The Wickfield Husbands

I thought I was lost, when I suddenly saw the sign, Wickfield Rhode Island, and I turned my wheel to exit the interstate. I felt butterflies in my stomach, as I didn't know what to expect. However, I was on my way to the job interview of a lifetime, and I was elated and apprehensive all at the same time.

The job description said, robotics, and I had all the qualifications and I never thought that I would find a job in my field, but suddenly, there it was, an advertisement. I was well educated, but for what? It seemed I was way ahead of my time. I took courses in data structures, algorithms, artificial intelligence, machine learning and computer visions, introduction to robotics, robot modeling and autonomous systems. I was considered peculiar, by most people's standards. I guess I was lucky my husband of twelve years was attracted to me. However, he wasn't considered marketable on the husband market, he only kept a job in total, one year total out of twelve years of our marriage. People considered him lazy and argumentive. In short, he never could keep a job.

I was to call a lady named Magdalene Tost, on my cell phone, when I pulled into Wickfield, and she would tell me where to go for my job interview, at the Women's Association. I drove two miles, and saw a sign that said, "Welcome to Wickfield", and I felt excited and nervous all at the same time. To my right, I saw a beautiful lake, with a man-made waterfall, and ducks of all kinds swimming, it was quite beautiful.

My mind drifted to the job, I might be leaving behind and the apartment in New York City, where I worked for a firm analyzing data, for a fortune 500 company. I liked it, just so-so, and it paid the bills, since my husband Billy couldn't keep a job. We had no children, since I went to school until I was thirty, and then I began working, and it didn't seem like it was in the cards to add to our family. I secretly wondered if I just didn't want the responsibility, marrying Billy was like marrying a child.

I made the call, and I went to meet Magdalene at the Women's Association. I pulled in the driveway, and it was like something out of a scene of the old show, the Adams Family. I felt really spooked, when I saw car lights pull up behind me. A lady in Blue Jeans and a T shirt, got out of the vehicle, and walked up beside my car window. "Sharon?", she asked, as I rolled down my drivers side window.

"Yes, and you are Magdalene?"

"Yes, well why don't we get started?" She walked me through the gate, and through the front door, and into the Association.

It wasn't at all like I had expected, it was very different. I expected by the term Women's Association, that it would be an office of some type, a business atmosphere, of some kind. Instead, I felt creeped out. It had room after room, that were set up, like they were rooms in different people's houses. I felt like I had just entered the twilight zone. From the time, she said, "Let me show you around", I got the eerie feeling of the paranormal. She said, "Let's get started,"and my stomach knotted up a bit, and I had a strange feeling, I would be lucky to walk out of there.

"You do what?, isn't that against the law!" I think I misunderstood the job description. I wanted to work with robotics."

"You would be my dear, you can call me, Madam Tootsie."

"Can I leave here of my own free will, if I don't want to take the job?"

"Of course you can, who would believe you anyway? Here is my card, if you change your mind, give me a call."

The roads all ran together, on my way home. I could never do that to Billie, on his worst day. I arrived home in record time, looking forward to seeing my husband, and I hoped he had dinner ready for me.

I arrived and looked at the front steps leading up to our Brownstone rented apartment, and I felt somewhat sentimental when I saw the steps leading up to our building. I remembered when we sat on those same steps and held hands, and we told each other our dreams and ambitions. We both wanted a home, he in the city, close to things, while I had dreams of a country home with a dog and horses. He was working then as a cab driver, which he got fired from, for sleeping on the job.

However, I was just glad to be home. This Brown shingled rowhouse had a special meaning tonight. I just might take Billie out for a pizza on fifth avenue, if he doesn't have dinner made already.

I was flooded with memories, when I reached to turn the doorknob. I remembered when we first moved in to this special Brownstone, it was our wedding night, and I reached to turn the doorknob, a lot like I was doing now. On our wedding night, there was just hopes and dreams, but now twelve years later it was very different. Would I tell Billie about the job interview, and what they wanted me to do, or would I tell him the job was just not for me. I had time to decide, and as I turned the doorknob, I was just glad I was home and glad I was about to see the only person, that I depended on for moral support the last twelve years.

As I turned the doorknob and opened the door, I was greeted by a pain in the side of my face, and before long, I felt something hot dripping down my face. I instinctively raised my hand and wiped my fingers across my cheek. It was blood, and through my blurred vision, I could see my husband out of the corner of my eye.

"Why did you do that? I could smell liquor and I asked him, have you been drinking?"

"You have got to be kidding, aren't you? You think I am moving to Rhode Island with you? You have always looked down your nose at me, with your hotsie-totsie, high fluentin jobs."

"Billie, you hurt me, I am bleeding, and for your information, I wasn't going to take the job in Rhode Island, but I am considering it now."

"What would you be doing?," he slurred his words.

"I am taking this job Billie, I don't care if you go with me or not."

"I am sorry, Sharon, I don't know what came over me."

The weeks that followed, were kind of a blur, as I gave my notice, and contacted, Madam Tootsie, and told her I changed my mind. "I thought you would, the pay is too good to pass up, and it comes with special benefits, including a home in the country, anyway I am glad you are joining the Association."

Billie and I drove that same interstate, and we passed the same sign that said, Welcome to Wickfield Rhode Island . I drove directly to the Women's Association to get the keys to our new home. However, I had a surprise, Madame Toostie, had furnished the home with all new furniture. The things that would come from New York would only be our personal momentoes.

In the coming months, one by one, I met the woman of Wickfield, and we quickly became friends. Many of them worked for Madam Tootsie also, and also had degrees in robotics. Each of us had our own specialized fields, and each of them were important. I still didn't know if I could do it when it became my turn, but for now that didn't matter. I was happier than I could remember, in a long time.

At first, I remember it was Betsy's turn, and I personally watched her children, when it was her turn to "transform", as we called it. Her husband, Charlie, was a child molester, although he was a successful lawyer. He was a difficlut one to duplicate, and we worked diligently to complete his profile. However, the deed was done, and Betsy, was happier then she had been in years.

Then it was Suellen's turn, her husband, Randy was a child beater and wife beater, and he was also unemployed. He was easier to transform, and Suellen was also happy, although she seemed to miss the real Randy at times. The program it seemed had flaws in it at times. Betsy watched her children, that night of the transformation.

Then there was Diane, she was working with me, and her husband who appeared to be feminine to most people, was having affairs with other men, and gave her a type of venereal disease. They had a daughter, and she was anxious to see what her life would be like after the transformation. Her turn was next.

The week of the fourth of July barbecue, I met some of the people who were moving to Wickfield or already lived there, and I wondered if they had already had their transformation, or if they were on the waiting list. Tootsie was really closed mouthed about The List, as she called it.

Billy had been busy unpacking the house, and he appeared happy, as long as he didn't have to work, and I enjoyed his company in the evenings. I didn't know if I could go through with Billy's transformation, and I expressed that feeling to Tootsie, one evening when I was working at the Association.

To my surprise, Tootsie got angry, and screamed at me, "You have to go through with it, you know too much, you've done too much. You should have thought about this before you ever moved to Wickfield Rhode Island."

I told her about the night, that I arrived home from the job interview, and she just turned her head and said, "I will take care of Billie, with the help of the others, you won't have to do a thing."

When I got home, I poured myself a drink, and sat in the dark, and Billie walked in, and said, "Drinking in the dark, my love, it's not like you, in fact you don't drink at all."

"I have got a lot on my mind at work, and just let it go Billie," I snapped at him.

The next few weeks were strange, as Betsy visited, and took photo's of the rooms in our home, and Suellen drew photo's of Billie, and asked him questions about himself, that he gladly answered. Billie loved to talk about himself. I didn't know if it was worse to imagine myself with a transformed Billie or married to a woman who I would share a cell with in a State Penitentiary. Neither sounded like a really nice possibility.

Finally, the night arrived, it seemed they did the transformations at night, I don't know why but Tootsie, preferred it that way. As it approached my turn, I looked at her as part werewolf and part space creature.

I went to her office the night they were suppose to bring Billie to the Association for the transformation, and begged her to let Billie and I just live our lives, and I wouldn't say anything about what they did here in Wickfield Rhode Island. She refused, saying that every woman gets cold feet when their time approaches, it will be alright. We will take you out of town tonight. "Who will take me out of town tonight?" I felt sick to my stomach, by the thoughts of what would be happening.

"Hello darling, nice to see you, it's been a long time since I held you, and I kissed you, and I am going job hunting tomorrow."

"Everything, I ever wanted in Billie!"

"Everything Indeed."