“Miss Johnson, this is Sue Weeks, the guidance counselor. Can you come in this afternoon after school? This is in regards to your son, Jeff.”
Carol went to immediate concern. “Is he ok? Has something happened?”
Sue answered, “Oh, no, nothing dangerous or he’s been harmed. We just had something pop up today that I wish to speak to you about. Is this afternoon ok with you?”
Carol replied, “Sure, I can do that. I get off at 4pm, is that too late?”
“Sure, that’s fine,” said Sue. “See you after 4.”
Carol hung up the phone and a million thoughts ran through her head about the phone call. Jeff was a senior, graduating in just a few short days and was accepted at the local community college. She assumed it might be some paperwork issue that needed to be addressed for college or something. Otherwise Sue would’ve asked her to come in immediately Carol reasoned.
Eventually 4pm rolled around and Carol left work and arrived at the school just a few minutes later as it was nearby. She knew her way to the guidance counselor’s office as she’d been going to PTA meetings there for several years now.
Sue’s office door was open and she was standing by the door, watching for Carol’s arrival. “Please come in, won’t you?” said Sue.
Carol walked in and took the chair in front of Sue’s desk. She noticed Sue closing the door, she assumed for privacy.
Sue began, “This is somewhat delicate. I’ll try to be as tactful as I can given the circumstances.”
“Go ahead, just give it to me straight”, said Carol.
“Ok”, said Sue. “It seems Jeff was in the boy’s locker room in the gym this afternoon, having finished his exams for the day. Other boys were in there as well, they also having finished their exams too. The school allows them to shoot basketball or just hang out in the gym until school is dismissed provided their exams are done for the day.
“Boys being boys, there was some horseplay going on and Jeff was ‘depantsed”, as they call it. Someone grabbed the waistband of his pants and yanked them down. Unfortunately, it was discovered that Jeff was wearing women’s panties under his school pants. Needless to say, he was completely embarrassed by the circumstances.”
Carol’s mind simply reeled. “Wearing women’s panties? Where did he get them? I’ve never seen them in his laundry basket or when I put his clothes away!” she thought.
Sue continued. “The gym teacher heard the commotion and checked it out. The other couple of boys told him what happened and the gym teacher sent Jeff to me rather than the principal as it wasn’t really a discipline issue.”
Carol asked quietly, “What did Jeff have to say?”
Sue matched Carol’s quietness. “I asked Jeff about it and of course he couldn’t deny it as the other boys saw them. He was embarrassed, as one could expect. I tried to be as kind to him as I could, knowing how teenage boys are about private matters. He admitted to wearing them obviously but he thought since he wasn’t in gym class, he wouldn’t be changing clothes or removing his pants, at least not on purpose. He finally admitted that the panties he had on were yours.”
Carol turned about fifty shades of red. She didn’t know what to say, if anything. She knew she had some of her panties go missing for a day or two but they always turned back up somewhere. “Why was Jeff wearing MY panties?” she wondered.
Carol just looked at Sue, hoping she’d finish her story. Sue did.
“I really didn’t ask him why he was wearing panties nor why he was wearing yours. I know 18 year old boys have raging hormones and they do silly things sometimes without thinking it through.”
Carol immediately answered by reflex, “Actually Jeff is 19. He repeated a year when he was out sick for a year in junior high. The doctors believe that’s why he’s slightly small for his age.”
Carol noticed a change in Sue’s expression for just a fleeting second before it went back to normal. “What was that about?” thought Carol.
Sue continued. “One thing I do know for boys of that age is to not have adults make fun of them about private moments or activities. I didn’t judge him nor admonish him about his clothing choice. I did tell him I would speak to you about it as I thought you should know.”
Carol breathed out a small sigh of relief. Every since her husband left her and Jeff, she had raised him on her own. Jeff was a shy, reticent boy. Not assertive at all and girls didn’t pay him much attention due to his smaller physique. Carol gently asked him from time to time about girls but didn’t push the subject as Jeff was easily embarrassed about his size.
Sue pushed on. “May I ask a few questions about Jeff? Private, personal questions?”
Carol could only nod affirmatively, hoping she’d have some answers.
“Have you spoken with Jeff about sex? Or perhaps masturbation? I know this is uncomfortable for you but it will help me arrive at a proper plan”, Sue said.
“Well,” said Carol, “Not really. I bought him a book about sex when he was 16 or 17 but since he father left I wasn’t sure I should approach the subject with him?”
Sue leaned back in her chair and looked at the ceiling for a few moments. She gave a slight nod, as if to herself and leaned forward, looking at Carol again. Carol noticed again a different expression on Sue’s face only now it didn’t disappear like it did before.
“Here’s what I think based on my 25 years’ experience with adult teen boys. I think he is using your panties as a sexual outlet as well as sexual fantasy.”
Carol couldn’t help it, her mouth just dropped open. She really hadn’t dated since Jeff’s father left so her sexual knowledge was somewhat limited. Her ex-husband had been her only sexual partner and even then only for a year or so.
All Carol could think of to say was, “Ok, so what should I do?”
Sue smiled as she began again. “I think we should work this as a team. That way I can insert my psychological training and perhaps act as a bridge between you and Jeff. That will make communication easier for both of you, I think. Done correctly, we can convince Jeff that his behavior is okay and no emotional harm will develop from this. Done incorrectly, it could harm him for a long, long time as well as damage his chance of being successful in college.”
Carol began to nod in agreement. “Yes, I agree it will make discussing it easier for me, certainly. Probably easier for Jeff too as well. When can we do this?”
Sue said, “Graduation is in two days. How about that evening, at your house? That way it will be both comfortable and familiar surroundings for both of you.”
Carol sighed. “Okay, sure. Say around 6pm, after the ceremony?”
Sue agreed, “Sounds like a play. Meanwhile, don’t mention it, don’t talk about it, don’t act like anything happened.”
Carol again nodded as she rose from the chair. “Alright, that will be easy for me to ignore. Doesn’t mean I won’t be thinking about it a great deal though.”
Sue walked Carol to the school front door where they bid each other their good-byes. Carol drove home slowly, her mind still coming to grips with the mental picture of her son, naked, wearing her panties.