RANSVESTIA

Fortunately Jimmy's condition was not serious. Just a few small cuts on his head and leg where the fender had barely touched him. As he became used to the doctor and the strange new place, he calmed down and answered the questions of the nurses, who tried to divert his attention away from the treating doctor.

Jimmy's mother arrived soon, pale as death and almost crying with fear. She took over and thanked me for having taken care of her boy. "You're one girl in a million," she said, making me blush. As I left the emergency room for the large lounge, filled with waiting people, it hit me again... like a meteor.

There I stood in the middle of the large busy waiting hall, in my housedress and stained apron, completely dressed as a girl with lots of people staring at me. I started to cry, and as I shook my head, I could feel my pigtails with the blue ribbons brush my cheeks. I must have looked the very picture of misery. But I just could not help myself. The emotion of seeing Jimmy seriously hurt and the horrible situation I was in ... also, the tears seemed to come much easier lately. All the people stared at me... and the whole neighborhood had seen me in skirts. I wished I were dead.

One of the policemen, an older Irishman, came to me and put his arms around me. "Come on pretty lassie, you ain't got no reason to cry. The little one will be alright."

I recoiled at first, then practically collapsed in his arms, crying on his shoulder like a real girl. The realization made me cry even more. "It's all right Christine ... everything is all right ... don't you worry about a thing. A pretty girl like you should smile, not cry. Come on... give me a wee bit of a smile."

Again I could not help myself as I responded the way he wished and frantically started to dry my eyes with that ridiculous small hanky three square inches of white cloth that one could not even blow his nose in.

"There hat's better now, lasie. You were very alert and caring. A girl like you has three gold stars in my book. Do you mind telling what exactly happened, so I can make my report?"

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