe said, going over to the phone on the desk.  He
dialed the three digit number that was Jim's extension.

     "Jim Matheney," The voice on the other end responded.

     "Jim.  This is Joe.  You said to call."  Joe wondered what was
happening back there.

     "How'd it go with the big guy?" Jim asked.  "Is he willing to
help?"

     "I think so.  At any rate, he's going to be here in a day or
so.  I think he wants to see what's happening for himself."

     "Are you coming over here yet today?"

     "That's up to you.  I think the good doctor's people are about
ready to try some things with the cage.  Until now, they've just
been installing and calibrating equipment.  "What are they going to
do first?" Joe asked.

     "I'm not sure," Jim answered.  "I haven't been asking very
many questions...  I didn't want to bother them.  I was hoping
you'd do that for me."

     "Ok," Joe replied. "I'll stop over there yet today, If you
like."

     "See you in a little while then?"

     "About a half hour or so," Joe said.  "Bye."

     "See you soon."  The phone clicked silent.

     Joe had been hoping to get to Linda's and take a nap.  He
hadn't slept all that much the night before, and was rather tired. 
Maybe he would only need to be at work for a few minutes, he hoped. 
He said good bye to the mechanics and then walked to the parking
lot with Jay.  "I've got to go over to work for a little while."

     "Should I stop over at Linda's later?" Jay asked.  It was
obvious he didn't want to leave Joe.

     "If you want, I guess it would be ok.  But I have to get some
sleep tonight," Joe said, grinning.

     "Yeah.  Yeah.  I'll let you get some sleep." Jay said, as he
unlocked his car.  "See you about seven?"

     "I should be home by then," Joe considered.  "At least I'd
better be."

     Joe took his bags, including the new stuff he bought and
struggled to his car.  When he got to it, he placed everything in
the back and got inside.  The midday heat made it almost unbearable
until the air conditioner took effect.  Joe pulled the sweatshirt
up so that it sort of snagged on his breasts, exposing his midriff,
but feeling pleasantly cool as the cool air from the ducts blew on
his belly.  He reached down to feel the rapidly drying
perspiration, and idly ran his fingers along the satiny underwire
band of his bra.  As he drove to work, Joe wondered what Jim really
wanted to talk about.  He was hoping to go home and get some sleep. 
That would have to wait for at least a few more hours.
     Before Joe drove into the Honeybone lot, he pulled the hot
sweatshirt back down around his waist.  It wouldn't do to allow the
guard see his attempt to keep cool as he drove.  Joe was perspir-
ing, and felt sticky.  He couldn't wait to get home, take a shower,
and maybe even slip one of those wispy tank tops on.  When Linda
first helped him experience wearing such minimal feminine clothing,
it was embarrassing at first, but in just a week he had, more or
less grown accustomed to the idea.

     Joe's still developing breasts were a natural part of his
body, and he only really noticed them when looking down, or seeing
himself in the mirror while dressing.  Their feel, and the slightly
supporting/confining sensation of wearing the bra...  He had pretty
well adjusted to that.

     Joe walked past the security check point. The guard recognized
him and raised a hand in friendly greeting.  "Afternoon, Joe. 
You're getting here kind of late, aren't you?"

     "Yeah. I guess I am," Joe agreed, accompanying the small-talk
with a smile. "But, better late than never, right?"

     Joe walked down the hall, aware that the guard was probably
watching his backside as he walked away.  He understood the
curiosity.  He would have been the same way, had this happened to
somebody else.  When Joe reached the lab, he walked directly
inside.  Across the large room, near the cage, Joe saw Dr. Krell
talking intently with two men in short lab coats.  It appeared that
they were discussing a procedure for placing one of the primates in
a nonmetallic holding cage, with the idea of placing that into the
RF cage.  Joe went over to them.

     "If we place him in there for something under twenty minutes,
and keep the power the same, I think that will be enough varia-
tion," The doctor was saying.

     "Are you already trying animals?" Joe asked. He was surprised
that they would be doing that already.

     "Hello, Joe," Dr. Krell said.  "Joe, this is Peter Shead. 
He's our lead research assistant.  Peter, this is Joe Bates. 
He's...  She's one of the . . . shall we say victims of this
device."

     "Hi, Peter," Joe said, offering his hand.  He realized that
Dr. Krell was subtly using the term "she" when referring to him. 
"Nice to meet you.  And I guess you can call me whatever you like. 
I'm starting to get used to it."  Joe smiled demurely as he spoke.

     "I'm truly impressed to meet you," Peter said, looking Joe
over as he shook hands with this attractive young woman.  He did
nothing to hide his obvious curiosity.

     Joe thought it might be best to get everything out in the
open.  "Trust me.  Under this baggy sweatshirt I'm probably every-
thing you've heard.  Last week, I was just a normal guy.  Now, I've
turned female, I guess.  At least physically, anyway.  It's been
kind of hard for everybody to accept, especially me."  Joe grinned.

     "I know," Peter said.  "I've already met Dave and Michelle. 
She said her name had been Mike, but she has already changed it to
Michelle.  Amazing."  As he spoke, the lab door opened. A tall,
muscular, reasonably attractive young woman with abnormally broad
shoulders entered, carrying a scope in one hand.  She was wearing
snug fitting slacks which accented the curve of developing hips,
and a white blouse that was far too tight around her breasts.  Joe
recognized her as his friend Mike.

     Michelle spotted Joe standing next to Peter, and his-her face
lit up in recognition.  "Hi, Joe," she said.  "How'd everything go
in St. Paul?"

     "The Man's coming down here for a few days," Joe said.  "I
think he's on our side, though."

     Michelle placed the oscilloscope on the bench along the wall,
and walked over to Joe as Peter went back to where Dr. Krell was
working.  It was obvious by the way she had carried the scope,
which must have weighed close to fifty pounds, that she was still
very strong.  It was strange to watch this macho, former
weight-lifting male, as he adjusted to the strange phenomena of
total feminization.

     "Good," Michelle said.  "I just hope he lets us keep on
working."

     "I'm pretty sure he will," Joe said.  "How are you getting
along?"

     After a short initial depression, Mike-Michelle seemed to do
a complete change about, suddenly just seeming to accept what
happened better than any of them, even if she was still the most
masculine looking of them all.  "Pretty good, I guess," she
answered.  She formed a hand over one breast, which, to Joe, seemed
considerably more developed since the last time they had seen each
other, three days ago.  Mike seemed have little more than swollen
nipples then.

     "These are really starting to grow," Michelle went on.  "Are
you noticing that, too?"

     "Yeah.  I think so," Joe agreed.  He sensed his own shape was
still getting softer and a little rounder each day, but it was not
as evident as on Michelle's larger, still somewhat masculine frame. 
For Joe, the initial transition had been more complete, and seemed
to happen much quicker.
     "Who'd have thought we'd end like this, eh?" Michelle
continued.  "I still can't believe what's happening to me...  I
mean, I'm even finding myself looking at guys and everything.  And
I'm just horny all the time.  I think I've already used more of
those little mini-pads than a real woman uses in a year.  I'm just
always wet down there.  Maybe it would be sort of fun, if it
weren't so damn embarrassing."

     Joe knew what his friend meant.  At first, he too had
experienced almost continuous sexual arousal after the metamorpho-
sis.  His changed genitalia, which appeared to look like, and even
function as a normal vagina, responded by secreting lubricating
moisture so well that his underwear had been practically always
soaked.  Dr. Krell thought it probably had been from the level of
testosterone remaining in his system.  If it was, it must be
subsiding, since unless he did something that caused him to become
aroused, he was not usually bothered uncomfortably anymore.

     Joe couldn't help notice that Michelle repeatedly used the
term "real woman."  He found himself thinking and doing the same
thing.  No matter how he felt, or how he looked, to himself or
others, it was impossible to equate what they had become with
persons actually born female.  The change might be complete, but it
certainly didn't erase your past.

     "How's Dave doing?" Joe asked.  Joe knew that Dave had been
the most depressed of any of them.  As the only one married, it
appeared Dave just didn't know how to deal with being a husband and
father of two small children, while also having to adjust to living
in a female body.

     "Dave's here somewhere.  You can see for yourself. I don't
think there's been much change.  He's been taking it pretty hard. 
I've tried to get him to see the humor in all this, but I guess he
can't do that.  I think I'd feel a lot different too, if I had
kids... or, God help me... a wife."

     "Yeah.  It's hard enough to adjust to all this without having
to worry about something like a family."

     "How are you taking it?  You look so natural, it's impossible
to tell you weren't born that way."

     "It is getting easier, I guess," Joe answered.  "Seems like
the longer I stay this way, the more normal it feels.  I don't know
if it's the hormones, or what.  Are you noticing that feeling too?"

     "Hmmm, I don't know," Michelle said.  "I think I'm still
undergoing changes more than you or Dave.  It's been pretty hard. 
The clothes I bought the other day hardly fit anymore.  Look at
this."  He/she stuck her finger in the opening between the buttons
where new breast development stretched the fabric of the blouse.

     "Get some new stuff," Joe advised.  "Bring the bills in and
give them to Jim.  The Company will pay for it.  It's the least
they can do."

     "Yeah, I know, but the way I've been growing, you wouldn't
believe it.  I think I'm gonna look like Dolly Parton before it all
stops."

     "What about Tim?" Joe asked.  The young line boy who had just
been watching them calibrate equipment had also undergone the same
changes, and they had endowed the young fellow with a quite
prominent bosom.  Hardly Dolly Parton, but definitely larger than
either Joe or Mike/Michelle.

     "I've seen him, but he hasn't stuck around here much.  He's
been spending time with his sister.  I think he's still taking it
rather hard."

     Joe looked closely at Michelle as she stood next to him
watching the lab assistants.  The Mike he knew was still quite
evident, but Joe could see that his friend's face had become much
softer, quite a bit younger looking, and now, downy soft, light
facial hair replaced stiff whiskers.  She was still big and still
muscular, but it was obvious that Michelle was a woman, too.

     "How's it going for you, really?" Joe asked softly.  He
wondered what it was really like for this former body builder to
see his body turn soft.

     "What can we do, Joe?  I mean, we just have to take it one day
at a time, don't we?"

     "I don't know any other way.  Like I said, it does seem to get
easier each day.  Are you noticing that?"

     "Maybe.  I don't know, really.  I do know I'd like to try it
with a guy sometime.  I think that just might even feel pretty
good.  How about you?"

     Joe grinned knowingly.  He wondered if he should tell his
friend of his experiences.  No.  It wasn't Mike's business.  Let
him try it in his own time.  He might have the rest of his life.

     "It does seem kind of interesting," Joe conceded.  "My skin...
The nerves...  Everything seems so much more intense like this."

     "I really do miss the original equipment sometimes," Michelle
said, running her fingers along her pubic area.

     "Yeah.  Peeing sure is a lot more involved, isn't it," Joe
agreed, the knowing grin returning.  It was so strange to compare
notes with someone else with the same affliction.  Mike was a
technician, and maybe he wasn't very eloquent, he did have a knack
for getting to the heart of a problem.

     "Hell, I feel like I've peed my pants about half the time,"
Michelle confided.  "And I think I really need to go about every
half hour too.  I can't believe real women actually live like
this."

     "I felt like that at first, too.  It has started to get better
now, for the last three days anyway. Sometimes I hardly notice the
difference."

     "Do you still get hard-ons?" Michelle asked innocently.  "I
don't have much left down there, but sometimes I have the sensation
of a raging boner.  If that isn't the strangest sensation..."

     "I don't have much to see anymore, either.  But what there is,
does feel like an erection all right."

     "Think it's normal?" Michelle asked.  "You think that's what
real women feel like?"

     "I don't see how anyone else could tell us that.  I mean, we
probably have more experience with both sides than anybody."

     "That's a scary thought, isn't it?" Michelle mused, Mike's old
grin showing up on her feminized face.

     "What are they trying to do now?" Joe asked, changing the
subject to the research.  He found consolation talking to Michelle
and the others with the same problem, but he would rather talk in
more private surroundings.

     "Well, I think they're trying to figure that out themselves. 
I believe they'd like to reproduce what happened to us on one of
these monkeys, and then try to change it back.  So far, they've
just been looking over our records, trying to figure out how to
duplicate exactly what happened.  I think they're about come up
with an experiment they all agree with."

     "When will they try it?"

     "They might put that cage inside the big cage this afternoon,
and then they'll watch the animal all night."

     "Poor monkey," Joe said, with a mock mournful tone.

     "If it works, they'll probably be asking for a human volunteer
real soon," Michelle continued.

     "You want to try it first?"

     "Dave will be the first one.  He'd kill somebody if he
wasn't."

     "If it works, do you want to go back?" Joe asked.

     "You ask that like you've been having second thoughts
yourself.  The answer is I don't really know.  If you ask me at
certain times I'd probably say yes.  Other times, I might be more
likely to say that I'd want to wait a while.  I just don't know."

     "I guess it's the same for me.  Sometimes I find myself liking
this, and then wanting to go back more than anything."

     "If we could change back and forth...  Have the best of both
worlds...  Now that would be something, wouldn't it?" Michelle
thought aloud.

     "It would change the world.  If a guy spent a week like this,
he'd sure have a new perspective on women."

     "I've been thinking a little about the real chance of getting
back.  If you ask these guys just what's happened to us, and what
would need to happen to change us back, I don't see how it would be
possible.  I think we better get used to these clothes." Michelle
pulled on the sleeve of her blouse.

     "I've been reading about it too," Joe volunteered. "And I
agree.  If we really have damaged or lost our Y chromosome, it
probably can't be restored by more radiation."

     "I guess I could live with that," Michelle said, "but I feel
sorry for Dave.  This female stuff just doesn't agree with him at
all.  He's really gonna gain weight too, I think."

     Just then Joe looked over and saw an assistant was opening the
door to the RF cage.  Two others carried the plastic cage contain-
ing the Rhesus monkey into the large room-like cage.  The monkey,
familiar around humans, sat quietly in the small cage as it was
placed on the low table directly in the middle of the RF cage.  The
men then came out and closed the door.

     Joe and Michelle watched silently as the men went over to
where Dr. Krell was standing at a small control console.  As they
watched, Jim Matheney came up behind them.  "It won't be long now,"
he said.

     Joe turned around and saw his boss.  "Hi, Jim.  What did you
want to see me about?"

     Jim didn't answer, but walked over to where Dr. Krell and his
assistants were standing.  Joe and Michelle followed.

     "I knew they'd be trying this experiment this afternoon, and
I figured you'd want to see what happened," Jim said over his
shoulder.

     "Yeah.  I do want to see it, but my guess is there won't be
much to see right now," Joe said.  "If anything does happen, it'll
be later, as the chromosomes work to rearrange the cells."

     "It's just complete magic to me," Jim confessed. "If I didn't
see what it did to you two, I'd say it was all bullshit."

     "The basic building blocks of life," Joe said matter-of-
factly.  He was far from an authority on biology, but now had a
very personal interest in it, and it recently had become his major
subject of reading.

     They watched as Dr. Krell threw the switches on the transmit-
ters, and started the counter.  There was nothing apparently
happening, and the little primate simply shook the flexible bars of
his cage as he tried get out and join the humans who were watching
him so intently.  His fate was being decided by the invisible radio
waves which coursed through his small body.

     Time passed quickly, and in what seemed like a few moments,
the decided on ten minutes-twenty seconds passed.  Dr. Krell
switched off the transmitters.  "Now, all we need to do is sit and
keep a close eye on our little guy here, and see if his chromosomes
were affected," he said.

     The assistants removed the small cage from the large one, and
took a blood and cell sample from the primate.  They would do this
every hour till Dr. Krell ordered them to stop.

     "Well, that was anticlimactic," Jim exclaimed.

     "What did you expect?" Joe asked with evident sarcasm.  "Do
you want his dick to fall off while you watch?"

     Jim looked at Joe with surprise.  The slang words, while
normal from a man, sounded strange coming from such an attractive
young woman.  "I'm sorry, Joe," he apologized.  "I just can't help
being awed by all this.  But I really do appreciate your personal
feelings about what's going on."

     "I'm not mad at you, Jim," Joe corrected.  "But I think it is
important for everybody to realize that we didn't know anything was
happening to us while we worked with the equipment.  There was
simply no indication of a problem."

     Dr. Krell turned around and spoke.  "Well, now we must wait. 
How are you getting on, Joe?"

     Joe smiled at the little doctor.  "Still ok, Dr. Krell," he
said truthfully.

     "I'd like to get another blood and tissue sample before you
leave today," Dr. Krell continued, looking at Joe.  "I want to keep
an eye on the hormonal changes in each of you, and I haven't had
your samples for a few days now."

     Great. Joe thought. More blood tests.  When will it ever quit? 
"Ok, Doc," he agreed.  Soon, Dr. Krell's assistants had taken Joe's
vital signs, withdrawn blood from his vein, and took a scraping
from inside his mouth for a buccal smear test.

     "You're free to go home, Joe," Dr. Krell said, smiling.  "I'm
curious, what's the rush?"

     Joe smiled.  It was hard not to like the little man who showed
so much personal interest in his patients.  "No rush, Doc.  I just
want to get some sleep.  I can barely keep my eyes open right now."

     "Is there anything wrong?" Dr. Krell asked. "That is a symptom
of depression, you know."

     "I don't think so.  I think it's just a symptom of not getting
enough sleep last night."

     "Did you go out on the town?" Jim asked.

     Joe looked at his boss, wondering how to answer.  There was no
way he wanted to tell them he spent the night in bed with Jay. 
"Not really," he fibbed.  "I was watching TV and talking."

     "How is it between you and Jay?" Jim asked innocently.  "I
know you two were good buddies.  How's he taking what's happened to
you?"

     "OK, I guess.  I have to watch him, or he tries to treat me
like a sister or something, always watching out for me."  This was
partially true, but the brother-sister thing was obviously
stretching it a little.

     "Well, don't blame him," Jim said.  "You look so different, so
much younger, it's hard to remember that you... er... weren't
always that way."

     If you don't mind, I'll head for home." Joe said, looking at
Jim.  "Doc, if something interesting happens with the monkey, call
me at home, ok?"

     "Sure, Joe," Dr. Krell said. "Go home and get some sleep."

     "Mike, er... Michelle, we just gotta get together with Dave
and Tim," Joe insisted.  "It really felt good talking about this
with you.  Dave probably needs that."

     "Yeah, it was good for me, too," Michelle agreed.  Though her
body remained strong, femininity had certainly affected Mike's
personality, making him a lot more personable, maybe even sort of
mellow.  Joe wondered if he was experiencing a similar personality
change.  If so, he couldn't tell.

     "Maybe we can get together tomorrow," Joe suggested, "after
work."

     "Sure. Sounds good to me," Michelle said.  "See you here
tomorrow."

     Joe said his goodbyes and left the laboratory. He stopped at
his desk to check his mail.  A small stack of magazines and junk
mail was piled on his chair.  In that respect, nothing had changed. 
He shuffled through it all, deciding that there was nothing that
needed to be opened immediately.  He left the room and started for
home.  As he passed the ladies' room, Joe decided to stop and
relieve himself.

     When he finished, Joe checked his hair in the mirror.  It was
certainly getting a little longer every day, and the attractive
young woman staring back at him left no doubt he was becoming still
younger looking, and even more feminine.  Even when not trying to
look female, he did.  His eyes, nose, and other features were still
in the process of redefinition. It was obvious that the
strange feelings he was experiencing were being accompanied by
continuing physical changes.  It made him wonder about Dave, and
how his friend was coping with his own involuntary feminization. 
Surely his wife Cindy could help Dave as much as Linda helped him.

     Joe went out to his RX-7 and drove home.  When he arrived at
Linda's, it was about three-thirty, too early for Linda to be
there.  He took his bags and carried them to his room.  He hung up
the new clothes, then separated his soiled clothes into piles for
the laundry.  He came across the little silk chemise that Linda had
apparently packed in his bag and carefully placed it on the
dresser.  He wanted to ask her about that.

     When he had the washer going, Joe took the lingerie and
carefully washed it by hand in his bathroom sink, then hung the
panties and bras over his shower door. As he was doing that, he
decided to remove the jeans and underwear he had on.  He carefully
washed that underwear, too, and the wild time last night went
through his mind as he scrubbed the sticky substance from the
crotch of the little blue underpants.

     After he hung them to dry with the rest, Joe started the
shower, then stepped in and quickly rinsed off.  When finished, he
dried and went to the bedroom.  Going through his almost empty
drawer, he chose new blue nylon panties and slipped them on.  He
rummaged to find a bra, then decided to dispense with that, instead
slipping one of his old male T-shirts over his head.  When he
opened the drawer with his new shorts, he spotted the tank tops
that Linda had suggested he purchase.  What the hell, he thought,
then pulled the T-shirt off and started to slip one of the skimpy
little white tops on.  Removing the T-shirt, the cotton fabric had
rubbed against his nipples, making them stand erect.  With his arms
over his head, Joe gazed at the youthful form in the dresser
mirror.  What he saw in the reflection stirred pleasant memories of
his male past.

     No wonder Jay was acting so strange.  I may still think of
myself as a thirty-year-old guy, he mused, but I'm sure starting to
look like an eighteen year old girl.  He felt strangely guilty as
he permitted his hand to fondle the softness.  It just isn't the
same when it's your own body, he concluded.

     Enjoying the uniquely sensual awareness created by the taut
jiggle of his braless, firm bosom, Joe slowly walked to the bed. 
Although the quick shower served to revive him a little, he decided
to lie down a while anyway.  He pulled the cool sheet back, and,
leaving his thin outer garments on, he lay back on the soft
pillows.  He idly placed a hand on the warm, sensitive area between
his legs, innocently enjoying his own gentle touch.  In moments, he
fell into a deep sleep.

     He had been sleeping for half an hour when Linda arrived home
and entered the house.  She was anxious to see Joe, but when she
arrived at the partially open door to his room, she could see he
was fast asleep.  She was tempted to wake him, but decided instead
to remove her dress and lie by him on the bed.  She figured her
movements would wake him, and was surprised that it did not.

     Linda looked at Joe as he lay sleeping.  She was immediately
aware of the continuing change in his appearance in only the two
days since they had been together.  His face was so much younger
looking... even more than before.  And still more beautiful.

     Looking lower, she noticed Joe was not wearing a bra.  She
reached over to gently touch those amazing breasts.  Here was this
guy, her fiancee, and, whatever had happened to him, somehow he now
had firmer breasts than she could ever remember having.  She
wondered if he really enjoyed the strange change that was occurring
to his body.  They had caressed intimately a few times, and Joe did
seem to like the very different sensations presented by the
metamorphosis, but Linda wasn't sure if he was just humoring her or
if he really enjoyed it.  Cautiously running her hand under the
thin top, she gently fondled his new softness, then slowly circled
the right nipple with a fingertip, feeling it stiffen proudly in
response.  That should feel very good, she thought as she watched
Joe's face.  A slight smile began to form on his sleeping conti-
nence.

     She continued, and soon noticed Joe's hips begin to move
involuntarily.  She was exciting him as he slept, and he was
responding the way almost anyone would.  That gave her confidence,
and she moved her other hand to Joe's pubic mound.  It was so
strange to touch someone who appeared in every way to be a normal
woman.  Though they had both enjoyed mutual fondling since the
change, it was always at night, in very dim light.  Linda generally
still imagined Joe as male, and mostly caressed his back and
strangely soft shoulders, usually trying to avoid the now very
female parts of his anatomy.

     She thought about what she said to him, just before he left
for the trip, about how she wanted to become a man if he really had
to stay this way.  She had watched his reaction, and was somewhat
surprised when Joe said very little about it.

     Could she really do it?  Did she really want to if she found
it was indeed possible?  What would it be like to be a man? 
Frankly, the idea didn't seem all that appealing.  She thought of
suddenly having big muscles, strong shoulders... a penis and
testicles.  What would that feel like?  Wouldn't it be embarrassing
to get an erection?  To have your body stick out like that?

     A woman's body is far more elegant, she considered.  It was so
soft... so gentle.  Even Joe generally seemed to enjoy his recently
acquired femininity.  Did she really want to get all hairy?  She
looked at Joe... at his changed body.  Before, he hadn't been very
hirsute compared to some men, but now, he had nothing but very
light down anywhere but on his head and pubic area.

     Linda moved her hand further, between Joe's legs.  She could
tell that he wore nylon panties under the shorts.  She could even
feel the short pubic hair through the thin cloth.  The male bulge
was notably absent, replaced by a smaller but wider bump of hard
pelvic bone.  What was it like for him to wake up deprived of his
precious manhood?  What might it be like for her, if she was just
as suddenly presented with such an appendage?  She moved her hand
to her own crotch, feeling for her clitoris.  What would it feel
like for that to be grotesquely long?  To actually stick out when
erect?  To use for penetration?

     Joe apparently missed Linda's massaging fingers, because his
hips moved as if searching for the pleasant feeling.  Linda
obliged, touching him, running her finger gently along his genital
cleft.  She wished that she really was a guy right now.  At least
temporarily.  She'd pull Joe's shorts down and let him experience
sex with a man.  She knew he'd want to try it eventually.

     She could tell... by what he said, and by what he didn't say,
that Joe was curious.  And why not?  Whatever had caused it, Joe's
body had become completely female.  Sometimes, Linda even felt tiny
waves of jealousy when she saw the beautiful woman he had become. 
Why did all this have to happen to her man?  And why did he have to
be so beautiful?  What could he possibly see in her now?

     As he slept, Joe's dreams began to get very lucid.  He still
thought of himself as male, and usually dreamed that way.  He
reacted to the pleasant sensations by conjuring up another sexy
meeting with Linda.  She was fondling his penis, and running her
fingers through the light hair on his chest.  His penis felt ready
to explode.  Why didn't she lay back and let him enter her?  He
couldn't figure it, and didn't seem to have the strength to do
anything about it.  He just lay there letting her manipulate him.
     Suddenly he felt her lie on top of him.  She instinctively
spread her legs and began rubbing her crotch against his penis.  He
tried to maneuver so that he could get his erection in a position
to enter her.  It seemed nothing he could do, no way he could move,
would allow him to make love with this beautiful woman.  And still
she wouldn't stop.

     Joe had to have her and he finally found the strength to move
his arms to take her and hold her.  She reciprocated by wrapping
her arms around him.  He could feel the almost downy softness of
her breasts.  It seemed his own chest too had become more sensitive
that he could remember it.  Still asleep, Joe began to softly call
for her to let him take her.  "Let me put it in.  Let me put it
in," he begged

     Linda was enjoying the sensation of friction of her clitoral
area against Joe's pubis, each enjoying very similar feelings, and
each getting closer to climax.  Suddenly Joe began to moan
slightly.  It wasn't a moan really, but rather he was trying to say
something in his sleep.  "Oooh. Let me put it in," Joe said again.

     He thinks he still has a penis. Linda concluded as she lay on
top of him.  Poor guy.  She kissed Joe on the lips.  Since the
change, Joe had seemed so very different.  He even smelled
different.  His pleasant masculine scent was gone, and to Linda,
nothing had replaced it.  She didn't really react to Joe's female
pheromones.

     The kiss woke Joe.  His eyes opened and it took a moment to
realize that Linda was on top of him.  When he did realize who it
was, he continued to fondle her buttocks.  Then the reality of what
was happening dawned on him.  "Hi," he said simply, feeling
embarrassed.

     Linda looked embarrassed at what she was caught doing.  She
was wearing only her underwear, lying on top of him, pretending to
make love as if she were a man.  Her skirt and blouse were lying
across the chair by the bed.

     Linda's pretending wasn't immediately obvious to Joe.  He
reached down to feel his shorts, and realized that his underwear
had become wet from excitement.  "What's going on?"

     Linda said nothing, her face getting even more red with
embarrassment.  She rolled away from Joe, and lay on her back.

     Joe began to realize just what was happening.  He sat up and
then knelt next to her on the bed.  As he looked at Linda, he saw
from the wet spot on her own panties that she had been getting
aroused by what she had been doing.  "Was it fun?" Joe teased, then
realized she was too embarrassed for that.  "It was feeling pretty
good," he continued. "Why did you stop?"

     "Oh, Joe," Linda said, almost in tears. "I was just trying to
imagine what it would be like to be a man... to make love with you
that way."

     Joe smiled.  She had apparently been pretending to screw him
as he slept.  While he was dreaming of doing the same to her.  "I
guess you were doing pretty good," Joe remarked, putting his hand
on his own pubic area and pulling the panty up so that the wetness
there was visible to her.  "I guess we both seemed to like it."  He
pointed to her underwear, which was just as visibly damp.

     Linda's face opened up in a big grin.  Joe could always see
the best in everything.  She reached up and kissed him on the lips
again.

     Joe looked at her, this woman who had just been on top of him
as if she was making love.  Did she really want to do that?  "So
you want to be a guy, huh?  Then let's see what it would be like. 
I've kind of been wondering myself."

     Kneeling, Joe slipped the little cotton tank top over his
head.  He tossed it on the chair next to Linda's things.  He arched
his back, making his small but firm breasts more prominent, then,
with his hands, he pushed the soft mounds against each other in an
attempt to appear seductive.  It might be hard to act like a woman,
but it was sure easy to look like one when your body was like this,
he thought to himself.  "Come on, big guy," he vamped.

     Linda lay there, looking at Joe as he pretended to seduce her. 
She wasn't sure if she should take him seriously, or if he was just
being sarcastic.

     Joe unbuttoned his shorts, and slipped them down.  He pulled
them off and tossed them off the bed.  He left the panties on.  If
Linda wanted them off, she could do it for him.  "Go ahead," he
ordered.  "Pretend that you're a guy.  Take me... Use me."

     Linda sat up in the bed.  "Joe," she said, as she took him in
her arms.

     Joe kissed her, then took her right hand and placed it on his
bare breast.

     "You really want to do this?" Linda asked.

     "Sure.  You say you want to be a guy, and I guess I'm a girl
now, whether I like it or not.  Let's find out what it might be
like."

     Almost reluctantly, Linda began to caress Joe's breast.  Joe
knelt next to her, and shut his eyes as if enjoying the sensation. 
He looked down at her.  She was wearing pale yellow hi-rise panties
with a bit of lace trim at the leg openings, and a sort of matching
bra.  Not exactly masculine apparel.  Joe wondered what would make
her less feminine, not for his sake, but for hers.  He had an idea. 
"Just a second," he said.  "I think I might have something to make
you feel a little more macho."

     "Macho?" Linda asked.  "What could make me feel like that?"

     Joe went to the dresser... to his underwear drawer.  He looked
around the almost empty drawer and found the black nylon bikinis he
wore the morning after the change.  Although they might have been
the most feminine underwear he had then, they were still men's
underwear.  He also grabbed a clean sweat sock and came back to the
bed.  "Let's try this on."

     Before she could object, he pushed Linda back on the bed and
quickly pulled her panties off.  He tossed them on the floor next
to the chair.  Then he took the black undershorts and slid them up
her smooth legs.  Linda reluctantly assisted by lifting her butt at
the appropriate times, and when they were in place, she peered down
at her lower body.  The male underwear fit more-or-less, but the
masculine bulge at the crotch was missing.  Joe took her arm and
pulled her to a kneeling position on the bed.  He balled up the
sweat sock and stuffed it into the front of the little nylon
shorts.  He carefully arraigned it until it was just the way he
thought it should be.  "What do you think?" he asked, unable to
hide the grin.

     Linda looked down at the bulge at her crotch, then at Joe. 
"And this is supposed to make me feel macho?" she asked, slightly
embarrassed.

     "Well, I admit, it may not help much.  But it sure is better
than those lacy panties, isn't it?"

     "You really think so?"

     "Well, the boobs are kind of hard to ignore, but I'll try if
you will."

     "Now what?" Linda asked.

     "You're a guy.  Surely you know what guys want."

     I feel stupid with this sock in here."  Linda smiled as she
cupped the bulge with her hand, as if trying to imagine what it
would be like if the sock became real maleness.

     "Well, we have to make do," Joe said. "And that's not a sock. 
It's nine inches of hot meat."

     "Right."

     Joe lay back on the bed and put his arms out.  "God, I need
you," he breathed. "Take me.  Use me."

     Linda, feeling more than a little foolish, smiled and moved to
position herself on top of Joe.  As she did, she moved her legs
apart.  Joe realized what she was doing and pushed her legs back
together, then spread his own.  "You're the guy, remember?" he
admonished.  "I'll spread my legs."

     As she positioned herself, Joe could feel the bulge of the
sock press against his pubis.  The feeling really wasn't anything
like with Jay.  Jay was much harder...  And of course, he aimed
lower.  But it did feel good... sort of.  "Oh, yeah," Joe breathed. 
"I like that."

     Linda started to move her hips as if making love.  She pushed
the sock firmly against Joe's pubic mound.  Almost immediately, the
sock moved lower, back between her legs, and suddenly they were
again rubbing their pubic bones together.  The feeling was good,
but not great.

     Linda reached behind her back, and pulled the sock out of her
underwear.  "This does nothing for me.  How about you?"

     "I agree."

     Joe moved around so that Linda could position herself with her
legs sort of entwined with his.  In that way, they could better rub
the more sensitive parts of their genitals against each other. 
They were both amazed at the pleasant sensation that allowed. 
Linda started a kind of side to side movement which seemed to
excite Joe's clitoris most effectively.

     "Hey, this isn't bad," Joe commented, as he started to
reciprocate to Linda's movements.

     Linda looked down at Joe and smiled, saying nothing, but
continuing the pleasing movement.  It was obvious from the
expression on her face that she enjoyed it, too.  Nylon panties
eliminated the friction that might have been created as they almost
frantically rubbed their genital areas faster and faster.

     Joe was the first to stiffen his legs and experience a most
pleasing orgasm.  The combination of genital sensation and the
sight of Joe getting off brought Linda over the top soon after. 
Spent, they clung to each other, still pressing identical genitalia
together.  Joe kept up a slight rocking motion, which created just
enough stimulation to hold them at a pleasing point.

     Climax really was different without ejaculation, he consid-
ered.  Although penetration probably would have felt pretty good
right now, he was quite satisfied without it.  He was curious if
Linda felt the same way.  "How was that?" he asked.

     Linda looked at him and smiled.  Then she kissed him.

     "Did you like it?" Joe asked again.

     "What do you think?" Linda asked mysteriously.

     "I think you got just as much out of that as I did."

     "And I think you might be right," Linda said.

     "We didn't even need a penis, did we?"

     "Well, I don't know about you, but I think it would have been
even better if one of us had one."  Linda's humor was returning.

     "I'd be glad to oblige, but I'm a little short right now."

     Linda frowned at the clever pun.  Joe suddenly realized just
what he had said.

     "Don't you just want a man right now?" she asked.  "Or would
you still rather be one?"

     Joe looked into her face.  It was plain that she was curious
about his sexual orientation.  His body was obviously capable of
sex as a female.  Was that what he really wanted?  He didn't know
how to answer her.  He just grinned widely.  "Either way would be
great," he said diplomatically.  "I guess I'd like to know how it
would feel, but then, I already know how good it is as a man."

     "Yeah, but don't you just want to know?" Linda persisted.

"Why are you so curious about that?"

     "Joe, Look at you." Linda said.  "You're gorgeous.  I can't
believe how beautiful and sexy you've become.  Surely you'd want to
be with a man rather than with me."

     "Is it really that great as a woman, that I'd want to forget
about the person I love?"

     "But, you're a woman now.  Surely you can't have the same
feelings toward me."

     Joe looked at her.  "You're right," he admitted.  "I do feel
different.  But I still love you.  How about you?  How do you feel
toward me... toward what I've become?"

     Linda reached for him and kissed him on the lips.  One of
Joe's breasts caught on Linda's bra, pinching his nipple.  Joe
reached down and pushed it out of the way, and then fondled Linda's
boob through the lace and satin bra.

     Linda reached up and rubbed Joe's breast.  "Tell me the truth. 
Don't you really like having boobs?"

     Joe pulled away from her embrace and looked down at his new
curves.  "They'd be more fun for me if they were on you," he said
with his now feminine voice.  "Of course you do look pretty nice
yourself," he added diplomatically.

     "The truth," Linda insisted. "Don't you enjoy looking like
that?"

     Joe smiled what he hoped was a devilish grin.  "It's kind of
neat, I guess.  At first, the curiosity was everything.  But I
guess I'm getting used to being this way.  I am really amazed at
how young I'm starting to look."

     "I've noticed that, too," Linda said.  "I think you look even
younger than the other day."

     "I'm still changing, I guess," Joe admitted, the concern
evident in his voice.

     "When will it stop?"

     "Who knows?  We're still trying to figure out what's causing
it."

     Linda was staring at Joe's chest, idly fondling him as they
spoke.  Joe looked down, then back at her eyes.  "Do I interest
you?" Joe asked, amused.

     Embarrassed, Linda moved her hand away from his breast.  "I'm
sorry.  You just feel so soft, so smooth..."

     "And it feels good when you touch me, too.  I know it must
seem strange... I know I look like a girl... I guess maybe I feel
like a girl, too.  But I still like being with you, too.  Can you
understand that?"

     Linda slowly placed her hand back on Joe's softness.  "I'm
trying.  But you have to understand...  I haven't changed...  I'm
still the same...  But you look so feminine...  So beautiful... 
What can you possibly see in me?"

     "I hope I'm seeing a beautiful woman who still loves to be
around me," Joe said softly.  "If we ultimately decide that we
can't be, or don't want to stay together, we... we just have to
stay friends, don't we?" Joe's gentle voice was almost pleading.

     Linda placed her hand behind Joe's head, then, rising on the
bed, she kissed him deeply, just as she used to.  Their tongues
even entwined momentarily.  Joe reached down between Linda's
breasts and unhooked the clasp of her bra.  As he had done so many
times before, he freed her breasts, and with Linda's help, removed
the bra completely.  But Joe didn't fondle her.  He just didn't
like the feel of the scratchy lace on his own sensitive chest. 
They embraced again, their breasts meshing as they kissed
some more.

     They both lay back on the bed, and Joe closed his eyes.  Life
was becoming so bizarre.  Less than twenty hours ago, he was
frolicking bed with his best friend.  Now here he was, cuddling
with his fiancee.  It was still wonderful and pleasurable, but he
felt out-of-place in both scenarios.  What was he now, really? 
Linda's perfume, and his thoughts were buzzing through Joe's head
as he fell asleep again.

     Linda cradled him in her arms and watched him, realizing that
Joe probably looked more like her younger sister than her lover.

     What would become of their strange relationship?
                                    JOE39


     "You're still changing, aren't you." Linda exclaimed from
the slightly open bedroom door.

     The words startled Joe, who was standing before the mirror,
looking at himself, deep in thought.

     Joe looked at her and smiled meekly. 

     "Yeah, I guess I am." He admitted.  "Not much, I suppose,
but something is happening."

     "You simply look gorgeous.  I can't believe how soft... how
young looking... how... absolutely feminine you've become." Linda
exclaimed, as she looked at her fiancee, standing before her,
embarrassment showing, feminine curves concealed only by little
white shorts and a bra.

     "It's really hard to accept this is really me...that these
things are mine." Joe said, gently cupping his breasts with his
hands.

     They were attached to his body...he could certainly feel
them when they were touched, but still, it was as if his still
growing breasts were not really a part of him...like these soft
bulges were actually part of a costume he wore.  But there was no
zipper in this birthday suit.

     He moved his hands to his butt.  He ran them up and down
along noticeably widening hips, wondering just when the changes
would finally stop.

     "Maybe it's a good thing you're going with me." Linda
exclaimed, a teasing inflection evident in her voice.  It was
plain she too noticed the continuing change in that area.

     Joe looked at her and grinned. 

     "I guess I am getting a little broader in the beam." He
conceded.

     It was so weird.  To watch your body continue its transition
toward female, and know there is absolutely nothing you can do
about it.  But the interesting thing was, he didn't really care
anymore.  It was as if his will... his very being...everything he
was...was starting to accept what he had apparently already
physically become.  A woman.

     Linda stood in the doorway and watched Joe as he examined
himself.  They didn't speak.  They was no need.  The look on
Joe's face made it plain that he was becoming more and more
content with his acquired shape...his new gender.  They could no
longer consider themselves man and woman.  Until now, they both
sometimes ignored the physical, talking and teasing, as if Joe's
situation was just some temporary thing, like some kind of
complex costume.

     "Not bad for a girl, Bates.  You really are a woman, I
guess." Linda said, finally breaking the long silence.

     "What does it mean...to be a woman?" Joe asked.  "Is it
growing boobs? Is it having this?" He ran his right hand along
the sleekness of his crotch. 

     "I don't know, Joe." Linda said.  "But it sure looks like
you're beginning to enjoy it.  Do you agree?"

     Joe looked into the mirror.  He gently rubbed the silky,
nylon cups of the bra.

     "Do I like it?" He repeated.  "It feels good.  The
softness...the new sensitivity...  It really feels good.  Yeah. 
I guess I am starting to like it.  Is that so bad?"

     "No, it's not bad." Linda responded.  "Maybe it's a good...
I mean...it doesn't look like they can change you back, so if you
have to be like that...if you have to stay feminine, it's
probably good if you can enjoy it."

     "Yeah, that's what I keep telling myself." Joe said.  "But
it's a complicated thing...to see...to feel masculinity slip
away.  I guess I can't explain it to you...but no matter how much
begin to like this...the way I am now...there is still a real...a
tremendous sense of loss."

     Linda looked at Joe.  He looked so much like a teenager
standing there. A pretty, young woman.  But his words, if not his
voice, were still those of the Joe Bates she knew.

     She put her arms out and went to him, taking him to her.  He
was still taller than she was, but he was no longer the strong
muscular man she loved. Joe had become completely soft...
feminine...  He even smelled feminine.  Her hands brushed the
strap of the bra.  Every physical aspect about him served to
remind her the person in her arms was no longer the man he had
been.

     Joe eagerly returned her embrace.  When they stood close
together, his pert breasts came above Linda's, just below her
chin.  Her face brushed the soft skin of his chest, and she felt
the warm hollow of cleavage.  She looked up at him, and they
kissed.  It was like always, and yet, so very different. They
could never again feel the same about each other.  They were
still in love, but the powerful feeling of heterosexual
affection, and yes, lust, had almost vanished.  They were
becoming more like best friends... sisters. Something good,
real... but not lovers.  At least not at all like before.

     "You smell very good." Linda said, trying to hide the
awkward embarrassment.

     "Thanks." Joe said.  "It's your cologne.  I put some on this
morning.  It holds up pretty well I guess."

     "We better get going, don't you think?"  Linda continued. 

     "Yeah, maybe so." He agreed.

     He grabbed the white top and deftly pulled it on.

     "Do I look Ok?" Joe questioned, holding his arms out.  "Will
I fit in?"

     "Don't worry, Joe, you'll fit in." Linda advised.  "If
there's any problem, it'll be cause the other women will be
jealous."

     Joe looked at Linda. 

     "Do they all dress in the locker room?" He asked.

     "Are you hoping you'll get to see the others in the buff?"
Linda teased.

     "I don't care about that.  Not anymore." Joe said
truthfully.  "Maybe it's hard to believe, but I really don't find
that stuff exciting now, not usually anyway."

     "Yeah, but it can be a real ego boost." Linda mused.  "Some
of the ladies make me feel pretty good about the way I look."

     "I'm still trying to get used to being like this, remember."
Joe said. "I have a lot of trouble thinking of myself as one of
the women.  No matter what I happen to look like...or how they
look.  Sometimes, I tend to forget that I'm one of you guys now."

     "Well, the other girls won't guess there's a guy in the
locker room, don't worry about that." Linda promised, smiling at
him.

     "Yeah...great." Joe said, very unenthusiastically.

     He finished gathering his things up, putting them in the
colorful gym tote.  Since he'd be changing clothes there, Joe
wondered what else he might need.  He considered the mini-pads.

     "Should I take some panti-liners?" Joe asked Linda, who was
still intently watching him pack.

     "I really don't know." She responded.  "Think you need one?"

     "Well...I'm worried that some of that medication stuff is
going to run out.  It sure felt like it might.  But it hasn't so
far." Joe said.

     "If you haven't had a problem by now, I doubt you will."
Linda considered.

     "But what about when I start jumping around and stuff?" Joe
went on.

     "If it will make you feel better...more confident...then use
one." Linda advised.

     Joe went into the bathroom and grabbed a couple from the
box.  He tossed them in with the leotard, then zipped up the
brightly colored bag.  It was bigger, but a lot less embarrassing
to carry than a purse.

     "Ok.  I'm ready." He exclaimed.

     "Let's get going then." Linda said, taking her bag and
walking briskly to the door.

     They went to the drive, and without asking, Linda went to
her car. This was another difference.  Before, anytime they went
anywhere together, Joe drove.  Linda didn't even ask.  She always
rode along.  It was different now. It was plain she was looking
at Joe differently, more like an equal...a peer.

     Joe rode along in silence, thinking about that, and
wondering what it would be like, participating in a women's
exercise class...as a woman.  

     He'd know soon enough.  

     Linda pulled into the half full parking lot, and they
climbed the stairs, side by side.  Joe had to resist habitually
taking Linda's hand as they walked.  That was something he could
never do anymore, not in public anyway.

     They showed their membership cards and went inside.  It was
still strange for Joe to enter the "wrong" side of the familiar
place.  The typical locker room smell greeted them when they went
inside.  Well, not exactly the old locker room smell, Joe
thought.  The women's side included a faint trace of perfume, or
something.  Subtle, but very different than the musty sock odor
on other side of the hall.

     Not so subtle was the difference in appearance of the other
occupants of the room.  No muscular, sweaty backs...no jock
straps...no hairy men.  None.

     There was no way to describe this sight to a man.  There
must be thirty women in here, Joe thought, and over half of them
well under thirty.  A lot of them were under twenty.  There were
all shapes...all sizes...but they were all women, that was
plainly evident.  Joe had never seen so many bare breasts in one
place, at one time, ever before.  Jay wouldn't believe it if he
told him.

     Such variety.  It was like some kind of dream. 
Women...naked women...all over the place.  Large boobs...small
boobs...tiny boobs.  He didn't know they could look so different,
so...such variety of shapes.  All this female flesh, and not a
cock in the room...including in his own shorts.

     Joe instinctively felt himself...there had to be at least a
trace of embarrassing bulge there...he could detect a bit of
excitement stirring.  But no...nothing.  His new shape offered
nothing to the outside.  Even his "erection" now felt different
than before, even since the change.  After the last experience
with Jay, he now knew the subtle differences between the
sensations of his old genitalia, and the way he was now.  That
little clitoris might still feel like a "hard-on", at least sort
of, but now he could also recognize the pleasant sensation of the
labia minora as they engorged with blood, spreading the new
vaginal opening, making it ready for penetration.  At the same
time, there was the warm feeling of those lubricating secretions.
Thank heaven for the pad, Joe thought.

     Winding her way among the throng of dressing and undressing
women, Linda found a spot near a vacant locker, and claimed a
little bench as hers.  There was enough space for Joe too, so he
put his bag on the bench along side hers.

     Linda opened the locker and started placing her stuff
inside.  Joe chose an empty one a few spaces down and copied her
actions.  Though he tried his best, it was completely impossible
for him resist the temptation to ogle the women and girls around
him.  It was too ingrained a habit.

     It was just too different...too much.  Joe had been in a
women's locker room before, in fact, this very one, but never
when there were so many...so many good looking women...girls. 
Boobs and beavers...everywhere.

     "Joe...try to keep your eyes to yourself." Linda said
quietly.  "You're staring at everybody."

     "I can't help it!" Joe hissed softly.  "I've never been any
place quite like this before.  Give me a break."

     Linda looked at him with a big grin showing.

     "Not as easy as you thought, huh?"  She asked. 

     "Easier now than it would have been two days ago." Joe
responded, his head swiveling to follow a rather well endowed
teenager as she bounced her way to the shower.

     "Well, try to keep your eyes from popping out, at least."
Linda said, obviously enjoying Joe's strange predicament.

     No one realized that the attractive young girl who seemed to
stare strangely at everyone...no one could have imagined that
inside that pretty head was the brain of a thirty year old guy,
his male urges heavily dulled by lack of testosterone, but still
retaining the memories, and the visions... All that still worked
the same.

     Joe slowly placed his things in his locker, but eventually
he had to undress.  He didn't know why it bothered him since
there was no way for anyone to tell his secret, he had the best
disguise imaginable.  But the thought of undressing in this
crowded place, with all these strangers...even if they were
women...

     He pulled his top over his head, and carefully hung it on a
hook in the locker.  Then he reached down and unsnapped the bra,
then pulled it off his shoulders.  

     There were little marks where the bra had pressed on his
body.  Linda had them too.  He hadn't noticed them on other women
before, but it must be normal.

     Joe sat and untied his Reeboks, then pulled them off.  It
was time to remove the shorts.

     Slowly unbuttoning the shorts, he pulled them down, then
stood momentarily in his panties.  He pulled them down, and
immediately noticed the panti-liner.  What should he do with
that?  He decided to leave it in the crotch until later, when
he'd have to wear them again.

     Completely naked, Joe fished around in his bag till he found
the sport panty, and quickly stepped into it.  He was about to
pull it up, when he considered using protection.  Should he put a
pad in right here?  Among all these people?  They'd probably
think he was menstruating.  But what if they did.  He probably
would anyway...eventually.  He cautiously reached and felt
between his legs with his finger.  It was moist there...but it
seemed clear, like it might just be from the excitement, not the
greasy medication.

     Joe decided to go without the pad.  If it felt funny later,
he could excuse himself and put one on.  Maybe it would be a bit
more private then, at least.

     He pulled the panty in place, enjoying the secure feeling
the snug fit of the garment provided.  Rubbing his hands over his
butt, Joe relished the silky smoothness.  Maybe he might look
female...he obviously did...but there was no way he could deny
pleasurable sensations.  He moved his hand to the front, between
his legs.  The fabric there was even softer satin like fabric,
and his totally feminine shape was becoming familiar, though it
still felt a little weird sometimes, not having a penis.  Not
bad...but weird.

     The cool air and underlying sexual excitement made Joe's
nipples stiff and sensitive.  He looked over at Linda, who was
also undressed.  Her's were the same way.  She wasn't paying any
attention, so it must be completely normal.  Apparently it was
possible to get accustomed to the extra sensitivity a female body
provided.  Maybe it would just take some time.

     Joe watched as Linda slipped her arms into a beige colored
support bra and deftly pulled it over her head and shoulders. 
Just as Joe's, her own bra had no clasps or hooks, it had to be
pulled over the head.  Joe put his head and arms in the proper
holes and adjusted his soft breasts into the cotton cups.  The
supportive athletic bra actually pressed the breast tissue down
until it was mostly just a flattened bulge on his chest.  When he
wore it, he hardly jiggled at all.  He could still see the little
bumps of his hard nipples, but otherwise, it was almost like
being a guy again.  He looked down and rubbed his sleek crotch. 
Well...not exactly a guy.

     Here he was, in a room filled with beautiful women in
various stages of undress...and he was no different than they
were.  Though he still felt many of the familiar stirrings, it
was now not just physically impossible to carry out most of
things that went through his thoughts, the very thoughts
themselves were changing rapidly.

     As these things went through his mind, Joe slipped on the
shape hugging exercise wear.  The Capri pants, the leotard, and
then the little crop top. Although he felt his new femininity was
rather exposed, he was actually wearing a lot of clothes.  But
even with shape subduing exercise bra, it was quite clear that he
was not a male.  The stretchy clothes emphasized his narrowed
waist as well as his widening hips and rounded buttocks.

     Ready to go, Joe felt a little self conscious but generally
pleased with himself.  He looked at Linda, who was also putting
her gym bag into the locker.

     She still looked good, there was no hiding that basic
attractiveness, even to Joe's changing mind.  Joe couldn't see
how much older than he was she looked.  Some in the room might
have even thought she could have been his very young looking
mother.  But Joe didn't see that.  She still looked the same. He
was the one who changed.  The relationship between them was
changing, and had already changed a lot, but they were still best
friends.

     Linda saw Joe watching her and smiled. 

     "Are you ready?"  She asked. 

     "Let's do it!" Joe said, with exaggerated enthusiasm.  His
heart was pounding with the combination of excitement,
apprehension, and fear. 

     Joe saw that Linda took a towel, so he too grabbed one from
the neat stack.  He followed her out the door. 

     The aerobics room was already filled with women, who were
spacing themselves in an orderly fashion on the floor.  The
entire front wall of the room was mirrored, so everyone could
watch themselves as they followed the fit looking instructor. 

     Joe looked around at the other women.  He recognized some of
them from his many other visits to the health club.  They were
probably the same women he had just seen dressing, but maybe it
was the different light, maybe just because there was no longer
the distraction of naked breasts, whatever, he hadn't recognized
them in the locker room.  He wondered if any of them would
recognize him.

     That was highly unlikely.  Even though his face was somewhat
similar to the way it used to be, no one would have dreamed that
the young shapely woman was formerly a thirty year old male.  If
there was any recognition, no one gave a hint.

     Doing as the others, Joe placed his towel on the floor at
his side.  He looked up as the instructor bent over to place a
tape into her boom box, her well-formed derriere catching his
eye.  Directly in front of him was a young woman probably no more
than twenty years old.  She too was very trim.  To the others,
she probably seemed more Joe's age than Linda did, but to Joe she
was much younger.  It was hard enough to think of himself as
female, much less twenty years old again.

     He was admiring the view of the young ladies backside, which
her purple leotard and white stirrup pants did little to conceal. 
He was staring intently, examine the lines the leg elastic of her
panties made on her butt, when she suddenly turned around and
noticed him.

     "Hi. my name's Susan." She said, smiling.  Unlike a man, she
didn't extend her hand along with the greeting.

     Joe was surprised at the innocent openness of the young
woman.  She obviously didn't consider him a threat.  Not that he
was.

     Joe held out his hand. 

     "My name is Joe."  He said, as the girl took his hand.  

     "Joe?  I've never seen you here before, have I, Joe?" Susan
asked, snickering slightly as she spoke his name.

     "No...No, I don't think so." Joe said.  "I've never been to
the exercise class until today.  I came along with my friend
Linda."  He pointed to Linda, who was in the in the same row as
Susan, but two spots to the right.

     "Oh, yeah, I've seen Linda here lots of times." Susan said. 
Do you live here in Phoenix?"

     "Yeah, I do.  Joe said.  I live at Linda's."  He said
awkwardly.  

     The music started.  It was time to begin the stretching
exercises.  

     "Well, I guess it's time to get to work."  Susan said,
turning around.

     "Yeah, I guess so, Joe agreed."  

     The exercise instructor raised her arms over her head. 
Everyone in the room followed suit, and for the next five minutes
or so, they bent and stretched in harmony with the music.  Joe
had never exercised to music before, but he had spent enough time
watching in the back of the room, while waiting for a racquetball
court, to know the procedure.  At those times, he could never
have imagined that some day he'd be wearing a sexy leotard,
joining in with the OTHER women.

     Joe found that time went very quickly.  The exercise itself
was quite exhilarating, and the scenery could not be faulted.  As
he bounced up and down, dancing to the rhythm, he watched Susan's
buttocks, trying to remember if he had seen her in the locker
room.  Joe began to feel like a dirty old man.  But luckily, his
thoughts were invisible, and his body gave no trace of his
feelings.

     Soon the music slowed, signaling the start of the cool down
phase.  All the exertion had caused sweat to show through Susan's
leotard, around her bra.  Joe wondered if he looked the same way,
and since most of the others did too, he figured that was highly
likely.  Women sweat too, he thought grinning to himself.

     Then the tape stopped, and the instructor said "Good work
ladies, I'll see you in a couple of days."

     Joe took his towel and wiped sweat from his forehead.  Susan
turned and spoke again.

     "Do you go to school?"  She asked.

     "Oh no." Joe answered instinctively to the unsuspected
question.  "I work at Honeybone." 

     "Really, what do you do there?" Susan asked innocently. She
was obviously trying to strike up a friendship with Joe, who she
probably considered to be about her own age.

     "I'm an Electrical Engineer." Joe blurted, almost
immediately realizing it might be hard to believe what he was
said.

     "An Electrical Engineer...rad!." Susan said.  "You must be
really smart."

     Joe didn't know how to take the conversation.  He wasn't
used to carrying on an extended communication with a young woman
who didn't know about his experience.

     "No, I just find the work interesting." Joe answered, hoping
to not sound too nerdy. 

     They walked into the locker room with the other women. 
Another strip show, Joe thought to himself. 

     Susan's locker was on the same aisle as Joe and Linda's, and
they each went to their respective bench, but were still within
speaking distance.  

     Joe opened the padlock on his locker, and saw Susan do the
same.  When Susan had her locker open, she quickly removed her
shoes and socks, then the leotard and stirrup pants.  Standing
there with her long hair flowing down her back, in white cotton
panties and only a wisp of a bra, she looked like an angel.  Joe
found himself spending more time watching her than he did
undressing.  Earlier, Linda had noticed him and Susan talking,
but had let them to themselves.  Now she noticed him watching
Susan as she undressed.

     "She's pretty, isn't she." Linda said, low enough so only he
could hear.

     "Yeah, I guess she is." Joe agreed, trying to look away, and
continue to undress. 

     "Maybe you should get to know her." Linda said.

     "What for?"  Joe asked.  "What could we possibly have in
common?"

     "Well, I think Susan is a nice girl, she probably thinks you
two are the same age." Linda responded.

     "Yeah, but we're not, remember." Joe said.

     When Susan slipped off her underwear, she wrapped herself in
a bath towel and walked past Joe on her way to the showers. He
quickly got his clothes off and went to the showers too.  Susan
was there, and they stood side by side in the communal
facilities, letting the warm water rinse the sweat from their
bodies.  Out of the corner of his eye, Joe watched Susan as she
washed herself.  They dried themselves before returning to the
lockers.

     "Are you going to the concert tonight?" Susan asked.

     "No. No, I have to go back to work later." Joe said.

     "You have to work tonight?"  Susan asked.  "Tonight?" 

     Joe wondered what the big concert was.  He didn't want to
sound out of touch, so he said nothing that might give himself
away.

     "Yeah, I do.  I don't usually work in the evenings, but I do
tonight." He said.

     "Where do you hang out?"  Susan continued.  

     Joe didn't know what to say.  He wasn't sure where young
women "hung out." He though of the places he always went, and the
age of the women there. Sure...there were plenty of women in
their twenties at a night spot currently known as Spectrum. 

     "Usually the Spectrum."  Joe responded after a moment. 

     "Oh...sure, I go there sometimes too." Susan replied.  "I'm
surprised we haven't met before."

     Joe picked his brain, trying to remember this young, cute
blond.  He couldn't, so she probably wasn't a regular there. 
Neither was he, for that matter.

     "I don't go out that much really."  Joe said. 

     "We'll have to go together some time."  Susan suggested.

     "Yeah...maybe we could that." Joe said cautiously, watching
as Susan toweled her pubic hair.

     They went back to the lockers, and Joe slowly put his street
clothes back on, heart pounding as he watched Susan doing the
same.  He liked her. He didn't know if it was just because she
was attractive, or because of her almost naive friendliness. 
Well, maybe not naive...he was forgetting he wasn't male, so to
her he was not a "threat", just another young woman...a peer.

     "Are you ready soon?"  Linda asked.  

     She was obviously watching how Joe dealt with Susan's
attempt at friendship.  She knew Joe sometimes thought of women
as sex objects, even now, and found it interesting to watch how
he dealt with now quite out of place feelings.  It was quite
evident that Joe experienced at least a little sexual excitement
watching the cute young woman, even though he now looked almost
like her.

     Men...who could hope to understand them.

     Joe on the other hand had a different problem.  He actually
wanted to be around Susan, though he wasn't sure why, and here
presented a definite opportunity.

     "Yeah, just give me a minute." Joe responded, a little
irritation showing.

     He went over to Susan, who was brushing her hair.

     Will you be here Thursday?"  He asked. 

     "Sure."  Susan replied.  "I come three times a week."

     "Well, I'll see you then, I guess." Joe said, sounding
relieved.  "We can see about going out."

     Susan looked at Joe.  Going out?  That was a strange way to
refer to it, she thought.  But she got the idea.

     "Yeah.  Maybe we can do that." Susan responded.  "Your aunt
don't want to come along, does she?"

     Aunt?  Who's the aunt, Joe wondered?  

     "My aunt...?"  Joe repeated.

     "Linda." Susan explained.  "I just figured she was your
relative, she didn't look much like your sister, so I thought
maybe she was your aunt."

     Joe laughed. 

     "Oh no, she's just my friend." He explained speaking slowly
and carefully.  "We've known each other for a long time. I don't
know if she'd want to come or not.  I'll talk to her about it. 
But I have to go now.  See you later!"

     "See you, Joe." Susan repeated.  "Thursday, right?"

     So...  He'd be doing this again.  That was ok with him.  It
was kind of fun, definitely interesting, and good exercise
besides.  What more could a guy...or a girl...ask for?

     Joe gathered his things, looking around the room, taking in
the sights one last time.  The incentive to exercise was about as
strong as it could get.

     He followed Linda out of the room and to her car.

     In about an hour he'd have to meet Norm at his hotel.  It
looked as if this was going to be an interesting night.
