Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part64



The afternoon passed pretty uneventfully, thank goodness. And the cabin seemed to be divided into two camps, regarding me.



One group, who tended to leave me alone and go about their own business, almost as if I wasn't there. Though I did feel a sense of disdain from many of them, even skepticism, like Anne Marie.



The other group, for whatever reasons, seemed to embrace me. Again, as if I was their cute, pretty, little baby sister. They didn't judge me. They just wanted to play with the pretty, little baby girl in their midst.



But at least, there was no group of sadistic tormentors.



I had to play it cool with the endearing group of girls. I didn't want to go "too over the top", as Penny had warned me. Many was the time when I'd glance at Penny for a cue or signal as to what to do, and what to not do.



When they stood me up, wanting to inspect me more closely, my undergarments in particular, I glanced at Penny. She gave me a quick, little nod of okay, and I bit the bullet and lifted up my dress and petticoats so they could marvel at my well padded, frilly rhumba panties and all.



One girl exclaimed. "I can't believe you're really a boy! Can we see if you really are?" And she reached for the front of my diapers and rhumbas.



I quickly glanced at Penny, who was standing behind the group. And she, thankfully, gave a little nod of "no".



I let go of my dress and petties and replied. "No....please no!"



And the girl didn't push the issue. But I did have to submit to some twirls and "dress play" and general, overall girlish primping and prancing. But it was pretty mild stuff for me.



As dinner time approached, I felt the call of Mother Nature and asked the girls. "Can I please use the bathroom?"



"Sure sweetie," one replied, "no one's in there. The coast is clear."



"Oh, can't he do it in his diapers like a little baby girl?" Another girl pleaded.



Penny stepped right in. "No, you heard what Anne Marie said about that!"



As I waddled for the bathroom, I heard someone exclaim. "I don't know how he's gonna do his business wearing all that pouf!" And she giggled a little.



But she was right. It took a lot of time and effort to manage my dress and petticoats and pull down my diapers and rhumbas, so I could sit down and do my business. But it sure was a lot better than wetting and pooping myself.



Dinner was no fun, of course. But at least, it wasn't as hellish as the times before.



I got a good share of "ruff, ruffs" from lots of the girls.  "Where's your collar and leash, poodle boy?"...."What, no doggie dish?" Crap like that.



I was seated, just like the rest of the cabin, at the Turtle Dove table. And one of the "doves" kindly offered to go through the line and bring me my dinner, to spare me further ridicule. I appreciated the thoughtful gesture.



Midway through supper, Renee---the Bird-dog counselor, walked over to our table.



"Just what exactly is your theme for the sissyboy tonight???" She asked the table.



Penny spoke right up. "Our theme is....", and she thought a moment, "our theme is....kindness and compassion!"



Renee was quite miffed by that and grumbled. "That's no fun! What a bunch of whimps!" And she walked away in a huff.



After dinner, it was back to Turtle Dove, for a quiet evening in the cabin. Penny and I wound up playing Monopoly with two other girls. As we played, Penny and the two other girls just chatted on with me like I was just one of the girls. When they talked about boys, it was as if they'd totally forgotten that I actually was one. It was disconcerting, but a heck of a lot better than any other Saturday nights at Sunnyvale.



Around nine, the four of us tired of Monopoly and put the game away. Most of the girls in the cabin were starting their nightly, girly rituals of setting their hair, removing their makeup, moisturizing, applying nail polish to their finger and toe nails and so on. Some were showering and changing for bed. And most went about their routines, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I was aboy.



But Anne Marie wasn't oblivious to the fact. She gave a stern warning to the girls to dress in "modest nitegowns....no Baby Dolls or Teddies"---her actual words.



Penny realized that I was kind of at a loss as to what to do with myself and she suggested. ""Why don't you get your night clothes and go out on the screened in porch and change in private there. I'm gonna get ready for bed now."



"I can't." I replied.



"Why not Steph?" She asked. "No one will see you out there. Just leave the porch light off."



"It's not that Penny." And I explained. "I didn't bring anything to change into!"



"Oh....well you can't sleep in your baby dress and petticoats Steph!"



"Yeah, I can. I guess I'll have to."



"Nonsense Steph. I'll give you one of my nitegowns to wear to bed!"



"No!!!" I practically screamed, drawing a lot of attention from the cabin.



Penny just glared at me in disbelief, and after a moment or two, the cabin girls went back to what they were doing.



"Why on Earth not Stephie?" She whispered, in a disgruntled sort of way.



"Because....just because. I can't explain it here Penny!"



"Okay then....out on the porch Stephie." She softly ordered. "You can explain yourself out there!"



She took me by the hand and marched me to the door. And a few girls gave us curious looks, obviously about our sudden departure.



"Sissybaby here needs a good talking to about minding his manners!" She told them.



Outside on the porch, she shut off the light for privacy and whispered. "I'm sorry about the 'sissybaby' thing Steph. I was just trying to keep our cover."



"I know that." I moaned.



"Good....now what's all the fuss about me lending you one of my nitegowns for tonight. You can't sleep in that outfit!"



A couple of tears started to trickle down my face, as I muttered. "I don't want to be a transvestite."





"A trans....what???"



"Shhh!" And I put my finger to my lips and said in a hush. "A transvestite."



There was enough moonlight for me to see a real look of bewilderment on her face. And I explained. "A transvestite...a cross-dresser!"



Now she was really perplexed. "Stephie, you've been a cross-dresser for over a year now!"



"Yeah, but that's not what I'm talking about Penny." I argued. "The idea of wearing YOUR clothes....well....I just can't even bear the thought of it. I mean....I just couldn't disgrace you....or myself, by doing that! I couldn't live with myself. I couldn't face you again. I'd be a true cross-dresser!"



I knew it all sounded pretty nonsensical to her. It actually wasn't all that clear in my mind either. But it was the one last boundary that I wasn't going to step across.



And she smiled. And a glimmer of enlightenment seemed to come across her face.



She looked around and caressed my cheek. "Oh Stephen, you're such a dear, sweet boy. And that's part of why I love you so much!"



And she gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "Wait here. I'll be right back. I got the perfect solution to your cross-dressing dilemma!"



And she was back in, pretty much, a flash. She was carrying a bag. She opened the bag and pulled out a garment and held it out for me to see.



"My aunt gave me this silly, frumpy nitegown for my birthday. I've NEVER worn it, and never WILL!"



And she put it in my hands and exclaimed. "See, the tags are still on it!" And she yanked them off. "Put it on Stephen, and I'll put it in the trash tomorrow. I promise!"



God, she seemed to have the answer for everything, I thought.



As she opened the door and stepped back into the cabin, she called loudly over her shoulder to me. "Now do as I tell you Stephanie and don't argue with me and put that on!!!"



Good cover, I thought.



And a few minutes later, as I stepped back into the cabin, a lot of the girls tittered. And I understood why. The nitegown was silly and frumpy. But at least, it did a pretty good job of hiding my diaper bulge.



The night wore down and I was given a bed off in a corner, by myself, to sleep in. And I did manage to fall asleep fairly quickly. It had been a reasonably benign night, in terms of Sunnyvale sleepovers at least. And I wasn't wet and poopy. And wouldn't be!



But just before dawn, I woke up with a jolt, in a cold sweat, from a nightmare. I'd dreamt that I was standing on a stage somewhere, in front of a huge, applauding audience. I was dressed to the "little girl nines" in my pageant outfit from PB. And I was crying.



A girl stood behind me, pinning a sequined, silver tiara crown into my long, flowing curls. Another girl stood next to me, in a long, white pageant gown, holding a very large trophy.



A third girl approached me carrying a sash. She draped it over my head and down across my chest. The printing on it read: "Little Miss Whimpy Wuss---2007".



I'd woken from the nightmare, as I started to sashay down the catwalk, holding a big bouquet of roses in my arms.



I spent the next hour, until the cabin started to stir, pondering my whole situation. The whole past horrific year of my life.



And when the cabin was up and ready, Penny came up with some sort of excuse for taking back to Sissy Curls for breakfast. That was break for me.



In the middle of the path back, we paused as always.



"See sweetheart, I told you it'd be okay!" And Penny gave me a long, passionate kiss. "I love you Stephen!"



"Yeah....I'm Stephen!!!" I replied.

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part65

Penny left me off outside the nursery. She didn't stick around---something about getting back to Sunnyvale for a volleyball tournament between the cabins.

In the nursery, Bernice and Betty had their hands full getting the Sugar Plum and Buttercup babies ready for their day. I wondered if another M.O.M.M.Y. parade at the Mall was in the works for them again this afternoon.

Sundays, well Sunday mornings at least, had become a traditional day of rest for me after a Sunnyvale sleepover, thanks to Bernice. A diaperless time in "normal" teenage girl clothes. I said nothing and just changed from my baby gear into a simple top and khaki, girl shorts. And I was hungry and went to the mess hall for a quick bit of breakfast.

I soon returned to find Bernice and Betty still busy finishing up getting the babies ready for the day. But I also found Lisa standing there in the nursery now!

She was holding a hanger with my PB pageant dress and she was waiting for me. She grumbled about my obvious lack of diapers and a skirt or a dress.

"You're supposed to be in diapers and dresses, twenty four seven, sissyboy!!!" She groused. "Strip!" And she pointed to a vacant changing table. "I'll diaper you!"

"Please, I can do it myself!" I told her.

"I know you can sissybaby. " She snarled. "But I want to watch you squirm while I diaper you!"

"Whatever gets you off Lisa!!!" I defiantly replied.

She was non too happy with my response and she glared at me. "Just shut up and strip, pansy!"

I walked over to the changing table and stripped to nothing but my panties.

"Those too!" She ordered.

I peeled my panties off and said, in a "coc-ky" manner, "like what you see Lisa!!!"

"Ooooh...." she groweled in anger, "up on the table and keep that sassy, smart-aleck mouth of yours shut!!!"

For once, I was glad to have my prolific member perversely wagging in her face in taunt.

"God, you're pathetic!" She exclaimed, as she powdered me. "You're nothing but a whimpy little wuss!!!"

Diapered and rhumba pantied, she stood me back up and said. "Your diapers are just for looks, at least for this afternoon anyhow."

And she handed me the hanger with my pageant dress.

"Put this on." She ordered. "Betty and I are taking the sissybabies for another Sunday Mall walk with the M.O.M.M.Y. group. And you're gonna come along to pass out PB flyers to the mothers!" And she gave me a devilish sneer.

"But....." and I paused in my initial panic, thought for a moment, and grinned a little.  And I simply replied, "okay Lisa."

She looked at me in surprise. And I changed into my pageant outfit.

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part66



Lisa primped me a little, smoothing my pageant dress over my petties and adjusting the matching hairbows in my braid loops.



Satisfied, she exclaimed. "The shuttle bus leaves for the Mall at one o'clock sharp. Be there, you little sissy whimp!"



"Okay Lisa." I answered.



Lisa gave just me a very curious look and shook her head and left the nursery.



The Mall trip weighed heavily on my mind for the rest of the morning and through lunch.



But after lunch, on the shuttle ride to the Mall, I found it hard to focus. The Sugar Plum and Buttercup babies were crying miserably and complaining and pitifully pleading to not be publicly humiliated there again. But of course, it fell on the deaf ears of Betty and Lisa.



I opened my purse and triple checked for everything I needed.



The bus dropped us off outside the main entrance. Lisa handed me the remaining stack of PB flyers and she and Betty reined the babies.



We all entered and Betty and Lisa quickly hustled us past the live, local, Sunday afternoon TV show that was again being broadcast.



Betty steered us to where we'd met up with "Mommy" last Sunday. And before long, "Mommy" was in sight ahead of us.



As we neared the group, I stopped and bent over, holding my stomach. And I groaned loudly. "Oh no!!!"



Lisa and Betty held up on the baby reins and Lisa grumbled. "What the hell's the matter with you Stephie?"



"Oh, please no!!!" I groaned again and added. "I gotta get to a bathroom. And quick!!!" And I started to do a little "diaper dance".



"Oh God, you freakin' little sissy wuss!" Lisa snarled. "Didn't you go before we left camp?"



"Yeah....but....DIARRHEA!" And I danced about even more.



"Oh Hell!" Lisa yelled. "You can't pass out flyers in wet, crappy, diarrhea diapers! Get going and find a bathroom and catch back up with us."



"Okay Lisa." And I handed her my flyers and dashed off back the way we came from.

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part67



In the main atrium, where the live, local TV show was being broadcast, I stopped and reached into my purse for my sunglasses and put them on.



Rows of occupied chairs in front of the set formed a makeshift studio audience. The show was currently on a commercial break.



I scouted around as inconspicuously as I possibly could. Two TV cameras were focused on the set. Some kind of cooking segment seemed to be in the works.



I made my way around to the back of the set, as close as I could get. I looked for an opportune place and point and found one. The show was back live from the commercial break now.



I took a very deep breath, grit my teeth, pushed my sunglasses back up on my nose, and whispered to myself. "I'm Stephen....and I'm not going to be a whimpy wuss anymore!"



I pushed aside a barrier and ran, as fast as I could, up on stage. In the bead of the two cameras, I lowered my face for anonymity.



And I clearly and loudly exclaimed. "My name is Stephanie, but I'm really a BOY! And I'm being held against my will at Camp Sissy Curls! Please help me!"



And I shot off the stage like a bullet, to the sounds of gasps from everyone around. And I didn't stop until I found a Ladies Room, way far away from the TV show.



I stepped into a stall and locked the door behind me. But I wasn't there for any sort of diarrhea problem, of course. That had just been a clever excuse on my part.



I took a minute to catch my breath and compose myself. And I marveled at how smoothly my whole plan was going, so far anyway.



Settled down, I opened my purse and took out my cell phone and a slip of paper with the nursery phone number on it. And I called.



"Hello, Bernice?" I said.



"Yes!" She replied.



"It's Stephie. I got a little bit of a problem, I'm afraid."



"What's wrong? And how and where are you calling from Stephie?"



"I gotta make this quick Bernice. I'm in a Ladies Room at the Mall. I'm on a cell phone that a nice lady let me use." I was covering all the bases. Cell phones were forbidden at Sissy Curls, after all.



"So, what's the problem Steph?" Bernice inquired again.



"I....I got a real bad case of 'the runs'! Lisa sent me off to find a restroom so I wouldn't mess my diapers. And she told me to catch up with her and the rest of the group when I was done."



"Well, did you mess your diapers Steph?"



"No, I didn't....yet! I made it to the toilet in time....this time! But I'm afraid I'll mess myself if I try to hook back up with them, wherever they might be now. I really got the runs bad! I know I won't make it through the afternoon in clean diapers!"



"So, how can I help you Stephie?"



"Call Lisa or Betty on their cell phone and explain the situation. I don't have their numbers, but you must!"



"I got Betty's number. " Bernice said. "I'll give it to you and YOU can call her."



"I can't." And I thought quickly on my feet. "This kind lady's waiting for me! And her cell phone battery is running low. Tell Betty what happened and that I'm gonna hail a cab and get back, as quickly as I can, to the nursery. Hopefully, in clean diapers!"



"I'll send out the shuttle for you Steph!"



"No....a cab will be faster. I got money for it from my job at the dress shop."



"How about I have Lisa or Betty escort you back?" Bernice suggested.



"That's not necessary. They got their hands full with the six babies." I argued. "And besides....I'm not really  a baby or a little girl, you know! I can come back on my own."



"Well.... okay Stephie. I'll call Betty and explain and look to see you back here soon."



"Thanks Bernice, see ya in a bit."



I put my cell phone back in my purse. My plan was going great, so far.



With another deep breath, I stepped out of the stall and the restroom and made my way for the nearest Mall exit. Fortunately, I was able to hail a cab pretty quickly.



I stepped into the back of the cab and sat down. The cabbie looked in the rear view mirror at me and chuckled. "Where to princess?"



"Do you know where Camp Sissy Curls is?" I asked.



"Yup, I do." And he laughed and asked. "Are you one of those....a....uhm....one of those 'campers' there?"



I was feeling pretty coc-ky now, and probably foolishly so. And I looked at his face in the rear view mirror and said. "What do you think?" And I blew him a kiss.



It was stupid of me, but it kept him quiet for the rest of the ride.



At camp, I had the cabbie drop me off well before the nursery. I wanted time to walk there, so I could wet and poop my diapers and make my plight all the more plausible to Bernice.



As I walked and pooped, I hoped my plan would continue to work so well.

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part68



Inside the nursery, Bernice looked up from a pile of disposable diapers she was stacking on a shelf. "Glad you got back here so quickly." She exclaimed, and then she sniffed the air. ""Smells like you could use these!" And she held up a couple of the disposables.



I showered and she rediapered me and put me in rhumbas and a baby dress and all. And I was left to my own devices.



The nursery was quiet. Lisa and Betty wouldn't be back from the Mall with the babies until just before dinner time probably.



I spent the time mostly just sitting in my crib, wondering when and what, exactly, the repercussions would be from my fifteen "seconds" of fame on TV.



Around 4:30, Lisa and Betty and the "diaper half dozen" returned. The babies looked wretched; crying miserably, many stinking, and all obviously exhausted from running the sissy gauntlet.



Lisa walked over to me and glared and yelled. "Get outta your crib sissyboy!!!"



I said nothing, and got out. I wondered if she had any idea, at this point, of what I'd actually done at the Mall.



"How dare you come back to camp without my permission!" She hollered in my face. "You should have come and gotten me! I oughta have you pass out the flyers tomorrow at the Mall....in nothing but your DIAPERS!!!"



She seemed unaware of me and the TV program, and I responded. "But.."



She quickly cut me off. "But nothing!!! And speaking of BUTTS....bend over sissy!!!" And she reached into her purse for a hairbrush.



I very coldly and very calculatedly stared her down and warned her. "You know....the last time you tried to spank me, the shoe wound up on the other foot! And the hairbrush will wind up on the other butt again this time too!!!"



She was seething with anger and shoved the hairbrush back in her purse. And she slapped me, with all her might, across my face.



It really jolted me. And I raised my hand, to return fire, but caught myself and held up. Boys....MEN....don't hit women.



"Okay, okay, that's it!!!" Bernice shouted, as she rushed over to the two of us and pushed us apart. "I'm not gonna be a referee at some hockey game!"



Bernice looked at me. "Get back into your crib Stephie!" She yelled.



Then at Lisa. "Get outta here Lisa and back to your cabin!" She yelled again.



We both obeyed.



Lisa left. And a small round of applause arose from the wretched, stinky babies. It was heady stuff for me. I'd have to try to stay cool about it all.



After dinner, at the start of the rec center movie, Betty and Lisa approached me. Neither said a word. The daggers from their eyes were enough.



Betty just handed me a piece of chalk and a slip of paper and pointed to the chalkboard.



The slip of paper read: "I'm sorry, Lisa and Betty, for being a naughty, little sissybaby."



I dropped the piece of chalk to the floor and crushed it under my foot, as I tore the slip of paper into shreds. And I just left the rec center, with no argument from Lisa or Betty.



As I headed back for the nursery, I saw a police cruiser, followed by a van, pulling into the administration building parking lot. The van had bold, blue letters across it...."WSYS--channel 8 NEWS".



I expected the boom to drop, but I went to bed hearing nothing. It was a restless night.

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part69



Bright and early Monday morning, Bernice informed me that I wasn't headed for my job at the dress shop. Instead, I was expected in Ms Roberts' office right after breakfast.



"I don't know what's up Stephie, but Ms Roberts sounded really angry when she called me this morning!" Bernice warned me.



The warning wasn't really necessary. I knew it was time for the boom to drop today.



Dressed and diapered in all my baby gear, I waddled off alone to the cafeteria.



As I nervously nibbled at my breakfast, I resigned to myself that whatever the repercussions from yesterday might be, it was worth it, to take a stand.



After breakfast, I made for Ms Roberts' office. No police cruiser or News van in the parking lot this time.



I stepped into her office. She was alone.



The look on her face was as cold and calculated as mine must have been yesterday with Lisa.



"Well Stephanie....," and she glared at me and snarled, "you must be pretty pleased with yourself and your little TV appearance at the Mall yesterday?"



I knew it was a rhetorical question. But coc-kiness got the better of me and I replied, with a curtsey and a grin, "yes Ms Roberts!" A red flag in front of the raging bull.



But, to my surprise, she remained fairly cool, calm, and collected. And she picked up a stapled set of two or three papers from her desktop and held them up.



"This is your camp registration, signed by both of your parents!" And she sneered mightily at me. "You're not being held....AGAINST YOUR WILL HERE! And that was good enough for the Centerville police last night!"



I started to cringe. And she laughed and cackled. "Besides, Felicity's mother is the Centerville assistant chief of police!"



I gulped and she continued.



"As to your little TV escapade....well....I own a lot of shares in WSYS!" She gloated. "And I told them, after talking with the police first, that you were actually a Sunnyvale camper pulling a prank. And that you would be punished for it. And they accepted that."



Oh hell, I thought. My "stand" was becoming Custer's last now.



But then, she tipped her hand.



"Stephanie, you've become a potentially dangerous liability for Camp Sissy Curls. And you're not worth it!"



My spirits started to perk up.



And she picked up another piece of paper from her desk. "This is a letter of apology to WSYS, saying that you're a camper from Sunnyvale who pulled a stupid, ridiculous prank. Sign it....and I'll have your parents here to pick you up and take you home, as soon as possible!"



"S. Crandall", I quickly signed.

[sissycaroline]

Camp Sissy Curls (Second Summer)--part70

I quickly exited Ms Roberts' office, without a further word spoken between us. I didn't head back to the nursery. I wanted some time to think things over, so I just wandered around camp.

I was certainly pleased with the results of my "TV escapade". My victory wasn't a huge one, nor did I really expect that. I hadn't brought the "walls of Jericho" down. But I had stood up like a man against the sissy system. And I was quite proud of that. And at least, I'd be getting out of the sissy hell of camp a few weeks early. And I could look Penny in the eye with greater self-esteem. It was a victory for me!

As I waddled around camp, I felt the need to pee. I walked into a bathroom in the rec center, stepped into a stall, hiked up my dress and petties and tugged my rhumba panties down to my ankles. And with a smile on my face, I yanked off my multiple diapers and peed in the pot and tossed the disposables in the trash. No more diapers for me now!

And I glimpsed at myself in the bathroom mirror and smiled again, as I took out my barrettes and hair ribbons and undid my braid loops and just left my long dangling over my shoulders.

Outside the rec center, I saw Lisa not far away from me and coming toward me. I held my head high. And when she caught sight of me, she actually made an about face and hurried off. A seemingly small thing perhaps! But a significant encounter for me.

I decided to take an early lunch in the cafeteria and was the first one in line. With lunch tray in hand, I found a secluded small table and sat down alone. As hungry campers started to file in, I wondered how much, if any, the word had gotten around about what I'd done yesterday at the Mall.

I did get a few thumbs up and head nods and smiles from a number of boys.

With lunch done, I carried my tray to the return window and I heard a boy softly exclaim, as I passed by him, "way to go Crandall!"

The word was getting around.

I decided it was time to head back to the nursery. And I was surprised to find it totally empty. No Sugar Plum or Buttercup babies anywhere. No Betty. No Penny. Only Bernice, who smiled when she saw me.

"Where are the six babies?" I asked her.

"Ms Roberts let 'em off the hook." She replied. "They're back to being teenage girls now. And thanks, in no small part, to you Stephie!"

"You know about the TV thing at the Mall now Bernice?"

"Yup, Ms Roberts told me all about it this morning." Bernice replied. "What you did shook her up a bit. That's probably why she eased up on the babies, and it's definitely why she's sending you home Stephie."

"Wow!"

"You rocked her boat more than you might think." Bernice continued. "And between you and me and the wall....she even mentioned something about only allowing campers here, next year, who truly WANT to be girls!"

And Bernice put her hands on my shoulders and looked down at me with a smile . "Again, just between us....you should be very proud of yourself for what you did!"

"Thanks Bernice. " And I hugged her.

She gave me a bear hug back and said. "I got a little present for you Stephie....I mean....STEPHEN!"

And she walked over to her desk and opened a drawer and took out a stack of clothes.

"They're not actually your own clothes. " She said. "You came to camp this summer already a girl. They're leftovers from previous campers. But they're clean and should fit you. Why don't you go change!"

"Oh God, yes!!! Thanks Bernice!" I exclaimed, as I took the pile from her out stretched hands.

Five minutes later, I stood in front of Bernice beaming. Khaki shorts, WITH A ZIPPER IN THE FRONT, over boys jockey briefs. A pair of guys sandals and a T-shirt with the "NY Yankees" emblem across the front.

"C'mon Stephen." Bernice said, putting her arm around my shoulder. And she lead me into the small beauty salon off the nursery and sat me in the styling chair and tied a cape around me. The last time I'd sat in that chair was the the first day at camp last summer, for a sausage curl permanent.

She stood behind me and held up a long pair of scissors in the mirror.

"Well???" She smiled.

"Yes please!!!"

"Are you sure Stephen?" She chuckled. "It's so long and lovely!"

"Oh God yeah!!!"

But before she started to cut away at it, she said. "I know you don't take this as a compliment Stephen, but your hair is actually quite long and thick and beautiful. And it would be a shame to waste."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to donate it to 'Locks of Love' Stephen." She explained. "Girls cut their long hair and donate it to be used to make wigs for women and girls who are fighting cancer and undergoing chemotherapy."

And I could see in the mirror,  a small tear forming in the corner of her eye.

And I have to admit, I formed one too.

"Sure Bernice! Just please make sure it's an anonymous donation."

"I will Stephen." She smiled.

Bernice fussed with my hair for the better part of an hour. She carefully cut it with scissors first, saving all that she could. Then she finished up with an electric razor and for the first time in well over a year, I had a typical boys haircut. Nothing that could be braided or permed or have ribbons tied into.

With the weight of the hair off my shoulders, I felt like the weight of the world was off them too!

As she brushed me off and untied the cape, I asked. "When do I go home Bernice?"

"I'm not sure exactly, but I know it will be sometime tomorrow."

I was hoping for today, but I could wait 'til tomorrow.