Ever have one of those days that just went sideways?
Ever have a week?
How about a month?
Why do I ask. Well.....
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Ever have one of those days that just went sideways?
Ever have a week?
How about a month?
Why do I ask. Well.....
To start with my name, my real name, is Tony Smith...yes smith. Is it the last name of my parents? I have no idea I was an abandoned baby so nobody knows. Raised in an orphanage till age six then multiple foster homes.
Foster home. Now there is a an oxymoron. Most of the foster places were little more than tiny rooms with negligible heat. I had one that was good for awhile but it was a temporary home with a nice older couple. This was after my former foster place got busted for making meth.
I have never done drugs, well tobacco in pipes but that was it. Not wacky tabacy thank you regular pipe stuff. Had to give it up. Too broke.
my first job, if you want to call it that, was going around town fixing peoples broken stuff, lawn mowers, snowblowers, tillers, weedwackers, power saws, etc. I learned by doing, mostly cause my foster parent places i had to. Not much but it got me some cash.
Graduated school but no college or stuff, again too broke. When I turned eighteen, and my care checks didn't come no more, I was tossed out on my own with little more than a bag of clothes. If not for my handyman cash I would have been living on the streets. No real Id at first but child services begrudgingly gave me a birth certificate, ill get to that in a second, but no other id.
You see I was raised around Detroit. I say around because, well Detroit was broke, so places like Flint. Ie sorta but not really part of Detroit. The lead poisoning in Flint didn't help my health any I can assure you of that.
Still since I was in the US and they didn't know where I was really born they gave me a Canadian birth certificate. Gee Thanks..so helpful. I think the do the same in Canada or Mexico. How they do it I have no idea.
I didn't have citizenship in US or Canada at the time, yeah more fun. I found that out when I tried to get social security number so that I could try to get a job at say McDonald's. So I did like some street kids and hung around the loading docks of the still working factories. Got a job as a sleeper. A sleeper is a kid that will move a load around for a trucker that is too lasy to do it himself. We sleep in the trailer, get fed, and a few bucks.
My trucker forgot I was even there and we crossed the border into Canada. Customs didn't like that I was there and somehow thought I had hitched a ride mistakenly, to get in to the US. The bastard, of course, claimed I was a stowaway. So that's pretty much how I ended up in Canada.
Toronto wasn't my thing, it's like expensive to live there, and the prejudice oh my god. I've been told it was just that one area but still. Summer came and I moved west. My funds ran out around Kenora. After a few summer type jobs in the lake area of Manitoba, I got a ride into Winnipeg.
I know I know. There is tons of stuff on the news but it's not that bad. Fairly cheap to live, plenty of work if you know how to fix things on the cheap. All under the table of course as my birth certificate did get me some cheap housing. My social insurance number has been awarded too me. Actually that was easy to get. Phone a number, wade through multiple recordings, talk to live person, give my birth certificate info. She gave me the number over the phone and the card came in about three weeks.
That allowed me to get on welfare. Pays my rent, and that's about it. Any official work I do has to be reported but under the table stuff is allowed up to a certain amount. For the time it worked. My lack of medical history didn't help me but after a few forms filled out after a long walk downtown I got a medical number. Turns out my less than healthy upbringing has caused some problems.
I'm small for a guy, not that small but uhm... Let's see. I weigh hundred and twenty eight pounds, stand at five six, small boned, scraggy beard and moustache. Longish, mostly uncut, brown hair, brown eyes, sorta need glasses but not really. its like -.1 on one eye. Not minus 1 minus point one.
Truthfully my beard and moustache took a year to get this much. I do have facial hair it just grows really slow. This is due to metal poisoning of my gonads. The walk in doctor has prescribed some medicine to "clean " my system but it makes me sick. Being sick = no food. So I work.
I suppose the other reason I stay in Winnipeg is because of her.
Her refers to Arianna Bridgston. She is about my age and height. Red hair. Similar eyes. Little smaller than me in some areas. Larger than me in others if you get my drift. Yes I have some fat on my chest. Not much, doc says it is left over from my teens years when I had gyno something or another.
Still she is quite the looker.
Arianna is a self made person. Not rich, not poor, more of the rare middle class. Single, though she has dated on occasion. No family that I know of. Very much a workaholic though. Just about every time I see her ready for work, she is in a skirt suit of some type, very professional, and if I say so, very hot. At home she is in jeans and sweat shirts that hide much of her curves.
I asked her about it once. She says that her success comes from how she feels when she wears the suits. Something about pants making her feel less. I didn't get it. Her place is out in Sage Creek area, uh thats like a new housing developement on the east side of winnipeg.
To say it's a three bedroom home with attached garage is an understatement.
The garage is a 2 1/2 heated garage, in floor heat, that was setup by the original owner as a shop sorta on the side. There is the main part where you fit two cars easy and a second part, all part of the garage, that is separated by a wall with a door to the back yard. It has some workbenches and space for tools on the wall. She mainly does her gardening in it. Attached to the back of that, via door, is a glassed in sunroom/greenhouse/deck.
In the workroom is where the snowblower, lawntractor, weedeater, tilller and stuff is kept. All stuff I fixed up for her that someone in the nieghboorhood threw away. Her house is on a two acre lot, a corner lot. Something about a line running through that one section that prevented a house being built there. It's fenced in, mostly by me, and really the tractor is overkill. Still all that was wrong with it was some blades, a belt, and dirty carb. No biggie. Snowblower was siezed on the drive shaft. Weedeater needed some fuel lines. Tiller I'm not sure about I haven't gotten to that one yet.
She drives around in a green/gray BMW. 2001 series 3 two door. Engine is out of a newer series five...I think. She got it about two years ago with a trade in of her old car. I could have fixed her old car for her but the garage traded her for this one. I don't think it got that many miles on it before she got it. She washes it regularly and I do fluids changes on it about ones every six months or so depending. There is some anti rust dohickey under the hood with a little led light on it. It seems to be working as there is no rust on the car.
I remeber when I met her. She was in my neighboorhood with a flat tire and no idea how to change it. Really she was all done up in her suit with the jacket off and was raring to give it a go. Well to keep it short she didn't have a jack and the tire iron was not for that car, or the wheels lugs one or the other.
As luck would have it I had been on my way home from the store where I bought my supplies of ramen noodles and had found one of those cheap tire pumps that you can buy that plug into the cigarettle lighter socket/ accesory. Something had been dropped across the cord slicing it and I had found the other half in the same bin in the back lane as the pump. Striped the wires with my teeth twisted them together and used some old broken branch to keep the wires apart. Did the job and pumped up her tire enough to get it to my mess of a place.
We chatted a bit while I worked at fixing her tire, it had a nail in it, no biggie, pull nail, put in horsehair plug with goop on it burn it off. Good as new. She had been on her way home and had stopped at a gas station or two to fill her tire. She had stopped at the stop sign near my place and when she tried to accelerate the car hopped once. Flat tire.
No CAA or someone to call. She had thought about it but had never needed them before. As she put it. "Well now I have you now don't I" and that was that.
About once a month or so I got to her place, clean sidewalks and driveway in winter, cut grass in summer, fix stuff I find, I can't help it. I walk down back lanes on the way from bus stop a street or two over. I have a spare set of cheap tools I leave at her place and she doesn't mind if I fix and sell the occasional lawnmower or whatever I find as long as it isn't at her place for more than a week.
We are NOT a couple in any way shape or form. More like good friends or family. I guess in a way since I don't have one and she doesn't seem to we fill the need for the other. It's hard to describe.
She has her rescued cat. Muffins is not exactly your normal cat. She is small and soft furred. Something about antifreeze when she was rescued and touch and go for awhile. It did something to her so that she cannot grow much bigger than what she is. She looks about three months old but is really about seven years. Small as she is she is one fierce protector. Mice and birds do not stand a chance when she gets out, which is often, smart little thing. Any time the door is open long enough she gets out. She stays in the yard though which is good. Doesn't like rain or snow at all.
It was I who drove her to and from the hospital, I do have a license, in her car for the surgery when she had one of her breasts removed, cancer. The subsequent days of assuring her that she was in fact, still a woman, was a bit of a chore. And again a year later to and from the clinic for the implant to give her back a breast, cleared with her doctor of course.
When she goes out of town for awhile she sometimes has muffin put into a kennel place. Or I go over and feed the little one depending on the lenght. So it was no surprise when she called me in late fall to ask if I would mind sleeping over at her place for a few days. This is a plus for me. She has a computer I can use, I don't have one. A projector to watch movies on instead of a tv.
My house is a rental. Aside from my tools and keeping the place looking nice with my little shed shop in the back, it's packed with small engine parts and pieces, my place is pretty bare. Kitchen with a nice table and cheap crappy chairs, salvage of course. A bedroom that is pretty much only used for clothes and a place to put my tools. I live in the living room and sleep on my old couch. Nobody ever visits me except the landlord. So it is not like I have to have the place all that respectable, nor am I free to do much. I get up work when I can, nobody wants to hire someone like me with no real education or work experience. Play my lotto once a week and spend much of my time day dreaming about one day winning said lottery. Eat in kitchen and read a book before going to bed. Yes real books, they are cheap enough now.
I showed up, like normal for me anyways, unshaven, hair in disarray with my bag of tools and a few changes of clothing. Ari offered to let me eat some of her ready meals while she was away. She has a bunch of these frozen meals in packages. You take them out add some water to a spot in tray, Microwave meal or some you put onto a plate and put into her mini oven.
Compared to my usual diet this is gourmet. It's part of her diet plan. She is always on a diet plan.There is even a list on fridge door with which meals you can choose from on a given day. I thanked her of course. Muffin chirped her acknowledgement of change of slaves. Oh yes Muffin is always in charge. We are her slaves as far as she is concerned. If she doesn't get her nununs at precisely the right time she lets you know. If her litter needs changing, she lets you know.
Since Ari only had the one suitcase I was 'safe' in assuming it was only a day or two she would be gone. When I asked for details all she said was that a friend had offered her use of the time share and that she would be gone for a bit. She thanked me and left in a taxi.
For the first day or two I fixed the things on list, taps in the master bathroom. Raked leaves. Worked on changing the fluids in the BMW. Fed Muffin and read some books on her comp. On the third day I moved the tiller around to the bench and took a look.
It's a rear tine tiller, which are nice as they don't kill your arms, not very old. Most people would, like the previous owner, assume that when you pull on the cord and it doesn't turn over that the engine is seized. That is not always the case. It may look that way, and this one was no different till I pulled the cover off. Behind the cover was a nest of some sort directly over the coil. Whatever rodent had made it's home, probably a mouse, had over the winter used the coil as a toilet almost welding the coil, which is bolted to engine block and does not move, to the flywheel which does move.
A bit of white vinegar, some paper towels, and a few hours of letting the vinegar soak away some of the rust while reading a book and the flywheel got free from the coil. I removed the coil, amazingly I didn't snap a bolt, and cleaned that up with more vinegar and paper towels as well as the flywheel.
The next morning I went out and sanded what little rust was left, oiled everything very well, put it back together and checked for spark. I wasn't really hoping for one but I got one. Yeah little victory there as new coils are like $60. I spent the rest of the day cleaning the carb, changing oil, and otherwise servicing the machine before I even tried to get it started. You can buy these magnetic block heaters, Not the best for cars but they work great for a small engine to heat up oil sludge in case without running engine.
With new oil, gas and a few pulls she farted and started. Took me a bit of time to get it properly set up as the mouse had chewed a wire I didn't notice at first, and the lever for the governor for throttle was all bent for some reason. Probably didn't run properly for the previous owner before it 'seized'. It was very late at night and I was very dirty when I came back in. Tomorrow I would try the tiller in that one spot in yard that was very uneven. And if all went well when Ari got back she could tell me where she wanted a real garden so we could till it over before winter.
I grabbed my dirty clothes, went to the basement, loaded up my clothes, all three sets, into washing machine. Buck naked I went upstairs and took a bath in the bathroom next to the guest room I was staying in.
That is when things started to go pear shaped on me. First off I noticed that my beard and mustache had attracted some of the goop. The goop is some stuff I use to seal engines, like the intake to block I did today. Unfortunately once it's dry it doesn't come off easily without a fair soaking of carb cleaner, Not something I wanted to smell for the next day or two. I tried to use some scissors I found but that didn't work.
There was no help for it after the scissor fiasco. I had to shave. It felt like I was invading her private space but in her bathroom under the sink was a package of disposable razors. Her shampoo was like right there and my hair was still wet so I put some of that into my hair as well before I returned to my bath and worked at shaving off my facial hair. It took me a bit longer than I thought as the shampoo in my hair had become thicker.
The second bath got me a fair amount cleaner as the water became dirty, or so I thought. Turns out that shampoo is also a salon type dyed hair thingy, I read it after I saw the result. My hair was not red red but less brown. That combined with a bare face I had not seen in a very long time shocked me. I looked a heck of a lot like Ari. Heck we could be brother and sister for all I knew.
With a towel wrapped around my waist I went back to basement and saw a mess leading from the washing machine to the drain. Now when I say a mess I mean a mess. It was very obviously water mixed with oil. Fearing the worst I opened the machine to find my clothes were now much much dirtier than before as well as the machine. I knew I had to get some of the water out so I left them to air dry while I mopped the floor. Note air drying doesn't mean that the stains will permanently set. There was no way I was going to go out to the garage naked either.
Almost crying at my bad luck I did the only thing I could do. I used the computer and messaged Ari. Her reply was almost instant. She would order a new washer dryer and that I could borrow some of her clothes.
To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I had never once thought about putting on women's clothing. It felt like I was violating some rule as I entered her room once again. Muffin looked up from her spot in the middle of Ari's bed, did that typical yawn meow cats do and watched me while resettling herself onto her paws.
I had to look through a few drawers of her dresser to even find socks. I also settled on the least feminine looking panty for underwear. That is not saying much as all of Ari's panty's looked to be very feminine. I didn't go searching like crasy either. If there was something even plainer underneath the top layer I didn't know. These looked to be simple at first glance.
Putting them on they seemed to go up and up till they sat much higher than I was used to. Normally underwear sits across your hip, these went over my hip bones. And the waist seemed higher too. Like to my belly button high. My thing, for some reason it felt wrong to call it a penis at that point, looked out of place. I ignored it.
The socks i found only came up to my ankles. Finding a sweater wasn't a problem. Jean's on the other hand were not in the dresser. That meant I would have to invade her closet. I felt so wrong doing so.
Opening the doors to the first closet, there was two, I saw a sea of suit jackets with a separate hanger for a matching skirt, some of them had dresses instead of skirts. All very professional looking and not a jean in sight. Next closet.
This closet had a few more fancy dresses, a number of blouses in different colors that looked , I don't know, delicate. Two pants and finally some jeans. I chose a pair that looked less new than the others. I mean I was borrowing some clothes I didn't want to use the like new ones.
Getting the jeans on was a bit of a chore. They fit but were tighter than I was used too and I had to move my thing out of the way underneath me as it kept getting squished in the zipper. Not an experience I wanted to repeat any time soon. Strangely my nuts just popped up inside me.
I had to suck in my gut a bit to get the button done but not that much and it didn't strain the waist as far as I could tell. I also noticed that there was room to put my hand into the pockets on the front. An experience I had never been able to do before. Men's jeans seemed to not have room up front for anything but thumbs. Which never bothered me as you kept your wallet in your rear pocket. That is also why most men's jeans wear around the back pocket.
I was pulling the sweatshirt down as I passed the mirror.
"Jeesss Ari you scared the hell out of me when did..."
It wasn't Ari in the mirror unless she got a flat chest suddenly. That was me. What the....
You have to remember I had not seen my bare face in a few years. My hair was drying out a bit, Not a red color but still not brown either. Almost like it was red but the color was washing out. Combined with the clothes. It was too eerie to describe. Were we somehow really related? I didn't know my parents so I suppose it was possible..sorta...in fiction.
Was I a bit freaked out? Of course! Who wouldn't be.
Then I did something really stupid. I went to the guest room where I was staying and took down the box I saw in the closet on the shelf.
Maybe I was thinking I wanted to see what I would look like. Maybe curious? I don't know. Of course this was after I helped myself to the bottle of wine that was also in the closet. Liquid courage?
You see I remember taking the box down and reading the instructions. The adhesive allowed one to place them on and move, if necessary, them for about five minutes or so. It took apparently two hours for the adhesive to cure. I guess I thought I could try them on see what I looked like then take them off with no one the wiser.
Well as you can guess that didn't work out to plan. I passed out on the bed and woke up with a hangover. When I pulled myself upright and found my chest wanted to keep going I well I freaked a bit. I tried to pull them off, duh of course, nope didn't want to move. The smart thing would have been to go get remover and take them off.
Smart things and hangovers are not one in the same. I took a piss. Then went to get some water from kitchen, water not juice. Lots of water is best thing for hangover.
The doorbell rang, thinking it was the guys with washer and dryer that Ari had called I answered it. Note slightly damp bed hair, sweater with no obvious bra underneath, not even a hint of beard shadow or redness.
Can I really blame Louise for what happened next? Okay I actually do, but that is beside the point.
Louise is Ari's hairdresser/stylist/manicurist/makeup artist/ hyperactive personality on sugar overdose non stop talker.
You have to remember my life experience for hair involved sheers. If I was really lucky the sheers were handled by a barber. Having my head tipped back and massaged was a new and I dare say pleasurable experience. Especially when you have a hangover headache. I went into a sorta sleep but not really asleep mode. She went on and on about everything that had happened to her since the last time Ari had seen her. My hair was washed, dyed to Ari's red, eyebrows waxed, nails done both finger and toes, and some makeup put on before I could even say boo. And yes my hair was trimmed, curled as well.
I tried, really tried, to tell her I wasn't Ari but I could not get a word in edgewise. She was gone for about five minutes before I even came fully too. When I did I ran to the door and raised my hand to tell her of her mistake only to see her car take off. Apparently she drives like she talks. The hands on the end of my arms did not belong to me. Instead of my constantly stained fingers and somewhat chewed nails was a girl's hand. Looking very clean, neat and soft.
I closed the door and leaned against it thinking this stuff doesn't happen to normal people. Ever. However the mirror placed beside the entrance told me it had somehow happened to me. In the mirror was someone that could very very easily pass as Arianna. I had her hair, her face, mostly, I think there is a difference in the nose but we would have to be side by side to tell.
I went and sat down at the computer in the living room and tried to gather my thoughts as to how I would explain this to Ari. Nothing came to mind. I grabbed the headphones and slipped them on before bringing up a program that had not been used for about eight months.
Back when Ari lost her breast the doctors found a lump in her throat. Thinking it might be cancer, it wasn't, they removed it but the scarring had changed her voice a bit. She thought that she sounded like a guy and was obsessing over it. So she got this program that helps one to train their voice. I think it is designed for transsexuals but not sure.
When she first got the program we had played with it doing the exact opposite of what your supposed to do and had a really good laugh. It was kind of a mute point as two weeks later her voice returned to normal. Still the program was there and she had recorded her voice print on it. I do not know why but I played with the program for awhile. My voice was never all that deep, deeper than Ari's and so far, clearly male.
I was playing with the program for a few hours petting Muffin on my lap when the doorbell rang again. This time I looked out the window and sure enough there was the delivery van offloading a machine. So naturally I opened the door.
"Hi Arianna. Are you ready for our appointment or did I catch you at a bad time?" I think I know what a camel feels like as I inhaled fast and sharp. Not perhaps the best idea as it caused me to start coughing a bit, dry thoat from all that practicing I had been doing. So I pointed at the guys delivering the washer and dryer.
"Oh I see. Well everyone should be at the club soon. Perhaps I can assist while you get ready then?" Before I could say boo he walked off to help the guys with the washer. I didn't know him. He was dressed well. Now when I say dressed well I mean that his clothes, while obviously tailored to himself, he was not dressed for lets say a night on the town. A bit more than your normal office, unless you were... Oh my god. This must be one of her good executive clients.
I closed the door and went upstairs knowing that if I screwed this up Ari would kill me. I entered her room and went to the closet with the business suits and pulled out a brown one, I hung that on the knob of the closet and then went to the other closet and pulled out what I thought would be a nice blouse to go with it, It was an off white color with a bit of embroidery on it. I put that next the the suit and thought it would look like something she would wear. In the first closet I found some shoes that seemed to match the suit with a pointed toe and short heel.
Being in a bit of a panic I took off the sweater and shimmied out of the jeans and socks and saw the hair on my arms and legs. That had to go Ari would never have hair in those places. Some soap and yet another razor got me clean of hair on both places. I used some lotion on both that had a bit of smell to it and ran back into the bedroom. I knew a bra would be a good idea and opened one of her drawers too look for one.
That is when I stopped and realized what I was doing. Leaving the drawer still open I stumbled backwards and sort of fell to the floor at the foot of the bed. All that had happened to me so far just caught up with me, I guess, and it somehow seemed right that I should just let it all out.
I didn't even hear the bedroom door open as I sobbed into my knees. Nor did I hear the bag drop. The only time it registered that someone was in the room at all was when I felt someone sit down beside me. I turned and put my forehead onto the shoulder of whoever it was and bawled as they made comfort noises and rubbed my back. It took me a bit to cry out and get a hold of myself.
Of course when I did and realized it was Ari I cried more and tried to explain. She stopped me with her hand and let me cry out first. Once I more or less stopped sobbing I did my best to explain what had happened so far. She didn't bat an eye but she did smirk a few times. While I was talking about how I thought I could maybe do something dressed somewhat like her she turned to me after examining the outfit I had chosen.
"You chose this?"
Sniffle" Well yeah isn't it something you would wear?" When she nodded I continued." Well it doesn't matter now your here and.."
"For this blouse and skirt you will need some hose and a full slip. We will also have to sort your boobs out as they are crooked."
"since your here you can wear it to your meetin...uh...Ari I don't need to pass as you or..."
"Oh no missy. Your coming with me Leanna."
"But but...wait what? Who is Leanna?"
"Would you prefer Antoinette?" I just made a face.
"Exactly. My sister, if I had had one, would have been named Leanna. So your Leanna."
"But why do I have to go? Can't I just put the jeans and sweater back on and do my laundry when the machines are done?"
"Well first off Greg saw you and me. If we don't show up it would look weird." Okay I could sorta get that.
"Second, I have always wanted a sister, since we look so much alike and now sound alike, " I blushed I didn't think I was that close to her." I can get my wish."
"But... mostly I am curious as hell to see just how close you can look to me. I mean your face is a mess and all at the moment so I kind of want to see the whole picture."
For the next half hour or so she fixed my makeup and hair, while she also did her own, fixed my boobs and while they dried took a very quick shower. She didn't just do this she explained as she was doing this and that. The boobs went on lower and more off to the side so that my natural cleavage would show over the v of the blouse. When she came out of the shower she chose a suit in a darker brown she called mahogany with a dark blue blouse to go with it and much higher heels. She showed me how to put on pantyhose, I got a run in the first pair, and surprisingly the shoes I had chosen were ones that were a size to big for her but fit me a little too well.
The full slip, as she called it went over the bra, it was an off white, she called it ivory, had small straps and lace at the top across where my boobs, sorry she insisted I call them breasts, were. The bottom called a hem sat about halfway between my knees and my crotch. I should also mention she made me put on something called a spanks. It hid my uhm lower assets while pulling in my waist a little. The blouse went on next and I did have trouble with the buttons and she helped me with the skirt. It was more restrictive that I would have thought.
Just having the blouse and skirt on changed me somehow. I felt more... well I guess feminine would be the word. The heels and skirt made walking a bit of a chore till she had me copy how she walked. I didn't get it and it took me a few tries to get something close enough.
I did not have pierced ears so she put on these magnetic studs, a simple gold necklace, a watch that is rather useless on the wrong wrist and couldn't fit a ring onto my fingers.She gave me the jacket and a purse to put over my shoulder, again I didn't get it at first and had to be showed what and how to use it. While she finished getting dressed herself she had be go to my room and transfer my stuff from my wallet to the new wallet that she insisted I use. I thought it silly as a wallet is a wallet but did as I was told.
I had just come out of my room when Greg stomped up the stairs.
"Ah Arianna are you ready to go now?" he asked. I opened my mouth but before I could say a thing Ari opened her door and stepped out looking very professional.
"Yes I am. Do you mind if my sister Leanna comes with? She is visiting."
"Oh ... Well yes I can see the resemblance. Standing so close I can just tell. But at first glace most will think your twins." That I can relate too. I had experience with that.
"Yeah but mom always blamed me for her mistakes." I shoulda I shoulda. Why did I just say that...
"Well it was your fault most of the time."
"Was not."
Our sibling bather caused Greg to laugh.
"Girls peace peace. Anyways I came up to see if you lovely ladies were ready and to tell you that the repairmen said that your old machines were defective and under warranty so you don't have to worry about it. Those rags were used to clean the floor and they took them in a garbage bag since they used some chemical to clean the floor with them."
Those rags? "My clothes!" I spoke out.
"Were they? I'm sorry dear but the machine ruined them so they used them as rags." he looked me up and down." Besides I think you look quite lovely like this. I'm sure uh...better yet. How about you give me your sizes and I'll get my assistant to get you some replacements. Had I known I would have asked you first."
"No Greg. We can't ask you to do that. I can borrow Lee a few clothes as we are almost the same size."
"Oh it's no trouble Arianna. I can use the write off to tell the truth. So your of similar size? I think we have your sizes, ah hmmm." With that Greg pulled out his phone and called someone and asked if Arianna's info was still at the store. It was, he looked me over and something about a cup size up. And yes the same but a few more of those denims and maybe a few khaki that they hadn't sold.
I put up my hand to object but Ari put hers on top of mine and shook her head. She mouthed "later" out of sight of Greg.
To hell with that. "Mr. Greg.." I started.
"It's just Greg my dear. It's no trouble these are just one offs the stores didn't want so we are glad to have them be used instead of some landfill."
One offs? Landfill? What they never heard of thrift stores? I do most of my clothes shopping there except my boots. Well I got some shoes there once but they didn't last long.
"Greg..." Ari gave me a look. Gulp. " Thank you. That would be uh nice." I smiled. I don't think I did it well as he looked a little shocked.
"Oh wow...Uhm ..right. It's a help and all to .." he shook himself to gather his thoughts. "Right lets be off ladies. My car?"
"Too kind Greg but we will take mine if that is alright with you."
"Oh no problem. I'd best be off then see you in a few." and with that he left.
Ari explained , as we got downstairs, that Greg imports a lot of clothing for various companies to look over and either buy in bulk or make special orders for. Some, she said, was very high end quality, others were more casual. It was a bit of a deal that she got some of her suits from him. In return she had helped to promote some of the clothing lines with different ideas leading to increased sales and revenue for him.
This was the first I had heard of what she did. She is, for lack of a proper term, an image consultant for major firms. She went over the businesses, how they dressed, worked, how the place looked for it's area. Things like that. So that when someone came into their businesses their first impression was of importance, confidence, and quality. Something that many stores severely lack. Giant tiger and winners came to mind.
While other stores such as princess auto, Canadian tire, were minor examples of what to do right. When you walk into the store you see what you expect to see and get help when you need it or ask for it. This is verses say places like Walmart where you have to search to find an employee and half the time they have no idea what you are talking about.
I found out that getting into a car while in a skirt was not nearly as easy as it seems. First you have to sit and move inwards a bit then pull your legs up and in. Getting them to come together was not easy. Getting out was a reverse of that.
The car ride to the club was female movements and talking/eating what to do and not to do. Nibble on food instead of shovel it in was mentioned. I told her she was nuts. Apparently it's a habit to keep one somewhat slim. Oh and drink lots of water while eating. I was told if asked to order anything I was to say "Ill take what she is having." She made me repeat it. Privately I doubted I would be able to eat anything as I was so nervous. The glances into the car mirror to pucker up and refresh my lipstick didn't help me any. The face in the mirror was...not....mine.
When we pulled into a long drive, paved, sided by lush green grass with holes I figure a private golf course. Well that is half true. The club is a country club, exclusive and by invitation only. One of those places that having a million or two wont get you in. I have never been to a place like this and probably never will again so I want to describe this as best as I can.
At first all you see is some trees on the side of the road and a cemetery type fence. You have probably driven by a number of places like this and never thought twice. As you get to the entrance, which is just off the road, well the side road, you come upon the fence coming up to a curved stone with carved lions heads on either side and little lions on the top where the curve goes up. connected to both of these is two wrought iron gates that require a pass to get into. Greg was there with his car on other side of gate.
The BMW was not totally out of place here. It was by far the cheapest car there though. The grey stretched Rolls Royce limo being the best example. I think even the people that work there have more expensive cars. The cars were all in a cull de sac. Or small round bay with a fountain in the middle. An expensive working fountain. The club was huge, at least two floors maybe more, all made of stone. If you have ever watched those movies where you see someone on the granite steps infront of a french mansion. Well that is what the clubhouse looked like except there was this large roof that came over and you got out of car, helped by red coated valets, and that led to steps made of a black stone with gold veins in them and fancy as hell polished brass handrails that were all poured in one shot and not round but more of a carved curved I beam look.
The entrance was separated by two sets of double doors, made with curves and stained glass panels. As soon as you entered on one side was a women's section, I guess powder room, lockers, showers, whatever. Ari led me there. I was shocked by the brass sink taps, marble counter tops in white, and little stools you could pull up to counter and sit on. I could tell that each was handmade. Red cushions surrounded by carved wood. There was a ceiling to counter mirror that had light sconces in the middle of the mirrors about halfway down.
The bathroom portion looked dim but actually wasn't. There was a number of marble stalls with doors that one would go into to do their business. In the middle of the room was this island couch with a stand in the middle that went to the ceiling, ceiling that had to be twelve feet up. Ivory cushions with those carved legs you see on tv for the ritsy places.
Ari had me freshen up. Which is a good way of saying I peed while sitting down, very strange way of doing that and messy. Getting the slip and skirt down again was a chore. And, apparently, I didn't pull the hose up right. Arianna had me fix this by hiking up the skirt and slip again, pulling them down and using my fingers, slide each side of hose up to knees, tightly, then to thighs and finally up into place. Then I had to pull the slip down first then the underskirt lining and finally the skirt itself, smoothing out any creases as I did so. I was to make sure that the blouse was tucked in all around nicely then pull it out a bit so that the blouse just rested outside of the waist of the skirt.
After that was putting on the blazer and getting the collar of the blouse over the collar of the blazer. Thoroughly wash hands and pat dry on real towels not paper. There was even little logos on the towels. She led me to the mirror and first she put on some fresh lipstick then had me do it, three times as I messed up the first two. Patting my face with powder after each mistake. Not sure what the powder was for. I also had to use the blasted wand to refresh my mascara. Nuff said about that infernal device.
A dab of perfume at the point of my cleavage and she said we were done. Although we were only in there for seven minutes it felt a lot longer. I had no opportunity to see the men's side. But I can assume it was similar in some way. Probably marble and gold urinals. I have no idea what the bath/shower area was like either. I was told that there was saunas and masseuses. I could see on the far end of the foyer a door that led into a room, all in white, with machines. A gym of some type at a guess. There was the club room, where we went, that was both large, and comfy. There was a round bar coming out from the wall. From the bar to the wall of windows, all that old style with small panes connected to other small panes. I'm sure there is a name for it.
Every thing in that room was wood, Walnut I think, with high gloss surfaces on the tables, and those being used had lacy tablecloths in intricate patterns. Very comfy well padded chairs, leather of course. That the men helped us into at the table. I followed what Ari did and put the napkin, heavy one in silk or satin, on my lap. There was no cutlery on the table, no condiments, not even a salt shaker. The menus were padded books with hand written calligraphy listings of food, and no prices. Arianna did some small talk while I tried to even figure out the wording of the menu. I think most of it was in french or latin. I could not understand a thing and put the menu down, gently as per instruction.
The waiter had stayed there and took our orders on a pad, I have no idea if it was electronic or not. When they got to me, last of course, I just blushed and Ari giggled and ordered for me. I didn't know it at the time but my blush made me look 'cute'. The men at the table, who I was told were Charles, Evan, Micheal, and Hanz. No last names. They had their wives of course, Mary, Ellen, and Pen. Not sure if Pen was short of Penelope or Penny or something else. I got compliments on my outfit and had to tell a little about myself.
Arianna and I had talked about this on the ride over. I said I was her sister, just visiting and looking after her house. When asked what it was I did I went way off script. Instead of saying I was a teacher, Ari's idea not mine, I just told the truth. I fixed machines, lawnmowers, small engines cars etc. I guess I made it sound like I did this more as a charity than a job. Arianna broke in and said I was between jobs at the moment. Hanz was the owner of the club and asked me more about how good I was with engines. We got into a bit of a discussion of motors, lawn equipment, and stuff. I did answer that I had worked on a gas cart once but with many courses using electric I didn't think it would be useful.
I should mention that those commercials that say, strong enough for men, lie. My armpits were soaking my blouse for sure. Hanz seemed very interested in me and my background. To say I lied my ass off about how I grew up would be a bit of the truth. I did color it with some truth though. To them I had grown up in my sisters shadow. No we were not twins she was two years older. A few school girl twin stories were mentioned and Arianna had to act embarrassed at one point.
Arianna said I was the proverbial tomboy growing up. Always taking things apart, frustrating our dad in the process. Fixed the old lawn tractor after dad had bought a new one got everyone chuckling. Our first dishes arrived with spoons. It was a thick cream of something soup and no crackers. I bent down and followed Arianna's careful spooning and not slurping of the soap in the tiny bowl. I think I did okay with that. The tiny salad, a house salad made with fresh greens, was spicy but nice. A pain to eat while nibbling like the women did. The men of course finished much faster.
That was followed by a small coleslaw with reddish stuff in it. Instead of the usual white. The sauce was rich and thick. A palate cleanse I was told in a whisper by Ellen who was off to my left. The main dish I was given was a fish of some type on a bed of rice that looked a crime to even touch. I nibbled at it and drank sips of water, mimicking Ellen as much as I could but not making it look like I was. It was not a large dish by any means but very very good and rich. The rice was the best rice I have ever tasted. And that is coming from someone who actually hates rice.
I was surprised that I actually felt somewhat full. Not the so full you have to undo your pants kind. But the not hungry full that a person should feel. There was a white wine for us ladies and a red for the men who had dishes I can't even figure out. One might, might have been veal. The only one I did recognize, somewhat, was the liver and onions that Hanz had. The liver was not big but not exactly cooked either. Steamed I think. The onions were caramelized in something that left them soft and flexible but noticeably cooked at the same time.
In a place like this I doubt anything was in any way unhealthy. The final piece was a fancy bit of ice cream in a tiny round, and I mean round, bowl. This is what real ice cream tastes like. Not the frozen sugar stuff, but like real cream chilled and then turned up. I had read about this once. Trust me what you read does not do it justice. You have an orgasm just from one scoop in the tiny spoons. And it was both cold cold and soft at the same time. Any bigger spoons and you would have a major headache. I did like the others and savored the taste as long as possible. I surprised myself when I could not finish the bowl. I wanted too but couldn't. I was not the only one most of us at that table couldn't. At one point when you eat like that there is just a point you have to stop and .. gestate, settle, savoir..
We all settled back with a glass of wine. A very good wine. I had never liked wine before, too much like vinegar. But this stuff tasted like tart strawberries with a tiny bit of sour. The men got up to do whatever it was they normally did. I got up as well. Arianna, Ellen, and Pen all said good idea. I had no idea what they meant till they went back to entry. I followed figuring we were leaving. Nope it was a trip to the ladies..again.
Just like last time I peed, fixed myself properly this time before leaving cubical, touched up my lipstick without being asked. Then I found out what the couch was really for. I got grilled by Ellen and Pen. Mostly about how I was too much of a tomboy, their words, and that I should really be much more ladylike. There was a few other comments that are best left unsaid. I had no idea what I had done, I even said so, but said whatever it was I was sorry.
Three mouths opened and closed at those words. Did I break a taboo for women? Arianna laughed and said she got it. Something about flirting with Hanz. All I did was talk to the guy. I didn't get it. Ellen and Pen then apologized. It seems that Hanz was a good friend and recently had broken up with the tenth hopeful. Whatever that meant. They were looking out for him and had assumed I was going to dig for gold or something. I just looked at Ari and she giggled before saying she would explain it later.
I got thanked for being so innocent and we left the ladies room. More wine followed back at the table as Arianna went over how they could improve some of their businesses that she had visited. truthfully I was getting bored and left the table to look at some of the paintings on the walls. Yes paintings. Real honest to goodness paintings..as part of the wall. I mean some were unreal and showed a different version of this club. It showed a history, something of a hobby of mine, and I could almost get a picture of the days when guys would sit in this very room smoking cigars and drinking brandy after a game of golf with strange looking clubs.
"That actually never happened." I jumped as I hadn't heard a thing.
'You scared me!"
"Sorry you just looked so into that picture." Hanz said to me." It was based on a time at a very different club than this one. This one was built in the late sixties so they would have had steel clubs with wooden heads. Not the wooden clubs in that picture. I still thought it was wonderful and had the artist redo it here using much of the eight and ninth hole as background."
"It's very good. I like history. I like to think back to those times and try to put myself in the time of the makers. Not the movers like you guys but the makers. The people who would build the road, plant the trees, make the carts, or the steam engine, or the boiler, or the sawmill."
"Have you ever seen a working steam sawmill?" he asked.
"Well no we don't have any here."
"They do in the states. I would enjoy showing one to you sometime." Ok I get the flirting thing now.
"Sometime maybe we could pull up youtube and watch a video of that." He roared with laughter at that. They table noticed.
"Good one. There is something about you Leanna."
"Oh is my deodorant that bad. I knew that commercial was a lie." He laughed again.
"You are a delight and such a change. None of the girls I have met are like you."
"I hope not." that got him to laugh, not sure why I was speaking the truth. I did want to someday get married and have kids.
"Let me show you the grounds and tell you about a proposal I have."
"Uh...okay..."
Thus we did. The grounds as he put it, even in late fall and the evening were quite nice. Breathtaking during the summer I was sure. But stilll very nice in the fall. Walking for prolonged periods in heels and a skirt. Not the best idea for my feet. There was a bench, I pointed it out as I wanted to sit for a bit. Before he would allow me to sit he swept the bench with his hand and took mine before lowering me to it. I could tell that a girl would be quite swept off her feet at this point. Since I am not one well..
"So this proposal?"
"Marry me?"
"Get serious!"
"Leanna I think I am."
"This is very uncomfortable."
"Sorry." he took a breath or two and sort of shifted a bit.
"Our last head groundskeeper retired last year. I had thought one of the other groundskeepers could keep things up to par but it is sadly not working out. This year alone has been the worst for machines not working when our summer hires come around. While I have given bonuses to our returned caddys for making the lack of carts a good exercise, which between you and me some of our members really needed, it still is no excuse."
"And?"
"Well I had to let our new groundskeeper go. Our best mowers chewed up some of the grasses, the tree lines were not kept up, and well our custom carts, all propane if you wonder, don't work they way they should. I actually caught him using some coathanger and tape to fix one of them."
"That sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"That is ...actually quite an app description."
"And I come in how? You want me to help fix a few machines? I supposed I could get them going for you...on second thought no bad idea."
"Why not you would solve two problems for me quite easily I believe."
"How so?"
"Well I need a mechanic and to satisfy the equal labor laws having a female mechanic would be perfect."
My eyes went wide as he said that. I had forgot for a second about that. He didn't know that Leanna didn't exist and couldn't work for him. I hated that. As myself I would jump at a chance to work in a place like this. Even more so after he showed me the nicely hidden but well equiped repair shop. There was even and old lathe and mill in there. Dated for sure, but still in fair shape..If I could but do a few things. It looked like the handle on the mill was broken for the table and it had been used as a drill press for awhile.
The lathe had a broken belt and was piled over with well junk. There was machines half apart and a pile of parts half on floor and half on benches for the machines, I hoped. I was so ready to get my hands dirty. I mean I was just itching to get in there. It was like those poor older machines were begging for me to help them. Well lit shop, if you replaced the burnt out bulbs anyway. I saw all this from the door and it was tearing me up that I was stuck there in Ari's suit that I would not get dirty.
"You want to get in there don't you?"
"Oh yeah! But I can't."
"Why not? It's not like I can't pay you for your time."
"I just can't okay. Please drop it for now."
"Alright for now. But I'll warn you. I'm a very stubborn man. I know you would be the best woman for this job."
"Please...just bring be back to Ari."
"Alright." He went to grab my hand. I pulled it away. "I'm not holding hands with you!"
"Peace" he held his up." I just wanted to pull you out of the shop door so I could lock up"
"Oh! Right. My bad."I blushed as I moved out of said doorway.
"Though now that you brought it up. Would holding my hand really be so bad?"
"Buster you have no idea." he laughed. But he did lead me back to the clubhouse.
As luck would have it Ari had just finished her presentation to the rest. However I could tell that she had had a bit too much wine as well. Not that anyone else there wasn't just as tipsy. Not drunk but you could tell it was enough to make some cops very happy if they could fill their quotas. You know the quotas they don't have but seem to have anyways.
Hanz surprised us when he offered us the use of his limo, that stretched silver rolls, to go home. A valet would follow in her car. It was a comforting idea as I was sure that driving in heels was not something I could do. And yeah I had had some wine too so best not to risk it. Greg said that my clothes were in the trunk of the car. I figure a bag or two at most.
Arianna hugged the girls, thus I had to follow suit, the guys she let kiss her cheek. I did not. I gave a handshake instead. Hanz took my hand and turned it over before giving it a kiss. And then in front of everybody clearly said. "I do not give up so easily." I tilted my head back to hide my blush before replying. "Give it a rest Romeo." He did however hold my hand a touch too long as he helped me into the limo. I just shook my head.
The car had not moved more than ten feet when Arianna turned to me.
"I have known Hanz for a few years. Usually it's the girls chasing him. I think that is the first time ever that I have seen him chase any girl."
"Arianna In case you forgot....This is not the place to talk about this." I said with a shake of my head towards the driver.
"Alright but you are gonna dish when we get home girl."
As we drove away one thought came to me. 'But it's not my home'
So the next morning...
Oh wait you want to hear about the night before?
Fine....
The ride in the car was silent as Arianna glared at me. Not that I was surprised. I didn't say anything more and couldn't wait to get out of the suit. I would have taken off the blazer, however with it being fall, I knew it was already quite cool outside and would freeze in the thin blouse just going from the car to the house. While I wouldn't say I was comfortable in the suit and blouse. It was not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be, except the shoes. My feet felt wet and clammy in the shoes. They may look nice but they don't breathe much, if at all. I couldn't help but think of how society pressures women into wearing such shoes.
Who knows maybe some women get used to it, or like it or something. All I knew is I couldn't wait to take them off and the blazer. Which is exactly what I did when we got into the house. The valet, Kieth I think his name was, asked if we wanted the bags brought in. I said sure as I didn't want to put those shoes on again. Ari and I were sitting on her couch as Kieth brought in three suitcases, large suitcases. Then he went out for more, I think my jaw dropped. Ari just looked with wide eyes.
There was another two smaller cases and a large garment bag when he was done. Ari gave him a tip before he left with the Limo.
"What is all that stuff. What happened to a bag, like a shopping bag with some jeans, tshirt, socks and gotch?"
"Well for one thing, Leanna, your a woman, so it's lingerie not gotch."
"But but I'm not! This was just a one day thing cause of a mistake!"
"Well apparently Greg felt bad. Oh heres a note."
'Dear Ms. Bridgston.
I know you wanted some pants and blouses but unfortunately all we have for pants wouldn't fit you. Please accept our sincerest apologies.
Before you was what was left of two of our lines that were not of interest to the boutiques. I know that you will enjoy them.
P.S. I also included some shoes to go with most of the outfits. The cosmetics and accessories are a gift from me personally.
Thankfully yours
A Peterson
Assistant to Greg Fritz.'
It was a hand written note. Actually very good penmanship. Mine sucks so bad even printing carefully it's hard to make out some words. As I was reading this Ari started to bring the bags upstairs.
"Hey let me help you with that." I grabbed two of the suitcases and struggled up the stairs one step at a time because of the blasted skirt. I had figured that she would want them in her room but she went to the room that I was staying in.
"Ari.." Okay I whined sue me.
"What it's not like I have any room. Even if I wanted some of your clothes."
I dropped a suitcase onto the bed,"What do you mean my clothes?"
"Greg gave them do you. And probably most of them wouldn't fit me quite right. The shoes are probably too big for me for one."
"But Ari..." I was trying to get her to see reason...Yes I whined again.
"Lets get a move on Leanna I don't have all night to get you settled in."
For some reason I went back downstairs for the rest. It took me two trips as that garment bag was bloody heavy. Ari was of course unpacking and putting stuff away into the dresser and closet as I got the last of it into the room. I figured it's her house she can put her clothes wherever she wants. They defiantly were not my clothes. What guy wants a heck of a lot of girl clothes? She seemed to be having fun. I turned around and started to unbutton the blouse.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna take a bath to get this crap off my face and stuff."
"Oh" she rummaged through the dresser and the one bag on top of the dresser. "Here take these with you."
"Uh why?"
"Leanna you have just had a semi perm and color!"
"And?"
"Unless you want green hair wear the shower cap." it was the thing that looked like a pink diving cap you see those divers wear on tv.
"whatever" I didn't care. I went into the bathroom and started to fill the bathtub after putting the stuff onto the counter. It took me a bit to get out of the skirt, blouse, slip, bra, and stuff. When I did the tub was mostly full. I pulled the shower cap out of the package and read how to put it on, the instructions were printed on the inside. The clothes I wore I put into the laundry basket by the door and settled into the tub for a good soak before I washed. It felt good, really good, as kinks I didn't know I had relaxed.
It was only when I felt a little cool that I shook myself awake. I had sorta started to fall asleep in the tub. I hurried up and washed all over with the soap I found there. It was a different soap than I had used the day before. Then again so was the small pile of tubes and stuff that I was sure was not there when I first got into the tub. As I washed I noticed a slight odor, not unpleasant, that occurred. When I got out there was a note on the counter.
"You shouldn't just pile your clothes on the counter. They might get creases. Use the tube on the right." It was marked makeup remover, which made sense. Not sure about the funny round pads beside it. I read directions. Oh that's is what they are for. I was surprised how much makeup came off with the stuff, even after a nice soaking bath. Mind you I didn't dunk my head under the water so that might have something to do with it.
In the pile was a pair of panties, big surprise, a long white satiny nightie with embroidery at the top and a blue silk looking Chinese style house coat. On the floor was some sort of shoe that fit around my feet. I did notice that the blouse and skirt were missing from the laundry basket, the rest was there though, I think.
I called out to Ari as I opened the door of the bathroom. She was in her room and told me to go to my room. So I did. Now I don't think I was gone that long but it looked like a woman had invaded my room. The dresser top was covered in makeup and some small jewellery box. The dresser, when I looked into it, looked somewhat full. I couldn't tell you what half of the stuff was. Curious I went and looked into the closet. it was not nearly as packed as Ari's were but it was still fairly full.
Unfortantly none of it was stuff I could wear. There was a number of dresses, from summery things, to more formal looking things. There was even this one dress that took up a heck of a lot of room on it's own. With a special hanger as there was no top to the dress. It was redish with lots of satin and some goldish lines at the top. I groaned when I saw the number of skirt suits and blouses, that Ari seemed to have matched together.
Hey it was just one closet, a large closet, but still one. She had two packed full in her room. On the floor was a heck of a lot more shoes than I thought there would be. Unfortunately the only practical ones was a pair of bright white with pink shoes. I still had no idea where my ratty pair of shoes was. I may have left them on the step. I didn't recall seeing them at all that day. Might be that the one dog came and used them as a chew toy again. I don't think they would survive a second time.
I just sighed closed the doors and went downstairs. I played a bit more with the program waiting for Ari. The last test showed a 68% match, whatever that meant. There was this little smiley face on the program whenever you did something right. An angry face if you did something wrong. It was like playing a game, and just like earlier I got lost in it.
It was only the hug from behind and something that sounded like sis that alerted me to Ari. I took off the headphones.
"What did you say?"
"I said we should probably put your hair up for the night like mine. Trust me it will look like a rat's nest tomorrow morning if you don't"
"Uh ok I guess but can we take these things off?" I pointed at my chest.
"Why?"
"What do you mean why?" Like from crying out loud Ari, come on, I'm a guy.
"We would just have to put them on tomorrow so why not leave them on."
"Why would I need them tomorrow?"
"Leanna I don't remember seeing anything but skirts in your clothes, you girlie girl."She said with a smirk.
"Ari..." I whined again.
"Look I have to work tomorrow morning to get the stuff done for the guys at the club. We can go shopping for some jeans for you later."
"Why can't I wear a pair of yours?" seemed reasonable to me.
"Well, for one you have your own clothes, two the only other pair of jeans that would fit you are the ones I am wearing tomorrow. Just wear one of your denim skirts."
"Ari..." this time I sighed heavily.
"Come here" and she pulled on my hand and lead me to the couch where she had me sit with my back to her. She brushed out my hair, which in truth felt rather nice.
"I know what your going to say. And... It might be selfish of me to ask this of you." she paused.
"What..." I had a strange feeling I wasn't going to be too happy.
"I ... Well you see... How do I put this.... I really liked having my little sister around today."
"I think I know where your going with this. Arianna I do like you like a sister but this...I'm not a girl, I do not want to be a girl."
"Do you have someplace you have to be soon? Any appointments or anything." I didn't have to think about that.
"No not really. I can pay my rent through the phone."
She turned me to face her and I saw that her eyes were close to tears."Please Leanna. Can you like stay with me for a while. I. I really would like to have my sister around." she choked out.
Oh gods how can you say no to something like that. I wanted too. I knew I should say no and maybe call a cab or something. But....
When you think of it objectively all it really is is just clothes in the end and maybe a bit of makeup or something. I mean today didn't kill me, probably raised my blood pressure for awhile. But it wasn't like it was horrible. I sat in silence weighing the good and the bad. I guess I took a bit to long.
"Look you don't have to decide right now or anything. Just please think about it tonight and maybe in the morning..." I cut her off.
"No Ari.."
"But...
"No I have to make this decision now. And I am going to."
She left me in silence with those sort of tears in her eyes. I knew she was ready to cry if I said no.
"There is no identification for Leanna you know."
"Actually there is sorta. I have a birth certificate. I really did have a little sister for two months. I was told it was a crib death."
"Well I guess that would help." I sighed deeply"Somehow I just know this is going to go pear shaped somehow but...." She held her breath. So why did I come to visit you, I know what we talked about in the murfff..." she had tackled me in a tight hug.
"Breathe..." I choked out..
"Sorry sorry..." She had tears on her face but it was the happiest I had ever seen her face." I'm just so happy!" She got up off the couch and was gone a minute or two before she returned with a photo album.
The rest of the night was spent going over some of her memories growing up. At one point more wine got consumed. Actually a fair amount. Things got a bit fussy after ten at night. I know we were up late after we found out that there was not record of death, via internet, for her sister and that you could order a social insurance number. Having prior experience with the site it probably didn't take me long. I remember there being something about a credit card used for some history of some sort but it was all really vague.
For the second morning in a row I woke up with boobs and a bad headache. I really had to stop with the wine. As I got downstairs I found Ari looking just as sour as I did. I also noticed a few bottles on the living room table, some empty bowls of either popcorn or dip. The kitchen counter had a knife and a dried pile of something beside an empty bag.
"Hey sis." she whispered.
"Ugg morning" i said back. She winced, got up poured some juice into a cup and pointed.
"You sound terrible this morning go play your game." slow me, nah...
"Huh.." It was then that my brain realized I was speaking in my normal voice again. I sighed really really lightly. I did agree to be her sister for a bit. I went to the computer that she was pointed at and played the game till my head cleared up, ie I was there for awhile before she hugged me from behind again.
"Feeling better yet?"
"Yeah I guess."
"Much better."
"What is?"
"Your voice."
"Oh right."
"We should get ready."
"huh?"
"For the day, duh."
"I don't follow you."
"you have much to learn sister mine." she smiled at me.
Much to learn is a bit vague. I soon found out what she meant. She assisted me in getting dressed, I had to remind myself a few times I had agreed to this. First was makeup, there was the powder thing, which I learned was called a combo. Foundation and powder in one. Next was a bit of eyeliner, it was tougher than you think. Then mascara, still hate that wand. Then I had to choose a lip color, after getting an explanation on what was for what. Same for eye shadow. The end result was that I didn't look like I really had any on but my face was clearly that of a woman's now. The eyebrow pencil for my overly plucked eyebrows was stupid. I even told her so. The reply of "price we pay for looking good" really didn't help.
She then instructed me on choosing an outfit. Apparently, I didn't really have any suitable 'tops' to go with the denim skirts, which by the way were called distressed. To me they looked well used. And not one of them reached my knees. She said it was fine as I had killer legs. Just what I wanted to hear, not.
After going through a few options, no shorts either, and in case your wondering Ari isn't a fan of them. She, or I should say, we decided that I would wear this thing called a khaki skirt with a top that looks to be part tshirt with an over shirt called a cami but was all one shirt. the outer was was about the same light green as the skirt, which had these wide pleats, and the undershirt was a light 'baby' blue.
"I don't know. Maybe you have a shirt I can borrow to use with the denim."
"It's top, not shirt, and I might but..."
"But what?" I sighed I knew there was another agenda at this point.
"You look so cute in that. You should wear it anyways."
"ARI!" frustrated? Me ...no... forty minutes and I still wasn't in my underwear yet...
"Now for that you can go with white or beige lingerie."
"Is it really that complicated?"
"Well ya.. You don't want the boys to see them through your clothes. Besides it looks tacky."
"Fine whatever."
Of course I had to choose the frigging panties, and bra. Which after a few tries met with her approval, along with an explanation of what was best to wear with what. Demi cup, strapless, convertible, sounded more like car terms that something you would think was a bra. Even though the skirt was lined, and short, I still had to wear a slip, a small slip but a slip none the less. Then I got lessons in how to pick things up after I bent over to get some shoes, shoes I was told to skip the socks on.
It was closer to an hour when she said I was ready. I went downstairs to the kitchen to make some breakfast of sorts while she got ready. She was done in less than ten minutes it felt so unfair. I told her so as well as complain a little about wearing a skirt. She said I needed the practice to help me get out of my tomboy ways. I just groaned while she laughed. The fruit cup breakfast left a little to be desired to tell the truth.
While Ari worked in the kitchen/living room I went outside and looked around. The sun was in the front of the garage and not the back. I didn't want to run it inside the garage so I dragged the tiller out to the front before starting it up. I was wearing a smock that Ari said to use from her gardening stuff. It covered my clothes enough and held a few tools so I thought it was okay. I pulled a few times before she coughed and fired. A bit of adjustment on the carb and the tiller ran...sorta.
The idle was up and down and if you tried to put it in gear, it has a separate clutch for driving and tilling, it would sputter and die. I checked a few things before pulling the plug. Spark was good so I put my finger into the hole and pulled it over once or twice. Sharp but weak pressure.
I had an idea of what it was but I needed to take it apart to be sure. From one of the scavenge runs near my place I had found two of those cheap ass folding tables. Putting parts from one to the other got me a working if small table. I used that over here sometimes to work on stuff outside.
I grabbed that and some old flyers from the recycle bin and put that beside the tiller just outside the front door of the garage in the warm sun. My bag of tools and some paper towels I was ready. I had been working at taking off the housings to get at the head bolts for a few minutes when I looked up and noticed that one of the neighbors was watching me from the sidewalk out front. Shrugging I kept working. Sure enough this was one of those engines.
Back in the eighties and nineties there was a run or two of engines where the head bolts didn't get torqued properly causing premature gasket leakage. Leakage not blow out. I used a black marker to check for head warpage, you never knew it could happen, and found none. A bit of carb cleaner, some paper towels, and a bit of metallic paint to help reseal the gasket. Was all it would take. I didn't have a torque wrench but using my little finger to pull on the ratchet handle worked close enough on a small engine.
It was then a matter of putting all the shrouds, gas tank and stuff back on. I cleaned a few things that were dirty in the process. Since I had the one shroud off I checked the gap on the magneto. It was off a bit so I readjusted it with the feeler gauges I had.
Of course I was oblivious to the small gathering of people from the block watching me as I fixed this. Once I get into something I have been know to ignore rain. People after working outside in the city all the time was nothing new.
With the housings back on I gave it a pull and it coughed on the first try. Setting the choke I gave it another pull and it started right up. Let it run for a minute and then released the choke. I tried it with throttle up and down. At the high end it was a little rich, minor adjustment. She ran good and when I put it into gear she took off on me. With the clutch released it stopped on it's own. No sputtering at all. I killed the engine as I was going to put away my tools and go test it out back in that patch when I heard some clapping.
It was then I noticed the small crowd of like ten people. One of them being, of all things, the previous owner of said tiller. He told me that his dad had bought it new but had never used it. When he moved to his new house he tried to use it a few times but gave up and left it in the corner of garage before putting out for the trash. He was nice enough to pull it into the garage, after I put away my tools. I guessed he wanted to try it out.
I guessed right. I showed him the spot in the back I wanted to try it on, explained how to use the tiller on unbroken dirt. This one had a reverse lever as well as forward. I explained that for unbroken ground you put it into the reverse position but didn't pull the clutch. Just let the tiller dig itself down. Then put into forward and let it pull itself to next spot and repeat. He seemed to be having fun so I left him too it and went back to clean up my table.
Well I was sure surprised to find a few people with push mowers out front needing some help. I set up some of those cheap folding plastic sawhorses. Ari had gotten them for some reason. I had one guy lift a mower into position on the sawhorses as I pulled the drain plug and blade off the bottom. I would sharpen the blade as the oil drained. It really doesn't take long, then put plug and blade back in and refilled the mower with oil. Then I checked things like the cables, most of them needed oiling. One person needed a new cable. I gave the the directions too the parts place and then went to get the cable while I worked on another mower.
I had done about five mowers when David, the tiller guy, said he was done in the back. I told him what the general plan was for back there and he was happy to help rake it flat. I was kind of busy out front fixing lawnmowers. I guess word had got around the neighborhood as I was busy for most of the day. I had to explain more than once , that I wasn't Arianna, but her sister.
Being thanked as Leanna was a new experience. Funny thing was people were paying me for fixing their mowers and were quite generous about it. One guy brought a larger riding mower. It had a dirty carb which took me a few minutes to clean. Another guy had a snowblower with no spark. I looked at it and told him to go get a coil. I ran out of oil quick but someone went to the local gas station and got me a few liters of oil.
I had started around ten that morning on the tiller. By six that evening I had done around eight or nine machines beside the tiller. There was a few people that wanted me to come around to their place or a place of their friend to fix this or that machine. I called off saying I was getting hungry and maybe another day. I had just finished putting stuff away in the garage and was thanking people for coming by when the Humvee drove up. Not a Humvee two or three, one of the real and somewhat expensive Humvee's. I didn't really register it as people were leaving with their now running smoothing lawnmowers, snowblower, and the guy was driving the riding mower. And I guess in a way they didn't want to leave.
I should mention that most of them were all men. It did not dawn on me how that I was dressed, as a cute woman, working and fixing their stuff. And that they were men. I was very new to the whole being a woman thing. It was when I removed my apron that the guys got a good look at me. From the looks on their faces I finally got why they were reluctant to leave. I had no idea what I should do at this point. I had dirty hands and arms, but was amazing clean for clothes. My one leg was a bit dirty.
Imagine my surprise when Hanz waltzes in like he owns the place. He walked right up to me and gave me a peck on my shocked cheek.
"Ready to go babe?" he asked. I fish mouthed while the guys out front took the not so subtle hint and left like poor puppies with their heads between their legs.
When I could gather my thoughts I gave him a glare that could kill.
"What gives you the right to come in her and kiss my cheek?"
"You looked like you needed the help." was his defense. He was right, of course.
"That is beside the point! No kissing. No anything. I thought I made it clear last night."
"You look great by the way and yes your welcome."
"Okay fine, Thanks for sending them away." I blushed. I hated that I blushed. Figuring he would take the hint and also leave I went to the house. I was not all that worried about leaving the garage door open for a few minutes in this nice neighborhood.
Having very dirty hands I went directly to the kitchen and used the dishsoap and a scrub brush to get my hands and arms clean. I washed quite well. I even brought my knee up to get the dirt off of that. I hadn't noticed Hanz right behind me. Arianna and I apparently shared a similar trait. We both got really focused on what we were doing.
"Wow." was all he said.
Well that cause a few things all at once. I just about fell backwards, he caught me the fool. But Arianna and I both screeched at the same time.
"Ow" he said in response to our combined screeches.
"Whaaa ... "was what I said or tried too.
"What are you doing here Hanz?" Arianna completed for me.
"You sure your not twins?"
"HANZ" I said somewhat louder. He was still holding me. I had got his attention to let me up with my soap covered hands and leg.
"Yes my love?"
"Quit the horsing around. Why are you here and would you please let me finishing washing up?"
"Do I have too?" he pleaded. I just grunted and he let me up.
"Have the two of you noticed the time or eaten." I wasn't sure who's stomach chose that moment to growl first. Mine or Ari's." I'll take that as a no."
"Before you ask, we have plans." I cut him off before he asked something stupid like.
"Can I take you lovely ladies out to dinner anyways?"
... that.
" I just said..."
"Actually that doesn't sound bad as long as it's nothing too fancy."
"WHY ARE YOU HERE!" I almost screamed. Ari gave me a look like I was the one being rude.
"Actually Greg, Ellen and the others had a few points they had raised that I wanted to bring up with Arianna. It also gave me a good excuse to see you Leanna. I did mention about being stubborn." I put my wet hand to my head like I had a headache to give me a moment to not try to do something I would regret.
"Okay look. Last night I said no. I don't really have much in the way of identification so I can't really work for you."
"She lost her purse or it got stolen at the airport, we are not sure which."
"Surely you ordered new ones."
"Well yeah I guess."
"Should be in the mail in a few weeks."
I turned and growled out to Air. "Not helping here..."
"Shall I let you too get ready? I'll go wait in my car you don't need to take yours."
"Sure ten minutes."
"Well I have to close up the garage. You two go.."
"Just hit the button by the door Hanz. Lets go Lee" and Arianna actually did pull me off my feet. I had to stumble a bit to catch up as she raced up the stairs.
"Ari I can't go out with a guy." I hissed at her as she dragged me along. Hanz had left by the door and I could just hear the garage closing.
"Just put on some hose and your LBD and some red lippy. Let down your hair and put a side comb in it. You'll be fine."
"Ari.. I can't go out with a guy." I stated again.
"Why not? He has money and seems to be nice."
"He is a guy!"
"And" she stopped to look at me like I was crazy.
"I am , you know, under this.."
"Look Leanna. There is not a girl around that would refuse to let a guy like Hanz treat her to dinner. And that goes double since it is also a working dinner for me at the same time. Just be a good girl, get dressed like I said so we don't leave him wait too long." And with that she closed the door to her room in my face.
I wanted to scream as I marched into my room and went to the closet to get out the stupid dress. I checked my leg and hands. I stomped into the bathroom and washed my hands with some of that makeup remover to remove the last few stains as well as my leg. Worked surprisingly very well. After this mornings instruction I knew I had to put on some dark lingerie to wear the black dress, which had some weird neckline that was on my shoulder but exposed quite a bit of my upper chest at the same time making wearing a strapless bra a must. It was a pain to put on as it also pulled in my gut a bit. The stockings and stupid belt, I didn't have dark hose, were just as much a pain.
I put the panties on after, making sure to tuck myself so as to give me a flat front, something else we worked out this morning. The dress had a back zip I couldn't reach. And getting the open toed black straped heels one took me a few choice words to get on. While not high high they were still higher than last night and I had to walk a bit to figure out how to wear them without breaking an ankle or something.
Arianna, finished before me, big surprise came in to help me put the comb into my hair and zip me up. She quickly packed a purse for me, tiny little thing with a gold chain for a strap.
"Close your eyes and step forward." I did without asking and smelled as the perfume settled on me.
"Don't you think this is a little overboard for dinner? What about my jeans?"
"Huh what about them?"
"We were supposed to go buy some."
"Oh well do that after I'm sure he wont mind." She handed me the purse while she looked me over." You can do your mascara and lippy in the car. Let's go. Not a good Idea to keep him waiting too long."
"I can't go shopping like this."
"Why not I've done it before."
"I . I..." I just hung my head and followed. Arianna had already made up her mind. One way or another we were going, dressed up, to dinner, no matter what. In a way I knew she had to for her work and all. I would have rather have stayed home and dived into a good book. But as her 'sister' it would look out of place. I knew it was a bad idea agreeing to all of this.
I don't think she had realized just what we would have to get in and out of when it came to Hanz car. Her eyes were as wide as mine as we looked at the height of the thing. It was not jacked up they are just that tall normally. Hanz came around and hoisted Arianna up into the back seat. He then closed that door and opened the front for me.
He grabbed me around my waist and lifted me up like I was made of glass. I am not that light, not that heavy either dang it. He made it seem so easy. The guy must work out and have some muscle under that shirt and coat. Yeah he was wearing something similar to yesterday. No tie but a nice shirt , pants, and matching jacket. Here we were in skimpy dresses, alright I was fairly warm in mine plus the wrap thingys that Ari handed me before we went out the door. But still he must be more than a bit warm.
Or being rich most of his life, I had to assume that as I really didn't know much about him, he was used to it. I guess I was pouting as he got in.
"You look so lovely when you pout. Penny for your thoughts." I rolled my eyes, which made him chuckle.
"I was just thinking it's so unfair. I struggle to lift a push mower onto some sawhorses and you lift both Arianna and I like we weight nothing." He laughed, a good hearty laugh, not a chuckle.
"It's not funny!"
"Yes it is. Priceless actually." I growled. Or was it my stomach?
"Lovely as you and your sister are Leanna. You are a woman." He just stated it like that explained everything.
"And?"
"And what? You want me to do the 'ugg me man you woman' and thump my chest to show how men are stronger? I can if you really want me too but that might not be a good idea since I am driving." Ari just giggle from the back seat.
"Not helping Ari."
"Give it a rest Lee."
"Gods!" I just rolled my eyes and tried to use the very well lighted mirror to poke my eye out putting on that blasted mascara. Humvee's have a stiff suspension. I think the bouncing actually helped me put the blasted stuff on well. The lip gunk would have to wait.
The ride was, thankfully, short. We had parked near the front of a restaurant I had never heard of. Tagatelli's kinda gave the impression it was an Italian restaurant. I couldn't help but imagine that there was a fat Italian eating scores of food with slicked back hair and a pair or two of goons. You know the mafia? Oh come on didn't you ever watch The Godfather movies?
I opened the door of the truck, I can't exactly call it a car, and had no idea how I could get down without hurting myself in a dress with a loose flarey skirt and heels that were little more than straps and sticks on my feet. Swinging sideways, as Ari had taught me last night, didn't seem to help much. Hanz came around just as I finished turning and held up his arms.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"Helping you down of course."
"Well too bad...Oh hey..stop..." my protest meant nothing as he just lifted me down to where I could try and steady myself. He wasn't letting go of my waist and I had to look up at him.
"Uh you can let go now"
"Your beautiful."
"We talked about this..."
"You talked I didn't agree" I looked down, I was so not blushing.
"My sister.." I whispered.. this was harder than I thought it would be. He did let go and help Arianna out, who had a tight skirt to her dress and much shorter. Still she had the curves to pull it off. My curves were not me, well they were but they weren't. Oh whatever you get the idea.
Hanz looped his arm into Arianna's and reached to do the same to me. However I shuffled sideways away from him and kept my arms close in. I needed... I needed... I don't know what I needed but I needed something..
I turned away from them both and looked up at the sky for some sort of inspiration. They call it partly cloudy. It being fall and getting late, not late late but I guess one would call it predusk. The sun was in the process of starting to set as I looked up there in the sky, which doesn't happen very often you could see the moon, or well part of the moon. I just looked at it and watched it as the clouds lazily moved across the sky slowly but surely obscuring the moon from my view. It was also a bit chilly for being dressed so light.
I guess I had shivered a bit or something. Before I knew it I felt a warmth envelope me in arms that was gentle but also very strong.
"I'm sorry if I am moving too fast. I'm not used to being the one who chases. All my life one woman or another has tried, too often, to make me fall in love with them. Yes even your sister tried once. But you. You don't, Your not like that and I have no idea why but. " he whispered to me quietly.
"But?" I was curious.
"Something about you makes me want to be around you. I don't know what it is. It's driving me crazy." He was being so open so honest I couldn't stop him now.
"Let's start over alright. I'll try to be good really."
It was too cliche as they say but for the first time that night the side of my mouth quirked up into a grin of sorts. I turned around and offered my hand.
"Hi my name is Leanna. My friends call me Lee. You can call me Ms. Bridgston."
Not missing a beat but grinning from ear to ear he shook my hand. "Nice to meet you Ms. Bridgston. My name is Hanz Ryder. You can call me Mr Ryder."
"Nice to meet you Mr Ryder." I smiled back.
"Oh wow." His face just looked lost in something before he recuperated.
"I believe I was offering you and your sister dinner." Well my stomach answered for me. He laughed. "Lets get you inside ladies. Otherwise someone my accuse me of awful and something something punishment." It was stupid but I relaxed and laughed, I did not giggle. No way!
He offered his arms up again. Arianna put her hand gently on the inside of his. I just grinned and put my arm into his forearm up. He laughed and led us in anyways. It was Arianna who entered giggling. No way was I...well maybe I chuckled a bit.
The entryway was some circular steps in large black tiles. Beside each of these was some cheap, well compared to the club, brass tube stair thingys. Balusters? something like that. There was a double metal and class door that led into the resturant. It opened for us as we approached by something I couldn't quite see.
Some of the entrance seemed so...typical. Little desk at front with a guy behind it. Hanz approached like it was the most normal thing in the world. Who knows maybe he is here so often that it is, for him.
"Hey Martin" Martin, not Antonio or something Italian?
"Good evening Mr Ryder. For three?" he asked before leading us away to a table. Unlike the godfather movies this place was quite bright. Up in the ceiling there was that hidden lighting that shown up into the ceiling which reflected it back at you. It was domed with some murals on it. I can't describe them since i have no reference. You just have to go look at them yourself.
The table was one of those tables you tend to see in restaurants. Round, big leg made to look like old cast iron. Wooden top too shiny to be real with a simple white cloth on it that didn't quite cover the whole thing. Chrome chairs with oval cushioned backs and round bottoms. It took me a minute to realize the guy wanted my shawl.wrap thing. I gave it to him exposing the somewhat hidden top of my dress. Now there is two words I would have never once thought about saying. My and dress in the same sentence.
I blushed as I sat down almost but not quite forgetting to put my hands under me to 'smooth' out the skirt of my dress, ill never get used to those words. Gods what if I have to? Bad idea.. this is just a favor to Ari...for a week...maybe. At least I got some money out of it so far. $200 may not sound like much to some people but to me that meant food other than ramen noodles. I can get quite creative with ramen noodles. You can have it as a soup with crackers, without the broth as a cheap spaghetti with ketchup.
And why was I sitting in a restaurant as fancy as this thinking about ramen noodles? I started to chuckle, as quietly as possible. I had the strangest urge to order ramen noodles just to see what kind of reaction I would get.
"Why do I have the feeling that is not a good giggle?" Hanz asked.
"I was just thinking..."I looked around and there was nobody close. "Would I shock the waiter if I asked for ramen noodles?"
Ari put her hand to her mouth to stiffle a giggle. And...didn't entirely succeed.
Hanz looked at me for a long time before barking out a roaring laugh. At this point I started to actively look for something to hide behind. There was no menu and that napkin was far to small. Did we get stared at by every, and I do mean every, well dressed near to do in the restaurant, which by the way was all of them. Yes.
When a white coated person came charging out of the doors directly for our table I just knew we were going to get expelled or something.
Hanz pointed at me as the the coat I was actively trying my best to pretend was not there came up to our table.
"She .. She...She..." and he roared again. Note to self. Never wear a stiff strapless bra with the thing underneath that makes sinking down in ones chair impossible. I tried to be civil. A real example of gentlemanly, err womanly...er well an innocent person. I apparently didn't succeed in the slightest as I felt a hand clamp down on my bare shoulder.
"What on earth have you done to my brother?" oh no...I turned and looked at Hanz who just laughed harder.
It took him a minute to calm down. I looked around and most people had gone back to their dinners. He must come here often. He eventually did manage to explain about my ramen idea, that got Lissy, laughing as well. She said if I really wanted too she could make some. I declined while finding the underside of the table quite nice.
I was given a choice between Canadian or Italian, lasagna, some feticunni thing, and something else I couldn't for the life of me understand. Not knowing any better I chose the Canadian. Ari had the feticunni thing. Hanz just said he would have the lasagna as well. I caught Lissy looking both Ari and myself over really well as Arianna and Hanz lauched into a discussion of how they would like certain things to look. Ari countered with another suggestion.
I got so bored so I looked around and spotted one of those flatscreens you see everywhere tucked behind a plant. It was there displaying stuff along the bottom and showing a picture of a river that looked either man made or altered by man with cement to go in one direction as straight as possible. The older a river gets the more it twists and turns. Some of the wide rivers in the states, while quite popular, are considered "young" while some of the streams, called rivers, here in Manitoba , were both deep and old. One in particular meanders back and forth so much it cuts through the edges of more than four towns. Thing is the original banks of this river are almost four miles away.
The lotto jackpot flashed on screen, whenever I see that, and have nothing to do, I sort of plan how I would do this or that with the jackpot. That is ONLY after I have bought a ticket. I would help this group, make this or that business to fill a need, which would employ a certain percentage of the population overlooked, or ignored, by many. In this case I thought of all that wood that is being left to rot or fill landfills, from construction, packing crates, pallets, old buildings torn down, renovations. Most of the new construction of houses there isn't much left and what is left is put into bins. The idea is the bins get sorted and the wood gets turned to mulch.
I thought about how I could employ even handicapped people to do some of the manual labour, what possible wood products that could be made. Then I switched to collecting old machines and stripping them into individual materials to recycle as much as possible instead of scrunch and burn off in blast furnaces with less than good metal in some cases.
Donations to the overlooked museum I know of. It's a great museum if you know about it. But lots of stuff there is turning into rusted lumps, while other stuff has been wrecked by kids and there is less and less people who know how to fix the stuff right. Our society had become a remove and replace. I know this because of the amount of lawn and garden equipment I find tossed into back lanes near Ari's and my place. I am one of the few who rescue this stuff. Most gets picked up by scrap dealers for weight.
I was so lost in thought, as often happens when I think about the good i can do, that I failed to notice the bread. I only noticed when Ari poked me.
"Huh what?" I asked. She pointed...Ohhh garlic cheese bread, on real bread not hotdog buns. The bread was a thick, juicy with butter, bread and a fair amount of garlic, hint of spice and shredded marble cheddar. Soo good. I tried really hard to nibble. I still finished before the other two.
"Looney for your thoughts?"
"Huh"..I'm lost.
"Well I offered up to fifth cents and didn't get..." Hanz explained.
"Lee you were so lost in thought that we couldn't get your attention for three minutes or so."
"Oh!" embarrassed, I did not blush. I looked down.
"I just dream about what I would do if I would a few million on the lottery is all."
"Such as?" I had Hanz and Arianna's full attention. I got nervous.
"It's nothing, silly really." Please please stop asking.
"Go on."
"Well I just can't help thinking about.., Look it's not really important." hint hint.
Hanz put his face onto his upturned hand and looked me level in the eyes. "I want to know." No those eyes are evil do not..
"Well, It's kinda pains me to see stuff tossed because it's old. Like an old ratty abandoned building. It may not look nice with all that ugly paint and the garish makeovers over the years to modernize them. But If you really look you can see hints of how they used to look when they were a new building. I mean they looked really good in some cases. Did you know that this city used to have almost forty live theaters, before movies came out, I mean before they became popular."
"Okay so."
"You may not realize it but at that time the population was like at most a hundred thousand, not the million or so it is now."
"One point three actually."
"Whatever, most of these theaters are around but have very ugly paint on the outside, they used to paint the shows on billboards, and sometimes the stars themselves would get a mural. But, they had fancy fronts, grand entrances, and huge impressive theaters with either copper or plaster ceilings with lines and stuff on them. Most of them are covered by layers of plaster or drywall. You can see that when another one gets torn down." I paused to drink some water.
"When you walk by the demo sites you can sometimes see piles of wooden beams. Those beams are like really really good wood, full of nails and screws now, but some you can see the leftover hand carved wood pieces stuck here and there. Did you know most of that wood is full of chemicals and they still turn it into mulch." I had to lean back as the waiter was bringing a cart over to serve us.
"Think of what could be done, properly, to say a new house, or business to give it that old family generation look just by re-purposing some of that wood."
"You have a very good point." Hanz agreed.
"How so" Ari asked.
"Well on the course, about halfway, we built a mini lodge/shop, a year ago. We wanted to make it look like it had been around since the course opened. It does look that way, and in winter it's heated by a woodstove for the ski weekends, So the old lodge feel helps there as well. None of the wood is old. We had to pay quite a bit extra to get the wood artfully aged. The high ceiling looks like greyed unpainted wood but it is actually painted to look that way. The wall boards had rocks tumbled in with them for the look."
I looked at Hanz." And to think there is places out in rural areas where old sheds,barns, heck even whole former homesteads, that are falling down, much of the wood still very good. It is a bit dangerous, because of wasp nests and other possible rodents. But if a crew was careful enough they could salvage a lot of old wood, clean it up with sanders of some type and sell it to places like you guys for authentic look."
"What about those old buildings you were talking about."
"Well those too. I guess one could take apart all that old brickwork, salvage the good stuff, and build some nice property if they had enough. Imagine, for example, someone won the lottery and wanted a manison on their old family property or at the lake or something that looked like it had been there a hundred years. You can't get that look with new materials, it just doesn't work."
"I can kind of see that. Our midway lodge does look old but still feels new"
"What if it had been built from salvaged materials from old barns and homesteads eighty plus years old. Cleaned up of course."
"It would have that feel that I still want."
"Exactly!"
"Yeah sounds good, how much do you charge for that?"
"Huh" It was then I noticed that, aside from Hanz, Arianna. The waiter, Lissy we also had three other people sitting near us listening.
"Oh uh. I don't actually do that myself."
"An old boyfriend perhaps? Do you have his information I would love to contract him."
"Only after I had him build me a small cabin."
"I would like a library myself."
I held up my hands." Stop please. It was just an idea I have is all. I don't know how to do that stuff." This was more than a little scary for me. Here I was pretending to be a woman, in blasted dress, and stuff I had dreamed about for a few years were almost within reach.
"I'm not a carpenter or whatever, just a humble mechanic fixing small stuff..."
"Your a mechanic?"
"What is your rate? I have a problem with a..."
"Ladies, Gentlemen. Please. We are trying to have a dinner. While I am sure she is capable of many things, and in particular I do intend to get her help in my own mechanical problems, we are here to eat this wonderful smelling dinner that may be going cold. Can I suggest that you leave her a few cards."
"Oh yes. Sorry she sounded so passionette I just had to find out more. Enjoy your dinner."
"Quite right. Evening ladies."
And one or two more people gave us the goodbyes. The small pile of cards sitting beside my plate was a little unnerving since I could never use them. I mean if I came as myself to help them. Some might let me work but I doubt it. They wanted the girl they had met. Not the guy I was. Depressing.
The waiter got around to dishing out the lasagna to Hanz and myself. Ari got her fetunnin or whatever, it was. And I was all set to dig in as I was hungry. A touch from Ari, with a small shake of her head, I tried not to sigh as I cut little pieces of food and ate it slowly.
Don't get me wrong it was very very good. Normal circumstances I would easily have wolfed down this and another piece or two. Being ladylike is so unfair!. As I was slowly eating, and getting full as I was taking sips of water with every other bite, I wondered about the time.
"Shit!" Ari jolted from my comment. Hanz just looked up with a smile.
"What's the time? When does Walmart close?"
"Uhm I think they might be open to ten." Ari realized why I was asking. "Oh dear."
"It's nine forty five. Why do you need to go to Walmart."
"Oh Leanna's clothes got lost at the airport and her small bag of jeans got ruined by my old machine. We were going to ask you to drop us off to get some new ones. I guess it's too late now. I'll take you.. Oh crud. I can't take you tomorrow I have to go over to the designers and get them going on Greg's new showroom and that might take all day. Sorry huh."
Hanz leaned over to get a good view of my legs, where I clamped them together before he reached the table edge. "She looks fine as she is."
"Hanz!" I did not whine. "I do have a bunch of clothes, but nothing ..practical at the moment so I do need to do some shopping." gag me with a spoon.
"Pity." he said before pulling out his phone and hitting a number. He held up his hand as I raise mine to object.
"Astri..Yes hi, Oh well good thank you. I'm in the company of two very lovely ladies.... Why yes that is the ones. Oh I see did you not send her any pants? I see. Would it be much of a bother?" He put the phone down for a moment. Anything in particular you needed?"
"Well some denim jeans, and some t shirts, in black if possible." It's what I usually wear. Stains don't show as much.
"Did you get that? Oh you have her sizes? That would be good I'll pay of course. No no trouble." he nodded and listened for a moment or two before talking again." Tagatelli's of course." he paused again obviously listening. Then pressed a button on his phone and put it away.
"I can pay for my own clothes thank you."
"I would be honored to pay for them as well but I was refused."
"Excuse me?"
"Something about it being Greg's fault, he yelled in the background, they are at the warehouse getting other stuff so it's no trouble apparently, something about doing it anyways or something."
"Oh brother" i put my hand to my head. "This is going to far."
"Greg... has a very one track mind. The only person I have ever seen redirect it, as she didn't change it exactly, was your sister."
I looked to Arianna for an explanation.
"All those suits I have are from him. I asked for one. Getting him to stop took showing him both closets full. Since yours isn't that full yet I would just not even try."
Since we needed to leave to go wherever I started to get up.
"Where are you going my dear."I sighed.
"Mr. Ryder. We had this chat I believe. Besides don't we need to get going?"
"OH right. And no. Greg is on his way. I believe he will want to talk with your sister as well."
"Oh crud! I didn't bring my laptop to show him my designs."
"Can you use my pad?" I wasn't sure why he was offering her his bachelor pad if Greg was coming here. Ari bit her lower lip in thought.
"No...I have certain programs on mine for rendering and stuff. Thanks for offering."
Since it seemed we were not going to go somewhere, I made to sit back down. Till Arianna pushed out her chair.
"We may as well go powder Lee. Be back shortly sir."
"I'll have the table cleared and some wine perhaps." Oh no. Not more wine! What is it with these people and wine? Not really having much choice I followed Ari into the ladies room at the restaurant. I paused for a moment at the door before going in.
Second day and it still feels wrong. I wont bore you with the details of going to the bathroom in a confined metal cubical and a dress that took far too long to move out of the way just to pee. Then reverse it. As I exited and Arianna laughed. I was very very glad that the plain white walled cement block bathroom just had myself and Arianna in it. Blasted toilet paper roll and static cling. It was not very fun to roll up the paper back onto a roll in a plastic childproof container. Why they had them in the first place didn't make much sense. Who would want to steal toilet paper?
I mean really most of the women here had tiny, and in my opinion useless, purses more for show. You couldn't fit a roll in there if you tried. Worse on top of the tampon dispenser was a few rolls anyways. It's not even good stuff, better than the mens I can assure you, but still really? What's next camera's to spot if people take the cheap ass stainless steel cutlery you can buy at a dollar store? How do I know this? I have an identical set at home.
We did not take all that long in the ladies room. Arianna insisted I fix my face, her words not mine, which included that mysterious substance that does not like to go on lips evenly called lipstick. Ari tweaked one or two things in my hair, which looked fine to me, before we left the bathroom to return to the table.
Since Dorothy is being very impatient I'm posting this chapter a little quick. I do not have control over the story very much. Ideas I had thought to use couldn't fit in as the story writes itself.
So...
The next morning I woke with a start...
Whaaa?
But
But
But...
Okay fine,
Yes I'm grumbing!
Not much happened last night really...honest...
Why are you looking at me like that?
So Ari and I, for you grammar police, left the washroom / ladies room / fancy ass washcloset that looks nicer than my house. There was a big fanfare and sign..
Yeah right. There was an older lady wearing a fur around her neck and more makeup that a makeup counter has at those old box stores. I would like to say she gave me the evil eye or something. Instead she just brushed past us without a care. Like it was the most normal thing in the world. A GUY, aka me, just came out of the LADIES room, and she acts like it's normal.
Alright maybe, just maybe, I was still a little on the anxious side about going into a forbidden place. Can you blame me. Ari, of course, just had a smile on her face like a kitten finding spilled food on the floor, food that was on the counter a minute before. You've seen that. Growls at you if you move your hand near the food? Okay whatever.
I followed Ari back to the table to find, surprise surprise, that our table for three got expanded and now held three others. Hanz sister minus the white coat. Greg, and a new lady I had never seen before of mixed heritage. I say mixed because while the eyes look sorta asianish. Skin is sorta tannish. And yes I suck at english, live with it. This must be the A. or Astri.. assistant to Greg. That or he is having an affair of some type. Seems to be a sort of game that the filthy rich love to play with each other, and spouses who know full well what is going on but pretend, quite well, that it doesn't.
Maybe I read a little too much.
There is two chairs available. One beside Greg and one beside Hanz. Ari, of course, takes the one beside Greg, who is a gentleman and pushes her in. Hanz gets up to help push me in as I approach. Before I even attempt to sit down I scootch the chair over away from Hanz. He finds it amusing. In any other setting I would swat him.
Oh hell who cares! I take a swipe at his arm anyways. He dodges it and I realize that it was way too much in character for a girl. I blush and look down.
They all start talking about how this would look good like this at the store, and so on and on. Really it was quite boring for me as I had no clue what they were talking about. I couldn't even look at the tv screen, which was now behind me, to relieve my utter boredom. I didn't get a chance to ask about the jeans at all. They were all really into these ideas and stuff, some paper was pulled out and some scribbled drawings were made.
I sat there with my hands in my lap trying to keep my knees together even though nobody could see them, and I guess I sort of dozed off at one point. I awoke to find all of them looking at me with those, I caught you smiles, on their faces.
"Uhm sorry."
"Quite alright dear. This must be terribly boring for you." Translation. Are you that stupid?
"Perhaps we should call it a night. I'll be round, say ten, and we can go over the renderings I made, along with some of these changes, and see how well it would work." Ari states. It's not really up for argument or anything.
Astrig, so I have found her name to be, hands a bag to me with something about they were in the warehouse so give them a good wash. Not sure why, are they used? After that we call get up. The ladies, including me, do the air kiss on cheek thing, while the girls do little pecks on cheeks.
I just shook hands, why it made both Greg and Hanz laugh is beyond me. Hanz had paid the bill with a card of some type, it wasn't the normal gold or blue but black so I had no idea what it was. Probably a club card of some type.
Aside from almost falling asleep on the ride back with a fair sized bag at my feet. Shopping bag, not another suitcase. He helped us out just like before, walked us to the door for some reason I haven't the foggiest idea why. I just unlocked the door with the key and walked in. Ari followed complaining that i was being rude. I was too tired too care, and told her so.
She took my bag and sent me off to wash up. I don't remember too much after that to be honest.
I woke with a start. I'm so used to sleeping on my couch that waking up in a bed is startling. Not a bad thing really but still startling. This was made worse as I am not a sharp cookie in the morning upon waking. The nightgown and boobs freaked me out a bit but an insistent bladder took precedence. I even sat down on the toilet and let go while examining how my chest had swelled overnight. It wasn't till I saw the seams that the previous days events came back to me.
I did say I was slow in the morning.
I sighed, I had agreed to be a sister, hopefully just a week. I didn't know why it was so important to Ari. I was sure that, eventually, she would explain that. I mean why would she keep a birth certificate for a sister that died so long ago. So many little things. Like how she called me Leanna. I was sure she thought of me as a girl most of the time as well.
I got a shock when I looked in the mirror. I was all set to apologize to Ari before I realized it was me. That was another thing. I look way too much like Ari. If we really were siblings it would make sense. I know I didn't know who my parents were, but still the chances of meeting someone that looks exactly like me is scarily low. I know they say, the 'experts' that when you think about it, nobody knows who they are. Right back on track . They, I can't help think of white bearded men with bow ties and pocket protectors and huge thick glasses..where was I? Oh yes.. They say that everyone has a double in the world. So, I guess, it is possible....maybe...
OR maybe we should run screaming from this house all the way back to mine and hide...while looking nothing like myself...with boobs...crap.
I shuffled into my room head hanging, almost dragging my feet on the nice soft..inviting carpet.. I wonder....
"LEANNA!" I jumped in place at the scream..
"Whaaaa.. is there a fire?" I rolled over. I guess I fell asleep on the carpet afterall. It really was that comfy.
"I found you out cold on the carpet. What do you think? Are you okay? Do you need to see the doctor?" she was all over me in a second feeling my forehead. Checking for I don't know what.
"Calm down" I put my hands on hers." I just noticed how soft and comfy the carpet felt. I guess I fell asleep on it by accident."
"The what?" She put her hand down on the carpet.
Next thing I knew we were both lying on our sides on the carpet in nighties giggling at how comfy it actually was. It was absurd who would make a carpet feel that good. Ari said something about good for slumber party, at least I think she did. It was almost a whisper.
She slammed her palm against the floor. "Right time to get ready!"
"Do I have too?" I MAY have whined.
"You get started and I'll get your jeans and new tops out of the dryer."
"Fine!" I reluctantly got up off the floor. I knew what she meant by get ready. Mascara, lipsmear., and powder stuff. I had taken off the mag earrings last night and put them on again. It pinched my ears a little. Then I selected some underwear. I chose black. One of the tops we got last night was black with rhinestones spelling out "Girlie girl". Id skip that one. The next suitable was a red top. I hoped she got that one. Apparently cockroaches loved to lay eggs in clothing so it was a must to wash and dry everything in hot water with lots of soap. I had just got done with that infernal device called a bra when she came back into my room. The red top was there but no jeans.
"Uhm Sorry Lee.. The dryer didn't work properly. I used an iron to dry this one for you but the rest are still wet. I have them hanging to dry but it will take most of the day." she said sheepishly.
"What the hell? That's a brand new dryer!"
"I know. I'll call them about it after I get ready. I have a lot of work to do today."
"But ...what do I ..."
She rummaged in one of the lower drawers and pulled out a denim skirt. It had a faded hem and a red belt that was all crisscrosses. At the buckle part was a brass hook thing like all belts. I pulled it on after some grumbling and she put my hair up into a simple pony tail before she almost ran into her room.
I wondered about footwear. In the closet was these little boots that matched the belt in color. I say little because they didn't come over my ankles very far. They had a very small heel, pointed toe and were made of a leather of sorts. Surprisingly they were not that uncomfortable. The blasted skirt was too short for my liking as only came down to mid leg or thigh or whatever they call it. Hopefully the jeans would be dry by this afternoon. Remember my experience with jeans involved worn used jeans for most of my life. New jeans is a new experience.
I was downstairs in the kitchen looking for something edible for breakfast that wasn't fruit salad or frozen. My cooking skills with eggs are either runny or scrambled. I didn't think Ari would appreciate me using her pristine cookware. I mean come on why put a coating on that just comes right off after the first use? I just happen to like my food cooked now. Got a problem with it?
I found some suspicious looking frozen waffles in the freezer. I say suspicious in that they look way to healthy to possible taste good. I had no idea wear a toaster was if any so I threw them into the mini oven on the counter. Note yes I NOW know its a toaster oven ha ha. The controls were simplish so that even I could use them. Ie there was a button that said waffle. I pressed it. And waited...and waited...and waited...
I am not that impatient.
Really....
Sometimes....
Ari came into the kitchen as the thing finally dinged. I had put four in there as that what was in the package.
"Oh thanks!" and she stole two of them. My tummy wasn't happy with her in her high heels, skirt and short sleeve blouse. I mean she looked good. Really good. Dang it I felt under dressed beside her. She put them on a plate with some sugar from a container and started to cut them into tiny pieces.. Like what the heck. They are barely five inches across.
Instead of grumbling I would just copy her. Ill get a nice juicy hamburger later from somewhere. Like one of those good burgers that you microwave at gas stations. What? I happen to like them!
Air was typing at clicking like mad on her laptop while we ate. I wasn't crazy about the orange juice with all the pulpy stuff in it. I was surprised how two glasses of water, two waffles and a glass of orange juice managed to fill me up. I even smiled for a moment that I kept my legs together as if I was proud of that accomplishment. Oh how I needed to get out and be myself after this.
She finished most of her waffle while working. There was a piece or two left that she didn't eat. I thought this was wasteful and made her eat the last bite. She objected that they were cold. I just folded my arms and glared till she ate the last one. Wasting food is foolish. Always eat whatever you make, or order, or buy. There is people out there that would be happy to even have that one morsel you leaving. Your are insulting them by doing so. Or at least that is what I have always believed.
Ari put on the blue blazer, that yes matched her heels and skirt. The blouse was rather plain and it sort of wrapped around her as I didn't see a button anywhere. It was a lighter color that was still sorta vaguely blue...I guess. I grabbed the front of her blazer and pretended to straighten it. I had no clue how to do so but what I was doing just felt...right... on a weird level.
"You be a good girl today you hear?" I said to her softly. I didn't need the game this morning. I was not expecting her to all but tackle me in a bone crushing hug.
"Thank you" she whispered before pulling back to let me see the water standing in her eyes ready to spill into tears. She grabbed her purse and bag, not sure where either came from, and turned to go outside. I stayed behind to put the dishes into the dishwasher. I was surprised when she came back in.
"I need you to let me out." she said. Weird is the garage door busted?
I followed her outside into the slightly chilled air. Note to self, women's clothing is NOT made to keep one warm. As we came around to the front of the garage I saw the problem. There was a craftsman, MTD gold, and John deere tractor as well as two tillers blocking the way. While most of them were out of the way the JD wasn't. I went behind to pull the pin to move it. No pin. No key either. A note of some type though. I took a quick glance. The key was under the hood taped to engine. The machine would not roll. I just grabbed the side and pulled it over bit by bit.
The back end of the machine, while heavy, is not that heavy. The front I used a pipe to push it over. I got it over enough to get her to leave. I waved as she left then started to bring what I could into the garage where it was much much warmer. The other two lawntractors had notes. The two tillers did not. After reading the notes I found one belonged with the craftsman. I didn't know which though.
I worked on the tractors while I waited for it to warm up outside. Not much, blade sharpening. Clean fuel systems, air filter, oil filter, oil. It was a good thing that these all took the same filter. Well for B&S anyways, thats Briggs and Stratton. The JD was a Kohler. Looks the same different thread. I had gotten a box of them a few years ago. I had one left at Ari's now. At home I had a another eight or so. The blades took a bit. Since I didn't want to get the skirt filthy, must be a g...ah.. social pressure thing to keep ones skirt clean. Pulling the decks out on each was fairly easy. Then I just used a socket and ratchet on them. I know some people call a ratchet a socket wrench. That is just wrong. A socket wrench is a totally different tool. I have one I use for some plugs.
I sharpen and balance the blades. It's not that hard but it is important. All you do is put the blade on something sharp, like another blade, and if it is balanced it will not move if it is in center. The MTD's blades require a hammering before I can sharpen them. He likes rocks apparently. Both of these machines are two blade machines. The craftsmen uses that funky star pattern. With Sears closed now I wonder how many of these machines will be around for much longer? I test the machines they work. I don't have a grease gun here. Small pot of grease yes but no gun. These both look alright.
Hmm I wonder. I use the craftsman and some rope strap I found to hook up the JD and pull that into the garage. Yes I spun the tires. I need to sweep up the shop floor after I'm done anyways.
With the other two done I start to look over the JD. Not having booster cables I hook some wire I found and a cable to jump the battery from one machine to the next. The JD turns over, has oil. Wont fire. Pull one of the two pulls. Soaked with fuel. I check for spark and it does have it. A bit more searching I don't see anything obvious so I pull the air cleaner cover off, or try too. It takes a screwdriver to pry it off. Oh.
Behind the air cleaner cover there should be a plate and a round fitler with a foam screen around that. I can make out the metal cover under the packed grass and other stuff. Might have been a rodent's nest. A bit of vacuum work, another find, dc though, and I can see the foam. After taking off the cover, air filter, and foam I turn the engine over for a bit. After a break or two for spark It sputters and starts belting out lots of smoke.
It was badly flooded. I had to open the door again. I didn't have a new filter, or a compressor, so that would have to wait on this one. I did tap out as much as i could but it was still very plugged. I put it back together loosely. I then use an old pizzabox to kneel on, as well as a scissor car jack, to raise up the rear and take off the right rear tire so I could see what happened to the transmission. It's not much, the lever is laying ontop slightly bent and the clip is long gone. A bit of straightening, a new cotter pin and washer and the machine will now move back and forth. I lube the axle, replace tire and move onto the next problem.
Up to this point I had to cross the starter wires with a screwdriver to get it to turn over as the key didn't work for starting. It didn't take me long to find the problem with a tester. The one switch located under the battery is all corroded. Using a heat lamp bulb and a small screwdriver it doesn't take me long to fix it. A bit of pencil eraser on the copper, best way to clean copper, and it's as good as new. It works and the machine turns over via the key. Only problem is that the metal strap that held the battery up is dust.
As luck would have it I had spotted something the other day that might work if it was still there. After locking the house up I go for a walk down the back lanes. One piece of metal that was a brace of some kind at one point will be perfect, with a little bending. Along the way I find another push mower with a bad engine but good cables, it was obvious as the con rod was sticking out the one side with oil everywhere. I also find a heavily rusted electric mower. It's so rusted that there is a wheel missing and the other ones are badly bent up. It's gets piled on the one with blown engine. I also found an electric blower with the extension cord end stuck on it but cut off.
Making my way along I spot an older tiller. At first glance the engine didn't turn and the gearbox was all busted. I was going to pass it but at the moment an older man in a chevy truck shows up. His name is Nelson, and considering how I'm dressed, I kinda have to say my name is Leanna. His truck is mostly empty and he offers to give me and my goodies a ride. He collects scrap in his spare time, mostly to keep the neighborhood clean. We chat and get a long like we are old friends. We drive around a few more lanes and pack up his truck with a stove, dryer and fridge. There is more but he will have to unload, which we do at his place before we go out and get the rest. A washing machine, busted drill press, a bunch of car parts, some old piping of some type, a bin full of wiring, some metal shelving and a bunch of other junk.
My eyes are better than his so it was me who spotted most of it. Believe it or not his truck is more than half full. Plus another load at his place, then my junk. Speaking of my junk. Nelson actually helps me, We wash off the mower deck of the old gas one. It's not in bad shape. I take the electric motor off the rusted one and combine the two, with a little configuring of the handlebars. From two junk mowers I get an electric push mower with a much better blade on it. I don't really need it though. While I was looking over the old tiller I thought about grabbing the carb and coil off it. With the cover off I can see that the coil has rusted to the flywheel. A bit of work with a lead hammer we knock the coil loose, sand off the flywheel and soak the coil in some vinegar to remove the rust. It's a nice afternoon spent playing with stuff. We actually get the engine to fire and run for a moment.
Normally I would have passed on the engine but it's an eight horse B&S. One of the older models just when they got rid of points. It's a keeper. On the way back to Ari's I mention about not needed the electric and we stop by the place I found it. The older lady there thanks us for the mower as she didn't want to get rid of it. She likes electric mowers but finds the new ones so expensive. We chat for a bit and get treated to fresh baked goodies. Nelson explains that it was all me that did the work, which in her eyes, is worth paying me $80. I try to refuse but she insists. Something about good for the sisterhood and all. Ehhhh I didn't understand but smiled and just took the money.
Back at Ari's Nelson finds out what I was working on. He offers to help, which I thank him for and give him the list of what is needed for the JD and where to get parts. I had been wiping my hands to get the money out of my back pocket on the skirt when he leaves. Around half an hour later he returns with an empty truck except for the eight horse engine and the parts for JD. I get the receipt from him and we get to work. It doesn't take us long to get the JD up and working properly. It still needs the new blade for center as it has the wrong one, a very common mistake. The center blade is a bit bigger than the outer ones. A lot of places just sell you three outer ones. It does work but leaves lines in the grass when you cut.
Honestly I forget about wearing the skirt or that my jeans might be dry as we work with a radio on. Time passes like a time warp. Once you get into a groove you just zone out. I mean like there we were working away having fun. The JD guy shows up and is more than happy to find his mower working. He just wanted it running and driving. He was not expecting the key to work again. I tell him where to bring his old battery or batteries, if he has more than one, to get a new one for it as this one is finished. He happily runs to get money to pay for everything done plus some extra which I try to share with Nelson. He once again refuses.
The first tiller was nothing special. Oil, clean and gap sparkplug, clean carb and tank. No biggie. The second one, well the engine ran. However nothing worked. It wasn't till I took cover off that I found out why. The crankshaft had snapped right at the cover. Wierd little clutch setup that only engages when you press a lever. There was a pully for the front driven tines and a gear and chain for the wheels. Stupid setup really as I found out when I looked at wheel setup. The bearings were crusty rusty as the chain case was full of something besides oil. I guess it had jammed. Then when the owner had slammed it into driving Snap.
This one needed a new motor. Aside from the snapped crankshaft it was a running motor, I exchanged it for the 8hp B&S. The original was a ten not a big change. Same size overall. The carbs and gas tanks were different, but they did exchange from one to the other. So it looks like it is the same engine but it's not. Nobody would be able to tell. The bearings were standard 6203/s so Nelson got some at the local Princess Auto for five a piece. The chain I soaked and worked loose totally covering my arms in grim in the process. The new bearings were sealed bearings, the case was supposed to have a drain hole but it was tiny and totally plugged, or it was a rust hole not sure which. I drilled it out so that water could drain. Greased the hell out of the chain and put it all back together.
The couple for the craftsman came around and it was the first tiller that was theirs. They were happy as well and paid us. Again I offered some to Nelson but he just smiled and refused. While we had been working he talked about his marriage to Mary, how now that he was retired and had found something to occupy his time, she complained that he was never home. It was dark outside when he finally left after the craftsman couple. I was cleaning up tools and the floor when Ari got back.
Neither of us had noticed the time while working or had properly eaten. Two freezer packs of, I think it was fish, and oh yea, more rice. It was food so I ate it. She talked about the difficulties she had that day. I listened and nodded. I told her about my day, she laughed and said something about a new boyfriend when I mentioned Nelson. I was outraged. I told her he was married but she still teased me.
She had called the company for the dryer and the repairman had called her back. He said to unplug it and he would be by tomorrow morning to see what the problem was and replace it if necessary. It was a brand new machine so I could see why they would want to look at it in place. Arianna , sorry but she did, bitched about just replacing it. I guess she was as tired as I suddenly felt. My jeans were mostly dry, just one or two seams a little damp. We got washed up, she made me clean the bathroom after. Yes I grumbled about it.
With both of us in our nighties and robes we sat down on the couch to watch a movie off netflix. We didn't get past opening credits before the both of us were doing the chainsaw thing on either side of the couch snuggled under our robes. It was kinda funny how some hours later we both woke up with cricks in our necks before heading off to bed. Ari kissed my forehead for some reason, I was still mostly asleep.
It was close to ten the next morning when I awoke. My nose was pressed into the nightstand that was beside the bed. All the covers are twisted tightly around me. I had a pillow under my head but I was on the bedroom floor. Not sure if that happened while I slept or if I missed the bed and just grabbed everything. I did the worm thing and found Ari snoring lightly right beside me in her robe. I used my one foot to wake her.
She had found me that way at six and tried to wake me only to fall asleep beside me. We both laughed about it, I did not giggle, she did. For the first time in almost four days I could wear jeans again. And darn it all, if they didn't feel quite right. I was almost tempted to put another dam skirt on. Almost. No dam way was I wearing a skirt again if I could help it. Today I wore an oversized sweater of sorts.
Strange how after a few days of wearing skin tight clothing wearing something I have worn almost all along feels weird. My underwear was white. The sweater exposed one shoulder all the time no matter what I did. Ari said that was normal. Doing my makeup was less of a chore than before, still very weird, especially that dang lipsmear. She did have me work at doing my hair, properly, as she said. That took far too much time. In the end all I had in it was a simple hair clip in the back, with a bow, and it held my hair away from my face.
Today there was nothing new out front waiting for me. Ari left, she had a few things she needed to do, all dressed up in a skirt suit like usual. I finished the work on the second tiller around noon. I even tested it in the back yard in that patch that had been tilled over. It worked really good. With nothing to do I cleaned up, I even wiped down all my tools before going back into to clean up.
I was in the middle of looking for something for lunch when the doorbell rang scaring the crap out of me. I had learned my lesson and peeked out the window to see who it was. There was the same truck as before and some guy carrying a tool box on the landing. I let him in.
His name was Rob and asked right away where the, and this is a quote, infernal machine was. I liked the guy right away. I showed it too him, and over the course of about an hour, we took it half apart, found the stupid switch that had literally broken apart. Apparently some of these chinese components, while it helped to cut costs on the machines, did not always work. He had encountered this before, as evidenced by the large half empty box of switched in his tool kit.
It worked, and he made doubly sure to test both it and the washing machine, it had a loose belt and needed adjustment, before he left leaving his card behind. If I ever needed, or someone I knew, needed a repair guy I knew exactly who to call. However I still had not had lunch. So once again I was going to look when the doorbell rang again. Thinking Rob had forgotten something I just opened the door.
Big mistake.
"Hi beautiful" It was Hanz. Again.
"What are you doing here?"
"Uhm Lunch?" I just looked at him like he was stupid.
"Maybe to bribe you with a nice fancy lunch?" he was looking sheepish.
"So Subway?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. He roared.
"Ehhemm.. Seriously is it wrong.." I cut him off right there.
"Yes it is!"
"How about a bribe of my shop?" he asked. My mind instantly went back to that beautiful shop in such a mess. I was silent as I thought about how much I wanted to get my hands in there. He took my silence in turn. Say anything else you want about him, he is a sharp cookie.
"I don't have any"
"Just to clean it up, get the stuff fixed and working mind you. I'll pay cash."
"I ...I...I...suppose..." I mean how could I say no. Really it's very hard... It's just a temp thing..in that beautiful....
"Get your purse and we can go."
"Huh" fog..." okay." more fog....
Before I knew it, the house was locked, and I was sliding into his car. I say sliding as I caught myself sliding my legs in after sitting down. Darn skirts, I wasn't wearing one but I still sat and slid anyways. The car was a very nicely done 78 trans am. In black with the gold fire bird on the hood. It may sound weird but that is the way many of them came. It was not a bandit car clone as it didn't have the t top roof. It was not very popular in Canada. I do know that the t top roof was available on cars up to mid 80's. I saw the books once. It was possible to get a 1983 charger 2.2 turbo, all wheel drive, with a t top. I have no idea if any were ever sold that way but there was parts listings for them.
It was a typical guy car. It had power, modified engine the original was not that powerful and the camshafts died in short time. Loud exhaust that would give you a headache, and I bet a bunch of other useless mods, such as disc brakes, rack & pinion steering, etc. Was I impressed? Not in the least little bit. I call cars that are loud and non stock rumblers. Hanz was smiling trying to impress me with all the stuff he was talking about including the totally non stock ugly ass radio. It had yadda yadda fuel injection, yadda yadda stupid cam, yadda yadda stupid crank...
We got about halfway there when he stopped at a traffic light. I unbuckled my belt and got out of the car as fast as possible. I started walking right away. I took him a minute to first find a parking spot, then pay for the parking. By that time I was already a block away. I'm a fairly fast walker and since I was so pissed off possibly even faster. Hanz may play a fair amount of golf, and work out, but it did take him time to catch up.
"Leanna what did I..." I turned on him.
"I WILL NOT ride around in a fucking piece of crap like that hacked piece of shit. Ever!" I turned and kept walking. I was fuming mad.
"But.. I don't understand... Why are you so..." I turned on him again almost screaming at him.
"It came with leave spring suspension in the rear, no traction but it rode well. Simple am fm eight track radio. The engine's were a 305 two barrel or a 350 four barrel quadrajet. Wagner gear box. Drums in the rear and discs in the front. That's it. They were a nice car." I huffed a moment or two"What you have is every dam thing I hate modified on a classic car, regardless of brand."
"I though that you would be..." I didn't let him finish.
"Well you thought wrong. I'll walk the rest of the way while you do whatever you want with that piece of garbage."
I dare say I was mad. I was so mad that by the time I made it halfway there I was very cold. I didn't have a jacket and was somewhat mollified to be picked up by a valet, Kieth if you must know, in his regular, slight dented, old ford. Not sure which model as many of the early 2000 look the same just different nameplates. The Hyundai made focus and explorer I will not get into. If you get me started on Ford trucks I would be here all night swearing at their weak ass.... breathe.....
It was funny that as we pulled in here comes Hanz in a blue, dark blue, completely stock looking 53 dodge business coupe. It was fairly quiet and seemed to be running alright, for a six. Yeah single barrel carb, straight six with low gearing. Not the fastest cars around. Great acceleration, when they worked. I think it was his idea of an apology. I just laughed.
He got out and made a flourish with his hands before saying" Is this more to my lady's liking?" I did not giggle. I don't giggle. I just laughed and nodded. I could see him visibly relax. Somehow I had made him on edge about the whole car thing I guess. I felt kinda bad about that. I knew it was my temper that had caused a problem.
"Look, I'm sorry. I just get so worked up about classic cars. It's a button of mine." I looked down.
" I would understand if you didn't want me anywhere near your...shop.." I tried to not cry or sniffle. It happens sometimes when I get sad. Not a lot and most times I can hide till it goes away.
"Actually, I am quite relieved."
"Come again?" what the hell is he on about now.
"Brian, my former head groundskeeper, hated the firebird." I interupted, "Trans am. Different car."
"Whatever." he saw my look and held up his hands," Peace no offense." I glared.
"By your reaction, which I do apologize for, I have to believe your exactly what I need." he approached me to put his arms around me. I backed away.
"And that means?"
"I bought that car thinking it was a very good car. I probably paid too much for it. I know nothing about cars or any of that mechanical stuff." He paused a moment.
"I think, after this summer, it would be in my best interest to have someone close to me that could make up my short comings."
Please don't let this be what I think this is..
"Leanna Bridgston" he was all formal and got down on one knee. Flee run!
"Would you do me the honor of becoming my promised."I tried to move backwards. Really I did. My legs were not listening. Shock yes. It was shock.
"I know we have known each other a short time, and I know your not ready for the marriage part, but with this ring I offer to try to win your lovely heart over. " He reached forward and slipped a ring onto my finger. I hate rings. Rings are dangerous.
"Please be my promised." It would almost be comical if there was snow on the ground or rain. Yes lots of rain and puddles. I looked up. Darn it cloudless sky.
I used the fingers of my other hand to grab the ring. It was a silver ring with a gem in it of some type. All delicate looking all by itself. Looking at the rest of my hands, well the hands attached to my arms. They looked so delicate, so feminine, so uhm right?. NO!
These are NOT my hands! My hands are dirty, cracked with calluses. Rough looking hands anything but these.
Is this ring magic? What is happening to me? I should remove the ring and throw it on the ground, in his face, in ...why are you twisting it you idiot?
"I ...I ...cccan't wwww wear a rrriing.." I'm studdering? Why the hell am I studdering? I never studder. Stutter! I never studder.. Oh gods what is wrong with me!
"Why not?" innocent question. A good question. Why can't you wear a ring? There is a reason...
"Jewerly....shop...missing fingers..." uh...why can't I speak...
Hanz gently reaches up and slowly removes the ring from my finger. He then takes a small gold chain from around his neck. A very plain thing really.
"This was a gift to me from my grandmaam. She gave it to me when I was very young just before she passed away. She did not have much as she was very proud and refused to leave her old homestead house till the day she died. This is very precious to me." He put the ring into the necklace and placed it around my neck. Why did I lift my hair?
"Now my grandmaam's heart is next to yours which holds my heart." I just nodded. My capacity for speech was gone. I was going insane that had to be the reason.
He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me towards him. There we were it was not near night at all. Sunset? Or close too. He is pulling you in for a kk.....
I looked up at him. Noooo I can't I can't I can't....
Grumble.
"Uh you mentioned lunch?" Good save body of mine!
Hanz tilted his head back and shock both me and him as he laughed. "Yes I believe I did." he looked down at me again. "Where did you want to go?"
"Well we are here." He looked up and noticed the club as if he had totally forgotten about it. We were parked in front of it.
"So we are. I think it's the chef's night off though." He was still holding me close.
"Uhm maybe we can put something together ourselves?"
"Perhaps. I don't know how to cook though. BBQ I can do." I will not say typical man! I am a typical man. Aren't I? I'm supposed to be..
"Well if you let me go we can find something to maybe put on the barbee."
"If I let you go I wont have my heart."
"Well you will have to anyways."
"Oh"
"I have a shop to save!" I beamed up at him. He laughed again and smiled at me. Why didn't I notice that nice smile?
"Well we can't have that. I need that shop working!"
Hanz grabbed my hand like I was his lifeline and led me to the clubhouse, past the entrance off to the left side this time. We walked into a kitchen that was big. Stainless steel everywhere, not a deep fryer in sight. Three large worktables, only one had a sink as the other two had sinks close at hand on the countertops. The largest gas fired grill, currently off, that I have ever seen. Three ovens stacked one on top of the other and two other smaller looking ovens on the side. The one section had this huge industrial thing with belts on it. It did something with glasses as there was a set of flutes on the one end.
The back wall had two large freezer doors plus another wood door to another room. The freezers were walk in freezers. One had meat the other frozen supplies. There was no ground up hamburger in packages like you normally see. Hanz showed me how you used this meat grinder, hand operated, to make hamburger from some meat that was there. Cold but not frozen. It was good meat too. I didn't see any fat at all on the bits that he put into the grinder. When we were done grinding the meat, I cranked the handle, he took it off the corner where it was and brought it, along with the meat on a plate, to the kitchen proper.
While he washed, yes shocked me too, I went into 'panty' as he called it. It was like someone stole the spice and pasta isle from a store there was so much. It took me a bit but I found a package of onion soup and an egg. I should mention that none of the noodles, and there was a lot, were in packages. They were just hanging there as if they were drying. No idea.
In the kitchen proper I used only the egg white, which I put into the smallest metal bowl we could find. I also had to search for bread crumbles, crackers, and salt and pepper. It seemed silly but I used this massive blender to blend together the breadcrumbs, onion soup, pepper corn, and a touch of salt. With that I mixed it with the egg white then added the hamburger and mixed it all together thoroughly.
From a slightly dusty package of paper plates we pulled one out and I started to make equal balls of meat. Hanz watched me carefully with that look of someone who is learning as he watches. When I had equal balls and all the mix out of the bowl I smushed them flat. Buns were found frozen in the one fridge. We didn't bother looking for any condiments. He did put the frozen buns into this one oven with a small amount of water in the plastic bowl thing. I have no idea what the machine is but two minutes later those frozen buns were all warm and soft without being dry in any way.
I helped him clean up the evidence of our trespassing on the chefs home space, some chefs are like that. Once he was sure everything was as good as we could get, and he left a note. He led me outside, I was carrying the plate with the burgers, he had the buns. Now I have seen some decks before but this was ...wow.
The rear of the club had a timber framed deck with multiple levels. Some were covered in expensive wood with no visible nails. Others had stones arranged nicely but naturally around an open fire pit of a type that also had a round black hood over it leading up out over the open rafter thing. I think its something fancy as it looks open to the sun but actually isn't with crisscrossing beams with fancy curved ends. Very cosy on a cool night if the fire is going. A semi enclosed section with a long glass table, perhaps for outdoor meetings.
And the section we were on with the BBQ good enough for three houses. He only worked the one section, I could easily see him with a smock on and a silly hat, beer in one hand, bbq with little blonde girls in fancy dresses running around his legs. I shook my head a bit to get rid of that image. It was closed over on two sides by large glass single pane windows. The ceiling was done in boards very much like the floor. There was comfy sofa style cushions on adirondack chairs. A nice place to sit after a few rounds of golf. I knew what gold was. Something people with money played.
Hanz was shocked to learn I had never played golf. The sneak took out his phone and called Arianna to ask if she had ever played. His darn height prevented me from getting the phone from him. I was dragging over a chair to get said phone when he hung up. I did not pout.
"Arianna has not played for some time and does not have any golfing supplies. Fortunately for the both of you we, here at the club, can equip both of you when we play tomorrow."
He explained how the gang was getting together for the last swing, as he called it, of the season as it was going to be a warm day. The having two lovely ladies to come with part didn't thrill me. I was a little scared as he called the others and told them of the plans as I was afraid they would come here and I would be in a pickle with this blasted ring around my neck.
In the end they didn't as they all had other plans, thank god.
When the burgers were done, not burnt, he was good at a bbq. We ate our little meal. I did mention that some homemade potato salad would have been good with this. He smiled but didn't say anything. I really hope those little girls were not running around in his head as well. That would be totally embarrassing. And why girls? Why not some boys? Why was I even thinking about that! Stop it!
I guess my burgers were not as bad as I thought. The spice was a little more than normal, for me. But each of us ate all six of the burgers in silence. When we were done, cleanup of paper plates is so much easier, dump into a blue bin. We each had a soda from the fountain in the main bar part from the night before.
Since it was still fairly light out he took some balls in a bucket, and a club or two, and proceeded to try to teach me how to swing a golf club. I may have smacked him with the club, totally by accident, when he tried the lean over the back of me to teach thing. After that he stood to the side and rear. Towards the end when it started to get dark I wasn't doing that bad. At least they were going forwards instead of straight in front of me. Err as in straight across the other tee boxes in front of my body not where I was supposed to be aiming.
When it was dark, and yes I had fun swinging that club, we went to the shop. I almost ran there I was so excited. I was there and waiting when he jogged up chuckling at me. He unlocked the doors and turned on the lights.
We moved stuff around on the floor at first and spent the better part of an hour fixing all the lights, and I cleaned the reflectors with soap and water so that we could actually see in the shop. I think he was surprised at how well lit up it was when all the lights worked. I put him to work after we cleaned all the piled up junk off of the milling machine, and lathe onto some plywood laying over two of the non working machines. There was a lot of junk. I then cleaned off the bench beside the wash tank, as well as the top so I could open it.
It was no surprise to find that the tank was full of crap as well with very little solvent, if you want to call it that, left in it. Some old coffee tins and a small piece of metal cover for something later I had most of the gunk out. I poured a little bit of new solvent into the tank and used a brush I had found in the tank while emptying it. The other metal pieces, bolts screws,nuts,and parts I left in a separate container. I would wash those after with the leftovers from the tank and figure out what to keep and throw away. I even cleaned out the pump with more solvent and got it working. Solvent tanks, the good ones, have a gear type pump that pumps fluid into a nozzle you can use to help clean parts.
That was part two and yes I was very dirty but one happy g... uhm person. I dumped the new solvent into the tank and even put the mid level screen plate back on, after I hammered it straight again. With a clean tank available to use I started to take apart the milling machine, it was closer. It was very dirty and I had to back off the adjusters completely just to get one table to move at all.
"Why are you taking apart my drill press?" I grunted as I worked with a pick to get the screws clean.
"First it really really needs it. Second it's not a drill press."
"It's not?"
" No it's a milling machine, a very good one, or was."
It may not seem like much but when to take apart a machine like that completely there is a lot of parts. The floor had a bunch, the counter was covered, and that was leaving most of the machine left in place. I would tackle the top end separately. There was not a radio in the shop but Hanz got a bluetooth speaker and his phone setup playing music while we worked. And work we certainly did.
Getting all the screws, bolts, gibbs, and nuts clean took me at least a good forty minutes. Hanz I had working at cleaning out the previously hidden grooves on the table top. We both wore earmuffs as he was using the shop vac, I had to clean that too. The filter was tossed but a new one was in the next door supplies. Like I said he used the shop vac, some screw drivers, broken screwdrivers, to clean out the solidly packed grooves. Apparently Brian didn't know it was a milling machine either. More's the pity.
Hanz did manage to get most of it cleaned out and I scrubbed it down as best I could. However there was a fair amount of rust on the table.
There was a sandblasting cabinet, I fixed that new nozzle and a valve, and showed Hanz what to do. I left him to that while I got the second table mostly clean. It wasn't as badly rusted it the ways were not looking pretty. By that time Hanz removed the previous piece from the tank. I had him blow it off outside as he had sandblasted every surface he could reach. If the sand had been better quality stuff I would have been worried. As it was almost all fine powder all it did was clean the worst of the rust off.
I had him do the second table while I used a wire brush on a drill to get the last bit off the ways clean. In the end aside from the very ends that are hardly ever used it was in good shape. I Even found some grey paint to paint the outside of it. Hanz saw me doing that to that one piece. Well that was a mistake.
Once you get started down that road it's a never ending cycle. We cleaned parts, taped and painted then laid them out to dry. When we had as much as we could easily do that night done on the mill, we moved around the shop finding tools, cleaning them and placing them in piles of like tools. I took apart the tool chests and cleaned out the drawers as well. At one time someone had put those plastic things in the bottom of all drawers. They wash nicely and I put them back in after using a rag of solvent and paper towels, got the chest clean enough to start putting tools back in to appropriate drawers. Every socket had to be washed out as they were all completely filthy. A few were even broken, I made a pile. Most of the screwdrivers were broken in one way or another. I made a pile of those.
"Why are you piling up those sockets there and the screwdrivers there?"
"Oh to bring in for exchange."
"huh"
"Most of these are good brand name tools, They have lifetime warranty so if they break you bring them back for exchange."
Wide eyed he looked at me"Really they do that." I snickered.
"Yes they do."
Once he understood that we started to empty the packed out trash cans into bags and found a number of broken tools in there. I did find a bunch of boxes, wooden boxes hidden behind the "drill press" on the floor. I Must have squealed or something manly similar.
"What did you find?"
"Would you believe I just found all the bits and stuff for the milling machine and lathe?"
In the end I had to explain what each tool was and what it was used for. Most were dull, no surprise. I did mark down an address to a local, well to me at home, tool sharpening place that could sharpen them for a good price. I think I did shock him when I told him what each cost new. There was even more boxes, steel this time with the Bridgeport, name on them in the back of the storeroom. Those I looked at but would have to work on at a different date.
Apparently a local machine shop had closed and they had bought most of the equipment and brought it here. Nothing had ever been looked over that well. I had to guess that the more modern expensive machines had been sold elsewhere.
That was fine with me a Bridgeport mill with all flutes, cutters, gear cutters, dividing head(boxes in the back) was worth a ton of good money.
The 15 South Bend lathe, newer model with built in gearbox and motor though otherwise almost identical to the belt ones. It was not quite seized and may need some bearings. That is a project for another day.
It was getting late when we decided to wash up, that was funny in and of itself, and called it a day. We loaded the boxes of exchangeable tools into the back of the dodge and dragged out five large heavy duty garbage bags of junk to the bins. We had made a good dent into get the shop into possible usable shape. We were both utterly dirty so rather than dirty the interior of his car, I cut up some bags and covered the seats.
Hanz drove me home. It was a nice ride. The old coupe rode very smooth as we cruised around. It may have taken us a bit to get back to Ari's via quick stop at the DQ drive thru were we both got some old fashioned chocolate shakes, and the subsequent brain freeze. No mention of the ring was made during the drive as we spent it planning on what to do next. Mostly it was overhaul and repaint the mill and lathe. He was going to watch some videos, after I told him about the places, and learn what he could.
Eventually we parked out front of Arianna's. I could tell she was home as the light was on and she would occasionally peek out the window. We were doing nothing wrong just finishing off the shakes. They have really good shakes at DQ.
I had the door open and was sliding out, dang habits, when he came around.
"Here my lady." he helped me up. I laughed and in the spirit of fun. And I do mean in the fun sense nothing more.
"Why thank you kind sir."
"Twas my pleasure mylady." I laughed.
"I'm not a lady."
The sneak surprised me and pulled me to him. He put his finger on the ring on my chest. "But you are MY lady."
I had to think quick" Provisionally?" How was I going to get out of this mess.
"Maybe more?"
I looked down as the weight of the ring seemed to increase beyond my bodies weight. "Ari is looking at us."
"Good"
"Huh what" I should have not looked up. I should have just walked ... I should ...
It was only when he closed the door of his car and drove off that I realized what had just happened.
I wanted to puke and covered my mouth as I ran into the house, whose door opened as I approached. I made it and did dry heave once or twice.
A concerned Ari held my dirty hair from my face as I hovered over the toilet. The ring dangling free on the chain.
"Lee. ..Leee are you alright?" she asked all concerned.
I wiped my face as best I could then turned and sat down next to the toilet before I looked up and her.
"He...hee ....he kissed me!"
"HE KISSED ME" I yelled!
A boy kissed me, and I let it happen for some unknown reason. Oh god ...I leaned over the toilet again and dry heaved. Arianna stroked my back and made soothing noises, which really didn't help my stomach all that much. I spit out a few times. This bowl needs a cleaning. Strange what you latch on too.
I realized a few things. One dry heaving in a grease stained smelly sweater is counter productive. Two it makes one very warm. I started to sweat. I was not hot but I needed to get out of that sweater. Out of these clothes period. I was trying to take off my pants and bra at the same time when Ari grabbed my very shaking hands.
Why are they shaking? I'm usually very steady? Ari pulled me close and kept me close.
"Let it out." she said gently.
Let what out? I had no idea what she was talking about. Then I felt it. My throat started to ache and my lip quivered. No no no...
And...I tried really hard not too. But for the second time in so little a time I cried. I sobbed into her shoulder trying to tell her about how the night had been both great and horrid. I cried myself out and just about fell asleep on her. She got me into the tub and washed me like I was a little kid as I kept bursting into tears everyone once and awhile.
During my more saner moments I did tell her to remove the breasts. She agreed that it was a good idea, something about skin. I sorta remember her saying something about tomorrow but I was into one of my moments so I don't really remember what she said. I do remember telling her to clean the very filthy jeans in some solvent from garage first, then dish soap twice, then wash them. It may sound funny but it gets almost all stains out.
I woke up the next morning confused. I sorta remembered the night before and instantly reached to my chest, my flat chest, for the necklace. It wasn't there. Must have been a bad dream. Rolling over to find ones hair in curlers with pins was less than fun.
"Owww. What the hell?"
"Mmmmm five more minutes...." came from beside me.
"Jesus..." Well you find out that your 'sister' was asleep beside you on the bed in ....okay this is not my usual room. I tried to move my leg to get out of bed. Bad idea a few tiny needles made it known that my leg was a pillow. The purr under the sheets kinda gave it away.
Anyone that has ever had a kitten would know that tiny cats love to remain warm. And guess who makes the best heaters at night. Daytime, of course, any good sunbeam will find muffin slowly moving with it. Till she falls off that is. Then its a mew mew mew of 'what happened'.
Sitting up I moved the little furball by finding her head. Then with my leg now free I left the bed and almost fell over. A few days and my balance was off. The things you notice at the weirdest times. I freed my bladder so to speak and was trying to figure out why I was in Ari's room and how to get rid of the darn curlers. Ari was yawning as I came out and she went in so I didn't have the chance to speak to her.
She met me a little later in the kitchen where muffin had succeeded in getting her morning licking of milk and nununs. Nununs is soft cat food from a tin. It's a treat that she gets once and awhile, in a bowl. You can pour milk in a bowl and she wont drink it. Drop a bit on the counter and she is right there however.
"Morning sis."
"Don't you mean Tony."
"Nope. Leanna you might be a little smaller up top this morning but still very much a woman."
"Ari I know I said I would be your sister for a bit. But I don't think I can keep doing this. This isn't me." I sat down in my pjs, purple satin pjs. NO idea where they came from.
Ari came and sat beside me."I had a feeling you might be that way after last night." She started I opened my mouth be she interupted."However, one you kinda already agreed to go golfing today, we will get to this" she held up the necklace with the ring" in a moment."
"Two, and as strange as this may sound, you have blossomed in ways I can't begin to understand. I feel there is more to you now than there was as Tony."
"But I am Tony!" Is she nuts?
"No. Tony, and please don't be insulted, was more like a shell you wore. Tony didn't care about his appearance. You might object and complain about it, but as a woman you seem to care more about how you look."
I grunted as I had noticed that a little but, and this is just my opinion, I took that as part of the whole being a girl thing.
"I have asked my doctor for some advice, don't worry I didn't say anything bad. She has asked to meet you to run a few tests."
"So I'm to be a lab rat?"
"Ah no, but if it would make you feel better I might know of someone.."
"That was a joke!"
She smiled" kidding!" Roll eyes. "Seriously though. There is more to this than I would have thought and haven't a clue if what we are doing is right or wrong."she paused. "That being said, my intuition is telling me that this is helping you. That or my longed for dream of having a sister is coloring my view."
"But last night."
"Yes last night. What I saw was...disturbing on a level I never thought I could ever feel."
"Huh"
"To me, what I saw, what I felt, was a young woman freaking after her first kiss. It was your first kiss wasn't it?"
"Yes, more or less."
"It was the kiss that bothered you. It could have been from anyone but because it came from Hanz you felt something didn't you? Something that scared the hell out of you and freaked you out."
"mmmm more like shattered my personal views of who I am." I drank a little milk. "There was something I can't explain. Hanz gave me that promise ring" by the sharp sudden intake of breath I knew there was more than I knew about that dang ring."The necklace was the only thing of his grandmothers that he kept. Something about holding his heart or another" another sudden intake of breath. Not a good sign.
"We did some work in the shop, I mean I loved that part. We worked so well, so seamlessly it was just so nice. Then he ruined it with that .. that..."
"Kiss"
"Yeah that"
"You have no idea what that ring means do you?"
"Uhm that he is attracted to me and want's others to know it?" I never heard of a promise ring before so I had no clue at all.
"A promise ring is more like a precursor to an engagement ring. If the two of you fall in love after a set period then that ring becomes the engagement ring."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Yes I really did say that.
"No I'm not. It's quite common really. And please don't swear, it's not ladylike."
Like I cared about being a lady. I'm a guy. Despite what Ari said I had to believe that. I had a life to return to. Though looking in the mirror I wondered if that was possible anymore. No you had a beard and mustache once. Okay it was patchy and after seven years it was at the longest maybe an inch and white. I had stained it with oil and stuff often so it always looked darker than it was. Burning it off by accident a year ago hadn't helped. Well most of it and it grew back white but took a year. Actually that patch had been less than half an inch.
"Come we have to get ready." she gently tugged on my hand.
"Do I have too?"Nope no whining from this man.
She didn't answer me just pulled me back up to her room. She had me lay down on her bed so that she could remove the rollers. Laying back felt so good. I may have gone back to sleep a little. I got woken when I felt two familiar cold blobs being pressed to my chest.
"Nooo... Ari..."
"Oh shush you look silly without your breasts." With a sigh I just thought whatever. It's not like they are permanent. Some remover after the golf game and I can be back to Tony and at my house tonight. Then I remembered the half apart mill and the shop. Doh! I will have to get that done. I doubt as I could do that as Tony. Wait I am Tony right?
"Okay probably best if you shaved all over, pits, thighs, legs. arms etc."
"Huh? Why? I can golf in jeans and a sweater."
"Uhm you didn't check out the dress code at the club did you." She was laughing. I had a bad feeling about it as I turned my head side to side.
"Oh my padawan. You shall learn. Just do as I asked we haven't that much time." I was already heading out of her room, new pink razor in hand, when I sorta turned.
"Does this mean I'm his girlfriend?"
"Yes."
"But Ari.. I am a well you know. I can't be his girlfriend."
"Lee, most of the time puppy love is just that puppy love. If he gets to know you he may change his mind. Heck you might change his mind. Then it's a 'lets remain friends' thing and it's done."
"What if he... or worse what if I..."
"If fate decree's that you are to be a couple there is probably very little you can do about it. Seriously I doubt it though."
It wasn't much but it did give me a sort of peace of mind. Just let him dine me, do the work, get it all done, then do the friends thing and that's it. It wasn't possible for me to like a guy after all. Thinking that way I felt myself relax and set about the hard task of trying, and failing , to not cut myself.
I left the bathroom much later minus some skin on my thigh and my armpits burning but otherwise hair free, again. The lotion was helping my pits but they were still very touchy sore.
On my bed I saw that Ari had laid out what she considered practical wear to the club. White underwear, khaki skirt, while t top. Yeah not my idea of good wear. I did use the underwear but it was a pair of jeans and a black t shirt top, yes the one with rhinestone girl power on it. Simple socks that didn't want to go anywhere near the top of my ankle. I would also wear my shoes from the day before.
Makeup was a non issue today. I defiantly didn't want to give him a good impression. I did tuck the necklace out of the way though. Well he gave it to me and the ring. Best to keep it on me at all times so that I could return it.
I know going to club to golf should look better idea, but I was going to be working in that shop after so I needed something that I could wear in there. In hindsight I probably should have looked closely at a few more things.
Such as the large bag in the back of car when we got in. I had the blasted purse again. I almost got it caught in the door when I went to close it. When Ari looked at me I defended myself.
"Look I need to get some work done in the shop at the club. This is practical wear for later."
"But..." she started, smiled a little grin and dropped it. I was so self absorbed I let it go as well. In my head I was planning out what to get done today. I wasn't sure that the two tables would be dry enough today, and I sure as heck didn't want to light up the overhead gas heaters without cleaning them out first. I had a bunch of bolts to clean, note make Hanz pick up some wire wheels....or check to see if there is any in store room. The base ways needed washing, and really a bit of wire wheeling to remove the flaking four or more layers of paint. Had that whole case of deep grey so why not paint the thing. Wouldn't take much really, remove some handles, tape other spots, remove some drive screws for metal plates and spray.
When we got there I was so focused on the shop that Ari caught up to me when I was halfway there and turned me around. I just wanted a few minutes to get some stuff done. I mean it's only golf right?
When we reached the club the golf pro Mac, no idea if that is first or last name, informed us that the group had decided on walking the course with caddys. The boys, I assume, were off in one section getting changed. We, there was two more women, were led to another area. In this area, nicely carpeted, was an assortment of ladies golf wear. Astrid, had pre selected outfits 'suitable' for us to wear on the greens.
Greens refers to where one plays golf, as well as starting and ending spots. Confused? I sure as heck was. When I was told to change into the 'professional wear' her exact words, and found the very small pile of cloth I was less than thrilled. Tiny flimsy pink skirt that rode fairly high. It looks longer than it really is. The rather tight, sleeveless almost white top with buttons on one side and thread marks but no holes on the other. It had the name Leanna printed on it. The skirt did have some pockets, tiny ones on the back. This was to hold things like divit fixers and ball marks.
Next I was led to an area where they had me swing again and again in front of a machine. Different swings, displayed on a screen, that I duplicated to the best of my ability. Ari followed me into that area. I had to place my hand on a foam thing that sort of formed to my hand. Shoes were picked out. These are better than my running shoes. When I mean better I mean softer, easier to move in, and not at all uncomfortable.
We were lead to another area, all the 'women' to get fixed up. Hats were placed on our heads and then our hair was restyled around the band so that the hair would not interfere with play. They put makeup on me and dope that I am, I forgot the mag earrings this morning, they noticed my lack of open holes. I say open holes as the constant wear had left little marks where I guess normal girls would have pierced ears.
It hurt for a second but I left with real studs in each ear. I had makeup on. They even redid my nails. What surprised me is that it only took them twenty minutes for all of that. I didn't know what the pink leather glove was for but it went into a pocket on the skirt. The pockets are very well hidden. If you know they are there you can just see them.
I felt half naked as I followed behind Ari, Astrid, Ellen and Patty to meet the guys in the lounge. The lounge was an area just off the first tee box. We could use the virtual putting green or go outside and use the real putting green to practice putting. I needed the practice and it was strongly hinted that the outdoor one would be of use. Good thing I launched the first practice ball into the bush opposite the tee box.
This was in full view of everyone else inside, of course, probably laughing their asses off. The second hit the carved rock sign for the hole with a ping. I think it may have split into two pieces. How do you wack these balls into the holes so close with this flat thing?
The third I wound up, kinda like that movie Happy Gilmore, but without the stepping. I just leaned back. I hit that sucker really hard and it went for a very good ride. Mac had run out and saw me do that. The windows of the lounge were open and I heard the outright peeling laughter of everyone as the ball shot like a bullet across the fairway, hit some metal sign with a gong behind the trees, hit three more trees, before it exited and came back less than a foot from one of the holes. I did a little happy dance. I was getting better.
I saw the movie much later after golfing in case your wondering. Mac took the club out of my hands as I was pulling back for the fourth one. He was puffing as he growled out if I had played before. I was honest and said no first time, I may have smiled. He calmed down, eventually, and patiently showed me how that line was to aim at the cup and you gently tap the ball. It was much harder than you would think. Worse they make those greens sloped, totally unfair. I was out there for awhile slowly getting somewhat better. I did hit it a little hard a few times and had to go hit it back but I think I did okay.
When I got back inside the guys took one look at me and sniggered. Hanz was doing his best not too but he was also choking on his drink at the same time so I'm not entirely sure. The women beckoned me to their table, with dirty looks at the sniggering guys and gave me a couple of tips. Apparently we were wait for the clubs for Ari and myself to be finished, Since we didn't really eat before coming I had a sandwich. So did the women at the table. Ha bet you thought I would say other women. Well I'm not, despite appearances at the moment.
It was a good sandwich. No idea what the bread was made of since it was gluten free, starch free, sugar free, but not taste free. Ellen tried to explain it but it was over my head. Way over my head. Something about different types of flour combined separated, washed, dried, yadda yadda. I just smiled and ate my sandwich.
While waiting a few of the guys had some spirits of some type. We had water. For a water it was a good tasting water, not that plasticity bottle stuff. I scarfed down, uhm delicately ate, and sucked on, the super sour pickles that came with our sandwiches. The girls all looked at me as I enjoyed sucking on each one first before nibbling at them. What did I do that was so bad. I should note my back was to all the guys at the time. Not that I would have noticed I had closed my eyes and enjoyed myself after the first one.
Mac cleared his throat after I had finished the last one and pronounced the clubs ready. They had been modified from ready made shafts and stuff so that the grips would be good, whatever that meant. Well at least mine where Ari got some black shafts on her big clubs and steel shafts like all of mine were. No idea what the numbers were for. There was this big club and two slightly smaller ones then a bunch of skinny looking clubs, a putter, and three weird looking flat but widesh clubs. Whatever the 9 P S stood for I had no idea. The telescoping round thing, called a ball picker, confused me.
My bag was pink. Ari's was a nicer tan color. She liked the pink one so we traded. Mac did someone with changing the tags for us. It wasn't till he was done that I saw the stamped bronze tag.- Leanna Brigston. Oh yeah something else I didn't need. It took me a minute or two to figure out what that meant.
"All this for rental clubs?" I asked.
"No mylady," My caddy was Kieth"All this, the clubs, the cart, the clothes and shoes are all yours to use at any time at the club." Where is that Hanz. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!
"Come with me mylady." He gently grabbed my hand and led me to a spot of wash ones hands, which I did, pickle juice. I could also wash my clubs here if they were dirty. The funky little fountainy things were called ball washers, and he showed me how to use it. For my sins, yes all the stuff from one bag to the others were switched. I had a box of brand new top flite xl balls...in pink. I just looked at the balls and Kieth. He excused himself and ran back in to exchange them for a more practical set in white. He showed me how to setup my cart, a black pull cart that could fold up, where too put balls, tees, the club card, which had par and length for each hole a rough map of the course.
he adjusted it for me to pull with a wrench of some sort till I was comfortable with it. Which seemed strange as, since he was the caddy, he would actually carry the bag normally but would pull it this time, something about possible problems. Since I was the newbie, the men would show me how to shoot, each and everyone one of them would have me come close enough to watch them, from an angle, as they practiced then shot. I'm not sure that was a good idea as each one of the guys shot rather short.
I did not giggle at all, the girls defiantly did though. Hanz showed me how far to sink a ball tee into the ground with the ball. I just looked at him and pulled it up a tiny bit. After all the guys all 'tipped' the ball by sinking it too low.
I should explain one detail first. I was raised/went to school in the states. That means that the only previous experience I had with swinging something at a ball was baseball. I had developed this thing where I leaned back till my left foot left the ground a little, then I would use that to shift my weight from right to left as I came through and connected with the ball.
I adapted this method for golf. It seemed to work well as the ball took off like a shot not quite straight. Since the course turned to the right it worked out for me. I lost sight of the ball as it curved around the trees.
"Was that okay?" nobody answered and when I turned around most had their mouths open, except for Ari she was trying hard, and really not succeeding in suppressing her giggle.
I was then told about the ladies tees, which for this hole were under repair so the ladies shot from the much farther up red tees. What the tees color means , red , white, purple where I shot from, and gold means I have no idea. They all shot nicely. Not as far as me perhaps but fairly nice. The guys cheated, at least to me, they used those big club things on the ground, Kieth called them drivers.
"Isn't that cheating?"
"Actually by strict rules yes but it is generally allowed. But only on really long distances. Anything under two hundred yards you have to use an iron on the fairway." I raised an eyebrow as I thought using an iron to level the grass was stupid. I think he got my look as he raised the skinny ones." This is an iron. These are wedges" the 9 P S.
As we walked he taught me a few things, like what is the fairway, what is the rough. Hanz and Greg both sliced, Kieth's word, into the bush. Malcolm, I hadn't really met him yet. Had some trouble in the sand trap partway down the course. Ellen sunk her ball into the deceptively deep stream. My ball fetcher was used to retrieve it, along with two others. This put me two up apparently. Hole 1 was 326 yards from the purple. 306 from the red. I had a few laughs as I watched the guys have a bit of trouble with the sandtraps just before and after the green.
As we had gone along we had checked the rough areas for my ball and had not found it yet. I was going to drop, as they called it, before the green from the side when someone went to look at the flag, which was sitting tilted a bit.
"HOLY!" Greg exclaimed!"Leanna I think I found your ball!"
As you can guess we all went to look. Sure enough my ball was right there buried in the ground right in front of the cup and apparently touching the cup in the ground, which was why it was crooked. After some debate and a call to Mac, the golf pro, who came over in the cart took. It was pronounced a hole in one. Whatever that meant. He said he would have my name engraved into the stone while we played.
Oh that, apparently who ever gets the first hole in one on a certain fairway gets the fairway named after them. I didn't find out about the prize till much later. Photos were taken with me dressed stupidly beside the hole with the club I used to shoot it. Then a group shot, and me holding a blank piece of wood, the plaque would be added to photo later.
After all the hubbub finished the guys dug my ball out of the hole, the caddy guys, and fixed the green under Mac's very watchful eye. I was a little miffed they didn't give me my ball back. The others finished their plays, another new thing I learned, and we moved off to the second hole. Since I got the lowest score I teed first. The second hole you teed over water. Since it was a hundred and twenty six yards I grabbed an iron, not sure which, dropped the ball on ground without a tee and did my wacky tee shot again. Hey it worked for the last hole.
Well my ball did take off like a shot. Skipped over the water three times, hit a rock on the edge and bounced up onto the green that we couldn't see as the green was about five feet higher than the tee. Now I say bounced but it went quite high before it landed. The guys had laughed as soon as they saw it go straight for the water. The girls as soon as it launched off the rock.
I laughed as Hanz, Greg, and Peter, all shot into the water, except theirs didn't bounce. Malcolm may have overshot the hole. Ari hit two into the water and would take the drop, whatever that meant. Ellen did okay I though as it went on to the cart path. Astrid launched hers quite well. Probably the best shot of all of us.
Ari took her drop and 'chipped' it on the green. Hanz overshot from the drop. Greg's rolled down into the water the first time. The second he got on to the green. We walked around and saw four balls on the green. Malcolm's was just at the edge of the rough a long ways from the cup. Hanz was down the hill a bit. Ellen chipped hers on and then Hanz. Greg went up to the flag again. Before the cup was a divit, deep impression in ground of where my ball had landed at first.
"Dam you girl!"
"What?"
Guess who did a second hole in one on hole two? Another photo, plaque, and lost ball later with Mac laughing his ass off. The others finished the hole. I didn't do well on the next two holes. I teed off fine but my putting sucks. As Kieth put it. On in two or three but fifteen to finish. Hole five wasn't bad as my chip from a hundred and ten away with the sand wedge sunk it. I was told it was a bird.
Hole six was rather lame out of the box but my ricochet off the tree put me on the green so it wasn't that bad. It just sounded a lot worse than it was. I got that one in six putts. I even found out what the ball markers are used for.
Hole seven put the guys in stitches. Hanz was rolling on the ground laughing. I didn't think it was funny. About halfway down the five hundred yard hole there was this insane woodpecker hammering away on a pole not far from me. I say insane as he was hammering on the metal plate at the top of the pole. After my first two misses I got upset turned and aimed for that dam pole."Dam bird!" Wack, a second or two later there was a ping and squawk. No more pesky bird. My drop shot was much better as it was close to the green.
I found out later that the hydro guys found carpenter ants eating the pole and replaced it. Part of the beak of the bird was found jammed under the plate and the bird itself, or what was left of it, dead on the ground. I feel bad about that I really do.
Hole eight or ate was a lot less fun. My first shot went way way over. Second hit so many trees it had the guys in stitches. Ball three landed in the sand trap. For a ninety yard hole it sure took a lot of shots. They stopped counting at twenty. Hole nine we found my first ball buried in the tee box of nine from hole eight. It was a three hundred yard hole. Straight and at the end off to the left side was the halfway hut Hanz had mentioned. I hit the hut... from the tee box. Greg was laughing so hard he fell down and broke his driver. Hanz was just as bad and ripped his pants somewhere. Peter almost followed me, almost. Ellen topped her ball so did Astrid. Arianna did the best shot of us all.
By the time we got to the hut, most of us were in fairly good moods. I say most. I was still upset about hitting the hut. If you ever go to the club and see the hut. That golf ball dent in the top of the tin roof. That's mine. In the hut we removed our shoes and socks and put our feet in this things with warm water that vibrated. It felt sooo good!. Removes swelling somehow. The guys had a few more drinks, which was probably a bad idea. We, those in the ladies group, had water and I had a pop. Fountain drink from the bar.
We didn't stay in the hut for long, so after a quick trip to the restroom, there was one so we all rotated in and out. We were back on the course refreshed with fairly comfy feet and dry socks. Hole ten was a weird six hundred yard. I hit a tree...twice...yes same tree. Otherwise made it most of the way without problems. I putted in four.
Hole eleven was nice and short at 150 yards. I chose a seven iron and hit the flag. So I was on the green in one shot. The guys tried to follow suit. They either overshot or came up short. Ellen used a five wood, which means driver. She got on the green. Arianna tried a three iron. It worked out well for her just off the green on the side. Astrid nailed with a five wood and it really connected. We still have no idea where that one went. I ended with one putt. Got best score on the hole.
Hole twelve was okay for everyone. Nothing really all that spectacular. Hole thirteen...has water ...lots of water... and a fair number of our balls. Hole fourteen was funny it has a turn, or dogleg to the left where there is some rock inbetween. Made some interesting shots as we tried to get over that rock. I did but we have no idea where that ball went, mores the pity. fifteen was a short one again. I buried the ball into the green again. My 'missed it by that much' comment had people in stitches. Had to dig the ball out and fix the green with the sand mix. I made par. That means I hit the ball in the cup in three shots, which is what the hole is rated for.
Hole sixteen the boys were starting to feel the effects of all the alcohol, Their shots were a little wide, as they called it. And their putting was as good as mine. Hole 17 was a disaster. An old tree had fallen over while we were playing so we were the first to see this long tree with broken branches and whatnot all over the fairway. I dropped a ball and shot while the others were discussing about going around. I put Kieth through a bit of a workout as we climbed over the tree with the cart. The others took the long way around through another hole and came out just in front of us. I finished the hole one over par. The others had already scratched out the hole. Mores the pity.
Hole 18 led us back to the clubhouse. It was not a long hole being only two twenty. The louses made me shoot with a five wood. Something about fear of glass or something. I sunk the ball. Oh it rolled for a ways but it did go in. No plaque for this hole.
At the clubhouse I was told about the course. The new old nine, which was the first nine holes we played, had been upgraded back in the 80's but not finishes until about oh one. The rest of the course was the new eighteen and had been used instead. So while the holes we had played had been around the longest they were not played as much as the eighteen was. However, I was the first person to get holes in one on both holes. The first hole had not been changed much except for a few sandtraps. The second hole had been raised eight feet.
So I was totally gobsmacked when they brought out this huge check, its for picture taking, and presented it to me. At first I misread it. I thought it said ten grand. Oh believe me I was more than happy to get that much. I should explain this next bit before I tell you the real total.
On golf courses, depending on the age and designer, there is a sum for the first hole in one on that hole. It gains interest each year it is not won. To give you an idea the sum for hole two was a million and change. The actual total with interest is, around twelve million. For the check poster they just listed it as ten million. I was totally excited and blown away. At first. It was only when I looked at the check for the fifth time I noticed that I couldn't cash it. It was made out to Leanna Brigston who does not exist.
I pointed that out to Arianna who didn't get it at first. Her eyes went wide when she got it though. I was close to tears. She whispered to me that we would find a way. And you know something I had to believe her. If it took us a month so be it. I could be Leanna again for a short time later no problem. It wasn't like I had to stay Leanna for a month or anything.
We only did the eighteen as , unknown to me, that night was the clubs big fall farewell gala. That large bag contained two blasted dresses and even worse high heels. Whoever designed high heels should be impaled with them. Ari managed to squease me into this while off the shoulder dress that left nothing to the imagination, well almost nothing. A pad, some medical tape, and a thong hid things down below. Not comfortable but not painful either.
I did make the mistake of wearing the ring, in full view, as well as the necklace. I still think the plastic tiara was a little much. That was after we came out of the private dressing room. It was my crown for the holes in one. I met more doctors, and a few judges and lawyers as well as some other mover and shakers in the province. I don't remember a single one. This was due to being more than a little tipsy with the wine I inhaled after getting the check figured out.
I was on Hanz arm all night, even sat beside him at the head table. It was a full seven course meal and I had no clue what utensil was used for what. I'm fairly sure the wine made me do things I'd rather cut out of my brain. Such as kissing Hanz at one point. I forget why that happened. We danced, or more correctly, Hanz held me up and deftly evaded my heels. I know we did one dance. After that is a complete blank till I woke up on the black leather couch in the office with an old bucket beside it. The bucket was not empty. I was still in that dress and curled up under a fur of some sort. Hanz was on a bag on the floor, Greg was under the table, Ellen, Arianna and Astrid were all around the edge of the table heads on the table snoring away.
Ellen was the first to notice me awake and got up with a few winces to bring me some icewater. She made me suck it through a straw. Felt my head and told me to go back to sleep. I wasn't arguing.
I couldn't tell you what time who woke up all I know is that I wasn't the first awake. There was a few moans and the fancy glass was set to black. Oh yes this club had it all. Blacking windows and everything. Those windows still let a little bit of light in. Enough so that you know it's day outside but that's about it. The floor moved groaned and put a jacket over his head. It was too dark to tell who yet. At one point the Chef came in, his name is Pierre, not kidding, and the smell of coffee permeated the room. We all took advantage of the cart and all it's goodies, namely Advil, for me and Ari, Tylenol for Hanz, Greg, Ellen. Astrid just had coffee. It was probably an hour later that we all moved to the locker/shower/restrooms to change. I used one of the stalls to change into the golf outfit as my jeans and sweater were in the car. Actually most of the women did the same.
Remember this is fall in Manitoba. One day warm and sunny, next day windy and cold. Washed our faces and that was about it. Nobody wanted to brave a shower this morning and the hot tub was turned off. The club slippers, you never wear your golf cleats inside any place except the proshop with its industrial carpet. The lounge is part of the proshop. Club slippers are provided instead. Womens are pink. Mens are blue. I wanted the blue ones.
I couldn't tell if it was the hangover, the aches and pains from either dancing or golfing that was worse. The Advil was helping as we all settled into the den with its nice soft plush seats. The cleaning crew had done a good job there was no sign of last nights party. I almost sat down on a chair but Hanz pulled me to him to sit next to him. I felt like crap and didn't complain much except for a grunt. One seat was as good as another. I tried to not sit close to him. He did a weak chuckle. We had all sat around a table, and I swear that guy has radar or video, Pierre came to us with our choice of breakfast. Nothing special scrambled eggs, soup, and toast. Remember nobody's stomach was feeling all that great. I had soup and toast.
A few of my less than stellar exploits of golf were brought up during brunch, as well as a rather few embarrassing as hell photos of me and Hanz last night. You cannot sink down when your 'boyfriend' is holding you up with his arm. Why couldn't my arms be like that. Oh yeah he was wearing a black t shirt. He was very well muscled. The guy worked out. Not Arnie style but very very fit like Chris Evans in Captain America, Ellen, Astrid and Ari's words not mine.
After our brunch we all made excuses to leave, I wanted to soak into a hot hot bath. The others probably something similar. I did tell Hanz I would be back later in more suitable clothes to work in the shop. He pulled me close and leaned down with a husky voice said "What you are wearing was fine!"
"For the shop dummie. I want to get that mill done."
That opened up a can of worms. We had to explain about how the shop needed to be cleaned and some tools like the milling machine and lathe needed a serious overhaul. They offered to come help, I couldn't say no. There was a lot of junk that had to be sorted, put away, and junk tossed into piles for recycling.
Since it as almost eleven am we all agreed to meet back around two to get some stuff done. I advised wearing stuff that they wouldn't mind getting totally filthy. When someone asked if we needed anything I had to use someones phone to show them what I meant by wire wheels.
With that and our bag we set off in the BMW for Ari's place. Not once had anyone thought to mention about press coverage of last night.
To say I was distracted last night would have been an understatement. Still with today's cameras being much much smaller I never noticed. Arianna was having too much fun to notice either.
So it came as a complete surprise to find a car sitting in her driveway. A car she didn't recognize either. I thought it might be the MTD guy for his machine. There was, off the one side, three snowblowers sitting there with notes on them. The newish car was parked in the driveway but wasn't blocking the side where Ari parks. As she parked I went and looked at the snowblowers. Two I could move easy enough. The third would take more effort as the one tire looked bad. I wasn't gonna touch any of them dressed as I was though.
As Ari grabbed the bag and the smaller bag with shoes I grabbed the bag with my jeans and sweater. Together we entered the house to be met my a woman I had never seen before who grabbed me in a bone crushing hug.
"My baby...mumble mumble mumble." I couldn't understand her at all. The small fact she had her face buried into my chest might have had something to do with it.
Arianna dropped her bags on the antique chair she keeps beside the door to the garage, along with a pot of some sort with a wooden handle thing in it.
"Mom..Mom...Mom...MOTHER!" Ari pried away the leech like person who didn't want to let go of me. So this was Ari's mother. She was shorter than I would have imagined. Since I'm kinda short for a guy that is saying something. She must be about five feet even, a little pudgy bordering on fat, but her eyes. She has the same eyes and nose as Ari. Similar to my own eyes I think. It's the shape of the eyes. We all had shit brown eyes. Her hair was brown mixed with grey, but it was a grey from a hard life. Her face was one of those faces you just want to have hug you and ....OKAY enough of that thinking.
"Lee this is my mother Anna Brigston and.."
"Oh hush Arianna Penny Bridgston. I know this is my missing long lost daughter Leanna Phyllis Bridgston." and the leech reattached itself.
"Look Mrs. Bridgston. ..." she Interupted." Call me mother dear."
"Riiiight...Look there is a big misunderstanding. I'm not .."
"A mother knows her child." she just hugged me again.
"Mother! You told me Leanna died a crib death when I was young. So this can't be Leanna back from the dead. Look we can.."
"Is that what I told you?" she paused, she is good at interrupting, " I guess I did but you were much too young to understand."
Arianna got instantly pissed off. I don't blame her one bit. "MOTHER" she screamed.
The leech finally let go. I thought it best for me to make like a tree and leave. Oh come on you heard that before right? huh..whatever. I got as far as the edge of the couch.
"Where do you think your going young lady?" You just know instantly who she means.
"Uhm take a bath?"
"SIT" and for some reason there I was sitting, after tucking that tiny skirt, on the couch.
"Leanna" yuck I am beginning to hate that name."I am your mother."
"But.." not sure if that was Ari or myself.
"QUIET!" yep shes a mother alright." Your grandmother, my mother, is Annabell, oh she will be so happy to see you again!" oh boy.
"You have a cousin named Susanna and Deanna, and your aunt is named Teanna!" I think I might see a pattern here. If I was blind.
"So your name must be Penelope?" I had to through that out. Both Ari and 'mum' giggled.
"No silly my name is Anna." If she says Anastasia, hate that movie, I'm walking.
"We are all named after your great great grandmother Anasta...where do you think your going?"
"Bathroom"
"Well of all the nerve. Young ladies should say powder their nose or freshen up!"
There was more but I had already made it into the bathroom. I can move when I need too. I filled the tub stripped off everything, including almost screaming from some tape, and sunk into the nice warm water of the tub. The temptation to sleep was so temping in that nice warm soothing water. Ok I actually did sleep for a second or two. Getting out was hard, after I washed myself of course. I even shampooed and conditioned my hair. It felt like straw.
I just did my usual and scrubbed my head with the towel. Wrapped the towel around my waist at first then thought better of it and wrapped it around my false chest, just in case. This turned out to be a good thing.
"Leanna! What did you do to your hair? Come with me" yank." You should wrap your hair in a towel not scrub it. Now it will be all full of knots." Arianna was just coming out of her bathroom as I got yanked into her room. Guess who also had wet hair and now towel.
For the next while, no clock but it felt like hours, Ari's mom berated the both of us on not taking proper care of our hair and a rather long list of bad things that could happen from a tangle to hair falling out and even death. Though that last one is so far fetched I could not believe it.
There we were two, uh people, in their twenties, sitting side by side on a vanity stool, as the mother chatted non stop while alternately brushing both of our hair and styling them.
I am not a fan of pigtails. Never have been. I don't think Ari is either. Yes she put both of our hairs in pigtails with ribbons. Ari and I looked at each other, grabbed the end of the ribbons, pulled and shook our heads at the same time.
"Girls! Aww but you looked so cute!"
"Mother!" that was Ari in case your wondering " Go downstairs and wait till we are dressed." she pointed.
"Come Leanna ill..." I just pointed too. Seemed to work as she left tail dragging to go back downstairs.
When I was sure she had gone I closed the door and braced my back against it.
"What are we going to do?"
"First lets get dressed, we did agree to meet up at two remember."
"Oh yeah right."
"Then we tell mom the truth."
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this"
I put on the clothes, black underwear this time, that I wore yesterday. My"what they didn't get dirty" line answered Ari's raised eyebrow. Besides it was comfy, at least for me. The bra...not so much.
I hadn't noticed the tiller in the back yard going, the one I wanted to test, till the patio door opened and two women screamed "Boots Off"
Hank, Ari's dad, had been having fun. He immediately asked about the snowblowers in the front. This left me with a choice. Stay and try not to freak out or show him the snowblowers and maybe do a little investigating.
"Lets go in the garage and see about those snowblowers." His eyes lit up. We left to "Don't you dare.." I snickered.
Together we were able to drag all three into the garage and close the door, it was a little too cool outside. We started with the worst looking one first. The one with the bad looking tire. It was flat, the chain was held on with coat hanger and part of the chain was wrapped around the axle. Pull the axle pin, work the tire assembly off, along with chain, and we got it to the bench with better light. Aside from a bad tube it looked saveable. A bit of a dent on the rim that was easy to fix with a hammer and some spray paint, white, would fix that. Just to be sure we took off the other tire on the machine and cleaned up that one as well. Scotch pads work great, cheap ass white paint and nobody would ever know.
We cleaned off the axles of rust with my small angle grinder and it's wheel. I don't have any of the tools or plates to put blades on that grinder but those cup wire wheels work great. Since the wheels were off I tipped up the machine, surprised Hank about that, took off cover and looked around. Chains half seized a bit of Rustcheck and they would be fine. Drive wheel was ok but the slider didn't want to move too much, more Rustcheck. Rustcheck is a Canadian product. Works great to free up rusted parts and oils at the same time, without drying.
There is a second Rustcheck that looks almost identical. It's for stopping rust on cars. Don't mix the cans up. With that done we checked the belts. They were worn but ok. I checked out the front, sure enough regular bolt, I removed that and made a note to buy some shear pins. Carb was dirty, like really dirty. I would have to let that one soak this afternoon. It had spark though good sign.
As we worked I told Hank about everything that had happened this week. He laughed, good man, as I told him everything ...well almost everything I just couldn't tell him how crazy Hanz was making me feel. I found out that Hank is not really Ari's father. He is a step father and helped raise her from a little girl. Her real father had taken the real Leanna away. He didn't know the details as Anna always cried when it was brought up.
We continued to work, even though he knew my real name was Tony he continued to call me Leanna the entire time.
"Leanna, I know" he held up his hand" you look so much like Arianna that I can't help but call you Leanna. And you don't act like a guy at all." I just pointed to the work I was doing.
He chuckled a deep chuckle. I could fine myself falling in love with that...gods I'm doing it again. "I know you think you are doing 'manly" work." He said manly with a deeper voice." But dear you look like a little girl helping her daddy. " I did not pout." You really do and it makes my heart feel good. So be a good girl for your pa and keep going."
"But your not.."
"You said you were raised an orphan correct?" I nodded. Darn it must have something in my eye.
"Well I would be most honored to have a daughter as beautiful, both inside and out as you. Even if she is a touch of a tomboy..ooofff."
I hugged him and sobbed into his shoulder. Gods how I had always wanted a dad!
"Yes dddd daddy."
"That's my girl." he said softly while using the clean part of his arm to rub my back. He felt so good and warm...and most important to me. Safe. He let me sob years of loneliness into his shoulder before he put me back up.
I didn't know it at the time but the door to the garage had been opened as he and I connected. Anna and Arianna had listened. They gently closed the door without making a sound. Hank had seen the tears flowing down their faces. I didn't.
"Lets get these machines of yours fixed"
"Well checked out. I don't have the time today to fix them. I have to be at the shop.. oh dam what's the time."
"Almost two."
"Crap crap crap.. I have to go"
"Go where?"
"I , well , we sorta of promised be at the shop at two."
"The shop?"
"I sorta promised Hanz," He interrupted. "Your boyfriend"
'He can't be my boyfriend!"
He glared at me... I melted.
"Okay fine! My boyfriend! Happy?." he nodded and grinned.
"That I would get his shop up and running again as the old yardman had retired. The place is a mess. You know they used the Bridgeport, a frigging Bridgeport, as a drill press!" At his look he got it. Finally someone who understands me!
"The lathe is not much better"
"Don't tell me it's a Southbend."
"Uhm maybe. I didn't clean it off to check that yet." I may be have looked a tad sheepish.
Hank just looked at me with wide eyes before he stood up suddenly and opened the door of the garage.
"Anna you and Ari follow us later. My daughter and I" You have no idea how much I loved that part." are going to the shop now!" he bellowed. Then he closed the door before a word could be said.
"Right you missy let's get to this shop of yours." He was all ready to go. I had to grab his hands and lead him to the back where we washed our very dirty hands off. I guess I leaned forward enough that the ring popped out.
I could tell right away that he would have been far more comfortable in an old truck. The Kia, was a loaner he told me. On the way to the club, we may have driven a bit out of the way. Alright a lot out of the way, to the local Princess Auto store. It being the main store, we spent a bit of time walking the aisles, picked up some bolts/shear pins from the bin in the clearance section. A few small tools, a floor jack for Ari's place. His choice, not mine. It was on sale.
Three tire tubes, then a quick trip across to PeavyMart for more shear pins. Some oil, and some cleaners I had never heard about. We actually made good time.
That deserves an explanation. A gear head in either of those stores can spend over an hour at each store easily. We only spent fifteen minutes in each. The longest time was the check out at Princess. A couple shopping bags and a box later we were on our way to the club. Turned out that jack was a good purchase as the one at the shop didn't work.
"So are you going to tell me why my new daughter has a ring on a necklace around her pretty neck?" he brought up suddenly. I realized I had forgotten to mention that.
"Uhm I .. well .. It just happened and..." why do I feel like a naughty little girl trying to not tell her dad something?"
"Leanna!"
"It's a promise ring...from Hanz. But don't worry I'll give it back and all. I wasn't going to keep it or anything...."
"I would meet with this HANZ!"
"Yes daddy." I mumbled. Oh look my nail polish is all chipped! Why do I even care?
The trip to the club was fairly short. We got there and I walked with 'daddy' following close behind. Greg, Hanz, Keith, and Peter had already moved some of the dead machines outside to give us a bit more room. They had also set up some saw horses with some OSB on them. Not the best but it does in a pinch. Before anything was put on them we raided the recycle bin for some newspaper, there was lots, and we covered the OSB with newspapers.
Hank introduced himself as my dad to everyone. However he made me point out Hanz right away. He took Hanz off to the side and had words with him. I don't know what was said. I did not do the look at the door every minute thing. Really. I did take up an airline and blow out all the dust and crap in the heater so we could turn it on. Turned out to be a good thing. Although rarely used something had used the back of the heater to make a nest of some type. With all the dust and crap out you could see it was almost new it was used so little.
That is not a surprise. Most of the time golf courses shut down in the fall and open in spring. Any serious overhauls are done during the fall or spring. Long before the first course is opened for golf. There is winter kill that needs to be fixed. Tee boxes, fairways, and greens need repairs as mice love to make tunnels and nests under the snow. As a golfer you never see that. But trust me it happens.
I had worn a mask and Greg had held up the shop vac as I blew the crap out so it wasn't that messy. In a way that was a good thing as I didn't see Hanz and Hank enter the garage. Then again they also didn't see me doing acrobatics to get up to the heater, which is at the top of the shop higher than the step ladder would reach. I didn't know there was an extension ladder outside. They made me wait up there while they brought the ladder in to get me safely down.
"LEANNA WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" Hank thundered at me. I looked down and just rubbed my hands together.
"It needed to be done. There was a bunch of crap and a nest"
"I DON"T CARE YOUNG LADY! I Have the good mind to put you over my knee..."
"Daddy Noooooo" where did that come from?
"Don't you ever do something like that again. UNDERSTAND!"
"Yes daddy."
"Good. I have given Hanz my permission to court you."
"WHAT!"
"I said that I ..."
"I heard what you said!" I put the back of my hand to my forehead. It was less dirty.
"Look in case you have forgotten I have er..plumbing issues." well it wasn't like I could come out and say I was a guy. Though why nobody seemed to see that was a puzzle. Then again I do look a little too much like Ari in the face. But I do have a guy's body.. mostly... Okay so the stick on breasts would fool most guys.
I mean the women surely should have noticed something off. Then again my waist and butt was different from a normal guys. But come on I had metal poisoning in my system! Stunted growth and all that. It wasn't like my little fat deposit moobs were real breasts!
By the look on his face he had forgotten as his mouth was open.
"Look..." this time he cut me off. What is with this family?
"Well it's not like I could tell him no." He picked up the necklace around my neck. Oh yeah. Forgot about that.
"Uhm would you believe temporary insanity?"
"No."
"How about one of those date rape drug things?"
"No."
"I thought it was a Crackerjack toy?" that one he laughed at.
"Your a grown woman." I raised my hand to object." I know what you think. I know what I see and that is a fine young woman."
"But.."
"Now where is that lathe?"
'But..."
"Oh for heaven sakes Leanna. All I did was give him permission to court you. No funny business just simple dating. It's not like I'm telling you to have his babies for crying out loud!"
"But..."
"Drop it." Father voice. I so did not cow over....
"Yes daddy." maybe a little.
I lead Hank over to where the lathe was mostly unburied. I say mostly. We had removed a lot of junk off of it already but there was still quite a bit of stuff piled around it. I helped Hank remove most of this to the bench, the temporary bench that had been setup. A lot of it was really dirty, Years of dirt, dust, and oil made some items less than recognizable.
Hank took a rag and an old can that he put some solvent in and started to wash down the lathe and the wooden bench it was on. It was a long lathe. About six feet or so long, maybe eight tops. Hard to tell exactly since a good part of it was behind the mill. The compressor was on the other side of the milling machine. Thankfully the toolbox, that had been in front of the compressor was movable as Greg saw what Hank was doing and thought it was be a good idea to wash down the compressor.
Thankfully the shop had breakers as I did hurry to turn off the breaker before Greg got close. I myself didn't get to do as much as I wanted since I was running back and forth for the guys. I found some books with parts diagrams for the three half apart machines and left Peter, Anne and Arianna sorting through the pile of parts, junk, and whatnot finding what went where with the machines. Hanz was working with a wire wheel on the grinder, and a vacuum, on the milling machine.
Hank was in a world of his own on the lathe. Greg was having fun cleaning the compressor. That turned out to be a five horsepower DeVillebliss. Good compressor. The drain the bottom was broken though. While Greg did his cleaning, which also included the floor around the compressor and mill. Hank was using the last of the air from compressor to blow off whatever he needed on the lathe.
The lathe is not an actual Southbend lathe. It's a clone. Back in the 1940's aka war time, a company in Montreal made clones of some Unites States model machines, for schools, war departments, etc. Why? Who knows exactly. I believe that all of the United states machines were being used in factories making war supplies. Since Canada also needed factories making supplies clones were made up in Canada.
Take apart a known machine make molds cast parts put a stamp on them and go to town. All it really takes, back in those days, was a minor difference and it was considered legal. In this case this was a sixteen inch lathe, versus the real Southbend fifteen inch lathes. Almost identical but different. Fairbanks Morse was the name on the identification plate. If anyone wants more information on the machine look up American - Southbend made lathes and you'll probably find a Fairbanks Morse. I don't think anyone cared during wwII.
There was a problem with the lathe. The crossfeed screw was badly worn out in a section. Hank a former, retired, machinist. Aka bored out of his tree, said it was no problem. All we had to do was find some metal he could use to cut, his words, a new one. Well the outdoor scrap pile had a strut from a car, it really shouldn't have been there but at a guess, one of the kids, or the former groundskeeper, fixed his vehicle on company time.
A bit of work with a cutoff wheel on the grinder and Hank had a 'suitable' shaft to work with. He spent a bit of time with a dial guage, no idea where he got that from, setting up the lathe and started to turn some chips. I really wanted to watch him do that. However I had a compressor to fix. After adding oil to the floor jack I was able to raise the end of the compressor enough to work at that busted drain.
I had to drill out the old rusted in brass piece, retap hole, and use some pipe sealant to install new drain. Before I did though I let the compressor down and tilted it the other way. You wouldn't believe the about of crap that came out. Oil, mixed with rust.Filled a drain pan three times, I used a garden hose to rinse out tank, before I was satisfied it was clean. Drains are easy to come by. In this case I liberated one off a radiator, no idea what that came from, and we were good. Greg and I spent a bit of time cleaning on the compressor, checking oil, it was low big surprise. Motor bearings for compressor needed a replacement. It wasn't bad bad. But it would soon be so a cheap $6 replace from Princess, Anna made a run with list. And it was good. Belt housing needed a bit of a weld and some new bolts. Hank did the honors with the Arc welder.
It was amazing how time flies. By the end of the day, we had a compressor that was back up and running smoothly. A mostly clean floor around milling machine, compressor, benches, lathe, and wash tank. The milling machine had a coat of fresh paint, once that was dry it could go back together. Hank had made his part which looked nothing like what he showed me of the old one.
Pierre treated us to burgers, he liked my recipe, potato salad to die for, regular salad, corn on the cob that was sooo good. Since we were all filty from head to toe, well except Hanz and myself. Sorta. For some reason he had presented me with coveralls, formerly in white, with the name Leanna on them as well as a blue pair for himself. My arms and shoes were a different story. I even had dirt on my face. Even Kieth was filty.
From what I could tell most of the parts had been sorted out, the garbage properly sorted and removed, half of the stuff that should have been kept had been tossed into a garbage bin. The bolt and nuts bins actually had stuff in them. All the screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, etc had been found. Only a few things were missing. I suspect that someone had sticky fingers. Some of the pullers, torque wrenches, and measuring tools were missing. Nothing overly expensive but still it made Hanz mad. Someone was getting a visit by police tonight.
Rock music, liberal use of spirits from the bar, and a fire on the patio saw most of us into the night. I do not remember the cab ride back to Arianna's place. Being woken up at oh dirty hour to drink two large glasses of water was not my idea of fun. I woke up feeling a bit delicate but otherwise alright. I was the first up, had a can of pop I found in the fridge and was in the garage working on the snowblowers long before anyone else woke up.
I say anyone else cause a rather rough looking Hank drove up in that pickup truck of his. An older Chevy, black with rusty quarters. We finished the snowblowers and were long gone before Arianna made an appearance.
Hanz let us in and since he was looking green I gave him orders to suck on some mints and lay down in his office. He didn't argue.
Peter and Kieth showed up so I had them bring what lawn equip there was to the shop. They changed oil and learned how to properly sharpen lawnmower blades. All of them were in bad need of it, two had to be replaced. Some needed new shafts made, Hank took care of that on the lathe. Kieth was sent all over Winnipeg getting parts and pieces. Hank had brought over some 'stock' so making shafts was not a problem.
When Hanz made an appearance at around oneish with orders to stop for lunch we had made a good dent in some of the lawn equipment. One riding mower was good for cutting the grass. One needed a tire but was otherwise good. The front end mowers needed some new shafts made up for the deck wheels. Those would require the mill which was not back together yet for keyways.
Pierre had made us quite the spread. There was fresh baked bread, oh god was it good, home made soup. Best soup I have ever tasted, Pierre said it was a recipe he had wanted to try for awhile using the leftovers from kitchen. There was some potatoes, different kinds of noodles, celery, some other pieces I couldn't identify. Even some broccoli stems. I hate broccoli but this was great. And the soup was thick but not like gravy thick. There was also a very nice salad. A potato,and something salad. The word escapes me, lumes or something like that. It was also very good.
I mean it wasn't like a ton of food and I didn't eat like a pig but I think all of us were so stuffed it wasn't funny. Hank found one of the couches in the den and sort of napped for a bit. I guess working like he has after so long was tiring for him, still even after last nights drinking he was doing much better than Hanz who still looked a little haggard.
After lunch it was Pierre, the chef, who came with Hanz to help us put the mill back together. I did most of the actual work, with directions from Hank. Gods he acted like the overprotective father. I even asked if he needed a shotgun. It was a joke! Guess what the ass did? From the secret place in his truck that I couldn't tell you where he actually brought in a blasted shotgun. Most of the guys laughed and set him up a stool, and Hanz brought him a straw hat from who knows where along with a piece of grass.
Before someone complains, it's not a real shotgun. It looks like one but isn't. The barrel is totally fake being solid most of the way. He had made it years ago as a joke. I suspect that was for when Ari started dating. I'll have to ask her, then again maybe not.
Either way it sure made the guys treat me with more, uhm respect. Lot's of jokes around the gun and 'Pa'. Still I won't tell Hank this but his help putting the mill made it go together much better. Hank said that the mill was worn, as was the lathe, but for the purposes of this small shop it was good enough.
Hank would make a very good teacher. Although none of us are machinist's in any stretch of the word, we now know how to setup a mill, put on a vise, change bits, select speeds. I'm a little more familiar with reading micrometers, small numbers and bad old eyes don't mix well. Hank forgot his reading glasses. Still towards the evening the first chips flew on the milling machine as we cut some keyways for the shafts for the mowers. I could tell that Hank was very tired but happy and that satisfaction that can only come from completing a job. Hanz looked almost normal and even combed his hair at one point.
Everyone just kinda went their own ways that night. No drinking, partying or anything. Hank drove me back to Arianna's place. I made him come inside and take a nap, he tried to beg off saying he was fine and all that. I'm not sure how to take the "Your just like your mother!" comment. I let him snooze on the couch while I went out back of Arianna's and sat down in the chair thinking about that.
I never knew my mother. As much as I would like for Anna and Hank to be my real parents. Unfortunately they are not. I never had parents. Since Arianna was not home and Hank was snoozing on the couch I had the deck to myself. I try to never think about this if I can avoid it but every time I do, it hurts, it really really really hurts. I didn't want him to hear me crying to I did the best I could to "boys don't cry" hold it in. The tears drowning out my face I could do nothing about.
Waking up sometime later curled up in that chair was less than fun. My back was sore and I was very cold. The house was dark and I could just make out snoring. The windows even may have vibrated a bit. Not much but still I had always wondered if a snore could vibrate a window. Apparently it could.
Stepping inside I realized just how cold I was as I felt the heat of the house warming my aches up. Not wanting to disturb Hank, and the washroom being so close, I stepped as silently as I could and washed my face a few times. My eyes were a bit on the redish side. Still it was getting late. Once into the room I was staying in I stripped down to my undies and crawled into bed.
I woke to feeling someone brushing my hair. Why would someone brush my hair? I wanted to open my eyes but it felt soooo good! If I was Muffin I would be purring...then again by the feel near my foot someone was purring. How do they know exactly when you wake up? Is it a physic thing? I would really like to know that.
"I can tell your awake Leanna." that voice.... where have I heard that....
"Anna" I spoke as I reluctantly opened an eye.
"Call me mother dear. All daughters call their mothers mother...usually with an exclamation mark." Oh...should I?
"But Mother!" I tried not to grin.
"Sweetpea it doesn't work when you smirk!"
I did not pout.
"Arianna used to try that too. "
I just sighed and closed my eyes again. A clear signal to anyone that I want them to go away...right?
I heard her get and up open a door. A sliding door..oh oh.
"Oh this is a pretty dress, you have good taste, it should do." why do I have a baaad feeling about this..
"Why do I have to wear a dress?" oops did I say that out loud?
"For your appointment silly." Appointment? I have an appointment?
I tried, I really tried, I burrowed under the covers but having Muffin and her claws let you know she wasn't happy her heater moved. Well it kinda ruins the whole moment when you jerk.
"Oh for heaven sakes." Oww bright light and cold.. I want my blankee back. Of course Muffin let us know how she felt about the same thing with her mew, it's not quite a full meow. But she does do it for long enough, at different levels, to let you know just how bad you have been. Then she settled down by kneeding her spot again and went back to sleep.
"Leanna Phyllis Bridgston!" she started. I guess she was going to give me heck for something. What is with the Phyllis thing anyways? Who calls their kid that name?
"Come on out of bed dear. Time to get moving and all that." meh. I am not always a morning person. I wake up fine sometimes other times welll... lets just say it takes awhile to get moving. I was pushed, more or less, into a shower with a shower cap. I was washing myself in my underwear when I woke up enough to actually remove it. As soon as I slopped them over the shower door, it's a fogged glass in case your wondering, they were taken away.
I got out found a robe put it on after putting on lotion and went to the room I was staying in. Note I say staying in as I don't consider it my room nor my house. Simple underwear was followed by socks and a pair of jeans. I was just buttoning up said jeans when Anna came into room again.
"Oh no you don't!" She handed me the dress she had found. Simple over the shoulder flowery blue thing. I put it on over the jeans feeling stupid.
"Well?" she asked me.
"huh?" me not fully awake uggg.
"Take them off!"
"Take what off?"
"One."
"What did I do?"
"Two...the jeans off!"
"Oh!" ugggg
"Three..."
"Okay okay! Shesh I'm not even awake"big yawn" yet."
What is it with women and dresses anyways. What is wrong with jeans? Other people wear jeans. Heck most guys wear jeans. How many guys do you see wearing dresses? mmmm Alright that might be a bad example. Still. Was I grumpy? Sure of course. What guy being forced to wear a dress to an appointment wouldn't be? I mean real guys. I mean..oh I'm just digging myself a hole ain't I.
"Four." huh what did I do now?
"Five..socks!"
"But but.."
"SIX!"
And off comes socks. I had no idea what would happen if she reached ten and for some reason I really didn't want to find out.
"Why can't I wear my jeans?" I had to ask. I mean they were clean.
"They have stains." She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"But they are clean." I mumbled while she led me over to the dresser where a chair had appeared. She must have stolen it from the kitchen or something while I was in shower. It really sucked that I didn't even have any pants to wear.
I sat, I didn't sulk, with my arms crossed while she played with my hair. At first I didn't pay any attention. When she was done the first time I just looked at her in the mirror with a scowl and said" I'm putting my jeans back on." No way was I going to some appointment with little girl pigtails.
"Spoilsport."
I watched her this time as she slowly, but quickly put some weird braid into my hair. She started at the front and worked around the sides towards the back. It made up of my hair but looked like it was a single braid laying on top of my hair going to the back where it hung down loose. It kept the hair clean away from my face. I kinda liked it actually.
That was about the only thing she did. I did my makeup, my makeup....ewwww. Let's not dwell on how I don't like the stuff. Just the mascary and some lipsmear. She folded her arms and made me feel like I had done some bad thing.
"I'm wearing a dress." She just nodded. Of course she was also wearing a dress, and I found out soon enough so was Arianna. Then again on Ari it looked normal. Anna put us together and had to take pictures. I miss the days of film. It limited the amount of pictures someone could take and required an actual camera. Now people just use smartphones.
Soon enough we were on our way to an appointment I had not asked for, didn't need, and didn't want to go to. I had stuff to do at the shop. I even grumbled about not being allowed to grab a drink. It did not take long to find out why. As soon as we arrived in the hospital parking lot I knew they wanted to have a doctor look at something. I was healthy, there was no reason for this.
Please keep in mind that me and doctors are not always the best of friends. I grew up in the states and you didn't go to doctor unless you had too. I had been to one here about the metal poisoning but it was a walk in clinic and I didn't have medical history to help him. I'm not even sure he did a blood test. Then again he was one of those doctors that probably got his degree outside of Canada.
The hospital had been around a long time. You could see the original building, all nice large limestone carved and whatnot, probably used only as offices now. What the original entrance looked like is a mystery as it had long ago been covered. Not like a facade that many once grand buildings had had done. This was you could just make out where there had once been a double wide door by the mantel over top. The cross in the alcove with the praying figurine, one of those really old catholic hospital once run by nuns, things.
Beside that was someone's attempt at an addition in the same stone but very plain. Attached to that was another building whose purpose is long lost in history. On the other side of the original building is an eighties style addition, being mostly concrete with granite facade and large ugly windows. Beyond that is the 'new' entrance, probably built about a decade ago, with it's overhanging aluminum gridwork that gives the illusion of coverage and the large solid glass doors that pivot open on pins.
Inside is a modern hospital, in that I mean there is a food court, cafe aka Timmy's, long curving wall that serves no purpose whatsoever. Aboriginal names, figures, plaques, and whatnot that only mean something to those that put it there. Towards the older section, circa 70's with the art deco floor tile and rubber bumpers on the wall, there is a simple photo and small note showing a very old wrinkled nun. At a guess without reading it the founder of hospital. I always find it strange that in today's modern times, much of the, in my opinion, gorgeous old stuff is removed and replace with very ugly chrome and glass stuff. Old pictures are behind plexiglass screwed onto wall. No picture frames.
Whoever the nun is that established the hospital is being forgotten in place of the totally unnecessary garbage at the front. I mean give me nice redone old wooden desks with a good couple coats of clearcoat on them. Anything but what looks to be plastic with four useless chrome legs or worse. Ikea style knockdown furniture that wobbles as soon as you look at it funny. Hey I happen to like dark wooden rooms with wood furniture and real old style wood stoves. But no leather or pleather pls.. just no not gonna go there.
The office were I am being led too is not bad. Tiny framed glass covered pictures and a diploma that means only good to those that can read it. I mean my writing is horrible but whoever signed this one is way worse. University of Guelph? They have one? Huh things you learn. This one does have the Ikea style desk. A computer on top of it, age unknown, at least it's a modern flatscreen monitor. Regular doctor's table. Ie white bottom made of metal, black vinyl thin cushioned top. And the metal handles on long poles that I have never understood what they were for. Roll out paper covering the vinyl cushion, apparently sanitary. Which is strange since it's organic and 'we' are supposed to go away from 'organic' materials in bathrooms.
The person, not kidding here, who showed us to this room is of indeterminate gender. Could be either or and with the standard blue grey scrubs you have to really take a guess. In today's hospitals you have to remember there is not just nurses in scrubs, there is nurses assistants, medical assistants, technicians, and interns. There is also some four or five levels of nurses now. The phrase 'keep is simple stupid' really does not apply to the medical field at all.
We are sitting in this room that is really not that big for five minutes before a lady doctor arrives. I say lady doctor because she is in a pencil skirt, white blouse, and the usual lab coat. My previous experience was with male doctors in ties and expensive shoes that were...less than gentle in examinations.
She introduces herself as one doctor Sara Keller. As if the diplomas, the printed part, didn't give that away. Apparently Anna and Arianna had been to see her the day before at her clinic. Over the course of a few minutes my past is made known to all present, surprisingly this does not seem to surprised either the doctor or Anna in the least.
I got the usual examination, abit much much gentler, and asked some questions. Sara managed to get a pharmacy record from when I was around twelve. Something about sealed medical records for young people from the states and it was going to take time and red tape. Why I have no idea. After all we are talking about my medical records. Shouldn't they come with me? But. The US has been overly cautious since 911.
"Leanna, or do you prefer Tony?" I looked down at myself then at Anna and Arianna.
"Uhm either is okay I guess. I don't really look much like a Tony at the moment." Anna smiles. It's a very nice smile.
"Before I proceed you have to understand that much of what I'm about to tell you is both private and, in your case, speculative. I will only know more after we do some tests that you have to agree too."
I think about this for a moment before nodding.
"First off twenty five years ago your, sorry, Anna gave birth to what was at first thought a baby boy. Her husband at the time, was apparently overjoyed." She looked to Anna who just nodded.
"After a few months the baby began to show signs of trouble and was brought in to be checked. This is actually pretty normal as most babies tend to get sick in some way the first few months. In her child's case a doctor, who I cannot divulge information on, examined the baby and has some further tests done." She paused for a moment.
"The child was found to be more female than male. Actually that's not accurate. It's more accurate to say the child was really female but with a male looking genital. What made this child different was that an MRI showed that should nothing be done to this child they would be able to grow to maturity without problems as the vaginal canal had been moved slightly to the rear. What this means is that, unlike most women, should she ever have a period she might be able to control the bleeding somewhat. However there was too much risk of infection up the canal from semen. An appointment was made to have the child's genitalia fixed to that of a females."
Anna stepped in at this point."Frank went crazy asking if the doctor could fix his son, when that was refused he went to another and another." She used a tissue to dab her eyes."I had to take care of Arianna who was only two at the time and very uhm precocious. I was not concerned for the first day. It was not till the second day when my baby was not home that I tried to call Frank. When I did I found his cell was off." Those first cells were not all that cheap or small. Being off to save battery probably was a good idea.
Arianna comforted her mom as I was told how Frank had just disappeared without a trace with the baby. The first doctor had amended the records to show the baby as Leanna Phyllis Bridgeston. It was only assumed, at this point, that Frank had taken the baby down to the states, which was easy at the time, to get medical help. It is unknown if he found it.
I told my tale of being found on the doorstep of a church in a cardboard box. Raised at various homes, brought to a doctor once when I was not developing at most males and had the gynecomastia. Do I remember getting blood tests? No not really it was so long ago. I might have. The doctor at the time explained about the heavy metal poisoning in the area and how it affected some of the male young. I was given some shots and sent home.
Do I remember being angry at the time? Well yes I got into a lot of fights, most of which I lost. One of my less than fond memories is my sixth grade teacher yelling at me that I was a bully. Which was strange as that darn Paul was always picking on me and was the bully. I didn't say that last part out loud.
Doctor Keller wrote out some forms to have me take some tests today in the hospital and she would schedule some others as soon as possible. What was strange is that she asked for both birth certificates and medical cards, one of which I didn't even know Arianna had gotten in the mail. Both medical card info was used on the form for blood. There was a check box for something and she made a call to someone else before we were sent to navigate the hallways of the modern hospital.
Being told to go to Buffalo floor six really doesn't help much in today's hospitals. Most of these hospitals are additions to additions to additions each of them not always at the same height as the other, and not necessarily connected the same way either. It took the three of us, plus a map download, almost forty minutes to find the spot, which turned out to be just a stairwell away from Doctor Keller's office. The elevators just down the hall led up to a different wing.
The bloodtest was less than fun. It's strange I probably cut my fingers once a week fixing stuff and have seen my blood countless times. Yet to see it being taken from me and put into a little tube makes me turn my head away. Some of the stuff they did seemed weird. They took swabs from my mouth. Put take on my arm and ripped it off fast. I'm sure they took skin as my arm is a little red. Then after all that they had me lay down on a bed took off my shoes and put some goop on them, applied something to them, then washed the off in warm water. If you have never had someone wash your feet for you, really you should it feels great.
"Love your polish!" oops forgot about that stuff. My shoes were put back on, of course calling them shoes means that they cover your feet so that you don't cut them on the ground or something. These things barely qualify as protection since the toes are open, the sides are open and there is only a strap that goes up behind the heel and somehow keeps the darn thing on even though you would think they should fall off.
Manitoba medical at its finest means that you might hear something back in a month, if it was life threatening. When you live in an area where a high percentage of the people there are retired you learn things really quick. So it was no surprise that after we left the bloodvampires we left the hospital it self. I should also mention that just about an place close to a hospital is pay parking. No free parking anywhere anymore it seems, which really sucks. And it's not all that cheap either. Once you could just go up and, if you were lucky, get some time left over by the person before you, plop in a quarter or whatever and see your appointment. Not now. The new machines, which don't work all that well, you pay two dollars minimum for an hours parking.
Or you can go into the parkade, which is a nice word for multilevel garage and doesn't have any people watching it, pay five dollars minimum but your vehicle might melt in winter. At one point parking in a parkade was a safe way to park. There was guards touring around once and awhile, real people at the outlet you could pay and get change. Now its stupid machines that cannot count correctly or can't recognize a bill causing you to run to a machine, get a new bill that might work, go back and pay for even more time. There was a case I heard about where a guy was in a rush, ran back and forth twice and the machine would still not let him out. So he punched the machine went to his car and drove through the barricade. He was in court, paid some fine, and after all that guess what? The machine in question turned out to be faulty because some kid put some chewing gum in the machine.
And yes I do know there is help buttons but that doesn't always work. You get some guy over the speaker who may or may not speak English telling you go put money into machine. Best not to get into to that, we could be here all day.
Like I was saying we exited the hospital and I assumed would get the car and leave. That was not the case we walked about a half block away to an older looking building that doesn't really say anything on the outside. We were let in to the building via a buzzer. Inside there was what looked to be a lounge area off to the right with leather seats and very solid looking wood tables, along the outside egde you could see the vents for radiant heaters under the windows. I'm sure up close there would have been many coats of paint on the vents. Some places believe that a new coat of paint every year is a good thing. I think it just looks tacky.
The carpeting had not been changed for a long time, Not that it wasn't in nice condition as there was clear mats over it but the multicolored hexagons and square pattern kinda dated the carpet. The heels of our shoes, as aggravating as that was for me to say that, made little clip clip sounds on the matting. The hall for the elevators was done with an older fake, really fake, stone board. Tasteful at one point, like the sixties maybe, with a funky psychedelic scheme to it on the top half. In orange, different shades of orange. Well it matched the rest of the place.
Instead of the 'normal' chrome/stainless steel elevator door these were done in very fake wood vinyl. I wondered where the maintenance crew even got the stuff to fix that. Probably have a huge roll in the basement somewhere. The inside of the elevator? Same fake wood. However someone had, at one point, put an oak bumper around the edge of the elevator below the handhold. So it was even more tacky than before. Dark dark fake wood vinyl walls with bright almost white oak handholds and bumper.
If I lived here I'd probably want to be on drugs too. Gah! No offense to those that lived the sixties and seventies but omg! The ride up the elevator was smooth to what appeared to be the fourth floor. Big square buttons on, you guessed it, wood panel. Fake vinyl wood panel. and the buttons were yellow,with age. But that nice piece of paper up top says it was certified recently.
The elevators opened to a different era. Not kidding the fourth floor was obviously for people of an older generation. While walls with that mahogany fake board paneling you used to see in older houses. The floor here was that hospital chip in beige. I have only ever seen that flooring in hospitals. I know you can now do that with epoxy,shudder, but this was the real old stuff. One chip in a corner but otherwise pretty good shape. The ceiling met with wall with a curved molding of some sort. Not a big crown molding. Just a little one. Painted white. Simple fixtures mounted mid wall. Chair railing of some unknown dark colored wood.
Anna lead us left this time with a click clack of heels echoing down the hallways. I tried not to think about the fact that I was the source of some of that. Strange place for another doctor. She finally came to a door marked 406 and knocked before opening the door onto what looked like someones apartment. A small apartment since it had a bed in plain view. There was a chair, table, and a small kitchen. Meager but sufficient. Maybe they were here to check up on someone.
The main room had a crown molding around the pain section. Possibly plaster but I doubt it. All curve nothing else. The walls were a very light gray while the molding was white, along with the trim around the windows and doors. The doors had head casings that were basically a board with a molding on the top edge. On the window sill, which was somewhat wide, there was an array of plants. Someone had a green thumb.
"Mum? We're here!" Anna called out. That explains the dresses.
"Coming" Came from the one room with a door, presumably the bathroom. Sorta hidden behind the small couch was one of those scooters that are popular for people with mobility issues. Like the overly fat ladies that believe ten pounds of perfume covers the fact that they haven't had a bath in a few days. Yeah the area I live it the closest store has this one lady that makes you gag every time she comes in. She has uhm never mind, not important.
So from the bathroom comes what looks like a very white haired lady that just looks old. Her skin is all freckled and wrinkles on wrinkles if you get my meaning. Her face is fairly good, a few wrinkles but not bad. Her arms are not spindly but still not very strong either. She is walking, slowly, with one of those push walkers. It may take her time but she gets there. At a guess a stubborn old woman who wouldn't let you get away with anything.
And yes she is in a dress. Slippers on her feet and no trailing toilet paper, though to be honest I did kind of expect it. You can see that there is still a fight left in this lady, probably spent most of her life workin on the farm. I've seen the type before. If this was not an apartment but one of those little houses for old people with the spot in front for a garden I can see her working quite happily in it. Heck one of my neighbors is just like that. To be honest her garden is always impressive even though she sometimes can't get up from said garden.
"Awww all my girls together! Well come here Leanna don't be shy." Who me? Oh no nooo way...move dammit!
"Lets have a look at you?" She made this twirl motion with her hand...and I twirled. I didn't want to but felt I had too."Mmm You got the family figure. Good baby hips." Wait what? I'm a guy I can...can....can....can....
"Now Mum. We don't know for sure yet. The doctor's just did the tests today. I think your.." family trait that interruption thing.
"Oh be still Anna! I may be old but I'm not daft!" She looked me up and down. " Come with me young lady." You know I could probably run downstairs have lunch and be back before she made it to the couch. But no I slowly follow her. The couch is probably pretty old, doesn't look it though. Its softer than you would think. I know I had to sit on it twice. Why, duh I didn't 'tuck' the dam skirt.
"Now then. Your sister and mother have been telling me all about how they are sure you are the long lost Leanna. To be fair I would like to hear all about your life up to this point." She held up her hand before I could say anything." I know you are 'supposed' to be a man" she actually used her two fingers on each hand to emphasize the point.
"The point is from what I have heard, you seem to have become a woman in a very short time."
"It's just a favor for Arianna you see.."
"I know about that." and I'm cut off again. Is there a problem with completing sentences?"Yet, here you sit, a young woman. Rough around the edges true, but still very much a woman."
What do you say to something like that? Apparently I didn't have too. "You may thing this is just an act. But from the moment I saw you all I saw was a woman, and even I know about the 'male' thing. This is probably not the first time someone has mistaken you for a woman either."
It wasn't a question.
How do you answer that. I started slowly at first but she got the words to come. About how when I was young I was assumed to be a girl by just about anyone that saw me. I would go for a haircut with the other children from the orphanage and I would always end up with a girls bob.
The kids in the orphanage were not stupid either. I was constantly called Antoinette. This eventually spread to school where the bullies would home in on me. At first some girls would try to defend me. But that stopped after awhile. There was a few of the orphanage kids that would step in to help. It was like they could bully me but nobody else at school could type of thing.
There was a few times where kids would tease me saying that I should be in dresses or where was my skirt, especially on picture days. But we were all kids at the time and I was an orphan. Nobody wanted me. I would see kids get picked up by adoptive parents and I would remain behind. As I got older I was handed off to foster parents. Most just took me in for the paycheck.
I remember how at one house I was treated like dirt by the foster's daughter. Brittany was a real piece of work. She would constantly do things to get me in trouble. Her parent's were either blind or just didn't really care. I mean aside from Brittany it was one of the better homes. However her biggest problem was more of a lack of self esteem I think. I mean I was a boy and she would say I was cuter than her.
It was because of her that I got stuck with a denim skirt at school after my pants tore. I think she did something to the seam in the crotch. Then again that seemed to happen a lot to me. I told Annabelle about the horrible teasing I got that day and every other day after. I mean guys would come up to me and ask when I was gonna dress up cute again or ask me out and stuff. It was horrible.
The bad homes were just bad. There was the one that was a meth house and we foster's were made to haul the 'product' out. All we did was carry the stuff to a van or car or whatever was picking it up. The guy behind that was less than nice it was he who dragged me to a doctor to find out why I wasn't as strong as other kids. I got the shots and the pills.
The next month wasn't pretty for me. I would get angry and pick fights with anyone at school. Up to that point I had been a fair student. You know the type that always had 'could do better if she applied herself' report cards. Yes even some teachers would forget that I was a boy when making out the report cards.
Not always, I mean the gym teachers always pushed me, gods I hated gym during school. "Pick that lazy butt off the floor Tony!" I did play some sports during recess, mostly 'killer' soccer. That got an eyebrow. I explained how all it really was was soccer with stupid rules.
1) No fighting.
2) No tackling girls.
3) Only three goalies per net.
And those were the rules. Pick up ball and carry it? Not the best idea. Everyone would pile on you if you did that. Pick up ball and kick it, sure that's normal. Catch with hands? Its fine. Elbows to guts or legs? Ehhh it happened. You learned to avoid it. Those that could kick far were given some respect. I may not have been the strongest boy in school but my legs were pretty fit.
I did get some bruises but it wasn't bad. Then there was baseball. I had to learn how to swing my body to hit that dam ball. Yep got a smack for that one. My pitching sucked. 'You pitch like a girl' really? I had no arm muscles because of that darn metal poisoning. Homelife was do homework, if I had any, do chores, eat and sleep.
Highschool was a little better. I had the Henderson's as a foster family for two years. They let me fix stuff for cash. They were an older couple, both close to retirement, and all their children had been off on their own. So they fostered what children they could. I had finally started to grow some fur on my face so I got called miss less. Stores were never fun. It seemed that all the store employees would be as far as possible from me.
Going to restaurant's with the Henderson's was fun. I had never been to one before so being in a real restaurant, not counting McArches. Their orders were always as they asked. Mine not so much. I would order eggs over easy, and get scrambled. Light toast and get burnt. Stuff like that.
At school I got along with most of my classmates. At least those that I didn't 'scare' anyways. Yeah I never got what the 'scare' part was. All I knew was that for some strange reason, most of the kids were scared of me. It wasn't a bad rep thing. Actually those that did get to know me always said that they couldn't see why people would be scared of me but it happened all the same.
I have fond memories of the days with Henderson's. Martha was a nicer older lady. She taught me the basics of cooking. Real cooking not microwave or prepared meals. You know mix flour, sugar, yeast and stuff. My muffins were a hit! Al would try his best to teach me those values that fathers are supposed to teach kids. Something that I had been sorely lacking. I guess, in a way, he was the first father figure I ever had.
It was Al who got me fixing machines. He was getting too old, his words, to fix these old machines. He handed me a book from his horde of nineteen fifties do it yourself books. Some of it was seriously out of date. But the general idea of how an engine worked was the same. Remember in those days the books were more of 'learn how to be a mechanic and earn extra income' type diy books. Good but funny at the same time.
Well that got me hooked on mechanical. I devoured the book and a few others. Fixing mechanical things became, I dunno how to describe it, but simply and dirt easy. I could somehow know what was wrong, or at least diagnose what was wrong on a number of machines. I didn't always fix everything at first. I made my share of mistakes.
It was also Al who encouraged me to save up some money for college. In a way I guess Hank reminds me of him. Hank is more though. I can't describe it but, while Al was a very good man, he wasn't my dad. Hank, somehow, is.
From my point of view life was going good for me, I should have know it wouldn't last. After all scumvermin like me don't deserve a happy life. It was the summer of the year I would start my senior year, grade 12, I had just turned 17 after all. I remember that day so clearly when all my happiness died.
We had all been out back working in the garden. Al had taken his turn at the tiller and had to hand it off to me. He said that the tiller had given him a headache. We were concerned as Al had been getting the occasional headache lately. He had never gotten so many before. He would take something, go lay down, and he would be fine in an hour or so.
Martha and I had finished with the garden, tiller was away, and the stakes for the rows were up as well as the planting. We headed in for dinner and I had planed on fixing something or another in the garage I think. Well we found Al on the couch with an icepack on his head, melted. He was drooling and was not responsive when we tried to rouse him. His face looked, bad.
An ambulance was called of course. I don't remember if we ate anything that day. Heck for all I know there could have been some tools left out in the rain and we wouldn't have cared. Al had had a stroke. I remember holding Martha as she was told what had happened. Seeing Al hooked up to a machine with a tube in his nose for air was heartbreaking.
While the garden did grow, nobody tended it. I helped Martha during those days as best I could. It took awhile for her eldest daughter to get some time to come help. Debbie took the news of her father as hard as Martha did. I guess, in a way, I did too.
I remember when she showed up she looked at me like the scumvermin I am and said" What are you still doing here?" I guess in hindsight if I had somehow come up with a good answer like a real person I would have stayed with them. I didn't though. Whatever she did the next day I packed my bags for the last time and left the Henderson's.
I got a letter at my place, it was written a few years later by Martha, with Al's scrawl on it. They apologized for the way I was treated and hoped I was doing well. I keep that letter and whenever things get really bad I pull it out and read it again. It lets me know that at one point in my life someone cared about me.
The next place I got put in was more of a boarding house type place, I ate whatever I could buy with the meager funds child services gave me. I went to school, did what I could and tried to never let anyone see me when I lost control and started to drip tears. I mean here I was a kid still, even at seventeen, thrown out of a place I actually liked, living in a dive. Not communication from the Henderson's at all. I had been moved to a different area completely so I couldn't visit.
My one call there Debbie answered and she told me never to call again. It hurt. I guess I hurt and drove people away with my lack of wanting to do anything. It was the start of my life I guess. I woke did what I could ate slept. When I turned eighteen child services washed their hands of me and I was out on the street, so to speak. The landlord at the dive let me stay on as long as he could. I suppose there is some things I left there when I crossed the border.
I told them about crossing the border, the stupid mistake that left me stranded in Windsor. I didn't mention the time I slept in an abandoned gas station's washroom huddled around a lightbulb for warmth. I had tried to live for a month or two in Toronto. But there was too many other people looking for the same thing I was.
I did my best to survive, pretty much hitchhiked across the province to Westhawk lake. Spent a summer there helping out at the marina. Cash jobs. The marina at Westhawk lake is not where most people would think it is. There is a spot on the lake were they bring stuff to launch and test out but the actual marina is way up the side of the rock face beside the highway. The front faces away from the highway. There is this long slope that leads to a kind of stream going to a pond where most of the work is done. Beside the pond is a huge flat stone area that is fenced in.
Boats from multiple lakes in the area get wintered there. Not a bad place if your young enough to work. Fixed some stuff over at the Falcon lake golf course, mostly lawn equipment. I did not have a ticket for propane, which is what their carts used at the time. When fall came around I got to Winnipeg and with the help of the Golf pro from Falcon lake golf course, Bob, he's retired now, got onto social security. More commonly known as Welfare.
My house was more luck to get than anything. Nineteen forties war surplus housing at it's finest! Cold in the winter, hot in the summer. But it's better than say sleeping in the park.
My meeting up with Arianna had been pure chance, nothing more. I explained how the washing machine had ate my clothes and how people mistook me for Arianna after I had shaved away the beard and mustache, Arianna called it thick fluff. Greg and then Hanz and then Hank. Why my face felt damp when I finished was beyond me.
When I looked up, why was I looking down, everyone had ruined mascara and tissues in their hands. Nobody wanted to say anything to me. After all I was scumvermin why should they care. I guess it just took them this long to realize that I was trash.
Since nobody was saying anything to me I guess they were shocked about how much of a trash I was. Wasn't the first time someone had all but abandoned me after finding out my past. Getting up off the couch wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I mean that emotionally. I gave it the old Tony try and sucked it back.
I thanked them for the wonderful time, especially Arianna, and grabbed the purse. It may only contain my id's and a cheque I couldn't actually cash but it was something. I left the apartment behind because I had too.
Did it hurt? Well yes. Walking back to my place in a skimpy dress, looking like a woman, was not fun. It got cool outside, five miles in heels is also not something I ever want to repeat again.
I kept all of it in all the way home, humming songs to keep myself together. I didn't pay any attention to any cars if I could help it. Honestly I don't remember most of it. I got into the door of my place before I lost it and quite simply cried for the loss of what could have been. I had been so close to the family I had always secretly dreamed about.
But it was not to be. I was scumvermin after all.
Sorry for the long wait. I have had life issues this month.