Narrative Messages Part 1

People learn to love and accept themselves, to be tender and gentle, kind and compassionate to themselves, "At Risk" suggests, the same way that they might learn to hate and reject themselves, to be harsh and violent, cruel and callous toward themselves: by how others treat them. People's self-images are more dependent on the perceptions and statements and treatment of others than they might like or know. That's all the more for people to someone who is loving, respectful, kind, and compassionate.

"Beefy Buns" takes place in a fast-food restaurant. Brad, the chauvinistic manager, is eager to see up Mona's skirt. However, she puts up with his boorish behavior until she is able to turn the tables on him, making him admit that he has homosexual feelings because he is fond of her, a shemale with both breasts and a cock and pair of balls. Since he is willing to accept her the way she is, she accepts him, too, telling him, "you're actually kind of cute when you're not being revolting." He proves he cares about her by letting her move into his place and taking care of her financially so she can quit her job at Beefy Buns. This story is about demanding respect from others because one respects herself. Unlike Diane ("At Risk"), Mona likes herself; she accepts herself and demands respect from any with whom she will be friends-or, in the case of Brian-more than friends. Although she is young, Mona knows what she's worth and demands the same respect from others as she has for herself. She's the one who learns, rather than teaches this lesson.

"The Best Policy," of course, is honesty. The characters in this story, Bill, and Jamie, are both honest people. Each is rewarded because of his or her honesty. Bill finds the bracelet that Jaime loses and returns it to her. A reward is offered for its return. The reward, he finds, is Jaime. Ironically, Jaime is also the reward for her own honesty, as symbolized by the bracelet, which her father gave her, as a "coming out present," when she publicly announced her identity as a shemale.