The Mistake

"Miss Parks," Principal Eisenberg said, sitting down at her desk and taking in the image of the man sitting in her office, "Your file tells me that today is your first day at our school. I suppose I should properly welcome you."

She reached over the desk and offered her hand to the man, who just stared at it in shock. He was a younger man, mid-twenties, in a pair of skinny jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. His long brown hair was unkempt, and his posture was atrocious. With a sigh, Mrs. Eisenberg retracted her hand. Over the years many difficult students had sat across from her desk, and with the new systems in place that she had built over the years, this one would be no different.

"I think we can both agree that there's been a mistake," the man said, "I'm obviously not a girl, obviously not a student here."

"Oh yes, there's been a mistake. I think we can agree on that," she smiled, opening his file on her tablet and showing it to him, "But I think you are the one mistaken. All the information I have received from the government lists you as a girl, Jo Parks, seventeen years old. I double and triple checked the system. I'm sorry Miss Parks, but until you can find a way to convince the system that it is wrong, you will have to comply with its findings."

"Are you serious?!" he shouted, jumping to his feet, "You can't tell me that you're going to believe that thing over your eyes? This is bullshit!"

He slammed his fist down on Mrs. Eisenberg's desk, causing her to jump. Of course, Mrs. Eisenberg had seen angry students before. Pressing down on a green button on a small console on her desk, she watched at Jo Parks' knees buckled, planting him back on his chair, a confused look on his face.

"There, that's better," she smiled calmly, "I will not have a student speak to me in that manner. Now since this is your first day, I'll make an exception, as long as you don't make it a habit. And if you decide that you want to make it a habit," she stroked the console on her desk, "our faculty has the resources to deal with rebellious students."

"You mean, but I'm..."

"Yes I know, you're a man," Mrs. Eisenberg continued, "Of course I can see that, but I must reconcile what I see with what I know. What I know is that you are listed as a girl, and so until you find a way to change that, you will be a girl."

"Now, Miss Parks, since you're new here, and since your situation is, shall we say, unique, we're going to have to make... accommodations," Mrs. Eisenberg pressed another button on her consule, one that made a buzzing noise. After a moment, a voice came through a small speaker.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Samantha, could you join us in my office?"

There was a click, then the door opened. A tall, middle aged woman walked into the room. She had a thick glasses, a sweater, and a skirt on, a very practical outfit.

"Samantha, this is Jo Parks," Mrs. Eisenberg said, handing her tablet to the woman, "She'll be joining our student body. She has a lot to catch up on, so she'll be in a full slate of classes. I anticipate some problems when it comes to things like physical education, and we don't want to make the other students uncomfortable."

"You mean I'll have to change with..."

"Of course you'll change with the other girls!" Mrs. Eisenberg snapped, "We can't very well give you your own changing room! You'll have to work within the system, just like all the other girls here!"

"Oh, I see the problem," Samantha said knowingly, handing the tablet back, "You want me to take care of her? Make sure she's ready?"

"Yes, thank-you Samantha," Mrs. Eisenberg said, "A day should do it. The school can take care of the expenses just this once, and then tomorrow she should be ready for her classes." She glanced down at the tablet again, "I see that your sisters are attending here. I'll make sure that any school work you miss is delivered to you by them this evening. Now up you go," she pressed an orange button, causing Joe to jump from his seat to a standing position, "and follow Samantha. She'll make sure you are ready to be a proper student here."

Mrs. Eisenberg watch the dumbfounded man leave her office. Yes, although it's not ideal, this would work. The system would survive, the school would thrive. Maybe she'd even make a proper lady out of this new student.