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Dear Auntie Helga, Me and my mate were a rotten pair of lads always getting up to mischief, doing all the stuff that 12 year olds boys can do and more. I was always in trouble at school and around the town, but one time we got our just deserts, we would never forget. We had gone to the swimming pool with our class from school, my mate and I hatched a trick to have a go at the girls in our class, we didn't much like them as they on many occasions had told on us for some of the tricks we had pulled. The plan was to give the girls a good splash with cold water, let me explain, when you had changed and you made your way out to the pool you had to walk down a corridor round a corner then walk through a shallow foot wash of water and disinfectant, there was no way round you had to walk through it. It was always cold and smelly. We got changed into our speedo's and very quickly went out to the pool and waited at the exit from the girls changing area, we listened for the girls approach to the foot wash where they collected to come through together at that point we ran in and kicked the cold foot wash all over the girls, the screams could be heard streets away the girls at the back were pushing forward to see what was happening while the girls at the front got a soaking from us BUT with all the screaming the swimming teacher Mrs Lind was soon there to see us two run to the pool and jump in, we were not quick enough and were soon hauled out to face the music. She was fuming with us One, we had kicked cold disinfected water all over the girls, Two, it could have given them very sore eyes and Three, we had in effect entered the ladies changing area which made her very angry, we said it was only the foot bath, but that made no difference to her, we had crossed the line. She was not allowed to cane us and the teacher who had come with us was only a student who also couldn't cane either, there was a chance we would get away with it, our head was against caning and encouraged the teachers to find other ways of discipline and Mrs Lind knew that. She sat and stared at us for a while when a wry smile started to cross her face, she stood up and marched us out of her office past the pool where the lesson had just started and took us into the staff room she instructed one her staff to go to the changing rooms and collect something she had whispered in her ear, the girl laughed and quickly left and returned in a minute or less. Mrs Lind then said seeing as how we had entered the Ladies changing area we had obviously wanted to change into ladies, we looked at each other and back to her in disbelief and we were just about to protest when she stopped us in our tracks, her assistant handed her two ladies swimming costumes a pink one and a turquoise one, Mrs Lind handed the two to us saying to put them on over our speedo's. I said what if I wont, she made a move for the phone and said she would call the Police and they would do something about our actions. I know now it was a bluff but at the time I was scarred she would then I would be in big trouble, I took the turquoise swimming costume and stepped into it pulling it up my legs and then up my body, putting the my arms through the shoulder straps, she turned me round and pulled up the zip (this was 1962) it was then that I noticed I had cone shaped breasts I tried to flatten them to my chest but they just popped out again the whole costume was tight which made my waist look small, but having swimming trunks on underneath made my hips look a little bigger, I had a girlish figure. She then pulled onto my head one of those thick rubber swimming hats with white and yellow rubber daisy's all over it (another style from the early 60s) the rubber strap went under my chin and press studded onto the other side, it made my face look very small and girl like, my mate got exactly the same treatment, him wearing the pink costume and a pink rubber hat, the costumes and swimming hats had all come from the lost and found box in the ladies changing area, the final touch was a smearing over our lips of a very waxy bright red lipstick, we just looked at each other and grimaced, as she said "there, you are both little ladies now" We were taken out to the pool side where our appearance brought more screams, but of laughter this time, I was all for jumping in the pool and try and hide myself but our swimming teacher kept a firm grip on our hands and proceeded to walk us slowly around the main pool where all our class were, you can imagine the taunts we got, then she walked us through to the little learning pool where she announced to the mother and babies class who we were and what we had done I was beetroot red, she then walked us round the main pool again, answering questions from people enquiring from the gallery, again she did not spare our blushes and told the story again for every one to hear with lots of support from the people who heard, especially from the women. At the end of the lesson when all the other kids where getting out she told us to get into the pool she made us stay there for a couple of minutes then told us to go and get changed then report back to her before returning to school with our costumes and hats. When we got in the changing room, not only where our class there but another class from another school, getting changed ready for their lesson, you can imagine the fun they had then, we were flicked with towels from one end of the changing room to the other (we did not dare go in the shower ) but got changed as quick as we could. The waxy lipstick wouldn't come all off, we looked a bit of a mess, and getting into more of a mess. We reported back to the office where our student teacher and Mrs Lind where, we tried to look very ashamed, we made to hand back to Mrs Lind the costumes and hats, she told us to unroll our towels and put the costumes and hats in and roll up the towels again, she then told us to take them home to be washed and brought back by our Mothers. She said if our Mothers and us had not returned the laundered costumes in three days she would report them stolen to our school or even the police. What could we do but take them home and own up to our Mothers? My Mother dragged me back to the pool two days later on Friday afternoon to return the costume and hear the full story from Mrs Lind. At the end of the explanation of the full event, my Mother was furious about the shame I had put her through and the bullying of the girls, then she turned back to Mrs Lind and said "do you want the costume back", she said "no", then my Mother asked did she have a dress in the lost and found box ( I was an only boy) that she did not want, she said she would go and have a look, mean while I was told to strip down to my socks and put the costume on, she zipped it up, it was like wearing a corset with breasts and I then put my shoes back on, then I had to put the rubber hat with the daisy's on. I felt like crying but I did not want to anger my Mother any more, then Mrs Lind came back with a frilly looking summer dress left by some girl who had been at a birthday party swim, I was put into it and it fitted and I stayed in it all weekend. My Mother found this form of discipline to be so effective I soon changed my ways. This did not stop her employing petticoating again, and the very threat kept me in line. Jeanette Thank you for your letter Jeanette. What a horrible thing to do to those poor girls, you two got just what you deserved. You're a better person now for undergoing a proper punishment as your respectful tone illustrates, your mother is to be commended for continuing your treatment. Auntie Helga |