Saturday afternoon my brother and his granddaughter came by to visit. It has been over a year since I have seen them because of COVID.
A little background on my great niece. Her mother got pregnant young and then got into drug problems soon after. My wife and I took her daughter in to raise for years until her mother got cleaned-up and made a life for them. Jeri, my great niece, is now 18 years old.
Back to Saturday.
When they drove up, I first thought my brother was with some young guy, then I realized it was Jeri. She came and gave me a big hug and told me how much she missed me. She had her hair cut very short and in a man's style and had men's clothing on. I knew she had changed dramatically.
We went inside and talked about how the last year had gone crazy and caught up on the families. After a while, I excused myself and left my brother, Jeri and my wife to chat as I had a chest I needed to finish and get stained this weekend.
Jeri walked into my shop, looked at me, and asked, "Uncle Mike, would it bother you if I am wanting to be a transgender?"
I looked her in the eyes and told her, "Jeri, I love you, so all that matters to me is you are safe, smart and happy."
"I might need a place to stay because mom, hates my new lifestyle and is threatening to kick me out."
I knew she was into coz play, and I knew she never had a real father. Her mom, my niece, was always with some new guy and Jeri was becoming a nuisance. I figured if this was the worst, then I could live with it. It was more than likely a fad she needed to get through. Maybe.
"I have the travel trailer you can come and live in for as long as you need. But I use it every other month to go on a golfing trip for a week and go camping in it also. You can sleep in the house when I am gone with it."
"What made you decide you are a transgender?" I asked.
"When I was in coz chats, I talked to a lot of different people like me that have a single mom who was more interested in men than raising a child."
"One day a few of my female chat friends and I got to chatting and transgender life came up, and I decided that I wanted to be both worlds."
I thought about what she said for a minute, pretending I was working, and asked, "So, you want to be a guy?"
"I don't know for sure; I know it seems guys have it better, and my friends think so also."
"Jeri, I love you, and have always helped you when you needed it. I will not lie, it has caused me problems with your Aunt Lucy, but screw her. I love you and will support you, but I can promise being a male don't have the same advantages as being a female. Females can manipulate better than men. But all in all, I think both have strengths the other doesn't have so it becomes a wash."
"Men think women have it better so who really knows?"
About that time my brother came back to my shop and the subject changed immediately. He told Jeri they had to leave because he had to pick up her mom.
Three weeks later.
I am finishing the final clear coat on a desk I am building and my phone rings.
"Hello, this is Mike,"
Jeri is crying, "Can you come please get me? I need a place to stay."
"On my way, are you at home?"
"No, I am at a friend's, I will text you her address,"
"Okay, hang tight. Be there in about 45 minutes." I tell her.
I shower quickly, get in my truck and go to the address she sent me.
As I get out my truck Jeri comes out, hugs me, and starts crying again.
I don't know what to say so I say nothing. I open the passenger door, take her bag and let her get in and shut the door. I throw her bag in the back seat and take off toward the levee road.
"Where are we going?" Jeri asked.
"I picked up some lunch and we are going to the levee and take a break from the world, if you don't' mind."
"I love it, thanks Uncle Mike."
"Please, just call me Mike," I tell her.
We got lucky and found a nice shaded spot on the levee, there was some ships and barges moving on the river so the view was nice. We ate our lunch in silence until I just had to find out more.
"Jeri, please don't think I am trying to get you to change your mind. I just need some understanding. You are one extremely intelligent girl wanting to be an Anthropologist and now you don't even want to go back to school. I really love you and I want you to go back to college and finish. You have way too many years left to screw it up now."
"I always said the key to the world is a good education. It opens almost every door you want. Even in lifestyles. You need to think about all of this in a thinking manner, not an emotional one. Do not let this ruin your life choices. Bad things happen to stupid people."
After a few moments in thought Jeri said, "I will finish college I promise. I am not sure what else I want, but I want to experience different things in life, Sexuality is one of the ones at the top of my list. Do you know I am still a virgin at 18 years old? Something must be wrong with me."
"But I love you for taking me in and giving me a chance without attachments."
"First, I will never abandon you, Second, there is nothing wrong with you for sure and nothing wrong with exploration, you know I have stayed in hot water all my life being an extrovert."
"Mike, if I asked you something personal, will you answer truthfully?"
"Sure, I will. Have I ever not been truthful with you?"
"Have you ever had sex with another person other than Aunt Lucy?"
"Also, have you ever been with another man?"
"Yes, to both, I have on rare occasions, I don't look for it, and I have turned most away. But sometimes, It's the right time and the right place." I answered.
"Thanks for being honest." she said.
We finished eating and got in the truck and went home. I set up the trailer and went to let Lucy know Jeri was staying with us for a while.
"Where is she going to stay for the weeks you play golf?" Lucy inquired,
"In the spare bedroom or in my office, I don't care." I told her.
"She can stay in your office on the twin bed, I am not having the spare bedroom messed up." Lucy said.
"Fine, I will let her know. You could try and be a little supportive, she has more than enough people who claim to love her being bitchy at her."