Chapter 7: Meet the Press

Monday morning, time to return to normal school life and normal school clothes ... and normal school crises.

This morning started off with the swim teams in the pool, along with Barbara, who was still taking remedial swim lessons. Over the past weekend she had been dubbed Team Mascot. After spending much of the weekend in the pool at Sunny Acres, she had become much improved, however her swimming skills were still marginal at best.

In the office of Principal Hayworth, things were not going so well. Across from his desk sat Ellen Farnsworth, reporter for the local paper, and Diane York.

"I understand you think you've got the story, but you haven't got the whole truth," the Principal was saying, struggling to control his temper, "just innuendo. Gossip."

"And that's why I'm here, sir. I don't imagine you'd like me to print what I do have." As if the paper's legal adviser would let her story go to press — all she had so far were the wild unsubstantiated rumours of hormone-addled teens. "We want a comment from you."

"Well, let's start by giving you this," Diane suggested. "This" was the handout given to every student last Tuesday, with explanations as to what the Naturist lifestyle was all about, prepared with the help of Marcia and much Internet searching. Diane explained the situation vis-a-vis the upcoming swimming competition.

"So you're trying to make instant nudists out of the kids? Isn't that a little, er, extreme?"

"I don't think so. And neither do they. The morning workout session is almost over, why don't we drop by and you can talk to them?"

Allowing the press unfettered official access to his students seemed not only foolhardy to Principal Hayworth, but positively suicidal. His heart seemed to skip a few beats.

"That would be lovely. How about right now?"

"Excellent. That way you'll know we aren't hiding anything!" The ladies giggled at Diane's unintended pun, and marched smartly out of Principal Hayworth's office. Principal Hayworth phoned the pool to warn them, and then searched his desk for heartburn tablets.

At the pool, Eileen let them in as unobtrusively as possible, using the door to block her nudity. Ellen was taken aback by the sight of a woman not too far off her own age being in that state of undress. Eileen put her finger to her lips in a "shushing" motion, motioned for them to take their street shoes off, and quietly led them in.

Ellen found herself quite disoriented. It seemed like just another group of young kids practicing for a swim competition, except for the nudity. Everyone was nude — the instructors, the swimmers, even the audience. She didn't know where to look, nor did she know how to react.

Diane was watching her fear and confusion play over Ellen's face. "The feelings you have right now are the feelings these swimmers would have had at Gymnos if we hadn't put them through this. Now they've had a chance to get used to it, and they've found it's no big deal. They can handle it now."

"So, there's no ... er..."

"Sex? I imagine some of them are having randy thoughts from time to time, but frankly that goes with being human, not with being nude. They now know — not just intellectually, but from experience — that anything they were able to do dressed, they can now do nude. They aren't doing anything different here than other swim clubs at other schools throughout the city. The only difference is, they're not wearing anything."

Diane looked at her. "That's your story. Nothing scandalous, in fact something wonderful. Their confidence levels are rising, and I think they stand a very good chance of winning on Monday."

With that, Anne finished staring at her board. "You have me in checkmate in 10. Congratulations." And with that, she laid her king down and ceded the game.

Rachel stared in amazement. "That's the first game I've won against you."

"See? I told you that you were smarter than you think. You've gotten much better. Want some help on your science homework now?"

"From the top science nerd in the county? You bet!"

Diane looked at the pair and back at Ellen. "Those two wouldn't have even spoken together before. One's a quiet bookish type, the other's into the punk scene."

Then Diane made an offer Ellen could refuse: "Come to the swim meet on Monday. You'd have to be dressed like this, but the people there don't bite." She grinned. "I know, I've met many this past weekend."

Ellen protested, "No, I couldn't possibly go."

"Think about it," Diane said. "Come here tomorrow at 7:30, stick around, talk to the kids, wear what they're wearing. You'll find it enlightening."

That night, Linda and Marcia came over to Rebecca's for a sleepover and study session. Of course being teens, a great deal of the studying was about the boys.

"Mom, who was that woman you showed up with today?"

"A reporter, dear, doing a story on the swim clubs."