Time Changes Everything

It’s Sunday afternoon and The Sunny Morning Street Café is bustling. Church patrons after their services and regulars alike have gathered for lunch. The rumble of voices combined with upbeat jazz and clanking dishes fills the dining room. Tim and Avery Wilcox have taken a booth by themselves in the back corner where they order their drinks. They’re sharing their opinions on the morning’s service when someone approaches their table.

“Tim? Tim Wilcox, is that you?”

“I’m sorry, have we met?"

“It is you! I nearly didn’t recognize you all clean cut in khakis and a polo shirt. I’m sorry, you don't recognize me. It's me, Michael Groves. I go by Michelle now.”

“Michael,” Tim questions as he gazes in disbelief at the woman with thick long brown hair, perfectly applied make-up, wearing a fashionable dress that reveals her cleavage, but has an Adam’s apple. “What happened to you?”

“What happened to me? What happened to you,” Michelle asks as she drags over a chair. "You left for college and that was the last any of us heard from you." Michelle turns to Avery and says, “You wouldn’t believe the amount of trouble the two of us used to get into back in the day.”

“I don’t think we need to discuss that,” Tim says, awkwardly as the server sets down their drinks.

“Can I get you something to drink ma’am,” the server asks as she hands out straws.

“I’ll take a Raspberry Lemonade, sweetie. Thank you.”

“Okay, are you folks ready to order are do you need another minute?”

“Give us another minute, please,” Tim says.

“Sure. I’ll be right back with your lemonade, ma’am.”

“Anyway, Tim and I grew up together. Best friends from grade school through high school. We were long haired, metal loving, drug doing, rebels. We terrorized the town.”

“Is that so,” Avery asks with a disappointed tone and look in Tim’s direction.

“Oh yeah, we were rude wherever we went, destructive to private and public property, daring each other to do life threatening dares just to see who was the bravest. We fought, we stole, we slept around, we were reckless.”

Avery's stare at her husband is disapproving.

“Yeah, but I found Christ," Tim says, taking his wife's hand and giving it a firm squeeze as he looks into her eyes to reassure her his past is behind him. Speaking to both of them he says, "I’ve repented of my old was and I have been forgiven. I'm a much different man now."

“Well, I didn’t find Christ, but I came to the self-realization that those things were wrong. I felt bad about the things we did in our youth, so I stopped doing them. I try to help people now.”

“Oh yeah, how so,” Tim asks with genuine interest.

“If I see someone in need, I give them money… or food… or what I can.”

“Aren’t you concerned they’re just going to spend it on drugs?”

“I give it with good intent. Whatever they use it for is up to them.”

“I guess, but I prefer giving to the church, so I know the money is being spent wisely,” Avery comments as she peruses her menu.

“You folks ready to order,” the server asks as she sets down Michelle’s lemonade.

“Yes, I’ll take the BLT with fries,” Avery answers, handing the server her menu.

“And I’ll have the double cheeseburger, hold the tomato,” Tim says.

“And for you, ma’am?”

“Nothing for me, dear. I already ate,” Michelle says with a polite smile.

“Okay, I’ll be back with your food as soon as possible.”

“So, Tim, how did you come to be a Christian,” Michelle asks. “You used to hate the idea of religion.”

“Well, when I met Avery in college, she introduced me to Christ. I saw that I was on the wrong path in life and that my eternal soul was in jeopardy. So, I asked God for forgiveness and was baptized. When did you decide to become a woman?”

“I didn’t decide, I realized I was a woman in my teens but came out when I was twenty-one. I was always a bit feminine. I liked things like make-up and dresses, pretty flowers and anything cute. I hid it, though, trying to look more masculine so people would stop calling me sissy and girly boy and faggot – you remember them calling me that all the time?”

“I remember a great deal of fights because of it, but I never thought you were actually gay.”

“Well, I don’t like men, if that is what you’re getting at, but I am a lesbian.”

“You can’t be a lesbian if you’re a man who likes women just because you dress like a woman,” Avery interjects, snidely.

“But I’m not a man. I’m a woman.”

“You’re no woman, Michael. You’re sick and believe you’re one,” Tim says, with a hint of sympathy in his voice.

Michelle is taken aback. “I am a woman. I identify as a woman. I have had the surgery to become a woman. I’m just as much a woman as she is,” Michelle says, pointing at Avery.

“Oh yeah,” Avery exclaims, offended, “can you birth a baby!”

Michelle sits back in her chair, tears forming in her eyes. “Why are you two being so mean to me. I just want to catch up with an old friend.”

“Look, Michael, we have our beliefs. We believe in them to the point that we are convicted. Part of those beliefs is that what you’re doing to yourself is unnatural and goes against God," Tim explains.

“It's Michele, and I have my own beliefs. They are to the point of conviction too. I AM A WOMAN. You can insult me all you want because you believe your God disapproves of me. You can call me mentally ill, but it will change nothing. I mean, who am I hurting anyway by living my life the way I do," Michelle asks, trying to remain calm.

“The children,” Avery barks.

“The children? I don’t interact with children. It’s not like I go to schools in a van filled with candy.”

“No, but there are people like you who want to influence young minds into believing they are gay or the opposite sex or some made up gender,” Tim tells her, matter of factly.

“Those people only have the best intentions in mind. They’re just trying to help teens going through puberty sort out the changes they’re going through because they know how difficult it is,” Michelle explains in all sincerity.

“Then they need to talk to their parents,” Avery says, sharply, turning her attention away from the window and back to the conversation.

“Parents don’t always understand. How would you two handle it if your child felt they were the opposite sex?”

“We’d get them counseling right away. We would take them to our pastor first, but if we needed to, we would get a doctor involved. There has to be some sort of medicine out there. There’s a pill for everything these days,” Avery says, her voice rising.

“What if he or she doesn’t want to be changed?”

“Their kids. They don’t get to decide,” Tim replies sternly.

“What happens when they grow up and change their minds?”

“You see, they wouldn’t change their minds if society as a whole would just frown on it, and not cater to it. As long as they let people like you carry on in the world like it’s normal, then more people are going to feel free doing so,” Avery says, furiously, gaining the attention of other customers.

“And that’s your true fear isn’t it, sweetie? You feel that eventually you won’t feel comfortable in society like we once did,” Michelle says, begrudgingly.

“No, it’s that we love everybody and want them to find God. You’re mentally ill and need help, Michael. Everyone who is like you does. We can’t cater to your illness and bring you to God. Your kind stays away from the church because you believe you won’t be accepted, but we accept everyone. You just have to change. Change is part of the experience,” Tim tells her, empathetically.

“Sounds like conformity to me,” Michelle replies.

“We should all aspire to conform to what is good and righteous,” Tim tells her. "Isn't that right honey?"

Avery meets her husband's gaze with a forced smile.

“I’m a kind, charitable, loving person. You’re judging me on the outside, not by what’s on the inside. There isn’t even gender in heaven,” Michelle says, angrily.

“Alright folks, here’s a BLT for you, and I’ve got a double cheeseburger no tomato for you. Is there anything else I can get you.”

“No, we’re good. Thank you,” Tim says.

“Michael, it was nice meeting you, but we would like to eat our lunch in peace. So, if you don’t mind…,” Avery hints.

“It's Michelle, and of course. It was nice to meet you. Tim, it was good seeing you again. I’m sorry you feel the way you do. I’m a good person and a good friend. I wish things could have worked out differently.”

Tim and Avery eat their food, not acknowledging Michelle or her words. Michelle stands there for a moment, waiting for them to say something, but they keep on eating. Michelle huffs and walks away.