Jeremy had been working in the Army/Navy surplus shop in the Catacombs for one day and three hours when he saw his first Trans. It had been a very difficult job to get, but luckily his sister Becca had worked there before getting famous, and their name had some pull. Becca was now "Beccarelle" and fronted her punk band of the same name, even playing in Above venues. Becca was ten years older than Jeremy and wide age gap meant that he never felt there was a comparison between them. Despite her persona, she had been a caring sister. Jeremy didn't mind reaping a few of the side benefits of his sister's fame, though the constant questions about her personal life by the assistant manager were getting tiring. Becca had said Edgar liked her a lot when she worked in the surplus show, and it was clear he hadn't given up his feelings.
The Catacombs was the hippest place to shop, eat and be seen by the hippest people. Jeremy glimpsed many of the rich and famous as he elbowed his way through the slow-moving crowds that gawked and stopped at the shoulder-to-shoulder boutique shops. Homemade Betty's was a favorite of Assistant Manager Edgar's, and he insisted Jeremy run get an assortment of pastries almost every mid-morning. Jeremy held the ribbon-wrapped box above his head, which was already over everyone else's heads, to keep it out of the way, balanced on his long fingers.
The Army/Navy surplus store had prime real estate on the canal side of the Catacombs. They got a lot of their business from the canal side, and it was nice to sit during a lull and watch the great variety of sizes and colors of boats float by. Poling only underground, so there was only a quiet splashing. Jeremy was minding the store while Edgar went down to the storerooms, taking three pastries for the walk. It was quiet in the store, and he had already done a walk-through straighten, so Jeremy was vegging out, watching the fashionable bodies wander by without seeing individuals, when he heard a splashing in the canal.
Becca would have been supremely jealous. She had worked here for eight years and had never seen a Trans out of the water. She had glimpsed a few, swimming by, and one, she swore, splashed her on purpose, but Jeremy was sitting, slouched and transfixed, as a female Trans lifted herself out of the canal and stood, dripping in his store.
The Trans looked human to him. She appeared to be about his age, and was completely nude. Jeremy thought he had been prepared for a moment like this, but it was too surprising. The Trans didn't seem bothered by his staring, and when the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile, he snapped out of his paralysis and grabbed for the store's towel. Everyone in the Catacombs was prepared to meet a Trans, though few did. Even the training for this job had included a section on Trans Relations. He knew to silently offer the towel, but not get offended if she didn't take it; not to touch her, even if she touched him; and that any Trans could take whatever they wanted.
Jeremy hopped off the stool and loped over in two strides, holding the towel before him like a bomb he was more than willing to hand over to the authorities. Looking up into his eyes, the Trans smiled a little deeper and plucked it from his hands. She draped it across her shoulders, but Jeremy noticed she was nearly dry on her own anyway. Her blonde hair was starting to curl up, and he saw her eyes were large, brown and glistening. She looked at him for far longer than was comfortable before browsing the rack in front of her. Her long, narrow fingers walked through the hangers, stopping at a small olive green shirt with a screen printed flying saucer. Before Jeremy could tell what was happening, she was wearing the shirt and had moved on, her bare feet leaving smaller and smaller wet prints on the cement floor. He scooped up the towel she had left over the rack, and by the time he moved to her side again, she was wearing a pair of camouflage cargo pants. No matter that she was dressed, Jeremy could only see her naked. To his mind, the clothes were decoration that floated above her body, careless and unnecessary.
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