Chapter 24

I followed Mrs. Devers out the main school doors and down the steps into the early afternoon sun, trailed by a line of Very Important People. We were lined up in the order we were going to speak, Mrs. Devers to welcome our guests and do introductions, then me, then the President of the Student Council (none other than Matt Mozilla), the high school Principal, the Superintendent of Schools, the President of the School Board and the Mayor. Bringing up the rear was our congressman, who was up for reelection -- read into my choice of words or his position in line what you will.

They, of course, were all in their best business formal attire -- jackets and ties, Mrs. Devers in her finest blouse and pants suit. I was representing the Naked in School Program, so you can safely assume how I was dressed -- or, rather, not dressed. The studs in my recently pierced ears didn't come close to covering even my lobes, let alone the interesting bits further south.

As choreographed, cool grass under my bare feet, we filed along a line of folding chairs facing the overflow audience of students, faculty, staff, parents and towns-people -- and TV cameras! -- on the school's front lawn. We were greeted with polite applause, mixed with some murmurs at the sight of me. If anyone was there to see a naked girl it was easy enough. I'm tall, so I already stand out, and since my Brazilian wax job hadn't even started to grow out I had no secrets.

None.

To one side, on a granite pedestal set up on some steps, on which students were certain to congregate, was the shrouded form of the statue soon to be unveiled.

You'd think I'd be used to being naked in public by now, but for some reason I felt like I was in that old "naked in school" nightmare. And to top it off, I was about give a speech, only I had no idea what I was going to say.

SHeeiitt! Talk about cold sweat. Only I could cram the two most common school nightmares -- naked in school and unprepared for class -- into one real live occasion.

Then, when I turned to face the throng to take my seat, there, in the front row along with Mom, Elaine and dignitaries' entourages, is my brother Carl, next to his GF Beth, and next to her is their very good bud Stephanie, who was clinging lovingly to her girlfriend Kathy's arm! Where had they come from?

I went down like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Fortunately the chair was under me.

Mom and Elaine, of course, I'd expected. But Carl was supposed to be at Stanford and Beth at Harvard! And Steph was supposed to be in Philadelphia at the Curtis Institute!

That I didn't pee right then and there with the whole world watching was some kind of a miracle.

You will be relieved to know I kept my knees together, quickly tilting my long legs at a modest and ladylike angle, managing to sit up straight. It was as much to avoid panic-induced urination as to preserve what little modesty I had. Desperate for any distraction, I wondered how they had sneaked into town under my nose, Carl from Palo Alto and Beth all the way from Boston.

More to the point, they had to have come in yesterday. Beth looked entirely too fresh to have endured a red-eye from Boston, and both looked very smug. Where had Mom hidden away my favorite older brother and his wonderful squeeze? And Kathy hadn't let slip that Stephanie was going to be here either! Those sneaks!!

It was the greatest birthday surprise ever!

Then it occurred to me -- I had made it ridiculously easy for them. I'd gone to Heather's for a strategy session and some pillow talk after school yesterday, instead of going home, so they'd had virtually all day to perform their magic. I bet Carl and Beth hadn't even needed to slip out of our house before I got home this morning. Those two fuck bunnies had simply spent last night at Beth's house, in her bed, making up for lost time.

Now here they were, with all these other people, to see me give the leadoff speech at the dedication of The Spirit of Central High statue.

Once I figured out what I was going to say, that is.

Which I'd better do right quick.

Talk about an adrenalin overdose!

Oh, and do not try this at home. I'm a trained professional screwball on a closed course.

My mind was racing like a squirrel in a cage while Mrs. Devers welcomed the spectators and various dignitaries. I bet if she knew I was about to give a speech I didn't have she would have peed in her pants.

Which would be more embarrassing, I wondered -- wetting one's pants or peeing in the nude, the golden flow sparkling in the sun for all to see.

Desperately I dragged my thoughts back to what I could say. Devers had given me suggestions, of course, most strongly about what NOT to say -- that is, anything that might in any way rake up memories of our recently departed, unlamented and perverted Program Supervisor, AKA the Worm.

Others had chimed in with their own suggestions. The Chairman of the Board of Education had even taken the trouble to write a speech for me. He must have flunked public speaking, if he'd ever taken the class. It was so awful I'd thrown it away, figuring anything I came up with had to be better. Now I wished I hadn't. At least it would have given me something to say.

I'd had lots of ideas of my own. Trouble was I hadn't found the time to write them down.

Shit!

Then I realized Mrs. Devers had introduced me and I was cleared for take-off. At least I'd had sense enough to put a towel down in advance so I wasn't peeling my ass off the folding chair like a Post It.

There wasn't even a podium for me to hide behind, just a microphone on a pole. I took a moment to raise the mike to my altitude. The flexible stalk that held it made a metallic fart that rattled the speakers. My perverse brain couldn't help thinking that using the mike as a dildo would produce some really interesting noises.

After titters and polite applause the crowd waited breathlessly. I saw Mrs. Devers break out in a sweat when she saw I didn't even have a three-by-five card to speak from, or hide behind.

Naked and unashamed, I prayed for The Stick to some up with something inspiring.

Her only advice was to stand tall, take my time, and start simple!

Gee thanks! I cleared my throat nervously.

"Good afternoon." My voice echoed back at me from the building, consonants popping, so I backed away from the microphone.

That's simple enough. Now what?

From The Stick, only silence. Oh well, I guess I'd better introduce myself and go from there.

"As Mrs. Devers said, my name is Diane Walker, and, as chair of the Naked in School Student Advisory Committee I'm honored to welcome you here on behalf of the Naked in School Program of Central High. I particularly want to express my thanks to Mrs. Devers for inviting me to speak on behalf of the Naked in School Program, which was recently expanded to include faculty and staff. I also want to thank all those who have preceded us in the Program, one of whom was my brother, who I'm overjoyed to see here today, even if he does have clothes on while I don't."

Titters from the audience.

Stop babbling, The Stick scolded.

"Oh, and if any of you care to join me, please feel free to strip. I'd welcome the company."

That got a chuckle from the sympathetic crowd, but no one got up and started to undress. Carl's grin and nod made my titties pucker and warmed me right to my toes! I spread my arms to indicate myself, the sun and the air playing their usual naughty games with the parts of me they didn't always get to toy with. My tits welcomed the attention, as did my pussy and my ass. I savored the attention of the crowd, too, their looks confirming what The Stick kept telling me; that I am Tall, I am Beautiful, I am Sexy.

Now all I had to do was sound intelligent.

Oh well, three outta four ain't bad.

"This is what being naked in school is all about," I began. "What I mean to say is, it is not about sex -- well, not JUST about sex. What teenager won't explore and experiment with sex? Getting us naked only makes it easier."

Laughter.

I drew a deep breath and mentally shuffled some of the ideas about The Program that I'd been toying with.

"More important, it gives us the opportunity to learn about the differences between the sexes, in the raw, as it should be, without evasions, without beating about the bush, so to speak."

Another laugh from the audience, even a smattering of applause.

"Pun not intended," I added, blushing furiously when I realized how that had sounded, triggering a bigger laugh.

I told myself it was time to get serious.

"Truly, The Naked in School Program is not just about sex. As I've learned from my own time in the Program, being naked strips us of all pretense, reduces each of us to a common denominator, levels the playing field. When we're naked there's no way to tell who is rich or who is poor, who belongs to this clique or that gang -- although with boys I guess some religious affiliations might be inferred."

I blushed again with the chuckles, and hurried on.

"Stripping away all that textile, that facade, reveals us as we are, as God made us. Can I say 'God' here?" I asked Mrs. Devers.

Reassured by her nod and nervous smile I plunged on into the unknown, still not sure where I was going with this.

"Be it fat, thin, tall, short, black, white, red, brown or yellow, able or disabled, gay, straight or simply confused, stripped down to our skin we can see that we all have the same parts.

"What I mean is that girls have the girl parts and boys have the boy parts."

Snickers.

"Usually."

Chuckles.

"I have heard it sometimes gets a little mixed up, but haven't seen that for myself yet."

That brought a full laugh! I was starting to feel like I was a stand-up comic. Not what I intended!

"Anyway, this is the way we come into the world. It is us, and there is nothing shameful or lewd about it."

I turned around slowly, modeling my skin for them before reaching for the microphone stand to steady myself.

"Being naked in school reveals us for what we are -- human -- nothing more and nothing less. Oh sure, some are prettier than others, and until we get used to it I guess we all think we look kinda funny naked. But once we get past that we're forced look deeper and discover that true beauty comes from within, that it truly shows in the way we treat each other.

"I admit, those who've not yet been naked in school sometimes try to take advantage of Program participants, to make fun of us. But once they find themselves in The Program, exposed to others, well, for them it is a humbling experience, a powerful reality check.

"After a week of walking the halls and going to class like this we get used to being naked. By the end of the week we no longer feel that we're a curiosity. By then we've come to accept ourselves and others as we are, and those not naked come to accept us as we are."

I was on a roll and sucked in some air, building for the big finish, whatever that was going to be.

"No one comes out of the Naked in School Program unchanged, not even those who, for whatever reason, do not participate, since they see those of us who do take part as we really are.

"With the Naked in School Program there are no secrets. We are all changed. I like to think that we are all better for the experience, but I'm not going to speak for others. I'll leave them to speak for themselves."

I drew another deep breath, wondering where the hell to go from here, and found myself asking that question out loud.

"So, why am I standing here in my birthday suit, talking to you about the Naked in School Program? Isn't this supposed to be the unveiling of The Spirit of Central High statue?"

Suddenly, like I'd been struck by lightning, I knew where I was going, and heaved a mental sigh of relief. I didn't realize until that moment that I'd started softly, even timidly, but bit by bit I'd gotten more confident, a little louder and stronger, and now I knew exactly what I wanted to say.

Something about me must have changed. Mrs. Devers looked relieved, which was nothing compared to what I was feeling; the end was suddenly in sight. I was tingling all over.

Don't rush! The Stick cautioned. Speak slowly and clearly!

"I'm standing here because if it were not for the Naked in School Program, this statue would not even exist," I explained emphatically. If I'd had a podium I would have pounded on it.

Pause! Timing is everything, The Stick reminded me.

I thought about how I'd learned to wait after leaving the end of the diving board until it was just the right time, the time to seize the moment, to execute the dive itself, the time to pike or tuck or twist.

I was in the air. There wasn't a sound from the audience. They were waiting, for me!

Softly now, The Stick cautioned. You've got 'em right where you want them. Make them really LISTEN.

"Because," I began softly and seriously, cuddling up to the microphone, "this statue is a symbol, an example of what The Naked in School Program does for Central High, does for all of us, students, faculty, administration, parents, families and siblings, even the community."

A little louder now, The Stick urged.

I drew back a bit from the mike. "The young lady who modeled for this statue is here today. As a junior she was a pioneering participant in the Naked in School Program's first year. She is, by nature, quiet and modest. Before she entered The Program most of her peers thought of her as a bit of a nerd, and she'll admit she was, and probably still is.

"But being naked in school stripped away that facade to reveal her true beauty and the strength within her, reveal it to herself and to us all."

I saw Beth blush prettily. It wasn't physical modesty on her part, she's just not one who likes a lot of attention, even though she is now a self-confessed exhibitionist. Right now, wearing a modest blouse and a demure knee-length pleated skirt, she looked what I supposed was the perfect example of an Ivy League undergrad at an occasion like this.

Though I was willing to bet she didn't have a stitch on under them.

"During her week in The Program, among many other things, she modeled nude for her art class. One of the students in that class, Henry Carver, a senior at the time, conceived this beautiful and inspirational work of art." I gestured at the shrouded statue. "Since graduating Henry has earned an impressive reputation as a local artist and art teacher -- when he's not off studying and making his mark in Paris, or Chicago, or New York, that is."

Now a conversational tone, The Stick prompted.

"Incidentally, those of you who do not know him might be surprised to learn that Henry Carver is blind, has been since birth."

The silence resulting from that remark was followed by some murmurs and whispers. I saw Henry, seated off to one side, tilt his head, nodding, smiling his lop-sided smile, his opaque dark glasses catching the sunlight, his hand lightly on the harness worn by his guide dog Aphrodite as she lay beside his chair. She yawned and panted, her pink tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth.

"If you're wondering how he does it, Henry 'sees' with his hands -- his sense of touch. That is why sculpture is Henry's medium. What his hand's 'see' -- inside and out -- they sculpt, though he also uses his other senses -- hearing, smell, even taste as he studies his subject.

"I leave the creative process, and what it means for his models, to your imaginations. I'll just say that I've been there, done that, and I can tell you it is an awesome experience."

I looked up at the statue on its granite pedestal. I'd seen the original clay model, so I knew what was under the sheet. It was Beth, of course, her likeness, as Henry saw her, cast in bronze, life-sized, nude, stretching up on tiptoe, reaching up, seeming almost to touch the sky.

Gosh it was beautiful -- she was beautiful, is beautiful!

"My point is, this statue, Henry's work, shows the power of the human spirit to overcome any obstacle. When you see this statue you'll know that, while he may be blind, Henry's 'vision' knows no limits, that 'handicapped' is not a word that applies to him, that he sees deeper, with more sensitivity, than most sighted artists."

Louder now The Stick urged.

"Overcoming her shyness and modesty, the student who posed for this statue embraced the Naked in School Program boldly, with grace and courage that still inspires all of us, within the program and without."

Big breath! The Stick said.

"When you see Henry's creation, The Spirit of Central High, know this!"

Louder yet! The Stick urged. You're Carl blowing "charge" on his trombone. Better yet, a whole brass band!

I sucked in a breath like I was about to swim fifty meters under water, and took a step back from the microphone rather than risk blasting it.

"Nothing could possibly represent The Spirit of Central High better than this statue, better than the artist who created it does, better than the model who posed for it does."

Don't shout. Bring it from the gut! The Stick commanded. Open your throat and let it roar!

"Know that this statue embodies the spirit that The Naked in School Program inspires in us all, not just us students, not just the administration, the faculty and staff of the school, but in the whole community. It is a spirit that should not, cannot, will not be denied!"

Even before I finished speaking half the audience was on their feet applauding and I'd had to work to be heard over them.

I didn't need The Stick to tell me I'd just ripped the entry of a really fine speech.

"Thank you."

Stepping down to a standing ovation I went straight to Carl and wrapped myself around him, tears and the tension flowing out of me as he held me close, the applause washing over me. Mom was patting me, so I turned to her and welcomed her hug as well, then Elaine's, Stephanie's and Kathy's, Greg's longest and strongest of all, and then someone made room for me among my family and friends so I could collapse into a seat, clutching at Greg's hand, pressing his arm against my left breast, receiving congratulatory pats from Greg's parents behind me, from the Finch family and others nearby, vaguely aware of the next speaker, Matt Mozilla as student council prez, mumbling something about having a hard act to follow, even as he smiled at me.

Well, I thought triumphantly, grinning back at him, that's what they get for letting me go first.

It was the big people's turn now, and I was glad to sit with my family and friends, listening with half an ear to the other speakers doing their thing while wondering where that had all come from, and what was yet to come today.

I knew there was going to be a party. For a change Mom had admitted it, handing me a guest list because she wanted to ask me if there was anyone special I wanted on it. Of course there was and I made my additions, but as to the details of the party itself, Mom was about as informative as a politician at a press conference.

In preparation for the one thing that I knew would happen at the party I'd had to talk with my one very special guest, because she had an important assignment. That was where Friday afternoon and evening had gone. It had taken some convincing, with some outside assistance from Ms. Andrews, before Heather and her parents had finally agreed they should all come to the party. Then, at night, under the covers, I'd talked Heather into doing something at the party that I knew only she should do.

The speeches went on much too long, especially the congressman's campaign speech, but we finally got to the unveiling itself, with Henry pulling the shroud away to reveal Beth in all her naked glory. There were the expected ooos and aaahhs and applause, followed by mingling and congratulations. Mom and Elaine cut out right away, but we young folks had to wait while Beth posed for pictures -- naked of course -- beside her bronze likeness, until we finally dragged her away.

I was right, by the way. The only thing she'd had on was blouse, skirt, and shoes. She didn't bother to put them back on when we left.

But before I could make my escape, Mrs. Devers cornered me.

"Did you know what you were going to say when you got up there?"

I laughed nervously. "Didn't have a clue."

Frowning, she shook her head slowly. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Didn't I do okay?" I asked fearfully.

"You need to ask? You were great!" Her smile was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

I blushed. "Thanks."

"But I hope you know you fired a shot right across the bow of some people who'd just as soon see The Program sunk right where it is."

"Huh?"

"You'll see. Now get out of here and enjoy your birthday party."