Joe_bates_saga

14 Joe_Bates_Saga________________________________________________________

1. Chapter : Therapy

Joe had only been sitting for a moment when the assistant came back into the room and asked Joe to follow her. She took him to the open door of an office, where Joe saw Dr. Krell, seated behind his desk. He motioned for Joe to come inside.

Joe entered the office, and sat. Dr. Benjamin Krell was a small, friendly looking man, perhaps sixty years of age. He smiled when he saw Joe, and motioned for him to take a seat.

"You're looking splendid, Joe. I hope you had a good flight," he said.

"Yes, we did. Karen flew the whole trip. She's a good pilot, and I think she has re-caught the flying bug," Joe said, grinning.

"Karen is a remarkable person," the little doctor said. "Do you know she probably has as much research experience in the area of Gender Dysphoria as anyone? She soaks it up like a sponge."

"We get along rather well," Joe said. "She seems almost to know what I'm thinking sometimes."

"I thought you both might hit it off, from the first moment I met you," Dr. Krell agreed.

"What's on the agenda today?" Joe asked, eager to find out what the day would bring.

"Well," Dr. Krell explained, "there is a lot of paper work for you complete, and I believe we have more physical examinations, by my staff, in store for you. I hope we can get all three of you completed today, but it may run over to tomorrow. I also have a short class I want you all to attend, regarding the care of your changed body. It was created for my reassignment patients, but I really think you would benefit from it too. Susan, the nurse who conducts it, might not be available until tomorrow, though."

"We were all expecting two days here," Joe said. "Another physical, huh." He expected it, but did not look forward to it.

"I'm sorry, Joe," Dr. Krell said, "but it's really necessary for us to know, in complete detail, the extent of the changes you've gone through. At the same time, we're waiting for the lab reports to come back, with the results of hair samples we took on all of you."

"What do you expect that to show?" Joe asked.

"I'm not really sure," Dr. Krell answered. "I believe that all your living cells have been changed, but the others, your hair, and finger nails, might still have the old chromosome pattern. I'm curious to see the results of that. It may be like rings in a tree trunk, and we can use that to spot the exact time your change transpired."

"So you think it happened instantaneously?" Joe asked. "One moment I was a guy, the next I was like this?"

"I don't know, Joe. What do you think?" Dr. Krell asked.

"Well, I don't know about the initial physical change," Joe answered. "I guess I was sleeping when that occurred, but I think I'm still changing. I'm almost sure I am, mentally. I can't explain it. I... I... Sometimes I just start to cry, and feel sorry for myself. I never did that, but now.... I don't know. Mostly though, I feel great. Generally, I think I feel better than I can ever remember. It's a good feeling, actually." Joe tried to describe the strange emotions which were now affecting him.

"Are there... Do you think there are still physical changes taking place?" Dr. Krell questioned.

"I'm not sure. If they are, they're subtle," Joe said, rubbing the softness of his left breast. "Sometimes, I think that my skin is still getting softer. Maybe I'm just getting used to having breasts, but they don't feel quite as sensitive as they were at first. They're still pretty sensitive, though."

"Have you noticed any unusual discharge? Anything unusual about your genitalia?" Dr. Krell went on.

"Gee, doc. I've only been like this five days," Joe replied. "Every thing seems unusual. I don't know. I did notice some blood on my underwear last night. I think that was from the examination yesterday, though. It felt like you stretched me, or cut something, down there." Joe had a sheepish smile on his face as he spoke.

"Well, I'm assuming you were active sexually as a male," Dr. Krell explained, "but it's obvious that, since you've become female you are not. You have a hymen, that's a bit of membrane, or skin, that partially closes the vaginal orifice. Your's is intact, and quite thick, and strong. It's the thickest I've seen. I suspect that's because of your age, and the circumstances under which you acquired it." He smiled.

"Would I have any trouble with intercourse?" Joe asked. He felt a slight flush of embarrassed come to his face as he asked.

"Are you considering becoming sexually active?" Dr. Krell asked, not particularly surprised.

"Oh, no. I don't think so, at least not now, anyway," Joe stammered.

"Well, when the time comes, and don't be surprised if it does, I don't think you'll have any trouble with your hymen," Dr. Krell advised, smiling. "You'll probably be undergoing a number of examinations in the near future, and that will probably stretch it, at least a little more. We'll try not to tear it. By the way, it's normal to experience a little pain the first time a female has sexual intercourse. I've been told it subsides quickly, so don't be concerned about it."

"I can't believe I'm even thinking about stuff like this," Joe said. "Yesterday, I wouldn't have considered even asking about it."

"If you're going to live as a woman, as healthy, and I might add, attractive as you are," Dr. Krell said, "it will probably only be a matter of time before such an opportunity presents itself. You would be doing yourself a disservice to ignore the possibility."

"I'm trying to keep an open mind," Joe said, "and it seems that even that keeps changing."

"It is a woman's prerogative, isn't it," Dr. Krell teased. "Don't forget though, if you do decide to become sexually active, be sure to use some form of contraception. Unfortunately, that isn't part of the normal hygiene class, since that isn't a concern with reassignment patients. I'll remind Susan to cover that for you, but be sure to ask, if she forgets."

"What would you recommend as a contraceptive, for someone who was sexually active, that is," Joe asked shyly.

Dr. Krell grinned, saying, "For someone who was thinking of becoming sexually active... For a mature, thirty year old female, I would recommend her partner use a good condom, backed up with a contraceptive jelly, or foam. She could be fitted with a diaphragm, but of course, that would be easier after her hymen was broken."

Joe looked the little man in the eye. "I'll keep that in mind," he said. He noticed Dr. Krell was beginning to refer to him as a "she."

"Tell it to me straight, doc. Am I ever going to be male again?" Joe asked.

"Unless we can somehow reverse whatever happened, and we don't even know what that is," the doctor said, "I think it's unlikely that you will ever have a normal male body again. That's the way it looks to me. I suggest you try to get accustomed to what you have now. If we can get you back, it won't make any difference, and if we can't, well, you seem to be doing pretty well." Dr. Krell smiled at Joe.

"I admit it is getting easier, as time passes," Joe agreed. "I guess I can do it, if I must."

"I think we should schedule you for some therapy," Dr. Krell suggested. "It could help you cope with the changes."

"Do you think the changes could be affecting my head... the way I think?" Joe questioned. "I'm not sure, but I seem to feel different now, about so many things. I think my brain is changing. I have trouble maintaining concentration. About women, my girlfriend, I don't seem to feel the same there anymore. Could the changes cause that?"

"Yes, it's possible, I suppose," the doctor answered. "There is still a lot to be learned about the differences between the sexes, besides just the anatomical differences. What has happened to you and your friends, may help to expand the present knowledge in this area."

"I have always enjoyed expanding the limits of technology," Joe lamented, "but don't think I really want to expand my interest to medicine, at least not like this."

"I realize that this is difficult for you," Dr. Krell said, "but you'll have to play the cards you're dealt. We'll do everything we can to make the problems you face as small as possible."

"I appreciate everything you're doing for me, and for the others. It's amazing how quickly everything fell into place," Joe said.

"When we got the call for assistance from Hillcrest," Dr. Krell explained, "everyone here jumped at the chance to work with your problem. It's like a wish come true for a genetics researcher. Someone who has actually changed their genetic sex. Amazing!" His voice rose as he spoke.

"Yeah, it's amazing all right," Joe said, "and it feels strange too." He smiled.

"Well, let's see what we can do for that," the doctor went on. "For you the first thing this morning will be another pelvic examination. We'd like to take some photos, so we can study them without needing to have you around all the time. It shouldn't take too long."

"Pictures, huh," Joe said, sort of thinking out loud. He never thought he would be the subject of pictures, even if it was for medical purposes.

"Don't be concerned, Joe," the doctor advised. "The photography will only take a moment, and just be part of the examination. We sometimes video tape entire surgical procedures. They are excellent teaching aids, and are never used for anything else."

"I'm not worried about that," Joe said. Actually, he was, a little. He trusted Dr. Krell, but he could imagine how tapes, or pictures, might be used by medical students.

"If you're ready, I'll take you to the examination room," Dr. Krell said, getting up from behind his desk.

"I guess I am," Joe said, standing up and smoothing his skirt. It seemed his slip had suddenly been charged with static electricity, and he could feel it clinging around his nylon stockings.

Joe followed Dr. Krell out of his office, and down the hall. Dr. Krell's clinic was not huge, but from what Joe could determine, it had at least six examination rooms. The doctor entered one that had an open door, and pointed to a fresh gown, as before, made of a disposable paper material. He left the room.

Joe looked around the room. In the center was an examination table almost identical to the room yesterday. Joe saw the little stirrups on the side. In a cabinet with glass doors by the wall, Joe could see the gynecologist's tools of his trade. He saw the speculum, and all the other things used during examinations. His crotch muscles tightened, as he thought about the examination just yesterday.

Joe hung his suit jacket on a hanger provided, and sat in a chair to remove his shoes. He unbuttoned and unzipped his skirt, and stepped out of it. He lay the skirt over the back of the chair, and then unbuttoned his blouse. When he took that off, he carefully placed it on another hanger. He then reached down and pulled the full slip over his head, laying it on top of the skirt.

He suddenly felt remarkably sexy, standing there in a bra, black bikini panties, and silky nylon stockings. He unhooked the bra, and slipped it off, the cool air on his now bare breasts causing him cover them with his hands. He had to remove his stockings, and decided to sit on the edge of the paper covered table to do that. When he had them off, and carefully placed on top of his slip, he then pulled the panties off. He took the paper gown and put it around him, thankful for even the minimal coverage it provided. He remembered the hairpiece. Did he need to remove it? He decided he had better, and placed on top of his slip. His short hair now felt strange. He was getting accustomed to the longer length of the wig touching his ears and neck.

Joe then sat on the table, waiting for whatever was to happen next. He must have been sitting in apprehension for only five minutes, when Dr. Krell and two other men with white lab coats entered the room, accompanied by the nurse who had initially brought Joe into the first room.

Dr. Krell introduced the men to a highly embarrassed Joe Bates.

"Joe, this is Dr. Tom Craig," Dr. Krell said. "He's our staff Urologist."

Dr. Craig smiled, and extended his hand to Joe. "Glad to meet you, Joe," he said.

"And this is Dr. David Benedict. Dave's our gynecologist," Dr. Krell continued.

Dave also held out his hand. "I hope we can help you out, Joe," he said. "Your situation is most interesting."

"I hope you can, too," Joe said, with a smile. It was hard to feel like an equal, when you were wearing a paper shirt that did not even quite cover your butt, while everyone else in the room was completely dressed. The fact that they were doctors did not really help at all.

"Well, I guess we best get on with it," Dr. Krell said, to break the slight tension. "Joe, would you remove the gown please?"

Joe could feel the blood rush to his cheeks as he unfastened the little Velcro fasteners at his neck. He pulled his arms out of the short, paper gown, and handed it to the attending nurse. He stood before the doctors, completely naked, his heart pounding.

"Amazing," Dr. Benedict said. "He appears completely feminized, and you say he woke up this way, transformed overnight?" The doctor seemed to be talking to the others, as if Joe was incapable of answering for himself.

"I examined him. If I had not been already been told otherwise, I never would have known he had been male," Dr. Krell said. "The only anomaly I can find is some scar tissue around the clitoris. My theory is that it's residual trauma caused by circumcision of the penis. He confirmed that he had been circumcised as an infant."

"Interesting," Dr. Craig said. "We can confirm a number of theories while studying this patient. I believe this is the first recorded spontaneous, human gynecomorph. I hope we can learn what caused it."

"I sure hope you can, too," Joe volunteered. He did not like the way he was being treated like a lab animal, unable to understand what was going on.

"Oh, I'm sorry Joe. We're so excited by this opportunity to study your case that I'm afraid we get carried away," Dr. Benedict apologized.

"I understand," Joe said. "Just try to remember that I'm here, and I think I'm still capable of understanding the English language."

"Understood," Dr. Craig added. "Just remind us, if we seem to get off track."

"Joe, I have an illustration I'd like to show you," Dr. Craig said, handing him what looked like a page copied from an anatomy textbook. Joe immediately recognized the drawing. It was that of the male genitalia, and it had each individual part listed with its anatomical name, with a small arrow pointing to it. Joe wondered what it was for. "These are the male external reproductive organs," Dr. Craig went on. "I believe you recognize them."

"Sure, but what's it for?" Joe asked.

"I'm going to take this small tool, and touch you with it. When you can feel the touch, I'd like you to tell me where it feels like I'm touching you. Please use the illustration to name the locations," Dr. Craig explained, holding out a small, pointed, stainless steel probe. "We're trying to confirm the corresponding nerve endings, as they were, and as they are now."

"Okay, that seems easy enough," Joe said. He wondered how far inside him they were going to put the pointer.

"Please get up on the table, Joe," Dr. Craig asked. "You can put the gown back on."

The assistant handed Joe the paper gown. He slipped his arms in the holes and fastened the Velcro fastener at his back. He sat on the table, and then lay back as the assistant adjusted the table to support his upper back and head. She then covered Joe's lower body with a green surgical drape, and positioned the stirrups so that he could put his feet in them, spreading his legs apart as he did.

He was now in position, and he felt the coolness as the doctors pulled the drape away from his bottom. As before, the drape kept him from seeing what the doctors were doing. The assistant handed Joe the illustration. He lay there, and looked at the drawing. He saw the penis. It was further defined as the glans, dorsum, and prepuce. The scrotum was also shown in detail, including even a little cutaway showing the layers of skin. He had never realized that the male anatomy was that complex, and now he did not even look like that anymore.

Suddenly, Joe felt a hand on his pubic area. Two cool fingers spread his soft inner lips. He could feel his crotch muscles contract, as if they were trying to keep that most sensitive area concealed. He felt a finger touch his clitoris, and heard Dr. Krell speak.

"As you can see, the prepuce is mostly absent, but this scarring is probably what remains of where it emanated," the friendly doctor was saying.

"Okay, Joe. As I touch you, please call out what area it seems like I'm touching. If you can't give me a corresponding location, try to tell me the closest equivalent," Dr. Craig said.

Joe could feel the pointed probe. It felt as if it was softly rubbing along the bottom of his penis. He called that out.

The probe moved down, now feeling as if near the base of his penis. He told Dr. Craig that, not finding a name on the illustration for it.

The tickling sensation went lower, toward his scrotum. He tensed his muscles there, as if to draw the sack tighter, and felt the somewhat different sensation of his vaginal sphincter closing tighter. The new parts were similar, but they did not feel EXACTLY the same. He told Dr. Craig he was now touching his scrotum.

He felt the probe move back up, it seemed along the top side of his penis. He wondered where Dr. Craig was touching. He could not remember feeling that area since the change. He told Dr. Craig.

"It feels like you're rubbing the top of my penis now," Joe said. "Just where are you actually touching?"

"I'm touching the area dissecting your labia minora, and labia majora," Dr. Craig explained, "between your inner and outer vulval lips."

"Amazing," Joe thought. It felt just like it was touching the top of his penis.

The moving touch kept going, seeming to go to the head of his penis, but now it was now on very sensitive area, far more sensitive than he could ever remember his penis to be. He called out.

"Your touching the glans, I think," Joe said. "I can't tell if you're on top or on the bottom. It's kind of sensitive there." It tickled, and he wanted to move his pelvis around.

"I'm near the clitoris," Dr. Craig explained. "I realize it must be a bit sensitive."

"You got that right," Joe said, closing his eyes and trying his best to resist the urge to move his hips. The tickling sensation was starting to feel rather pleasant.

Then the tickling stopped. Opening his eyes, Joe could see Dr. Benedict preparing a small camera. He disappeared behind the drape, and soon the room blinked with the flashing of the camera. Joe just lay there, eyes closed, embarrassed, as they photographed his private parts. It was not exactly like posing for Playboy, he thought.

Joe momentarily opened his eyes, he saw Dr. Benedict retrieve a small speculum from the glass cabinet. Here it comes, he thought.

Soon, he could feel touching around his genitals again. He felt his lips get pulled apart, and something hard touch him. It moved around a little, and then he felt it seem to slide along his opening. He could sense that it was inside of him. Strange, he thought, I can't really feel it in there, but I can sure tell it's there. He could feel it stretching his opening, and where it touched the outer parts. He was just beginning to try to imagine what it would feel like to have a guy's penis inside him, when he felt the somewhat painful sensation of the speculum spreading open. It hurt, but not as bad as the last time. He put his hand to his mouth, and bit down on his thumb.

Joe felt the speculum move around inside him, and saw the flash of the camera. Before long, the speculum was collapsed and withdrawn. When it was out, Joe had an intense urge to rub his crotch, but he did not want to put his hands under the drape, and did not want these guys to see him do it.

"I think that will be enough for now," Joe heard Dr. Benedict say. "You can get dressed."

"That wasn't so bad," Joe thought. He sat up, and pulled his legs out the stirrups with the help of the assistant.

"We'll see you in a few minutes, Joe," Dr. Krell said as the three doctors left the room.

Joe reached down and carefully massaged the tender tissues of his crotch.

The assistant saw what he was doing, and smiled. "Here are some towels. They'll help a little," she said, seeming to know what he was feeling.

"Thanks," Joe replied. "I'm still getting used to this."

"I don't think you ever get used to it," the woman said.

Joe cleaned the small amount of lubricating jelly from his vulva. He looked at the towel. There was no sign of blood. It did not hurt either. He carefully probed around with his index finger. He was wet and slippery, and the finger went in easily, much easier than ever before. He looked up to see if the nurse was watching, but she was paying no attention to him. She was gathering up the things used in the examination. Soon, she too left the room.

Joe was sitting on the edge of the examination table with his hand over his pubic area, and one finger just inside his genital vestibule. He had never been inside much farther than this, and was surprised at how different it felt. The water soluble lubricant used in the examination had made everything extremely slick. He felt around, feeling the bumps and ridges in this new, unfamiliar part of his body. He could feel a small lump, which he knew by the feel was his urethra. It was just after the ridge of his now somewhat prominent pubic bone.

He went further in his exploration, and entered his vaginal opening. He could feel a restriction, some tight tissue. This must be my hymen, he considered, and carefully examined it with the tip of his finger. The opening in his hymen seemed large enough to penetrate with his finger, so slowly, cautiously, he went further. After the initial restriction at the entrance, it was all clear, but it was difficult to go much further without stretching it even more. It did not hurt, but Joe did not want to tear it. How would he explain it to the doctors, if that happened?

He just sat there, examining himself. When he decided he could not get any farther inside with his finger, he stopped. He tensed his crotch muscles, and felt the tightening with his finger. The sensation when he bore down on his own finger felt strange, but sort of pleasurable.

He was getting more familiar with his body. At first, he was almost afraid to even look at the new parts, but now, after the doctors' examinations introduced him to new sensations, he decided that he needed to know what it was all about. These new areas might be different, but they were still part of him. He withdrew his finger, and, holding it to his nose, smelled it. Funny, he thought, it does not seem to have any particular odor. He thought of Linda. He loved her sweet, female scent. He wondered why he did not smell like that.

Finally, Joe decided he better get dressed. He stood up, and pulled off the gown. He was feeling particularly good about himself as he went over to the chair where his clothes were lying. He took his underpants, and stepped into them, loving the feel and the snug fit of the black panties. He easily slipped the bra on and clasped the plastic latch between his breasts. Yeah, he was beginning to accept... to appreciate his new body... how it looked, and how it felt. He might still be Joe Bates, Engineer, Pilot, and Sports Car Nut, but he was not really a male anymore. He was beginning to realize it, accept the differences, and maybe even enjoy them.

Joe quickly dressed and replaced his hairpiece. There was a small sink in the examination room, with a mirror above it. He looked at himself and adjusted his hair and clothing. When he felt he was ready, he went to the door and went out. He walked back up to Dr. Krell's office, but he saw, through the open door, that Dr. Krell was busy talking to Dave. He went out to where he saw the nurse who was present during his exam.

"Should I stay in the examination room?" Joe asked.

"Well, no, you don't have to," the woman said. "I think Dr. Krell will want to talk to you as soon as he's finished. You can go back to the waiting room, if you like."

"Okay, I'll wait there," Joe said. He hoped that "Miss Dix" was not out there.

Joe went out and took a seat. Mike was nowhere to be seen, and only one person, who had just entered before Joe was called, was in the room. He looked through the stack of magazines, mostly woman's, on the small rack next to his seat. He selected Cosmopolitan, the cleavage of the woman on the cover catching his male trained eye.

He thumbed through the magazine, noticing with heightened interest the ads for feminine hygiene products, contraceptives, and underwear. He thought about it. It was almost like this was the female equivalent of an automotive magazine. All the products designed to make what you had look better or work better. For a guy, it was his car. For a woman, well, she had this exotic body to maintain. Yeah, he thought as he thumbed through the sexy ads for clothing, lingerie, tampons, and pregnancy detection kits, this is a woman's Car and Driver.

He started reading an article about Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. He was wondering what having a period would feel like when the nurse called his name again. Darn, he thought, he wanted to finish the article. He looked at the magazine cover, and saw it was the current issue. I'll have to pick that one up, he thought as he put the magazine in the rack, and then followed the nurse back to Dr. Krell's office.

In the office, Dr. Krell sat behind his desk, with Dr. Benedict sitting in one of the seats on the other side. Dr. Krell motioned for Joe to have a seat next to the gynecologist.

"The hairpiece is very attractive on you," Dr. Benedict said. Joe realized that the man had only seen him undressed, and without the wig.

"Thanks," Joe said. "Karen loaned it to me." Joe figured the doctors there must all know Karen.

"Joe, we have the results of the lab tests of the hair samples," Dr. Krell said. "You might be interested to know that, from DNA tests we found that your hair, at least, still shows a male chromosome pattern. Of course, as it grows out, that may change. I would think all the dead cells of your body have not changed, only the living cells. That is easily sufficient proof of your identity. It doesn't change anything, but it does confirm that a so far unknown phenomenon caused cell changes in you and your two coworkers' bodies. The change, or damage, we might call it, has caused the chromosomes to distort, to make your genetic structure to appear to change from XY, to XX, what normally would be the female form. I suspect that you are not truly female, that is, you are not a precise genetic representation of what you would have been, had you been conceived as a genetic female. However, the differences are so slight, so inconsequential, from a practical matter, that it would probably take an electron microscope to tell the difference. I suspect also, that the difference, slight as it is, is far too small to prevent the normal gynecological functions from occurring. Joe, it appears that you, for all practical, and physiological purposes, are now a functional female."

"Well, I'm glad all the physical examinations and genetic tests agree with what I see when I look in the mirror," Joe said. He understood that Dr. Krell was just giving him the complete medical synopsis, but what he really wanted was the answer to what caused the whole thing to happen in the first place.

"Now that we know WHAT has happened, we must concentrate our efforts on why it occurred," Dr. Benedict said.

"And while that's happening, we will do everything we can, to help make your situation bearable," Dr. Krell added.

"Is there anything I can do to help discover the cause?" Joe asked. He wanted to get back to work to try to discover what, in or around the Learjet, or the GPS transmitters, could have caused his plight.

"We want you, Dave, and Mike to remain here until tomorrow, so that you can attend the class we will present tomorrow, probably about nine or ten o'clock," Dr. Krell advised. "After that, you, and Dave at least, can go back. Mike may be asked to stay another day. We'll know by tomorrow at noon."

Joe wondered what that might be about, but decided that it was none of his business. "What else is there today?" Joe asked. He was getting anxious to get on with it.

"Well, if you have decided change your legal status to female," Dr. Krell answered, "there is some more paperwork to fill out. We have obtained copies of all your records, so we probably have most of the information we need. We'll just need your signature after we prepare the forms."

"That's all it takes?" Joe asked incredulously. "A few signatures? I write my name on a piece of paper, and suddenly, I'm no longer a man? I'm a woman, just as if I had been born that way?" Joe was amazed at how simple it sounded.

"You must realize, that this place specializes in such transitions," Dr. Krell explained. "You must also understand that the position you find yourself in, is where a person desiring surgical reassignment arrives only after years of chemical and mental therapy, and extensive cosmetic surgery. What happened to you is unprecedented."

"Too bad I didn't want it to happen," Joe said. "For an accident, whatever caused it, it did one hell of a job."

"Don't think we haven't noticed," Dr. Krell said. "If we can find the cause of the phenomena, we might even be able to put it to good use."

"Who's paying for all this, anyway?" Joe asked the question that had been at the back of his mind for some time.

Dr. Krell handed Joe a paper. Joe looked at it, and saw it was a FAX, from Honeybone Flight Systems. It stated that Dr. Krell was to use whatever resources necessary to find the cause of the problem caused by the GPS equipment. It stated that more information would follow. That sheet, Joe realized, meant that Honeybone was concerned, not just for a few of their workers who got injured at work, but also about the legal, and maybe even medical ramifications of what happened last Thursday. It was as close to a blank check as ever existed at Honeybone.

Dr. Krell looked at his watch. It was almost one o'clock. The morning had gone past very quickly, and they were all hungry.

"I'm afraid I can't join you, Joe, but I think Mike or Karen are around, and they probably have missed lunch too," Dr. Krell said, smiling.

Joe got up, and walked to the door. He turned. "I'll see you this afternoon?" he asked.

"Oh, sure," Dr. Krell said. "I'll be here. I have to see how things are going with your friend Dave." He went down the hall, and entered one of the examination rooms.

Joe went out and asked the nurse where he could find Karen Simpson.

"I'm sure she's in the classroom," the nurse said. "Go down the hall, and I'm sure you'll find her."

Joe went walking down the hall in the direction the nurse pointed. When he came to an open door, he looked in, and found a small classroom. Karen was sitting in one of the chairs, in discussion with three other people. Joe recognized one as Laura, the tall transsexual he had talked to when he first entered the clinic. Karen saw him, and motioned for him to come in.

"Everyone, this is Joe Bates," Karen said. "He's here because of something that happened to him last week."

"Hi, Joe," Laura Dix said.

"Hello," Joe said. "Nice to meet you all."

"Karen, now you've got us interested," Laura said. "Joe, what happened to you that made it necessary to visit this place?"

"Well, I don't yet know what caused it," Joe explained simply, "but they tell me that I've changed genetically, and physically, into a female. That's it. I'm here to discover the extent of the changes, and maybe figure a way to become male again."

"What? You look like that, and you want to be a guy?" Laura asked. "I'd give almost anything to look half as good as you do."

"Yeah, but as we discussed earlier, I'm a guy, not a woman. I want a male body, just like you want to look female," Joe said, wondering if he really meant what he was saying.

"It's amazing, isn't it," Karen observed. "What we think we are, really has little to do with our appearance. The ultimate sex organ is the brain. What the BRAIN thinks we are, is what we consider ourselves to be, or should be."

"Enough of this deep thought," Joe interrupted. "Do you want to get a bite to eat?"

"Gosh, it is lunch time," Linda said. "Time passes so quickly here."

"Anyone else want to go?" Joe asked. "I think we can fit six in the Lincoln. I want to try to find Mike. Dave is with the doctors."

"I'll go with you," Laura said, getting up.

"Anybody else?" Dave asked.

The others declined, and Joe, Karen, and Laura left the room, to find Mike. Joe went to ask the nurse, when he saw him sitting in the waiting area. Joe walked over to him.

"Are you ready for something to eat, Mike?" Joe asked.

Mike looked up at Joe. He did not look very happy. Joe wondered what new information they had for his friend.

"Yeah, I guess I still have to eat," Mike said, not very enthusiastically. He got up, and followed them out the door.

It was an unusual crew who entered the little restaurant. Mike led them and the three "women" followed behind. They took a seat at a small square table. The waitress came over almost as soon as they sat down. They ordered, Joe trying to remember to order less than he felt he wanted. Mike ordered a steak and baked potato. No female portions for him.

Mike seemed uncomfortable sitting with his obviously female looking friends, even though he was now, at least biologically, a woman too.

"Mike, did they give you any satisfaction this morning?" Joe asked.

"Hell, I don't know. They looked at my crotch, at my chest, they showed me a picture of male parts, but they didn't really give me any help as to how I should live with myself," Mike said, looking very sad.

"Can I ask you a question?" Joe asked. He wanted to find if Mike was experiencing the same mental changes he was.

"Sure, ask away," Mike said.

"The other day, when we first discovered we all had this problem," Joe questioned, "I still felt, inside at least, like I was still a male. It just seemed like somebody had messed with my body and changed its appearance. But now, since yesterday at least, I've been experiencing other changes, changes in my head, I guess, strange feelings. I guess I'm beginning to accept this body. Hell, I think I'm even starting to like looking like this. I was wondering, are you starting to feel like that, too?"

"Joe, look at yourself," Mike said. "You look like a woman. You're attractive, and even the other day it even seemed like you enjoyed what happened to you. I can't possibly feel the same way. What I want, or how I feel... It makes no difference. I can't please a woman anymore, and whether I want to or not makes little difference. Even if I accept that I'm female now, I couldn't expect a man to want me, not the way I look. I'm caught in the middle, and there's no way out." He sounded desperate.

"Maybe you need therapy to deal with your problem," Karen said. "After you find out how you want to go... what your options are... Then, maybe, Dr. Krell can help you. If you want to remain a male, I think they can help you with surgery. I've known a few patients who have come to him with female bodies, and with hormones, and surgery to create an artificial phallus, they are very convincing as men. With you, you hardly need the hormone therapy."

"Yeah, yeah, we went through that already," Mike said. "Dr. Krell said that since I had been a male, and have... err... had a functional penis, I wouldn't be happy with anything he could create. Right now though, I'd give anything to get my cock back. I can't spend the rest of my life with a cunt."

"If that's how you feel, I'm sure he can help," Laura chimed in. "Dr. Krell is the best. I've checked them all out, and he's the best."

"I hope you're right," Mike said. "I just want to get on with my life. I don't see how I can do that, looking like this."

The waitress came, bringing out their orders. Joe was getting hungry, and the small portion of grilled chicken breast looked good, but hardly enough to satisfy him. They all got down to the serious business of eating.

"Karen, what can we expect from this hygiene class Dr. Krell told me about for tomorrow?" Joe asked. "I think an assistant named Susan teaches it?"

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that," Karen said. "He started that just after my surgery. In fact, I probably helped it to come about. Before, reassignment patients had a hodgepodge of information to get, and to remember. I guess it all got accomplished, but in my case, for example, I developed an infection just because I didn't know any better, and I was a registered nurse, even then."

"What's it all about?" Joe asked again.

"As I'm sure you realize, there are some physical differences between males and females," Karen said. "Women's bodies are more complicated, and in some ways, more delicate. Just wiping your butt the wrong way can cause a vaginal infection, as I found out soon after my surgery. You have breasts now, and she'll show you how to examine them correctly. She'll answer any other questions you have, or might have, after watching the films. I think you'll find the whole thing interesting."

"I see. It's sort of an owner's manual class," Joe said.

"I suppose that's a good description it," Karen said, grinning.

"How about Susan?" Mike asked. "Is she a real woman, or one of Dr. Krell's modifications?" There was a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

Karen looked straight at him, but kept smiling. "Susan Stevens is a real woman," she said. "She's married, has two kids, and is a caring wife and mother, as well as a dedicated therapist."

"I'm sorry, Karen," Mike said. "I didn't mean anything by it. I guess I just have a short fuse."

"Forget it," Karen said. "I understand that you're under a lot of stress. I would be too."

With that they finished eating, and when the waitress brought the check, Joe took it and paid it. Honeybone would pay this bill.

Joe drove them back to the clinic. When they went inside, Dave was sitting in the waiting room. Joe sat down next to his friend. Mike sat next to Joe, but Karen and Laura went on in, to resume their conversation in the little classroom.

Joe looked at Dave.

"How's it going, pal?" he asked. "Did you get anything to eat yet?"

"It's going okay, I guess," Dave said, smiling weakly. "No, I haven't had anything to eat, but I'm not hungry anyway."

"Did Dr. Krell say what else we had this afternoon?" Joe asked.

"Just some paperwork," Dave said. "Joe, I don't know what to do about that."

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

"Joe, Dr. Krell said I could fill out paperwork to change my legal status to female," Dave said, "but I can't do that and remain married to Cindy. I realize I'm not a man anymore, but I don't want to leave Cindy and the kids."

"Did he say that you had to?" Joe asked.

"He said I couldn't stay married to a woman, if I changed my legal sex," Dave lamented. "State law won't allow same sex marriages in Arizona, and that's what we would have if I sign the papers."

"What about California?" Joe asked. He thought he had once read about homosexuals getting married in California.

"I don't know," Dave said. "I never thought about moving."

"If you got a divorce, based on your situation," Joe said, "and then you and Cindy remarried in California, why couldn't you continue to live where you do now? If there is a residence requirement, or something, I think Honeybone will help with that." Joe considered the possibilities.

"Maybe that's it," Dave said. He seemed relieved.

"How are you feeling?" Joe asked. "Was the physical easier today?"

"Yeah, it was, a little. Strange, isn't it, how the new parts feel so much like the old ones?" Dave said, looking at Joe as he said it.

"Same thing I noticed," Joe said. "Sometimes, it seems like I could just reach down and find that my penis is there again."

"It isn't though," Mike said. "We're stuck with these cunts, no matter what they feel like."

Dr. Krell's administrative assistant called out to them. "Can you come in now?" she asked. "We can have you completed in about an hour, if you have everything you need." They followed the woman into a small room, where there was a table and chairs. "Please wait here," the assistant said.

Joe, Dave and Mike sat at the little table, waiting to complete the paperwork that would make them females in the eyes of the law.