Her mother shook her head, “Well Betsy; I can't see what we can do about that.”
“And I can't even express myself,” Betsy explained. “If I wasn't like this, I'd adore clothing. I know I would. I probably wouldn't even want to go without clothing anymore. Everyone else puts on clothes to show who they are, so they can keep warm in cold places, so they can be people, and I am ... well, I don't know what I am.”
“Betsy,” her mother reassured her. “You are a person. You do a wonderful job of expressing yourself. There are so many ways in which people can express themselves besides clothing. There's language, facial expressions, writing, music, talents, interests, and best of all, character; character is the way a person expresses himself or herself from the heart. It's how people show their quality and true nature by what they do for other people, how they relate with other people, how they make other people feel. You have an amazing character, Betsy, and that is your greatest gift of expression.”
But Betsy's facial expression was still hollow. “But it's not a gift if I can't express it to anyone besides you, dad, and Laura. Is there somewhere I can go where I don't have to wear clothes, where nobody has to wear clothes, where people can be naked all the time if they want to and nobody minds?”
“Oh BETSY!!!” Megan cried.
Megan knew that such places existed, but she had never told Betsy. It was a thought that had passed through Megan's mind, but it had slithered back out like sand in a sieve. Come to think of it, Megan had always had a feeling, deep down, that one day Betsy might ask this very question. Megan, had, however, brushed the thought aside because it seemed like a silly paranoia that Betsy would suggest this. 'Nudist colonies' people often called them. Megan didn't even know if such places would admit children, if it would even be legal for them to admit children. Megan had always assumed that 'nudist colonies' only admitted adults, that every person had to be a minimum of eighteen, perhaps twenty-one, years of age to get in. Not only that, but before Betsy's birth, Megan had always thought that 'nudist colonies' were sex resorts; that the people there engaged in lewd activities in full view of the other people; that everyone came to show off their body and to stare, lustfully, at other people naked. With the birth and childhood of Betsy, this perception, of Megan's, had changed, albeit subconsciously. Maybe if Betsy was sweet, carefree, playful and innocent in her nakedness, perhaps 'nudists' were really nothing more than adult Betsys, who came just to be accepted for who they were and to take a break from society's conditioning.
“Betsy,” Megan sighed. “We don't ask questions like that,” and Megan left the room.
“What is it dear?” Carl asked his wife when he saw her. He knew that something was amiss.
“Betsy's asked about places where people can go without clothes all the time,” Megan sighed, “and I don't know what to tell her.”
Carl didn't look as surprised as Megan had been. “There are resorts where people can do that, you know,” he explained. “I had been starting to wonder if we could take Betsy to one. I know she'd be accepted there.”
“But would she be allowed?” cried Megan. “She's nowhere near eighteen yet, and even if she can go, would it be safe? There are people in this world who prey on children you know.”
“That's what I've been worrying about,” admitted Carl. “But I think if we keep a close eye on Betsy, I don't think any predator is going to pounce; not while we're around.”
But Megan wasn't convinced. “Carl,” she explained. “I wouldn't want any kind of predator to be around our daughter at all, pouncing or not. You seem to have forgotten that not all people are like us. I wouldn't want my wonderful Betsy to be naked around complete strangers, who are also naked, most of whom will be adults.”
“Well, it's not like she already hasn't been,” Carl explained. “We didn't exactly know the Barnes's when they first came over four years ago.”
“Oh, but that's not the same. They're from our neighborhood.”
“Megan, nudist colonies, well resorts actually, do admit children. For the past few years, I've done some research about them on the internet, thinking about them as an option for Betsy. I had just never worked up the guts to tell you. The only catch is that the parents have to be there too, to be supervising their children.”
“This is wrong,” Megan wept. “Carl, this is so so wrong.”
“Don't you think it's wrong that Betsy is kept locked up in the house, homeschooled all the time, never allowed any freedom, like she's an animal in the zoo? Our daughter, contrary to what some people have come to think, is not an animal. She's human, and she, just like any other child, is entitled to some happiness.”
“But it won't be much of a happy vacation if we're constantly having to watch Betsy,” Megan insisted, “and what about Laura? And what about us? I wouldn't want to be naked around so many people I don't know. You and I have never even been completely naked around Betsy.”
“You know Megan,” Carl sighed. “When Betsy was a little girl, I mean really little, she had an innocence to her, a happiness, a playfulness, a sweetness. Now that she is getting to know the world, and culture's taboos, I can feel that innocence leaking out. Don't you feel it Megan? Betsy used to laugh, run, jump, play. She doesn't do that anymore; she hasn't done that for a couple years now. She is hurt Megan; hurt, bruised, scratched inside. I would do anything to bring that innocence back.”
“I know, Carl,” Megan wept. “I understand.”
“You saw what Betsy did, just last Wednesday, putting that dress on,” Carl continued. “That's how desperate she is; she would literally risk her own life to be 'normal.' She did that because she was lonely, confused, sheltered and outcast. Wouldn't you be willing to do anything to keep that from happening again?”
“Of course I would! But Betsy won't do it again. She promised me.”
“Megan!” Carl insisted. “Betsy is reaching out to you. She trusts you to help her, to guide her. Don't you want what's best for her?”
“Of course I do, but I'm not sure a nudist colony, er, resort is the answer.”
“What is the answer then?” Carl asked Megan.
“Oh!” cried Megan. She sat down, and gave the situation a lot of thought. She thought of Betsy continuing her life, as a homeschooled girl, constantly shut in the house. She thought of Betsy trying on the dress and reacting in the worst way. She thought of Betsy escaping her imprisonment and running outside naked, only to be laughed at, teased, and Carl and Megan being questioned by the police. Then, Megan imagined Betsy outdoors, in a beautiful utopia, surrounded by lush trees, gorgeous grass, playing around naked, happily and freely, with other people just as happy, naked, and innocent as she was, every one of them, truly, completely understanding and accepting of Betsy.
With that thought, Megan gave one more sob, and caved in. “Okay, Carl. You win. We will let Betsy try out a nudist resort, but what about Laura? She doesn't have to be there.”
“I think we should take Laura too,” Carl explained. “It would help her become more understanding of Betsy, and it would add a happy new dimension to Laura's life.”
“But if we take Laura, she'll only get teased at school much more,” Megan protested. “I can, maybe, understand taking Betsy, but only because Betsy is a special case, but any other kid, no way. I don't even think there should be any kids in those places.”
“Laura's teacher and the principal should be dealing with the teasing,” explained Carl, “and if they don't, then it is up to us. Whether we take Laura or not, she is going to face some ridicule. However, if we do take Laura, she will be more likely to stand up for herself and for Betsy, because she will then know, first-hand, what Betsy's situation is like. If we take Betsy, and leave Laura at home with a babysitter, Laura will be far more likely to see Betsy as nothing but an embarrassment, someone who unfairly pulls Laura's own reputation down, an enemy even. Laura won't understand Betsy and will, therefore, lack compassion for her; compassion that Betsy so desperately needs, and was the main
reason why we had Laura in the first place. It could culminate in a bitter resentment, even hatred, between our two daughters.”
“I see dear,” contended Megan again, after much thought. “Very well. We will give this a try with both our daughters, but I can't promise you that it's going to work. For all we know, it might even make things worse.”
***
As Carl was coming home from work the next day, he picked up a brochure about travel destinations. He flipped through it and found a naturist resort called 'Sunny Palms.'
10 Betsy's Big Adventure
The Parkers spent a lot of time puzzling over how they were going to get to Sunny Palms. Betsy had never been transported in a car, or anywhere outside the house before. If she was in the car, passers by were going to see her.
In fact, Betsy was going to be publicly visible by any means in which she was transported; be it car, bus, plane or train.
“What would be the safest way of transporting Betsy to avoid her being seen?” Carl asked his wife.
“This is your idea,” she explained. “You should figure it out. What I've been wondering is, what about school? Even on a weekend, we wouldn't be able to be down there long enough to make a worthwhile trip, and the weather is getting cooler.”
“Megan, I haven't told you this yet, but Sunny Palms is in Hilo, Hawaii.”
Suddenly, Megan spilled her tea down her shirt, and spewed the tea she had in her mouth all across the table.
“HAWAII?!!! ARE YOU INSANE? HOW IN HEAVEN'S NAME DO YOU PLAN TO TRANSPORT BETSY OUT OF VIEW OF THE PUBLIC ALL THE WAY TO HAWAII?! AND WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO ABOUT THE GIRLS' SCHOOLING?!”
“We can go during the Christmas break,” explained Carl. “The climate isn't even too hot. Sunny Palms is also near the inactive volcano Mauna Kea, so we should see some spectacular sunsets, and spend our time on lush, fertile ground.”
“And the transportation?” Megan asked again. “We can't fly, because we would have to go into a public airport and onto a public airplane.”
“Hey, I didn't say it was going to be easy,” Carl explained, “but there's an old expression that goes 'Where there's a will, there's a way.'”
“And what's the way?” Megan asked.
Carl thought for a minute. “I'll call the resort. Then, I'll call the airport,” he said at last.
He, then, dialled Sunny Palms' number, and told them that he was the father of Betsy Parker, the girl whose story had been circulating in the news. The resort staff sounded very friendly. They agreed to let the Parkers come from December 16 to the 21.
Then, he called the airport and told the staff there about Betsy, his plans to take her to Sunny Palms, and ended up engaging in a long discourse about how to transport her. Finally, Carl smiled, and made a leap of joy.
“Thank you!” he smiled. “Thank you so much for thinking of us, and my daughter's needs,” and he hung up.
“What happened?” asked Megan, surprised and puzzled. “Surely they haven't agreed to let Betsy come into the airport in her birthday suit.”
“No,” Carl explained, “but they have agreed to take us from here to the airport in a private helicopter. Then, the airport will set aside a private plane for us to take us to Hilo's airport. This plane will connect to the helicopter so that we won't have to go into the airport. Then, another helicopter will take us from Hilo's airport to the gate of Sunny Palms. Our airport will send a helicopter to our house on December 16. The airport staff are so happy that Betsy is going to be meeting other people, and so determined to help her succeed that they've also granted a 50% discount to us for this and every subsequent trip, if any, when we take the plane to Sunny Palms.”
“That's wonderful Carl!” Megan cried. “I'm very happy that there are some people in the world who are this thoughtful.”
Now, all was said and done. All that the Parkers had to do was get ready for their big adventure. Carl and Megan were not particularly worried about the expense, as various church and community support groups were raising a fund in the Parkers' name.
“Hey Betsy!” called Megan to her daughter. “We have agreed to take you to a resort where everyone is naked!”
Betsy came bursting out of the living room to her mother in the kitchen.
“You have?! Oh mommy, thank you! I have never been away from this house in my life, and I will finally get to make some real friends who will understand me!”
“Can I come?” Laura called after her. “I want to go there too.”
“Of course you can!” Megan grinned in ecstasy. “We're all going. Mommy, daddy, you and Betsy.”
Right after Megan had told her daughters about the resort, Betsy's behavior and mood brightened. She was more playful once again, and smiled more. She still seemed somewhat lost and afraid, but her parents could detect a sense of hope in Betsy they hadn't felt in her for a long time, making her parents, also, feel all the more hopeful for Betsy.
Laura, too, was excited. She was playing with Betsy more again and she continued going to school. Some nastier kids still teased her. Other kids from more stringent parents avoided her, but Laura's teacher did her best to curb the teasing, and to separate Laura from other students she felt might make fun of her.
The Indian summer turned into full-blown autumn; the autumn turned into winter; and before the Parkers knew it, they were flying high in the air, escaping the cold winter and snow that was falling all around. Betsy was sitting on her pad in the plane, while Laura was sitting next to her, looking out the window.
“Whoa,” Laura breathed. “We're really high, aren't we?”
“We certainly are,” her father explained, “about 12,000 feet.”
“I don't know what that means,” Laura commented.
Betsy was lost for words.
“This is,” she commented at last, “I don't know ... weird.”
“Well, it's sure new for you,” her father smiled.
“It sure is, and fun, and exciting, and a bit ... scary, being this high above the ground with nothing to support us.”
Betsy turned to Laura.
“How are you enjoying yourself Laura?”
Laura was busying herself blowing up a red balloon. She let it grow bigger and bigger. Then, she slammed her hand on it and popped it.
Laura laughed, but everyone else jumped.
“Now you behave yourself young lady,” her mother assured her. “The pilot needs to focus on flying the plane. He needs as little distraction as possible.”
All the Parkers spent much of their time gazing out the window. As they flew along, mountain ranges, forests, grasslands, and rivers drifted past. Betsy, in particular, was so intrigued and fascinated, she could never stop talking.
“There is so much to this world!” she exclaimed. “It's amazing. I love it all. I want to be part of it. There's so much out there I have never seen before. I love all these different sights; the meadows, the mountains, everything.”
“I think you will find that our vacation destination will be the best yet,” her father beamed. “Just you wait. You will love it so much you will never want to go home.”
Eventually, the plane transferred to the second helicopter from Hilo's airport to Sunny Palms, and, later still, the helicopter from Hilo's airport landed. “Here you are!” called the pilot. “I have brought you here safe and sound.”
“Thank you!” the whole family called.
The Parkers found that they had landed on a gravel road, in hot sun, under a clear sky. For a family that had flown in from up North, it was really disorienting that this was actually December. There was already a young woman, still dressed, awaiting their arrival at the gate. She was smiling at the Parkers.
“Welcome, all of you,” she beamed at the foursome at the gate. “I am Susan Carson. Come on in. I'll get the gate open for you.”
She undid a latch, and, walking the gate behind her, pulled it open.
“Well, looks like you're all ready to get settled,” nodded the pilot. “I will see
you all in five days.”
He started the motor of his helicopter, pulled some switches and flew off.
“Come on in and get settled,” smiled Susan at everyone.
“What about us?” Megan asked. “My husband and I are new to this, and we are not sure we would feel comfortable about getting undressed.”
“Not to worry,” Susan assured her. “We have had many newcomers come here, and they find that they very quickly feel comfortable being undressed. You will have some time to remain clothed, as this is your first time, but you will be expected to be undressed after a few hours.”
“I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” Megan continued, “but if it hadn't been for our daughter, Betsy, my husband and I would never have dreamed of coming to a place like this, and if anyone had even suggested the idea, I know we would have turned it down. Can you make an exception for us to let my husband and I remain clothed all the time?”
Despite Megan's reservations, Susan remained happy and welcoming. “You will quickly find that if you stay clothed, you will feel out of place and self-conscious. I can almost guarantee there will come a time when you won't even want to keep your clothes on anymore. Please come inside. I will show you around.”
Susan stepped forward into what the Parkers perceived as a tropical garden of paradise. There were palm trees, papaya trees, mango trees, banana trees, with a rich, lush lawn underfoot. The sky was a stunning blue, and the sun's warmth hugged them all.
There was a pool, where several nudists, including two families with children, were swimming. Beside the pool was a ping pong table.
“This is our pool,” Susan explained. “It is clothes-free. No bathing suits are allowed in the pool.”
Susan turned to a small tub next to the pool.
“This is the hot tub.”
And then, she turned to another small pool next to the hot tub.
“This,” Susan explained, “is for your daughter Betsy. When you told us about Betsy, we felt it would be necessary to install a pool specifically for her needs. It is non-chlorinated, so it should be suitable for her skin.”
The Sheltered Life of Betsy Parker Page 7
