The coming-out-at-work theme in Steph C's recent chapter of Perspective got me thinking of this little bit of comedy from back when I was in mid-transition. Couldn't fit it into a haiku, so a tanka it is.

Chapter Three:
Brutal Training

Devyn did not believe in easing Valerie into anything.

Mark Lansing never wanted to stand out. He was perfectly happy disappearing into a football huddle with the rest of the team until one play made him the talk of the town. Thrust into a spotlight he never wanted, every choice can reshape his future, and every decision could transform him in ways he never believed possible. Mark’s destiny will be determined on the field … assuming he can figure out how to dress the part.

“Trust me,” he murmured.

Pete's Vagina
90. In the Pocket
by Erin Halfelven

CHAPTER 58
I hugged him hard, almost bursting in my love of my son. That phrase bubbled up again: ‘This one is mine; I made this’.

“We’ve got a couple of boat rides coming up, son”

“The Reef?”

“Second one, yeah. I want to try a quieter one with LC first, let her get used to stuff before she goes all the way out there. Now, what looked good at this Italian place?”

Next week is orientation for this year's new students, so here's something related.

A gala drawing gives Samantha a role Samuel never asked for: princess. But helping a frightened child may force him to see the experience differently.

CHAPTER 3
“Take a seat. Please”

He slumped into one of the armchairs, setting his briefcase upright on the floor beside him, where it promptly fell over.

“Harry… “

He stopped abruptly, looking down at his clenched hands, then slowly relaxed his fingers before looking back up at the two of us on the settee.

“There have been rumours, you know. I wasn’t sure… Short form, then. Mary, could I have that tea after all? Please?”

She brought an extra mug from the kitchen, and the three of us sat silently as she poured and handed him the cup.

“What do I call you? Harry seems a bit awkward”

“What everyone else does”

“Ellie? I always did wonder about why you pushed that one. Bit too glib, I thought, and I was right, wasn’t I? So, please, executive summary”

I looked quickly at my wife, then jumped in. Soonest humiliated, soonest over.

“Lots of cliché stuff, really, so I won’t go into the usual rigmarole”

Having been invited out by an old acquaintance Barb goes with Cindy a short shopping trip.

CHAPTER 15
I had indeed been squeaky new when I had met Hira, just settling in at the Cardiff hub as I was. I had realised early on in my training that while I was competent at driving the big box of an ambulance, I didn’t have the spatial awareness of someone like Tom, who seemed almost to wear the vehicle like a second skin. My forte was that of an advanced nurse practitioner, with extra trauma skills, so I concentrated on those aspects. It meant a lot of mixing and matching crews for a long time, but eventually Tom and I gelled.

It had been a wet and cold summer my sister April and I had been
cooped up indoors nearly every day and we were getting bored. April
said Danny have you seen these films on YouTube, I said which ones are
you talking about. April said these and she showed me it was a short
film about a sister making her brother look like her sister.
April said I have watch a few of these and I bet we could make a
better one. I said you want to turn me into a girl. April said no just
looking like one. April said you are quite slim and about my size you

My Diary.

By Nikkie Silk

Dear Diary

Today was a busy day. This morning, I kissed Daddy goodbye at the front door, wearing my pink baby-doll nightie. The nightie rides up to show my matching knickers, which barely cover my little cockette in its cage. Daddy keeps the key close to his heart on a chain around his neck, which I think is supersweet of him. It is gestures like that which make me love him so much. Only he can use the key, as it should be, I hasten to add.

The Lois Einhorn Story
A Short Story inspired by an old Movie
By Maryanne Peters