[Murdough]

To: Marilyn Knewsome

From: Andrew

Dear Ms. Knewsome,

First off, I want to be clear that I’m not a high school student. Graduated about five years back. However, my younger brother was present in your class the other day. You might have recognized him as the quiet, pierced, stoner/musician-type sitting in the corner. Anyway, he told me about what you spoke about and your offer to serve as a sort of counsellor. I kind of feel compelled to make my feelings known as a high school grad and a member of the community.

Currently, I’m attending college part time, studying Criminal Justice. I intend to become a cop or other form of law enforcement official down the line. Goes without saying that with what’s gone down, areas concerning law enforcement are in for changes. I’m something of a cynic by nature and I believe that things have a way of balancing out.

Historically speaking in this country, incidents of domestic violence have almost always involved men hitting women, be it their spouse, lover, or family member. Got a feeling that the statistics will flip in the years to come. Men will become the victims in such cases, and most likely will have been the abusers in the past. Revenge thing on the part of their own victims. And of course there will be those women who will go on a "power trip", for lack of a better term. The courts will be filled with them.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the changes that have affected the human race. Truthfully, I was never in what could be described as "great" shape. I’m slightly overweight and I chain smoke. And now, well, goes without saying that obesity will no longer be a real issue for me it seems. And in truth, I got nothing against women with muscles. I actually find it rather attractive. And I must say that the change has done wonders for my grandmother. She’s in her 70s and had suffered from some physical difficulties. Now she’s in the best health she’s been in in decades.

On the opposite end, relations with my younger sister have become rather…tense. She and I have had a history of disagreements over the years, especially during the period after high school where I more or less drifted through life, going from one dead end job to another. We would get into heated arguments over that, her superior attitude exacerbated by the fact that she’s on her way to earning a bachelors degree from an Ivy League university. Things have cooled down somewhat since I went back to school. However, since the change, she has become more…overbearing with her attitudes. The fact that she stands a full foot and a half taller than me and is twice my width probably factors into it. While I know that she would never do me bodily harm, there is that underlying truth that if she wanted to, she could literally break me in half. Don’t know what to say beyond that really.

Anyway, just thought I’d put some points forward. Incidentally, my night job has become somewhat more interesting. I work second shift at a convenience store which stops selling alcohol at around 11:30 PM. State law. Anyway, we are frequently patroned by women who repeatedly try to buy after the cut off time. They try every trick, from trying to come onto me, to veiled threats of their boyfriends assaulting me. After the change, I’m happier than ever that my boss keeps a 12-gauge under the counter in the event of a robbery. Just in case they get violent. And incidentally, that last sentence was meant as a joke. A bad one, yes. Anyway, thank you for your time.

[Mark Newman]

Dear Andrew:

Thanks for your comments. They are a valuable perspective for our readers. I do wonder how much longer men will be able to moonlight on jobs like your convenience store graveyard shift. Yes your gun may make you feel safer, but it’s a lot of risk to take on for a few extra dollars. Hopefully women will not prove to be as violent as men, but there are always a few bad eggs around. Please remember that giving up your employer’s cash box is a better policy than relying on that shotgun.

If you care to write back some time, I will be interested to learn about how the Changes is affecting your work as a policeman. Stay in touch.

Marilyn

[Mark Newman]

Marilyn

My Name is Tony and I need to talk to somebody, I mean hey my life’s been f*cked! Sh*t, like I’m a twin and you know I my twin sister A couple of years ago had a growth spurt and like she was freakin’ taller than me. Sh*t, I hated it my family making freakin’ fun of me cause she was like two inches taller than me. Then this past year I starting growing and caught up and was taller again by an inch.

Well now you know what happened I freakin’ shorter again. Only now I ‘m 10 inches shorter! Man got only did she get muscles but she not freakin’ taller than most girls. Sh*t!

But hey, Mrs. Darling next door, wow! I mean like she would catch some rays in her back yard. F*ck she was put together . I ‘d sneak a peek at her every chance I got. But now, sh*t you should see her in her bikini working out!

I wonder whether I’ll ever be normal again.

Tony

[Mark Newman]

Dear Tony:

I enjoyed your enthusiastic letter. It sounds like you’re coping pretty well with the changes, since you haven’t mentioned any problems with your sister. It’s natural for you to feel envious of your sister’s sudden growth in height and her increase in muscle. You probably always expected to end up taller and stronger than she is, as most brothers do, and to have her surpass you like this without even any effort on her part must seem unfair. (The fact that, before the changes, it had also taken no effort on your part to be stronger than her, I’ve observed, is rarely a consolation to males, but that’s not unique to you!) You do need to keep telling yourself that THIS is normal now, which is something that I do think you recognize.

As for Mrs. Darling, I hardly need to tell you that sex with older adults, especially married ones, is unlikely to bring you happiness in the end. While her experience may seem attractive to you right now, the kind of adult that would use a young man for her own sexual gratifiication is someone who is unlikely to care very much about your own needs. But on the other hand, I find it very healthy in a way that you find her attractive. It means you are adapting well to the Changes. Just keep in mind that in the long run you will be happier with girls your own age.

Marilyn

[JimmyDimples]

To: Marilyn Knewsome (marknew742@gmail.com)

From: Patrick O’Brien

Re: Some Time Apart

Dear Ms. Knewsome,

A buddy of mine passed this e-mail address to me and told me you were reading our notes.

Recently, one of his buddies, Bennett Maple, got rolled in a trash can by Tenny, a girl he used to eat lunch with. Word was he spilled a coke on her by accident. Anyway, after cutting class yesterday afternoon, he came back this morning, and told me to come meet him before Chemistry class. Some of my live-action role-play crew (we play Dungeons and Dragons with foam rubber swords and costumes instead of dice, pencil and paper) did just that. And after talking to us, he suggested we band together so none of us get ganged on by the girls. He had a big bag of stuff from his grand-dad’s military surplus/camping store. He gave us some kind of survival manual. Had info on fistfight dirty tricks and how to improvise self-defense stuff.

We passed notes to him at study hall later that afternoon. He then suggested we remember the buddy system, and keep at least 15 feet away from any girls.

I had been thinking more, and suggested to take it up to the next level: a girl-cott.

Many of my buds have gotten smacked across the hall for just looking at a girl the wrong way. I make a point to keep my eyes trained on their face, but lately, I’ve gotten dirty looks for even that. Well, for the next week, I’d like to try not looking at them the wrong way. Or the right way. Or at all.

No comments. No dates. No help with math homework. No going to girls’ sports. No watching the cheerleaders at boys’s sports, either. No sitting with them at lunch. No watching them at any plays. No free tech support with their computers. Not even for pay, either.

If there’s a guy at the Wal-Mart checkout with a line, or a girl with a register wide open, I’m taking the guy. If there are only girls present at the registers, I’ll shop at another store.

If I have to pair off with a girl on a school project, and the teacher won’t let me choose a guy instead, I’ll take the F.

Obviously, I’ll have to talk to my teachers. And I’ll read your answer if it’s late. But for the next week, I’m going to totally ignore, look past, and sidestep anyone that’s female. In fact, I was planning to stay at least 20 feet away from them, too.

Bennett said he liked the cut of my jib. But he said 15 feet’s plenty. Said he’d explain why at his dad’s paintball range this evening, and said to share the plan with my buds, and invite them along.

I plan to shotgun my girlcott plan to my Internet friends, too. I may extend it if I don’t see some noticeable improvement in girls’ attitudes in general. I don’t know if anyone will read it or take part. But I gotta try. By myself if I have to.

This isn’t easy. This means I’ll have to stop going to LARP. Shame; Jacqueline plays a cute thief.

But something my dad told me… If You Don’t Have Respect, You Have Nothing At All.

Not sure why I’m writing you, since I’m going through with it anyway. Guess I needed to vent. Thanks for that.

Patrick

[Mark Newman]

Dear Patrick:

"If You Don’t Have Respect, You Have Nothing At All. "

You know, I couldn’t agree more, Patrick. And if there was one thing I would want all of the young people I talk to to understand, that would be it.

I won’t tell you whether I think your girl-cott is a good or bad idea. I think that is something you and your friends must decide. But let me leave you with a few thoughts.

What you are doing is to remind girls, and everyone else at your school, that you boys continue to make important contributions. Math homework and computer help are two good examples. There are many more. And it is your right to make it clear that you need to be respected.

But what will it take to end the boycott? How will you get ALL girls to behave the right way? Girls are individuals. Each girl is responsible for her own behavior and wants to be recognized for her own good and bad points.

I think it’s great that you are organizing your friends to reclaim your respect and your rights. Your girl-cott is one way to start. But think of it as a demonstration of your importance, not as an end in itself. Think about your next step. Talk to your friends. Keep them involved. And find positive ways to show your value, and all boys’ value to the community. We will all thank you for it.

Stay in touch.

Marilyn

[Mark Newman]

To: Marilyn Knewsome

From: Kate Briscole

Dear Ms Knewsome

My name is Kate and I’m 8 years old. I heard at my older sister talking to her friend about you when she arrived from school today and I couldn’t avoid send you a mail.

I have an important question to you. It’s about the pregnancy in women. Let me tell you why I want to ask you about this.

My mother is 7 months pregnant. One month ago she told us that she was carrying a boy. You can’t imagine the happiness I felt to know that I will have a baby brother.

The Change hasn’t affect in a radical way at all at my family. I have the lucky to born in a family were the females tend to be very tall.

My father was always smaller than my mother. Now that he is at her chest level, neither of my parents seems to mind.

My sister says that her boyfriend still loves her and of course she loves him. They used to be the same size, but not anymore

My mother seems healthier than before. Her new muscles are helping her to carry without problem the weight of the baby. But are the developed of those muscles what scares me. I’m afraid for my baby brother.

I have done some searches in the Internet and I have found rumors about male babies whom born with broken bones. Female babies don’t have that kind of problems. Like I said, there is nothing official, but I think that the Change turned at the male babies much weaker than they use to be and since women are stronger those rumors could be true.

I also heard rumors about that the first male babies are having other problems. Some new mothers are afraid to crush at their delicate babies in their arms without meaning. Others are frustrated that their babies can’t be breastfed. It seems that the male baby mouth is to fragile and when a woman nipple get hard the baby can apply the necessary strength and they can’t suck any milk at all.

What I did found in an official medical page is that the metabolism of a woman carrying two babies (a female and the other a male) has changed so, that now the female baby is receiving more nutrients than her brother.

Analysis has proven than even a week ago the two babies were developing normally, now, the female baby has gotten bigger and demands more nutrients, while the male baby has shrunk and it’s getting nurtured with the minimum nutrients.

This means that the Change affects even at the non-born humans.

The new babies don’t know about the older order of the society. So, they won’t be afraid of what is happening now. They are very lucky.

I haven’t told at my mother about this and I’m afraid of what will happen when the birth day comes. I don’t want that my brother suffer any pain, and if this Change is permanent, I promise that I will be at his side at all time to protect him.

Thanks for listening me Ms. Knewsome and I will like to hear your opinion.

Kate

[Mark Newman]

Dear Kate:

Yours was an interesting question, and I had to do some research before I could answer it. I am happy to reassure you that this is one of those "urban myths" that go around the Internet but are not true. While all babies are fragile, male babies are no weaker than female babies used to be, and you would be surprised at how well mothers and fathers do in learning just how to hold their new infants.

And yes, there are always some babies who have trouble breastfeeding. When it happens now, new mothers may think it’s because of the Changes, but I have not read any reports from scientists that confirm that this is really happening more often than before. Usually, patience, persistence and a few old tricks like using sugar water and mixing bottle feeding of breast milk gets babies on the right track.

So don’t worry. I’m sure you will be a great help to your parents when the new baby comes.

On your last point, yes, I saw that report too. It is an interesting case that did apply to one set of boy-girl twins. It is something worth further study. Girls do have enough of an advantage already without taking their brothers’ much needed nourishment! Thankfully this won’t be a problem for your brother, as it sounds like he is not a twin.

Thanks for writing.

Marilyn

[JimmyDimples]

Dear Ms. Knewsome,

Thanks very much for your words of support. They mean a lot.

And you’re right on thinking on the next step. I figure, why stop with just my school and internet friends? I think I’ll try writing a letter to the school newspaper. Probably a letter to the editor, too.

Heck with it. I’m going to write a press release about the girl-cott, and send it to the other school newspapers, and the neighborhood radio and TV stations.

It’ll probably wind up in the last two’s circular files, but if so, what have we lost?

Thanks again, Ms. Knewsome. You are one person I’m going to give an exception in all this.

Respectfully yours,

Patrick O’Brien

[JimmyDimples]

To: Marilyn Knewsome (marknew742@gmail.com)

From: Arielle Sharper

Dear Ms. Knewsome,

First off, I am, and always will be, a girly girl. Love it, got the pink lace bedroom and dresser top full of plushies to prove it. ^_^y

And I don’t like the change in strength much at all. First off, I hate the way I look. Sure, my face still looks okay, but I can’t stand looking at myself below the neck. -_-;;

Yes, I know it’s not all bad. It came in handy moving the church piano, I feel great, and all that. And I love being able to say no to some horndog boy more easily. As my great-uncle Max would say, the best sex protection is keeping your legs shut in the first place.

I thought that seeing my girlfriends stronger would be okay. I thought that with more muscle, we’d see a bit more sexual responsibility on both sides.

But from what I see, it’s worse than ever! Many of my girlfriends think they’re bulletproof. They haven’t stopped to think that their muscle won’t protect them from getting pregnant or getting AIDS. ;_;

And they’re parading around and acting so cocky about it. They’re acting like… boys. >.<;;

And this is a little thing, but last Sunday, I was singing a solo for our church’s anthem before the sermon. I used to be a soprano. But all through the piece, I cracked and sounded like Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch! o.O;;;

I tried testing my vocal range at choir practice last night. I’m now a very low alto, if that high! And when we all practiced the hymns, there was very little soprano or bass. It’s all one big mass in one tone! No variety at all!

What are we going to do? Will we have to recruit kids for the high parts? And what if I get bigger?! I don’t want to end up sounding like Barry White! T_T

Crying for help,

Arielle

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