Tony's Transformation

Chapter 3
Ten Years on
I become a Teacher

It was strange feeling indeed the morning of the interview to walk through the front door of Hazlehurst Grammar my old school once again. I remembered the first time I had gone through these doors with Julie and Aunt Katie supporting me. My anxiety was mixed with a certain nervous excitement that I had felt that very first day as a student came back to me again. The familiar smell of the school was to a certain extent unique, and I remembered the nervousness I had felt those first few times, when I had to use the girls toilet, and I remember vividly how I had imagined the retribution and shame that would have come down on my head and I suppose Aunt Katie had my true sexuality ever been discovered.

The one and only time my maleness had ever been discovered was when the lovely Savitta had found me in a compromising position, as I had been so careless as not to lock the bedroom door. But in the end I had learned so much from my ex lover about how a man should please a woman in the bedroom that it had all been very worthwhile in the end.

In the foyer of the public entrance were group photographs of all the sixth formers on the day they left school for the past twenty years. I had to stop and have a look at our photograph and there was I with Julie and I looking really feminine. It was a day I remembered well, because I was at the time I was really sorry to leave school. Not only had Julie and I come out mostly with A level top grades but I knew I would miss all the friends that I had made in the year I had been there. I also knew that soon Julie and I would be parted, and that I had to revert to being a man again as University beckoned.

Both Julie and I had both been awarded places at top universities and I had made the decision to go into teaching. We had agreed that we should both go our own different ways and go to different Universities. Julie had decided to make medicine a career, and so she chose a University with a medical school. But that day we had left school we knew we had one long summer recess together, and so I had a stay of execution. That summer we did all the usual things we enjoyed, especially each others company and I also spent a lot of time with Savitta.. The one thing that Savitta asked me before we parted finally. “Please don’t get your hair cut Toni“ That was an easy promise to make because I knew that Toni would come out of the wardrobe in the future whenever the opportunity arose.

We both graduated, although we were not in close contact. I had all the news through Aunt Katie, and the news from Aunt Katie that Julie was getting married hit me hard. I just could not bring myself to go to the wedding. So I had to make an excuse. I sent her a card and a present. But to be honest I could not stand the thought of seeing her with another man.

I don’t really know why I had applied for the job at Hazlehurst Grammar, perhaps it was because I had a feeling of nostalgia, and wanted to go back to see the old school again. But seeing the advert in the Times Educational Supplement I had on the spur of the moment applied for the post. But anyway, I had applied for the job and today was the day of the interview. It had been a shock when I was placed on the short list I had thought they would never short consider a man for a teaching post at Hazlehurst Grammar being an all girls school.

The thought of coming back to teach in the school where I had been so deliriously happy as a girl student, was exciting, but now I guessed that dressed as a man, this interview would surely be a pure formality. I had no expectations that I would be selected. I had never ever remembered or heard of a man being appointed to the teaching staff of the school. I also suspected that I had been put on the short list as a formality to show that the school was complying with the law in applying a sexual non- discrimination policy.

My eyes drifted across to photographs of the academic staff and I was not surprised to see that there were no male staff. But I did know that there were two male caretakers who were still working there , and there had been an occasional male chef on the catering staff . The photograph of the young blonde headmistress shook me for a moment, it was a face I recognised. If I was right her name when I attended the school was a Mrs. Boyle but now she was described as being a Miss Elizabeth Todd. She had been a Math’s teacher when I had attended Hazlehurst Grammar, and she had been affectionately called Liz by most of her colleagues.

Just as I was musing on the implications and wondering if I was running a risk of recognition. I was collected by a clerk who took me to the interview waiting room where two young ladies were waiting. The clerk said “Well ladies and gentlemen now you are all here the Headmistress will be with you shortly to answer any questions about the school, and the employment contract. But meanwhile I have been asked to give you a tour of the premises.”

After a tour of the premises we were taken back to the ante room to the school boardroom. While we waited we introduced ourselves. The first lady introduced herself as Mary Hopkiss and the second was a Sophie Marchant. We talked for a while about various things, and we were all showing signs of nervousness , when the door opened and the Headmistress walked in. She did not seem to have changed at all since I had last seen her, but I noticed how her eyes fastened on me, and although I was not sure but for a brief moment their was a hint of recognition in here eyes, followed by a look of puzzlement.

“We have met somewhere before haven‘t we?” She asked me.
I replied “Yes Headmistress I attended several events here at the school when I lived locally, and we probably met then and I recognise you. But you were not Head Teacher then.”
She then turned away and gave her little address and allowed us to ask questions about the school. Then she looked at her watch well and said “Well ladies and gentlemen the governors are here, and so we will call you in in alphabetical order when we are ready.

The other two candidates were in the interview room for about half an hour each and I was the last to be called. Their were six people on the panel representing the Board of Governors and the Education authority. Two of them were men who were nominated by the local authority and the other three women were local councilors. The Headmistress was allowed to take part in the interview but she was not allowed to vote. First of all they asked me about my qualifications and as I had brought my Diplomas and Certificates with me they took a few minutes to have a look at them.

The chairman looked at me slightly puzzled “I see that you are awaiting confirmation of your Doctorate. It says here that you have done this by research into Elizabethan English. If that is the case why are you applying for this job and not a University post.“

I confirmed that my thesis was currently under submission and the fact that I had roots locally, I knew the school had a good reputation, so I thought that I should start my teaching career in a good quality Grammar School. Strangely during the interview I was quite relaxed , because I was sure that I did not stand a ‘snowballs chance in hell’ of getting the job.

Then the questioning started on the lines of what text books I preferred, and one of the male governors started asking me questions at high speed, and not giving me time to develop my answer. I had to stop him, and politely ask him to give me time to answer a question before he asked me the next one.

I saw a smile go round the room and then I had to face the question. “How would you handle the situation if a girl develops a crush on you?”
Then I said . “I honestly don’t know, it all depends on circumstances, but my aim would to be not to humiliate or show the girl up in any way, but I would also ensure that I avoided being alone with any girl anyway, if I thought it could create a problem.”

All the heads nodded sagely and I continued. “I might also add that your headmistress some years ago had a number of girls who had crushes on her. From what I heard she handled the situation very very professionally.” I turned to look at the headmistress and she looked quite embarrassed and had a very puzzled look on her face.

Then the Headmistress asked me “Apart from the normal “O“ and “A” level subjects we have been encouraged to start a Social Studies session for all students at least once a week. What subjects would you consider suitable for inclusion in the syllabus?“

I thought for a bit, then I said “I think a lot will depend on the age of the students. But I would include things like hygiene, health, and even subjects like baby care, but for the sixth former I think I would include things like beauty treatment, fashion and even subjects like how to avoid unwanted pregnancies and sexual health.” There was quite a gasp from one or two of the panel.

The Chairman said . “You seem to be on the same track as the Headmistress, have you had your heads together I wonder?” I laughed. “No but I do know that the governments present day thinking is that students should have these matters discussed to avoid the amount of unwanted pregnancies and I agree with them.

I left the interview room, and went back to the waiting room. The other candidates looked up at me expectantly, but I had barely sat down when the Headmistress called me back in, and I was offered the post. At 25 and single, I was completely over the moon. I was very surprised to be offered the job at Hazlehurst Grammar School for Girls. After the interview I was then taken to the Headmistresses room.
Then she said Mr. Nash “It is not our normal policy to employ male teachers in a girls school all things being equal, but on this occasion we feel that we have no alternative. You have such a wide range of skills and potential, that no female candidate that applied could compete with you.”

The sexy looking young Headmistress looked up at me with a grin on her well ‘made up’ face as she sat and deliberately crossed her legs showing me a large expanse of thigh. At the time I thought she looked far too young to be a Headmistress and her dress seemed a little provocative with a short skirt, and a skimpy tight top which showed her ample breasts to great advantage. I must admit that I had always thought of most headmistresses as being at least 40 and dressed rather conservatively. But Miss Elizabeth Todd definitely broke the mould as far as I was concerned.
“ I said “If I remember before you were known as Mrs. Boyle, and may I say that the years have been kind to you.”

She looked very surprised at my comment. “Funny how you remembered that ?
“I used to visit the school when my cousin was a student here some years ago and you were a bit of a favourite with her”.
“Yes Tony I divorced my husband and took my maiden name again. I married a rat, and was glad to be rid of him. I have never met a man I could feel I could trust after that experience.”
“Anyway, the class you will have the main responsibility for is discreetly nicknamed “the Harem“, by some of the staff. The girls are all seventeen or eighteen and finishing their “A” levels before going on to University. By some coincidence the whole group are a real bunch of glamour pusses with my own sister Megan being one of them. I have no doubt that you will be well propositioned, but that should aid your teaching as they will be sure to want to please you. The girls are going to really love having a nice looking sexy young man as their class tutor, you are nice looking athletic and very photogenic young man, but just be careful Tony. If you succumb to temptation, just make sure that you are not caught. The majority of these girls have boyfriends or lovers at their age, and most of them are on the pill. But they will quite quickly abandon what they have for a little bit of fun on the side.”

She had to stop to answer a telephone call, and I was just about to leave when she said Tony.
”That call was from my sister, she was coming to visit and now she has to stay over in Dublin until the middle of next week. By the way when we are alone please call me Liz, and I have just been thinking, now I will be on my own tonight, would you like to come to me for dinner, and we can run through a lot of business about the school and your students. It would save us both a lot of time?

I told her that I would love to, as I tried to get to grips with the situation I asked her. “You seem to have a very broad minded policy where sex is concerned and your girls dress?”
She shrugged her shoulders and looked at me. ”Well, it’s the one thing that all these girls have on their mind most of the time, and there is a saying. “If you can’t beat them join them.”

I turned up promptly at Liz’s house at 7.00pm feeling very nervous and not quite knowing what to expect. Liz answered the door to let me in. She looked at me and laughed, and said with a big grin. “You look as though you expect me to eat you. Don’t worry I don’t attack my guests until I have had a few drinks, and then Tony you never know, you might enjoy it? “

As we entered the dining room a was faced with a very pretty looking blonde girl, obviously on her way out for the evening.. She was almost a spitting image of her sister, and I was introduced to Megan. I was then told by Liz that Megan was one of ‘My Harem” as she referred to them. Megan was certainly dressed to kill with a short skirt and a very skimpy blouse which I thought was almost a copy of the way in which her older sister dressed.

She was very polite and obviously very curious about me. Some of her questions were a shade on the personal side, and while Liz was getting the meal she sort of half cuddled up close to me on the couch. She seemed to be giving me a complete ’come on’ and was not at all put out by the fact that her sister was coming in and out laying the table for dinner. She looked up at me with a cheeky grin on her face “Tony you have shaped eyebrows and you have recently had a manicure. Are you gay?”

I blushed and then I said quickly thinking “Oh that’s my Aunt, she has a number of beauty parlours she is always using me to practice things on me.’
Just then her sister said. “I thought you were going out with Kenny tonight darling?”.
Megan looked up with a cheeky smile. “No Liz I have changed my mind, let him wait I want to have dinner with you two. This is much more interesting!”

Liz looked at her “What is on your mind Meg?.”

“I am curious mother why you have hired a sexy young man with a figure like a 18 year old girl, long curly hair, shaped eyebrows, and some nail varnish on one of his nails and he says he is not gay.”

Feeling guilty I looked at my nails.

Then Megan laughed and said “That caught you out didn’t it?”
As she did so she threw her arms round my neck and kissed me on the cheek. She looked up at her sister and said “He uses a funny smelling aftershave too Liz.”

I looked up and saw Liz looking at me with an inquisitive look on my face.”

“I think that after dinner we have to talk Tony.” She said quietly.

I must admit that my stomach sank. I had been so happy at getting the job that I had not reckoned on my personal life being found out like this - I had no illusions that Megan and her sister would want to know the truth. They certainly had not bought my excuse. Aunt Katie had been so excited at having me stay for a few nights that she had been over generous with the perfume. I had used as much aftershave as I dare to get rid of the smell of perfume that morning, but the perfume had won through in the end.

Liz managed to keep a good conversation going over dinner and she also told me that the staff lounge had been named the “Hen House,” by the girls. Of course Megan had to say with a big giggle
“Well Liz when you put one cock in a hen house, you could soon have a lot of baby chicks running around!” That brought a bit of a laugh.

After dinner I was bombarded for the truth by Liz and Megan, so I told the whole truth about how I had attended the school dressed as a girl for nearly a year, and had indeed fooled everyone. Liz was amazed
and Megan was highly amused, and then Liz said. “And you really are a real functioning man.” I assured her that I had previously had several girl friends and they could attest to my virility.
“I just enjoy the feel of girls clothes, and I suppose I really enjoy fooling people as well. It is a challenge to be accepted.”

I was not feeling so happy at having had to admit the deception and I said to Liz. “I suppose this means that I have not got the job?
“Oh yes you have -there is no reason why the story should go out of this room and you will be an invaluable teacher with your insight into the way young girls at this school think. You could not have had a better training.”

“Oh Tony” Megan chirped will you take me out for an evening when you are dressed as a girl please?”
I looked up at Liz to see her response and Liz was laughing .
“Why not? I know you will look after her”

Then Liz and Megan sat back and laughed their heads off. Liz said. “I can imagine the looks on the faces of the Governors if they ever get hold of this story”
All through the evening Megan kept quite close to me, this was so obvious that Liz eventually asked.
“I thought you were going to the club dance with Kenny tonight Meg.”
“No Liz he bores me, I don’t think I will be seeing much of him in the future.”
“But it was only a week ago when you two were making plans to marry when you were eighteen wasn‘t it?“

At the time I sensed that there was a bit of tension in the air, and I had a faint suspicion that Liz was probably blaming me because Megan seemed to be almost ‘coming on’ to me.

Eventually I decided that perhaps I ought to go, and Megan made a faint protest saying “It is only early yet .”
“ I promised my Aunt that I would not be late home.”
Liz asked. “Will you be staying with your Aunt?”
“No Liz I think I need to get my own place and I have a couple of places in mind.”

Then Megan said “We have the granny flat still empty Liz, why not let Tony have it.?”
“I think that you ought to let your sister think about that for a while it may not be good practice to have me living, as it were in the same house as my boss.”
Liz gave me a fleeting smile of gratitude and said ’Yes that is a point that I should obviously consider carefully but I will bear it in mind Tony. “