Trading Places

It's 6 p.m. on a Thursday. I had just come to the gym to resume my three times weekly regimen of upper body workout. It's paying dividends. Plus it counteracts the effects of sitting on my ass all day in a cubicle staring at a computer. I'm a buff 180 pounds.

Kate's daily regimen has also paid dividends. At 5 7 her body is a nice vase-shape. She's firm in her tummy and legs.

Like me, she sits much of day. Like me, she is bent on keeping fit.

I had changed into workout clothes: blue sweat pants, gray sweat shirt and Sketchers slip-on sneakers.

My girlfriend came clad in Navy waistband shorts and matching sports bra.

At this time of day gyms usually are crowded. I find myself standing near the lat pull system while some dude does his thing. The girlfriend is peddling one of several stationary bikes.

Several minutes later I had started the bench press. A long exhale pushes up, what for me, is a light weight. Ten more easy reps follow.

Kate is standing beside the bar watching me exercise. I'm reading her thoughts. A big strapping guy like you is so sexy. I wouldn't mind being a boy having a body like that.

You know if you were a girl you could have your pick of men. I see the way you cruise men.

Holy crap. Does she think I'm gay? She thinks I cruise men.

After several minutes she vocalized her thoughts.

"Who are you looking at? It's bad enough that you look at girls. You look at guys."

"I'm not looking at guys."

In the wink of an eye everything changed. I looked down at my body in stunned disbelief and saw that which I really didn't want to see. The bulges in my shirt are unmistakably female breasts. I knew my ass was bigger and curvy even without seeing it.

I looked around for Kate but didn't see her anywhere. After a few seconds it dawned on me that she and I had swapped bodies. I'm now the 5 7 female. She became the brawny 5 10 dude who can bench press 250 pounds.

The transformation is upsetting, to say the least. Why did this have to happen? Can I still do my job? Girls don't usually study engineering. They go for law clerk or literature. Some become teachers.

What about friends? I don't want a guy who just wants to get me out of my panties. I never thought I'd be wearing panties.

Darkness had fallen over the land. This isn't right. I'm a girl standing in a boy's bedroom.

I knew I had to find something to wear. God at least let me find something suitable to wear. Is there at least loungewear in the dresser?

I pulled out a black top with front-button closure and white piping. After looking briefly at it, I pulled out elastic band shorts with white piping.

Sometimes in the light of day a person sees things differently. At 6 30 a.m. a hot girl with long gradual curves reflected in the bathroom vanity mirror. Was I unconscious? I don't remember putting on a Soft Taupe Bali full-figure 32c. Maybe my teeshirt morphed during the night.

Anyway, I struck a few poses admiring my new body. I can get used to this. I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my clothes.

A warm shower and plenty of soap washed the night sweat from my body. The temptation to brush my areola with a finger and gently push upward on my breast proved irresistible.

At 7 30 I knew that I had to go to the law office of Taylor, Attorney at law, Kate's desk before she became me. My career in engineering was history, the legal assistant career will begin shortly.

I came to the office wearing a white multi floral bodycon sheath dress. I love it's off-the-shoulder, short-sleeve style.

The funny thing was I felt like I've known the lawyer Alexa Taylor for years. I felt like I've been Kate for years.

Later that night the new Kate and I took seats at the dining table for a talk.

"How are you adjusting to being a boy? Do you like being an engineer?"

"I like it fine. Figuring out how to build things is a challenge and stimulating. I like being you."

"You're not ready to change back?"

He asked, "why would I."

I hadn't yet changed out of the floral bodycon that I wore to work.

"I'm glad I took your entire wardrobe, especially this dress. I've always liked it on you."

"So is there a man in your life?"

"You," I said. "We were a couple before the body swap."

My friend nodded.

"Even if I could change back I would still stay like this."

He nodded again.

"I'm gay," he said finally.

"Really," I said in disbelief.

"You used to be a gay man. I know that because I caught you more than once eyeballing men at the gym. Now I look lustfully at men."

Saturday at 9 o'clock finds the two of us at the gym again. While peddling the stationary bicycle I watched Stephen workout with weights and cruise men.

I used to cruise men. Now he's me and he cruises men. Oh well maybe some day we can talk about our boyfriends. I'd Love to have that conversation with him.

By late morning we had come back to the apartment not a minute too soon. Wetness spreading inside my panties sent me hurrying to the bathroom. Blood gave testimony to my not unexpected first ever period.

I'm 28 years old. This should've happened 16 years ago. I guess it's why my friend welcomes the transformation.

My gay friend could stay for a long visit. Seeking a movie that we could both enjoy, I selected the Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep romance "Bridges of Madison County."

We plopped into opposite ends of my sofa and lived vicariously through "Robert Kinkaid" and "Francesca Johnson".

I realized that even without trading places I would've found this movie entertaining.