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Part 7

Reminder to readers: The name after the chapter number tells you who is narrating that chapter.

Chapter Thirty-One — Peaches
May 10th, Monday

It had been almost nine months since my last visit to the doctor. I felt mentally and physically fit. At my mother's annual check-up, she discussed me with Doctor Morrison. Doctor Morrison had heard about my changes through several other patients and friends. Maple Ridge isn't the kind of town where you have complete privacy.

Having a check-up had made me think about my physical gender. I hadn't really given it much thought over the past few months. Everyone at the high school and in the community had accepted me as I am.

I was placed in one of those little rooms and asked to change into a 'gown.' I knew the definition of a gown; long, loose, usually a formal dress. This was a fourth of a bed-sheet with two strings to tie at the neck. I suppose they called it a gown because most of it was ... gahwn!

“Good afternoon, Morgan,” Dr. Morrison said. “Today's the big day!”

“Big day?” ~She must think a check-up is a lot more important than I do.~

“The day they announce the project winners,” Dr. Morrison said.

I had forgotten what a social event the awards ceremony could be. Last year, about 75 students and almost that many adults attended. I didn't recall Dr. Morrison being there.

“Are you excited?” she asked.

“No. Why do you ask? Is my blood pressure up?”

“Morgan — or should I call you Peaches now?”

“Peaches is okay; everyone calls me Peaches.”

“You should be excited,” she said. “A day like this is a momentous occasion in a person's life.”

I hadn't given the award ceremonies much thought. Mr. G said last Sunday night at dinner that he wanted Zack, Judy, Mel, Mouse, and me to be at the ceremony. He didn't have to tell us. The top ten projects had been posted in school, and each would receive either a certificate of merit or an award. Zack, Judy, Mel, Mouse, and I were on the list. Because of the wedding, I had been too busy to worry about things like that. It would be great if Mouse, Melinda, Judy, or Zack won. Each one deserved it as much as the others.

I did have a favorite. Life with Mel was wonderful. I couldn’t imagine anything better. We had been running to the florist, picking out gowns and tuxedos, hiring a caterer — a thousand things. The wedding would be the week after school got out. Everyone thought a wedding during the school year would be too disruptive to the school.

“I suppose we need to do some blood work,” she said. “After we're done here, take this note down to the lab, and they'll draw a few vials of your blaaahd.” Dr. Morrison always did a great Dracula.

“Take off your bra and panties, Peaches,” she said. I had been hoping we could get by without the normal groping. As it turned out, she found several new areas to torture, in addition to everything she had done in the past. Life just didn't get any easier. As she took measurements, listened to my heart, looked into my mouth, eyes and ears, tested my reflexes, and generally made a pest of herself, I thought through my mental checklist.

The invitations had all been sent and the gowns were fitted and ready. Judy had been a big help. The hall had been rented, and Zack would be playing his keyboards for at least one set. Mouse was handling the decorations at the church and hall with her mother. The wedding planning had been a real community affair.

“You look to be doing quite well, Peaches,” she said. “I'm afraid the possibility of your gynecomastia dissipating on its own is extremely remote, given your breasts' continued growth. You're now almost a full B cup, but it looks like you've adapted well to your breasts.”

“I think it's more like my body adapted to me.”

“That's interesting you should say that.” Dr. Morrison took off her glasses and struck a serious pose. “You have experienced rare symptoms for gynecomastia. Not only have you developed breasts, your body has created fat deposits on your hips as well. You have almost none of the secondary sex characteristics a young male your age might have.”

“Thank goodness,” I said. “I couldn't imagine having a mustache.”

“Peaches?” Dr. Morrison asked. “Have you somehow been taking hormone treatment?”

“No, I wouldn't think of it,” I said. “I want Melinda to bear our babies, so I can care for them.”

“Oh, you want to be a father?”

“No,” I said. “I want to be a mother. Do you think I should be taking hormones?”

“No, it's good you're not doing that. I think we need to see how your life goes for at least another year. Once you get to be eighteen, you'll be able to make a decision about hormones. Ethically, I would find it hard to prescribe them to anyone under the age of eighteen.”

“Doctor Morrison, do you plan on coming to the wedding?”

“Absolutely, Peaches,” she said as she slid out the door. “It's not every day our town's favorite librarian gets married.”

Mel had been one of the first to know about the wedding. She had seen Mr. G buying Mom’s engagement ring in Corcoran’s Jewelry.

*****

Six hours later, we arrived at the awards ceremony early enough to claim a spot where Zack could stretch out, in case Mr. G got long-winded. Melinda gave us a ride to the gym in her new Toyota Prius. Much to our surprise, the gym was nearly half full when we got there, with more people pouring in.

Mr. G started the meeting by introducing the school board, school administration, officers of the Maple Ridge Women’s Club, and several of the town council members. There soon was a standing room only crowd, more than I’ve ever seen for a ball game.

“On November 14th, 1879, Mark Twain attended a banquet in honor of Ulysses S. Grant.” Mr. G looked great at the podium. “Someone made a toast ‘to the babies,’ to which Mark Twain responded, ‘Among the three or four million cradles now rocking in the land are some which this nation would preserve for the ages as sacred things, if we could know which ones they are.’ History tells us that Ulysses S. Grant probably didn’t care about the quality of the toasts, only the quantity. This particular toast, however, is appropriate to our event tonight. We don’t know where the leaders of tomorrow will come from; we do know we will need them.

“Last fall all the members of the sophomore class were challenged. The sophomore project is a time-honored tradition at Maple Ridge High School, and rightly so, as it has helped so many students find their voice, their philosophical base, and their path to the future.

“The ten students who will be honored tonight are remarkable. The parents of these students should go home tonight, go up to the attic, and make sure their cradles are secure for when the Smithsonian calls.”

I snuggled in close to Melinda. Crowds intimidate me. Mr. G quit making us sound like something to be stuffed and mounted and started with the presentation of the certificates. I figured I had better listen and be ready to go up for mine.

“Will Caulfield” (Applause)

~He’s a good guy; we’ve been friends for years.~

“Sarah Johnson” (Applause)

~Sarah’s neat, she was one of the first girls to accept what Mel and I were doing.~

“Todd Moran” (Applause)

~Todd’s a lot like Wayne. He’ll be a starter next year in football. Mel and I shared a pizza with Todd and Toni Mudd last week.~

“Susanne Stauhn” (Applause)

~Sue gave me tips early on in my gender roles project. Hey, there’s Luigi. I wonder who’s minding the pizzeria?~

“Michael McGavick” (Applause)

~Mike looks about as happy as he’s been since Sharon dumped him. He had it coming. He waited until three days before the Snowflake Ball to ask her. She knew he would ask her, but didn’t dare think about a dress so as not to jinx herself.~

“Now I will turn the proceedings over to Mrs. Jeanine Delmar, the President of the Women’s Club, to make her awards.”

~Hey. Mr. G forgot me and at least two or three others.~ Most years they gave one award, for exceptional years they gave two. ~Judy will win one for sure and.... I’m not even going to think about it. Boy, am I going to rub it into Mr. G. — Hey. I’ll be Peaches G.~

Mrs. Delmar walked to the podium. She was an imposing woman.

“This year we have more than one award. I will present them in no particular order, as we consider each of them to be the top project. The award for the Most Original Sophomore Project goes to a young lady who has made this town a national attraction for entomologists. Her discovery of the Lycaeides melissa mausseris, emphasis on mausseris, has lead to the development of the new Mudd Habitat for Wildlife. Katrina Mausser. Well done, Mouse.”

“Mouse. — Mouse. — Mouse!” Even the adults were on their feet cheering.

Mouse had developed into a poised and accomplished speaker. She had gone on the talk show circuit to promote the fragility of the environment. She was a regional celebrity, and soon would have another national audience. Angela Rasch from Network Radio was coming back to Maple Ridge in June for an extended interview.

“The second award is our Humanitarian Award. This year’s honoree is a shining example of what can be accomplished when need meets desire. Not only did this very special young lady see a problem, she went out of her way to correct it. Every one of us who has ever suffered under the tyranny of a despot has a special place in our heart for Judy Watson. Great job, Judy.”

“Ju-dee. — Ju-dee. — Ju-dee!”

Judy walked to the front with the grace of someone who should have received an award years ago — at a soccer awards banquet Mouse had once told me about.

~That’s good. I’m sorry Mel and Zack didn’t get one, but I’m sure they’re as happy for Judy and Mouse as I am. There’s Mr. Woodrow. He’s smiling and cheering almost as if Judy was his own daughter.~

I squeezed Mel’s hand.

“This year we’ve decided to add an award for outstanding performance in research. This young man’s techniques have become a standard for the local chemical community. His model has helped define the practical application of an ethicist’s theory. I’m extremely pleased to give our Research Award to Zack Murphy. Outstanding achievement, Zack.”

“Zack. — Zack. — Zack!”

Zack had no trouble getting to the stage for his award, getting back was much tougher as everyone blocked his path, eager to shake his hand or slap him on the back. Back in the seventh grade, Zack told me he sometimes dreamt about being a ball player and having the fans in the stands cheering his name.

~Listen to them, Zack. I’m so proud of those three. These darned tears are making it hard to see.~

I wiped my eyes and jumped up on my chair to see Zack, to see his smile.

His mom and dad looked awfully happy. Mouse was crying. ~As soon as everyone settles down, we can leave and go to Luigi’s to celebrate. I can’t wait. What a night!~

“Well deserved praise for a very determined young man. I was told Rachel Carson is your personal hero, Zack; she’s my hero too. I wrote my thesis on her work.

“Ahem. The Maple Ridge Women’s Club feels honored this year to be able to give an award for solving a problem we realized years ago. It was nearly seven years ago that we started augmenting and supplementing the recreation programs this town had to offer its youth.”

~Mel’s getting an award!~

“We are pleased to provide an award for someone who saw the need for a new business, if you will, for Maple Ridge. Seeing the need for a business is the first step; providing the solution and implementation, as you also did, is a magnificent accomplishment. Our award for Community Building goes to Melinda Pryce. Tremendous job, Melinda.”

“Mel. — Mel. — Mel!”

We hugged so quick it almost didn’t happen. She went off for the stage.

~Holy moly! Yes. Yes. Yes. Mel. Look at her. Wonderful. Awesome. Out of this world. She deserves this. She deserves to be queen of the world. — Mr. Pryce has a video camera. Mrs. Pryce just looked over and gave me a big thumbs-up. She will be so pretty as Mom’s matron of honor. They’re having so much fun together planning the wedding. — I still can’t believe it. Melinda Pryce — with me! What the heck is going on?~

“I understand you students just voted Melinda your student council vice-president for next year. I want to congratulate you on your choice. I’m sure she’ll do a great job and will go on to be your president her senior year. That’s the second award I’ve given to Melinda in the past seven months. Last fall, I gave her an award for best costume at our sock hop along with our next honoree.”

~What! Oh golly!~

“Our next honoree is a young lady who has won the respect of everyone in Maple Ridge. Through her ability to find practical and palatable solutions where all others see nothing but imponderable problems, our community has made a quantum leap forward. Her 'Cookbook for a Community' has taught us all to open our minds to the needs of other parties first when negotiating. Her study of gender differences lifted the awareness of tolerance and understanding toward each and every child in our educational system. Along with these awards, we are proud to extend a lifetime membership in the Maple Ridge Women's Club. Our awards for Overall Excellence and Outstanding Creativity both go to Morgan Smith.”

Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches — Peaches.

“Omigosh! Melinda! Mel! Hold me. I'll faint. Omigosh!”

“Peaches, you've got to let go of me and go get your awards.”

“Okay ... Okay ... olive juice!”

~Oh, why did I wear these heels and this tight skirt? Why today? Mrs. Johnson – doesn't she look nice tonight. Why can't I quit crying? My mascara will run. A membership in the Women’s Club ... Sweet! Where's the stairs to the stage? Mr. G, I'll bet he knew.~

“Thank you, Mr. G. Thank you, Mrs. Delmar. Thank you, all!”

~Omigosh! Look at all those people! There’s Mom. Mom! I’m so happy. I can't wait to get to Luigi's and into Mel's arms.~

Epilogue — Angela Rasch
June 10th, Thursday

(Network Radio bumper music: Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.”)

ANGELA RASCH (Network Radio): Good afternoon, this is Angela Rasch, environmental correspondent, reporting from Maple Ridge, New Jersey, for Network Radio’s “Changing World.”

Five months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with Katrina “Mouse” Mausser, the high-school sophomore who discovered a new species of butterfly in this bedroom community less than fifty miles from downtown Manhattan. The town has just voted to add the image of the butterfly to its official seal and logo, but there’s a larger story, one that has meaning for all of us. A story of how a fractured town came together behind the efforts of a group of high-school students, and in particular one small girl named Peaches.

The story starts with a dispute over the building of a new clubhouse at the local country club. Will Rogers once said, “A difference of opinion is what makes horse races and missionaries.” To start our journey toward understanding this difference of opinion, we talked to the mayor of Maple Ridge, Edward Collier.

EDWARD COLLIER: The old country club clubhouse had originally belonged to the town of Maple Ridge. Years ago, the town wanted to get out of the municipal links golf business and needed more land for recreational purposes. The town traded the entire municipal golf course and its clubhouse to a group of individuals for a large parcel of land in the southern end of the town. That group had been trying to create a private country club. It was a fair swap, as each of the two pieces of real estate was worth roughly the same amount of money. The undeveloped land contained much more acreage. It became Veteran’s Park. At the time of the trade, the clerk didn’t record a key side-agreement on the deed. It had been verbally agreed that should the country club ever want to abandon the clubhouse — it and the land it sits on would be deeded back to the town of Maple Ridge.

ANGELA RASCH: A difference of opinion arose when the country club members wanted to build a new and much larger clubhouse. To make room, they were going to demolish the old clubhouse. A country club board member, James Pryce, tells us their side of the story.

JAMES PRYCE: Our club presented our building permit application to the town council, expecting to receive immediate approval. We had used an excellent architect and felt our plans were well within town and state codes. We were shocked when the town rejected our application.

ANGELA RASCH: The vast majority of councilpersons weren’t members of the country club. They saw an opportunity to enforce the verbal side-agreement. It looked as if the entire matter would prompt a lawsuit. It was the kind of small-town feud that sets brother against brother. At the same time, nearly the entire town wanted something done about Mudd’s Towing and Diesel, a local business. Again we hear from the mayor.

EDWARD COLLIER: The main street coming into Maple Ridge from the state highway runs right along Mudd’s commercial property. Mudd had partly dismantled trucks, construction equipment, and other unsightly things scattered all over. It made a bad impression on visitors. He had another thirty acres of land that he let grow wild. The town wanted that land developed to increase our tax base.

ANGELA RASCH: We asked Herman Mudd, proprietor of Mudd’s Towing and Diesel, if he considered his business to be an eyesore.

HERMAN MUDD: It’s hard to see why the sight of a guy making an honest living should bother so many people. Seems to me some people don’t have enough to do, so they go looking to cause trouble for others. I abide by every government law. I wasn’t about to let a bunch of R Bs tell me what to do.

ANGELA RASCH: R Bs?

HERMAN MUDD: Rich bast ... BZZZ

ANGELA RASCH: There were those who thought Mudd’s property was his own business and those who wanted to exercise eminent domain, placing the good of many over the rights of the few. In the midst of all this uproar, Mouse Mausser found a new species of the most delicate of God’s creatures, the butterfly. Even that gentle find was not without controversy. Enter Mouse’s good friend, Zack Murphy.

ZACK: Because of the location of the spot where Mouse found the butterfly, there was a distinct possibility that what she thought was a new species might have really been a mutant caused by chemical pollutants in the soil. I decided to run some tests.

ANGELA RASCH: And what did you find?

ZACK: After months of sampling and testing, we found no traceable pollution that would result in a mutation, but we did find substantial chemical pollution coming from the country club.

ANGELA RASCH: We asked country club board member James Pryce to comment.

JAMES PRYCE: We were shocked when Zack Murphy came to a board meeting with his findings. He seemed a credible young man, so we conducted an investigation. We found that Carl, our greenskeeper, had been using chemicals on the club grounds that should have been destroyed years ago. We took immediate steps to properly dispose of them. We now have a standing board committee that will track and approve the purchase, use, and storage of chemicals. We reported ourselves to the state of New Jersey as polluters, and they took the case under advisement.

ANGELA RASCH: Zack’s work, uncovering the pollution from the country club, was part of his sophomore project. Maple Ridge High School requires all sophomores to write a major paper on a suitable subject of their choice. Mouse expanded her discovery of a new butterfly to a project involving the creation of a protected habitat for this seemingly endangered species.

MOUSE: The sanctuary needed at least twenty-five acres. The ravine where I found the butterfly was located on an abandoned railroad bed between Maple Ridge Avenue and Broad Street. The property is too narrow to be developed for commercial use. The tract is about eight acres; a good start toward a sanctuary, so I contacted Coastal Railroad.

ANGELA RASCH: Ralph DeViola of Coastal Railroad’s marketing department told us the abandoned line, now simply a bed as the tracks were long gone, had been isolated. Their property to the east of Broad Street had been sold to Betson Chemicals. Their property to the west of Maple Ridge Avenue had been sold to a residential developer.

RALPH DEVIOLA: The property was a white elephant. We would have donated it right away, but we couldn’t just give it to a high-school girl.

ANGELA RASCH: The railroad would donate the land for the sanctuary if there were some entity that would allow them to make a tax-deductible charitable contribution.

MOUSE: We looked at starting a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation, but the process was expensive and we didn’t have the funding.

ANGELA RASCH: It was during that time that another Maple Ridge High School student, who was doing a project on the creation of a student-governed town-wide recreation program, made an appeal to the country club. Melinda Pryce, coincidentally the daughter of country club board member James Pryce, asked the country club to donate the old clubhouse to a group of students.

MEL: There was a drastic need for a wholesome recreation program offering a wide range of activities. It was vital for the program to receive its direction from students, free from adult constraints and politics. The town fathers and the school district agreed to support a youth operated program, if it were properly organized, housed in a suitable building, and sufficiently insured. The insurance company stipulated that our student board hire an adult supervisor who had the approval of both the town council and the school board. The program would be self-funded, after it started, through user fees and community fundraising. Our first hurdle was to find a large amount of seed money.

ANGELA RASCH: As if all of these problems without answers weren’t enough, another student had a wonderful idea. Judy Watson, a young lady with a vision, had created an anti-bullying model for the school as her project. Her efforts resulted in a clear and positive change at Maple Ridge High School.

JUDY: The long-term prevention of bullying at Maple Ridge High would require the adoption of a permanent program with dedicated staff. At the March school board meeting, the proposal failed to be incorporated in the budget for the new academic year and seemed to be doomed.

ANGELA RASCH: Judy is an “A” student who managed to keep her grades up while spending a great deal of time on her project. Judy, it’s my understanding you also had a part-time job.

JUDY: Yes, I was a buyer trainee at a clothing store. Ah — My title now is assistant buyer.

ANGELA RASCH: Judy is an exceptionally good assistant buyer. She helped her employer establish a new line of fashionable clothing for the plus-size woman and teenager. Linda Pryce, mother of Melinda Pryce and spouse of James Pryce, is the CEO of a large, multi-state chain of women’s clothing stores.

LINDA PRYCE: Judy’s concept was a success the minute we opened the new department. We had a dickens of a time keeping the stores stocked. Judy came through again when she suggested we contact some of the U.S. manufacturers who had idle equipment because of so much of the clothing manufacturing industry going overseas. Given the margins available on special-order business, we were able to create wonderful contractual agreements with several clothing companies in North Carolina. Once we realized the magnitude of the niche, we decided to create a website and mail order operation. That’s when Peaches came to me with a marvelous proposal.

ANGELA RASCH: “It's been said that every straw needs a drink to stir it. Maple Ridge needed a problem solver. Morgan Smith, known as 'Peaches' to everyone in town, was writing her sophomore project on something she calls a 'Cookbook for Community'.”

PEACHES: I like to cook. When I cook, I don’t always have a recipe. So I look at what ingredients I have available, talk to the people I’ll be serving, and let my mind work until I find a suitable dish. It just takes imagination, time, and a desire to create something that is tasty to everyone.

Cooking involves a tolerance and understanding of the various ingredients. Some require special preparation — meat might have to be marinated overnight — some ingredients lose their flavor or consistency if added too soon. Once you accept that there are differences, you make sure your final dish celebrates them, allowing the taste, texture, and natural beauty of each to surface.

Working with a community is no different.

ANGELA RASCH: It sounds as if Maple Ridge was in enough of a stew to begin with, but your method seems to have worked. Can you tell us what you did to create solutions?

PEACHES: I actually didn’t create any solutions. I just put together people who were looking for answers. If I really did anything, I helped different groups in our community talk to each other.

ANGELA RASCH: As hard as we tried, that’s as much credit as Peaches would take for what she did. There are, however, many others who will sing her praises. Herman Mudd, for example.

HERMAN MUDD: When Peaches came to my shop, I’d pretty much had it. We’d moved here fifteen years ago, so I could have a business of my own in a small town. I’d been in management for ten years right out of college, working for a mail-order truck parts and accessories outfit.

Most people don’t know I have an advanced business degree, an MBA. Most people who come inside my business don’t know what an MBA is; the ones who do know don’t want to get grease on their clothes, so they wouldn’t see my diploma on the wall, next to the Skoal poster. I liked management well enough, but wouldn’t do it again unless I owned the business.

I’d just been to the doctor about my back when Peaches walked in. I’d been having back problems for years; twinges and some sharp pains. In my business, you need your back; diesel truck parts aren’t light. It had been my dream to build something where I could have a bunch of people working with me. I had ideas about how to treat people right. The doctor gave me small odds of being an effective mechanic for much longer.

I didn’t need any snot-nosed little girl poking into my business, but Peaches ain’t snot-nosed. Peaches is a friend of my kid Toni. Well, this little girl — Peaches is tiny as all hell — this little gal walks into my garage and asks if I would like to sell my property. I says, Sure, if I gotta. Well there’s something about Peaches that makes you open up, and for the next hour I’m telling her my life story, my dreams, and my problems. The next thing you know, she comes back with Mrs. Pryce. We have a sit-down, and Mrs. Pryce shoots me an offer I can’t refuse.

ANGELA RASCH: Linda Pryce was looking for a site for her online and direct-mail marketing operation. She also needed management for the new operation. Mudd and Pryce worked out a deal where he would sell a portion of his property for fair market value to a new corporation that she would establish. He would use some of the proceeds from the sale to match her initial capitalization of the new firm. Herman Mudd would be the chief operating officer, and they each would own half of the stock. The operation would have a low environmental impact on the community, as all the clothing would be shipped directly from the factories to the buyers. The new business would employ about ten employees to start, and a ten thousand square-foot building to house supplies and the high-speed equipment needed for direct-mail marketing.

HERMAN MUDD: I had an immediate tax problem. My accountant suggested I make a large charitable contribution to offset the capital gains from the sale of the property. I needed every cash dollar I had for my kid’s college fund and to start the new business. I was going to write a humongous check to Uncle Sam. That’s when Peaches talked to me again. I love talking to Peaches; every time I do I either make or save more money.

ANGELA RASCH: Peaches showed Mr. Mudd a picture of Mouse’s butterfly she carries in her purse. Mouse is a close friend of Peaches and Peaches is very proud of her. Mudd recognized the butterfly as one of those that fly around the thirty acres of his property that are undeveloped.

HERMAN MUDD: I worked it out with my accountant to give that portion of my property to the proposed butterfly sanctuary. I like butterflies and other animals. It would have killed me to have to sell that land to a developer. It’s so close to the chemical plant, I wouldn’t get much for it, but someone would’ve cut it up for housing. The way it worked out was perfect.

ANGELA RASCH: For the railroad to donate the land, and for Mudd to qualify for a bona fide tax deduction, Mouse’s sanctuary had to be owned by a real non-profit entity. Peaches had another friend. Peaches knew a key ingredient for Melinda’s recreation program to succeed was good food. Her next conversation was with Mr. Luigi Sgambarella, who for over two decades has owned a pizzeria two blocks from the high school.

LUIGI SGAMBARELLA: Peaches is a good kid. I know her and I know her momma. She’s the library lady, you know. Peaches came to me on a Saturday morning. She’s been in to see me on Saturday mornings quite a lotta times. I don’t mean Saturday morning like other kids — you know Saturday morning starts at ten for most of them. But Peaches, she would come in my shop as early as five.

She likes to talk about cooking and food, and making people happy. That’s what I been tryin’ to do all my life, since I left New York as a kid. We talk about the cooking and she helps me make the dough and the sauce, so it’s all ready to start the day. She’s a big help, Peaches. She’s got a nice touch with the seasonings. She don’t never measure nothin’.

Well, this one Saturday she starts talking about the recreationals program them kids wants to start. She says it won’t work if they don’t have good cooking. She says no one is going to want to eat candy bars all night outta vending machines. I know that’s right, for sure. She says, I should think about opening a branch of my business in the new recreationals building.

She seems to have some sorta sixth sense, because what Peaches don’t know is, I got this offer I been considering. A guy wants to put up a new strip mall and wants to buy my building, so I been thinking. I don’t want to do it because making pizza and burgers for kids has been a good life for me. I never marry, but I got more kids than you can count. On my wall at the pizza shop, I got pictures of kids — and their kids from 20 - 25 years later. Got a big picture there from the paper of Melinda and Peaches winning that costume dance. I want to make pizza and be around kids until I can’t do it no more. I done okay. I got some money put away, and I think this recreationals program is a good thing. I seen too many kids doing the wrong things just ‘cause they’re not doing the right things.

ANGELA RASCH: Peaches brought Melinda along the next Saturday morning, and while the two students and Mr. Sgambarella made dough and sauce they worked out a deal. In return for giving Mr. Sgambarella a long-term contract to be the food vendor at the new rec center, he would put up the seed money needed.

The pieces were coming together. But the rec center still needed a building, the sanctuary had to have official status, and the country club wasn’t really interested in financing the construction of a new building site. That’s when Peaches had a conversation with his friend Zack Murphy.

ZACK: Peaches had a lot of questions about the pollution in the ravine from the country club that I couldn’t answer. I asked Mr. Randolph Betson of Betson Chemicals to meet with us.

R. D. BETSON: Zack and Peaches came in with questions about pollution cleanup. I greatly admire Zack for what he’s done helping our company adjust our approach on a number of issues. I’m also a big fan of Peaches. She’s a gutsy kid. As we talked, I called in our engineers and chemists, and we got down to brass tacks.

Zack had the readings from the pollutants that had walked from the fairways to the ravine. He had taken enough samples so that we were able to estimate that a five-acre plot would have to be cleaned up. Two of the acres were railroad land in the ravine, and three were on the golf course. Government regs stipulate that the area has to be cleared of all contaminated soil and returned to a condition that satisfies the local authorities as being within regional standards of usage. The landowner can stipulate the use. If the ravine were gifted to a sanctuary, the cost to return that two acres to the condition it was in prior to the pollution would be astronomical. I serve on the country club board and was not at all pleased to hear what my people were telling me.

ANGELA RASCH: Again, Peaches helped people talk their way through to an intuitive answer. The country club could cut the land restoration expense to a fraction of the amount needed to restore it to a pristine natural condition, if the proposed butterfly sanctuary would agree to donate the polluted portion of the ravine to the country club after they received it from the railroad. The country club would use the two-acre plot for parking, cutting the restoration costs by ninety percent.

R. D. BETSON: It didn’t take long for the country club board to appreciate the need to change their building site and gift the old clubhouse to the new recreational program. The club’s board had two stipulations. The rec program had to be open to all students who lived in the school district who were eligible to attend Maple Ridge High. The second provision was that the students would vote annually to establish their own board of directors, who would be under the guidance of the school board and the town council. We were pleased that both of those provisions were already part of the written plan established by Melinda Pryce. Her dad, who also sits on the board, was mighty proud of her.

ANGELA RASCH: Which left the problems of finding that special person to run the recreational program and creating an official entity to own and manage the sanctuary.

That special person had to be someone the kids knew and trusted or it would fail. The recreation program would sink or swim on the ability of that person to understand the needs and desires of high-school students.

PEACHES: Finding that special person was easy. There isn’t a dad in the world who can turn down his only daughter when she really, really wants something.

ANGELA RASCH: The recreation program hired Peaches’ new stepfather, Gordon Grzywaczewski, long-time high-school teacher and a favorite of the students of Maple Ridge High School past and present. We asked him why a man with an advanced degree in American literature and a twenty-year career would quit teaching.

MR. G: Who says I won’t be teaching? This job offers a new and exciting platform to help students with their learning. Melinda’s plans included multiple activities for every student; activities that would help them grow. Besides, in my new job I can wear flannel shirts and Levis every day.

ANGELA RASCH: The school board and town council quickly and unanimously ratified his nomination. With Mr. Grzywaczewski in place, a joint-powers political subdivision was created for the recreation program and broadened to include the butterfly sanctuary, satisfying the railroad and Mr. Mudd. Combining the two projects facilitated the trading of the two polluted acres of the gifted railroad land for the old country club building and the land it was on.

Peaches still had one problem left to solve; Judy Watson’s bullying program needed long-term funding. She went back to Randolph Betson.

R. D. BETSON: The first time Peaches came to see me, I asked her how her year at school had gone. She’s a special person to have done all that she did and come through it with such a truly positive spirit. She told me she would have collapsed many times if it hadn’t been for her friends and all their support, but she said the real key to her ability to get through the year was the work done by Judy Watson.

When Peaches came back to me looking for my advice as to how to find funding for the school’s anti-bullying program, I acted as quickly as I could. I had told Zack Murphy that Betson Chemicals owed him a debt of gratitude. I had offered him a large consultant fee. He told me it would be unethical for him to take payment for something he was doing for academic credit. I had set aside that money and was looking for an appropriate way to use it.

I got together with the businessmen of Maple Ridge. Everyone in the room had been bullied at some time in their life and was either a member of the country club or understood what the recreation program would mean in the way of reduced community vandalism. I kicked-off a fund-raising effort with what I thought was a significant gift. There were personal reasons I felt the bullying in Maple Ridge had gone too far. I was soon put to shame by the size of the other donations and had to double my original amount. In just two days, we had created an endowment fund for the school of nearly $500,000. That was more than enough to adequately fund the program in perpetuity. The school board revised their budget and adopted Judy’s program.

ANGELA RASCH: But that wasn’t the end, was it?

R. D. BETSON: No, Ms. Rasch. Most of us, those who contributed to that endowment fund, have given to similar funds for our alma maters. It occurred to us that Maple Ridge High School was always fighting budget problems, so we broadened the scope of the endowment fund, hired a fund-raising manager, and have already gathered over $500,000 in additional endowment monies to help fill the gaps left by tax revenue. The country club contacted the State of New Jersey and negotiated a contribution to the school endowment fund of $100,000 in lieu of a pollution fine. Our long-term goal for the endowment fund is $2,000,000.

ANGELA RASCH: We talked to the captain of the cheerleading squad, senior Cassandra Dee Lee, to gauge the student reaction to all that’s happened.

CASSIE DEE LEE: We just love everything! At first some of the kids weren’t open-minded, but now everyone is working on a fund-raising program for the new rec center. Like — we’re going to raise enough money for professional movie projection equipment, a top-quality sound system, and DJ equipment, special effects lighting for dances, pool tables, and computer equipment — the geeks are already planning a computer room. Lots of kids are volunteering to help with the butterfly sanctuary too.

ANGELA RASCH: A town in need found a friend indeed — a friend who lit up her school and her town with the brightness of an ideal. Simple tolerance gave way to acceptance and finally to a celebration of differences to create a community feast. This is Angela Rasch. In this “Changing World,” I’d say Maple Ridge is lucky to have a girl named Peaches.

(The Network Radio bumper music is the spirited and playful “Peaches’ Rag” composed and performed by Zack Murphy.)

***

“That’s how it will sound when it airs next week.” I was sitting in the Grzywaczewskis’ living room, with Peaches and her deservedly proud parents. The aroma from the kitchen was a Paella Valenciana that Peaches had made in my honor. At my request, Peaches' parents went into the kitchen to give us some privacy. My intuition told me Peaches wanted to talk to me without anyone else around. We hadn't had that opportunity.

Prior to playing the tape, I had talked to Peaches about having an NR subsidiary publish her book, “Cookbook for Community.” Our non-profit subsidiary would pay her a fair price. The book would find its way into as many communities as possible. If Peaches agreed to the plan I had established, she would tour the country later this summer promoting her book at our NR affiliated stations.

“I think you should have given more credit to Melinda, Zack, Mouse, Judy, and all the others,” Peaches said. “I couldn't have done anything without them.”

“Peaches, you're a lovely person,” I said. “I'm first and foremost a journalist. I tell stories — factual stories. I don't necessarily tell them the way people in the stories want to hear them. I don't embellish the facts to make them easier on my listeners. I interviewed over forty people in Maple Ridge to get the story straight, including your friends. The story is accurate to the best of my ability. I have a question for you, Peaches; something that won’t go on the tape.”

“Sure, Ms. Rasch.”

“Peaches, Just between you and me, when did you first realize the need to help your friends reach their goals?”

“We always look out for each other. I was taking notes on everything going on around me. They were all having problems with their projects. It was the natural thing to bring people together. You didn't mention my other project.”

“I would have,” I said, “if the story had called for it, and if you had agreed to allow me to make it part of the story. You have a right of privacy. There was no ‘greater good’ to be served. Did you want me to include your other project?”

“In a way,” she said. “I was hoping you would ask me questions so we could have a talk.”

“A talk?”

“Before you came, I read about you online,” she said. “You've had an interesting life. You're like me.”

“Yes, Peaches, I'm a genetic male who chooses to live full-time as the woman I truly am. Is that what you wanted to talk about?”

“Yes, yes it is,” Peaches said. “I have a million questions. They're mostly questions I would rather answer for myself, with Melinda's help. But the question I would like to ask you, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to ... my question is this: I know you're married and have two children. In your estimation, are you a good spouse and parent?”

“Peaches, I don't travel much anymore. I made an exception in your case, due to the importance of this story. When my children get up in the morning, I'm there to make their breakfast and get them off to school. When they come home at night, I'm there to feed them, hug them, read to them, and answer their gazillion questions. When Meredith needs me, I'm there for her. When I need her, she's there for me. We enjoy each other, very, very much.”

“Ms. Rasch, can you add anything to the tape, or is it all set?”

“It’s never too late to edit, if it’s important.”

“It’s important, Ms. Rasch. I want you to ask me about my cooking, to tie into “A Cookbook for a Community.” Would you please ask me, “Peaches, do you have a cooking hint for our radio audience?”

I put a cassette in my tape recorder, started it, and asked, “Peaches, you seem to know your way around the kitchen. Can you give our listeners a cooking tip?”

“Thank you, I do have a bit of advice: Spare the salt — and use plenty of olive juice.”

Authors' note: This story took over two years to complete. During that time we received advice from literally dozens of people. Some that have made significant comments include Jenny, Geoff, and Jezzi, but we appreciate all the comments from all of our good friends.