Tales From Under the Maple Tree

Hi! My name is Robin and I am, well, I guess I'm many things.

First and foremost I am a romantic.

It seems romantics attract people who live on the edges of what most people would call 'normal' lives, however, normal is a relative word. I myself live what would be called a normal life with normal daily routines and activities.....the only thing that separates me from normal is that I was born a boy, but live as a girl.

As I was saying, I am a romantic and that seems to draw me to other romantics (especially those with similar or otherwise relatable tastes and ideas). Sometimes the stories keep me up all night re-living what it must have been like for them.

The following story was told to me by one of my new friends. Her name is Deborah and she is a normal girl, or well, she was born female. Everyone calls her Deb and she has been dating a girl (Mandy) who is the younger sister to a girl that I went to school with my senior year in high school. Here is her story.

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My name is Deb and I have been asked to relate a true tale. The events of which occurred last spring/summer.

It was the second of May and Mom and Dad were packing for Europe. Dad has a job in the oil industry that sometimes requires him to travel and he accepted a six month assignment in Scotland.

When Joey (my seven years younger brother) and I were small, mother never travelled with dad. With no other relative anywhere near the state where we live, mother didn't want me to have to leave the school I attended and disrupt my friendships and school activities.

Even when Joey was just five years old we all knew he was a little different and I think mother worried, so she was very protective of him.

Well, I have grown up and just finished college last year. I now work as an assistant buyer for a well known clothing store chain. Joey, he's 16 now, and just finished his sophomore year in high school.

Being the ages we are now, Mother said that she was not going to miss this opportunity to live in Europe for six months. She said it would be like an extended second honeymoon.

Of course I live on my own (with a roommate) and so that was not a concern for my parents. Joey is 16 and a well behaved young man, but dad said a 16 year old boy should not be left alone for a weekend, much less an entire six months. Besides, it's not legal anyways. Even if Joey maintained his good behavior, there were reasons why there were laws regarding parental or guardian responsibilities until a child is at least 18 and finished with high school.

Everyone agreed with dad, but no one gave any suggestions as to what should be done with Joey. I believed that mom and dad hoped I would take him in for the six months, but my girlf-, I mean my roommate and I have kept our sleeping arrangements private and I didn't think she would enjoy having a teenage boy living with us.

Okay, sorry, I'm so used to having to be careful about keeping secret the fact that I not only have a girlfriend, but that I'm also living with her, that I even did it with you.

The thing is, I didn't know I liked girls until my junior year of college and I haven't found the right time, or well, haven't gotten the courage yet, to tell mom and dad. I'm afraid they might not approve, so if they found out I was living with her too.... well, I'm afraid to go there.