“Transitioning”
Dean Gessie, Canada
Creators of Justice Award 2022 | Second Prize: Short Story
Dean Gessie is a Canadian author and poet who was Head of English for twenty-five years at Pickering College north of Toronto and Director of the Joshua Weinzweig Creative Writing Program. Dean also ran a social justice club for his students. Much of Dean's fiction and poetry support human and animal rights and preservation of the earth's ecosystems.
Transitioning
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“You pronounce it mix. Try it with me, children. Mix Rogers.”
“Mix Rogers.”
“Well done. Any questions?”
“Do you have a cold, Mx. Rogers?”
“No. I am feeling better than I have in a long time.”
“Did you go to Disneyland?”
“No. I was absent for personal care.”
“Your voice sounds different.”
“Well,” said Mx. Rogers, pointing at every student, “a voice is a unique instrument, isn’t it?”
The children were nonplussed, but flush with interest.
Serena said, “My dad has a tie like that.”
Felix said, “I like your pants, Mx. Rogers. My mom says she wears the pants in the family, but she’s not the only one. I have five pairs of pants!”
Mx. Rogers smiled and signalled for the children to gather round. “I have written a story,” she said, “for story time.”
The pupils moved obediently into an open semi-circle.
Mx. Rogers read from their iPad.
“Ellie the Eel had smaller fins than her brothers and sisters. Therefore, she might swim off course and lose sight of her goal. The other eels wanted to help, but they didn’t know how. Nigel the Most Unkind Eel called her Aimless Ellie.”
Sarah raised her hand immediately and said, “You shouldn’t call people names.”
Micah said, “We’re all different.”
Elijah said, “I use fins and a life vest in the pool next door. If Ellie were my friend, she could use my life vest and swim with all the rest.”
Daniel said his dog had babies.
Felix said, “I wear pants and so do my brother and sister. Sometimes, my sister wears my pants when they don’t fit me, anymore.”
Mx. Rogers nodded affirmatively to each student and recommenced.
“Ellie the Eel became separated from her brothers and sisters. She was not strong enough to make the climb upstream. The other eels looked on with sadness and regret. They wondered why Ellie was not the same as the rest of the group. You can call yourself Ellie the Eel, said Nigel the Most Unkind Eel, but that doesn’t make it true.”
Eugene said, “Nigel is not very nice.”
Rajeev asked, “Is Ellie all alone?”
Mx. Rogers said, “Yes and no.”
Elijah said, “A life vest would be just the thing.”
And Felix added, “I have a pair of pants just for Sunday, but nobody goes to church. They’re just-in-case pants.”
Mx. Rogers continued her story, “Ellie the Eel was having a real identity crisis. She needed to know who she was. And she was prepared to ask anyone.
“Early the next day, she happened upon a seahorse who just happened to be giving birth to his babies. Ellie introduced herself and said, Can you tell me who I am?
“Sammy the Seahorse answered, Well, that’s not for me to say, but you certainly are an early bird.
“‘I’m not a bird! said Ellie the Eel. I don’t have feathers and I can’t fly! Nonetheless, Ellie knew that eels eat worms, just like some birds. It was all so confusing.”
But Eugene’s confusion was elsewhere. “Can boys have babies?” he said.
Mx. Rogers said, “Seahorse boys do.”
Sabrina said, “Your voice sounds different, Mx. Rogers.”
Eugene said, “My brother got kicked out of the choir because his voice changed.”
Serena said, “I like your haircut, Mx. Rogers.”
Mx. Rogers answered another question before continuing to read. “Yes. You can take her at her word. Ellie is not a bird.”
Felix said, “Boys and girls both wear pants.”
“Later that morning,” continued Mx. Rogers, “Ellie the Eel met a spiny water flea who happened to be making babies all by themselves. I’m asking everyone, said Ellie. Can you tell me who I am?
“Scarlett the Spiny Water Flea said, Well, that’s not for me to say, but you certainly are an eager beaver.
“I’m not a beaver! said Ellie the Eel. I don’t cut down trees with my teeth! But she knew that eels spend much of their time in water and some of their time on land, like beavers. It was all so confusing.”
Daniel raised his hand and made an astute observation. “My puppies and the flea babies don’t have a dad.” Mx. Rogers approved of Daniel’s comment.
Serena said, “Beavers build homes in the water.”
Daniel said, “Our puppies look the same, but they’re really different.”
Mx. Rogers answered a question. “Yes,” she said, “You can take her at her word. Ellie is not a beaver.”
And then the children found themselves in a game of cascading recall.
“She’s not a seahorse,” said Chanel
“And she’s not a bird,” said Eugene.
“And she’s not a flea,” said Serena.
“And she’s not a beaver,” said Micah.
“And,” said Felix, “she doesn’t have a pair of pants!”
Elijah said, “She should really have a life vest. That would solve everything.”
Mx. Rogers complimented the children on the number of details they remembered from the story and then she continued, “The last neighbour that Ellie the Eel approached was a catfish. Said Ellie the Eel, Can you tell me who I am?
“Cliff the Wells Catfish answered in the form of a riddle. Nid wyf yn gwybod, he said, which means, I don’t know. But, he added, sometimes, backwards is forwards. Cliff the Wells Catfish knew that eels, like catfish, can swim backwards.”
Micah said, “How can you swim forward and backward at the same time?”
Hassan spoke for the first time and revealed the depth of his old soul. “By pointing yourself,” he said, “in the right direction.”
The children were nonplussed, but flush with interest.
Mx. Rogers gasped, drew a big heart in the air and pushed it toward Hassan. And then she finished the story.
“Ellie the Eel realized what she had to do. She propelled herself upstream by swimming backwards. Her brothers and sisters greeted her with joy and cheers. Hip! Hip! Hooray! they shouted. Nigel the Most Unkind Eel shook his unkind head. Who are you? he said. You don’t swim like the others.
“I am who I am, said Ellie. I am ELY THE EEL!”
Mx. Rogers closed her iPad and answered one last one question. “Yes,” she said. “You can take them at their word. Mx. Ely is a genuine eel. There is strength,’ she added, “in difference.”
All the children applauded. They were less interested in the moral of the story. It was somewhat boring and unnecessary. However, each was delighted that the story had a happy ending. Hassan, the old soul, made an observation that seemed to satisfy and offer closure, “Mx. Rogers and Mx. Ely say their name the same way.”
And then the children enjoyed snack time and nap time and play time. And each hugged each other and their teacher at the last bell.