Chapter 10

We were both up bright and early the next morning, and were getting our booths ready for the first day of the fair. Terry already had the fryer heating up and the menu board up showing what they were offering. Some people were already wandering around, seeing who was setting up what, and where. I noticed that the parking lot to Carl’s was all blocked off.

Just at the time the fair was to officially open I saw 4 pickups show up and pull into Carl’s. And he climbed out of one of them, directing the other drivers to unload the large picnic tables that were in the rear of each and set them up at the entrance to the parking lot. Then as they went to park the trucks in the back, he and Gloria set up tall traffic cones and use white plastic chains to separate off the new outside seating area. And erect a sign saying “For customers of Carl’s Diner Only”.

Clever! At least some people would be guaranteed to eat there if it meant they could eat sitting down. Once that was all set up Gloria came over and I introduced her to Mark and Terry, and she started going through what I was going to be selling. And following her advice I had a large selection of beads and janglies that would look good as hair ornaments. And of course the back wall had an example of crafts that myself and others had made and were selling.

Suddenly I had an inspiration, and asked Gloria if she was needed at work the next 2 days. She said she was at least needed for the lunch period today, but could probably get somebody to cover her the rest of the weekend.

“I can have one of the girls go to my home and grab my office chair. Then you can set up here and offer to do hair weaves and the rest, using whatever I have here that you think would work. That would help me sell more things, and you can make some money as well. What do you think?” She gave me a big hug, and said she would do it. Then she took off across the street almost at a run.

I handed my keys to one of the members of the Knitting Circle, and 2 of them went off to get the chair I said would be in the back office. I was also thinking about how different it was and my reaction when Gloria hugged me as Chris instead of as Bo. If Bo had gotten a hug like that, he would have popped a boner, and her head would have been against his chest. As Chris, my head was against her breasts but I felt no excitement, only pleasure that I was able to help a friend.

“What has the jig so happy?” I heard Mark say softly behind me. I turned and gave him a dirty look, and said softly “What did you just say?”

“I said ‘what has the jig so happy’. You would think you were giving away free chicken and watermelon, she was so excited.”

I suddenly felt absolutely sick to my stomach. “Mark, I’m only going to say this one time, and you listen and listen good. I’m closing off my stall from yours. You are to not step foot in my stall again. You are to loose my fucking phone number, and never fucking call me or stop by my store ever again. That ‘jig’ as you called her is my friend! She’s a sweet girl, and I made her an offer that made her happy. I never took you for a racist, and I’m now ashamed that I had anything to do with you. I can’t believe I let you fuck me, knowing what I know now. Get the fuck away from me now, you asshole.”

I then turned my back on him, and had all of the members of the Knitting Circle help me move the display cabinets, then move our tents as far apart as possible and still stay within the paint marks. I then asked one of my friends to help me erect one the tarps I had used to cover my tent at night put up as a barrier between our two stalls.

Fuck! 15 Minutes later it was done and the two girls were back with the chair and I went to the back and sat on the ground in the back of the tent. I laid my head in my arms and actually cried. Well, it looks like my luck as Chris was running par for the fucking course. I finally think I meet a great guy. One who owns his own business, is great in bed, and treats me like I’m a princess. And he’s a fucking racist.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and looked up to see Terry squatting beside me. “I’m sorry about that Chris. I’ve gotten used to that from him, and yes it is something that I also can’t stand. It’s actually kinda funny, as much as he accepts me for being gay he really has a stick up his ass about ‘white pride’.”

At that point I actually gave out a slightly hysterical laugh. “Oh my god, just my fucking luck!” I said, and Terry looked at me, slightly confused. I smiled at him and rested my hand on his arm. “Terry, interestingly enough, Mark knows my name. But we have never talked about religion. My last name is ‘Green’. Shortened when my great-grandfather moved here from Russia from ‘Greenbaum’. Just my luck I start to fall for a guy, and he’s a fucking Nazi!”

He gave me a hug, and told me he would make sure he never bothers me again. “And I think this and the other contracts we have are going to be the end of our relationship also. I’m not going to say a thing to him about what you just said, because I’m almost afraid of what he might do if he finds out you’re Jewish.” I thanked him and gave him a hug, and watched as he moved to the other side of the partition separating our tents.

By this time Gloria was walking up, and looked at the changes. No flies on this girl, she caught that the tents had been spread apart and the tarp put up right away. “Chris, what happened?”

I gave her a smile and rested my hand on her shoulder. “Let’s just say I found something out about my ex-asshole over there that makes me question my taste in men. Go ahead and get set up over there, we can talk about it later over a glass of wine if you like. Or something stronger.”

She smiled at me, and set out a stack of business cards and fliers and was soon doing a brisk business. By the end of the day I had sold out of most of the things I had brought for hair, and had a list of items I would need to pick up at the shop for tomorrow.

It was finally getting dark and the crowds were breaking up. Everybody helped me load up my car with the valuable things, and with Gloria sitting next to me I drove home. She helped me unload everything, then I had her sit in the living room as I made us a fast dinner of salad and chicken. Then with wine glasses in hand we ate as I told her what had happened earlier.

“Oh fuck Chris, I’m so sorry! I had no idea, and as mad as that makes me, I’m sorry that I was the cause of your breaking up with him.”

“Oh don’t trouble yourself Gloria,” I said, resting my hand on the back of hers. “It was doomed anyways. I’m half tempted to go up to him on the last day of the fair, just to tell him that the pussy he had been fucking the last few months was a Jewish pussy. And in doing so he had permanently polluted himself and his ‘pure white genes’. People like him should be forced to wear signs around their necks, informing the rest of us of what kind of people they really are.”

We spent the rest of the night talking, and laughing, and getting more than slightly plastered. It was just after 10 when Gloria gave me a hug and said she was heading home. I offered to drive her, and she said hell no.

“Girl, you’re in no shape to drive. And it’s only about a mile home. I’ll be fine, and see you tomorrow morning.” She gave me another hug and headed out into the night.

It only took me a few minutes to strip everything off, change to Bo, and get dressed and head outside. One good thing about changing, it eliminated all effects of intoxication. I could be absolutely plastered as Chris, but the moment I changed to Bo I was stone sober. And it worked in reverse also, a drunk Bo instantly because a sober Chris.

Gloria had only made it about three blocks when I grinned and dropped to the ground and started to walk faster to catch up to her. And her situational awareness had improved a lot, as I was about 50 yards away when she stopped under a street light and turned to put it against her back and turned to look towards the sound of my footsteps.

The look of anxiety on her face was quickly replaced by relief, then happiness. We walked quickly towards each other and shared a big hug and short but sweet kiss. “I heard the footsteps behind me, and I remembered what you said about what to do Bo.”

“And you did it perfectly baby. You got into a lit area, and made sure they knew you were aware of them. If I was a Pitbull and kept coming, what would you have done next?”

“Get out my cell phone, call Carl and tell him where I was. Then if they came right to me take their picture and send it to him. Then tell them who my Uncle was, and what he would do if anybody hurt me.”

I grinned, and gave her another kiss. “Perfect. And after that?”

“Send you the same thing, and wait for you to arrive and tear them limb from limb, of course.”

I laughed with her, and hand in hand I walked her the rest of the way home. She told me all about how her friend talked her into doing hair at the fair, and she had made over $600. “One of these days I have to introduce you to Chris. She’s just an incredibly awesome lady Bo! I just wish she had a better day than I did.”

I asked her what had happened, and it was interesting to hear her take on it. “Well, her boyfriend had set up a food booth next door, and it turns out that the cracker was a fucking Nazi. As in an honest to god ‘white pride’ shitheel! I feel so sorry for her, Chris was absolutely crushed. She had been fucking him for months, and had no idea. I just wish I could help her in some way.” And I actually saw a tear in her eye!

I comforted her, and it was obvious she was hurt by this as well, for her friend. We paused in an alley a few blocks from her house and did some really incredible kissing, her tongue reaching half way down my throat as my hands squeezed her bottom. But after far too short of a time we pulled our clothes back into position and I was walking her to her front door. Then after another kiss I headed off home again.

The next morning I loaded up all of the beads I had in inventory, as well as other things to replace what I had sold. And on an impulse I went upstairs and grabbed a framed sampler I had made when I was 12. And when I got there Gloria was waiting and we quickly got everything set up. And I took a sweater that was hanging in the center off of the back wall of the tent and hung up my sampler.

A little bit before noon Gloria had gone across the street to get us all lunch, and at that time Mark dared to show his face to me again on purpose. He came up to me and tried to apologize, and I just looked at him. “I’m really sorry Chris, but I’ll make sure I never say anything like that to you ever again.”

I moved slowly over to the back wall of the tent as I said “It does not matter Mark. I know who and what you are now, and nothing will ever change that. Or make me want anything to do with you ever again. I told you I want nothing to do with you ever again, and I meant it. There are things I can never overlook. And by the same token, I am positive there are things about me you can never overlook.”

I stood right next to the sampler. And after a few seconds I notice he looked at it, and lowered his eyebrows. Then looked at me again.

“Yes, that’s mine. I’m actually rather proud of that, it was the first needlepoint I had ever done. And it is probably the only thing I have left from when my old life ended. When my house burned down, this was hanging in my synagogue. I asked my Rabbi if I could have it back and of course he gave it to me without hesitation. I had made it for him to honor of his 10th year as our Rabbi, but he knew it was one of the few things in my life that had not been destroyed on the Night of Madness.

“So you see, there are many reasons why I never want to see you again. And I’m sure that you feel the same way, now that you know the truth. A truth I never bothered to hide, because I never thought it was important. But I honor everybody, including my friend Gloria. And her uncle Carl, and my great-grandfather Izaak Greenbaum.

“So get away from me, and never show your face to me ever again.”

He actually looked angry as he left. But that was OK, because my real friends all came up and hugged me, including Gloria when she returned and was told what had happened. And as they did, I looked fondly at my first sampler. A Star of David, above a menorah and at the bottom in Hebrew a quote from the Scriptures. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”

That night I drove home then stripped off my clothes and then changed as quick as I could and then got dressed. Gloria was still at Carl’s as I walked in, and I helped her finish her fried chicken dinner then walked her home. She asked when we could get together next, and I told her I hoped we could get together on Monday night. “I’m still coordinating some things with Dire, but let’s consider Kings and Queens on Monday. If that’s OK with you.”

She told me it was a date, and as I walked her home we had our arms around each other’s waist. Part way back I felt her hand grasp mine, then move it down to her ass. I looked over at her and grinned as I gave her a brief kiss, squeezing her bottom as I did. Soon I was dropping her off at home again, and she asked why I was not picking her up in my car.

“Well, it has been a nice night, and I wanted to spend more time with you. I actually kind of miss these evening walks with you.”

The next day was the last one of the fair. Right at 3 everything was shutting down and one of Gloria’s cousins showed up with a pick-up truck. We broke down the tent and it went into the truck with everything else I had there. I walked to the tent next door and gave Terry a big hug, telling him if he ever needed anything to feel free to contact me. He promised to do that and I kissed his cheek. Soon everything was back at the shop, and Gloria’s cousin said he would return the tent from the rental agency the next day for me. It was the same one they had rented the picnic tables from so it was not a problem at all.

They drove me back and after giving Gloria and all of her cousins and Carl a hug I headed home. 45 minutes later Bo walked up to Carl’s, and after a kiss we started walking to Gloria’s house. However, we only made it about 2 blocks. At that point I saw a large black car pull up at the next intersection, and the rear driver door opened. I stopped and watched as a white guy with brown-blonde hair looked at me, then pulled out a rifle!

“Gloria, DOWN!” I yelled, and shoved her behind me, shielding her body with mine. I crouched down, pulling her down behind me, giving the shooter as small of a target as possible. The rifle made a huge BOOM noise, and I felt shards from the brick wall next to me hit my face. I ignored it, and wiped the dust out of my eyes. Then I felt a bullet impact my chest and it half spun me around, and it hurt! But I ignored the pain and turned so my body was again facing the shooter and Gloria was behind my back. After 3 shots I suddenly felt a bullet hit my forehead, and I was thrown onto my back. The pain was extreme, and I heard Gloria screaming as everything went black.

I awoke in great pain. My head was a sphere of agony, and everything was fuzzy. I was laying on my back, and it took several seconds before I realized Gloria was leaning over me, and she was crying. And her face was filled with shock. I raised my hand, and realized it was my hand! Chris’ hand!

“Pocket, phone” I was able to finally say. She reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. She handed it to me and I could see nothing but a blur. “Gloria, press the big red button in the center, tell them it is a medical emergency. Tell them what happened and where we are.” That is all I got out as I felt consciousness leaving me again. I came aware again sometime later as I heard an ambulance screaming towards us.

After that it was a blur of sights and sounds as I drifted in and out of awareness. Paramedics fastening a collar around my head, and inserting an IV in my arm. My shirt cut off and disks attached to my breasts and chest as a black car showed up and then another as Control investigators started blocking off the area. Finally I was loaded onto a gurney as I saw a big box truck pull up and Di came out.

Gloria ran up to her and gave her a hug and they started talking. They were loading me into the back of the ambulance and Di ordered them to follow her. I blacked out again, and became aware as the gurney was being carried upstairs at Bohica’s apartment.

After that I was given a shot and everything went black.

Finally I woke up again, and Gloria called out and I realized she was holding my hand. I still had a killer headache, but could now see more clearly. I looked over, and she looked like hell. Then Di and Doug came into my field of view, and a guy in medical scrubs.

“OK, first of all, can you tell me your name?” the guy in scrubs said.

I gave a soft chuckle, and looked down my body. I was laying on Bo’s bed, under his blanket which was covered with a football team logo. I saw the stand with the IV next to me, and lifted the blanket enough to see I was wearing one of his T-shirts, which covered me to my knees. And by the discomfort rising from my groin, they had put in a catheter.

“Well, considering my body now, I would say I am Christina Green.”

After that came about 15 minutes of questions as he alternated looking into my eyes and checking my head. Finally he said I was out of immediate danger, but I did have a grade 3 concussion.

“Doctor, what in the fuck happened?” I asked. “I was shot as Bo, and he’s invulnerable.”

“Sorry, that is not entirely correct. Bohica’s skin is invulnerable, Bohica is not. In short, from what the initial investigation shows from fragments recovered, you were hit in the head with a .50 caliber armor piercing round. The invulnerability of your skin did indeed prevent any penetration, otherwise you would not even be alive.

“That kind of round hit you with around 4,000 foot pounds of pressure. That kind of round is designed to pierce over 1 inch of hardened steel armor. It did not penetrate your skin, but it still delivered all of that power into your brain. That was enough to give you a serious concussion. We have had you sedated for 3 days now until the worst of the brain swelling went down and you were out of immediate danger.”

I was stunned! I thought I could not be hurt, and now I realized that was a lie! “And obviously I blacked out, and changed back to Chris, right?” I said that, looking over at Gloria’s face and into her eyes.

“You shielded me with your body. I felt the bullets hit around us, then I felt you get hit. You fell on top of me, and were crushing me. Then suddenly I was no longer being crushed, and as the car pulled away I rolled out from under you and saw, well, you.” she said, her voice breaking slightly.

She was still holding my hand, and squeezed it tight. “But you saved my life Chris, you saved my life and almost died.”

“OK, I will give you all another five minutes, then I’m going to put my patient out again until tomorrow. She’s still shocky, and I want to see the swelling down a little more before she answers any more questions. So say your goodbyes, and I’ll bring her back out tomorrow morning.

Gloria gave me a hug, and said we would talk later. Di came and gave me a hug, and softly said “You did good hero. I will explain it to you tomorrow”.

Doug hugged me also, and right before I went back under I smiled at the doctor and asked his name.

“I am Doctor Carlson.”

“Thank you Doctor Carlson,” I said as everything went black again.

I felt much better the next time I woke up. Gloria was there, and looked like hell. “Hi there Gloria” I said, and she leaned forward and lightly kissed my cheek. Doctor Carlson asked me some more questions, and seemed happy when I said on a scale of 1 to 10 my pain was now a 3. “I kept you out for another two days. I want to do a few tests, then I will have the nurse bring you some food. You are on a liquid diet for the next 24 hours, then hopefully we can return you to solid food.”