Now that classes were under way, Susan had put the orientation behind her. It had been a bit stressful, but she thought she’d gotten the message across to the new students more clearly than it had been made to her when she’d been new here six years ago.

But at least it was out of the way. That meant she could turn her attention to some of the other things, and leading that list was the international programs, and doing more than just thinking about job descriptions. She was still more than a little unclear about where to get started on that, but she had one other item she had to finish up first – her first ombudsman issue.

It really was pretty simple. There was a class in the math department called “evolutionary topology”, whatever that was. The class was already over-full with students who had it as a requirement for graduation in the spring, and a couple of the kids cut from the class also needed it to graduate.

At first Susan thought it would be fairly simple to solve, but her initial suggestion to the department head of setting up an independent study didn’t go over very well – the students would need more supervision than could be arranged in an independent study. She made a suggestion that a second session of the class could be set up, but that proved infeasible, too – the professor was an adjunct, which was very common around Southern, and he wasn’t in a position to take on a second section. Besides, she was told by deRidder, and rather snottily, there wasn’t money in the budget for it.

Susan was able to solve it fairly easily, mostly by going to Dr. Thompson and, with a little cajoling, getting some extra money for a second section. “If a kid needs a class to graduate on time, we’re not going to leave him out in the cold,” Dr. Thompson said, which is exactly what Susan expected him to say.

There weren’t many people around who could teach the class, but a little calling around turned up a professor from Michigan State University who could stand a little extra pocket change and could get down to Southern for Saturday sections. Since the new adjunct was even more respected in the field than the current one, several students decided to switch over.

Of course that set off a squabble with deRidder, who seemed to feel that such a decision ought to have gone through his hands and that Susan had gone around him in going straight to Dr. Thompson. Not that he would have come up with the same solution; he seemed to think that budgets were inflexible, and if a student couldn’t schedule a class, then tough. He could come back another year. He was even less happy when Dr. Thompson set him straight.

Susan really had tried to work with deRidder on several occasions, but they’d mostly wound up striking sparks. It seemed clear that he had reached a point where he felt that anything she did was wrong. Her feelings about him weren’t quite the same – he seemed to be able to handle most things adequately, so long as they were easy or where there was clear-cut policy to follow. The problem was when there wasn’t any policy, or it didn’t fit the situation. Susan knew there were times when the rules had to be bent a little to accommodate a student with a legitimate issue.

It was clear that there were going to be more problems with the Dean of Students. If it was over an ombudsman issue, a confrontation was likely to take place, but Susan hoped she would be putting most of her attention into her international studies duties.

She was just finishing up a memo and some other paperwork on the new adjunct when someone knocked on the open door of her office. “Yes, what is it?” she said without looking up.

“Are you the person who’s supposed to deal with problems between students and the administration?” the girl at the door asked. Susan now looked up, to see a girl who had become a little notorious around the campus the last few days for wearing – and showing off – a chastity belt. She’d heard people around the campus referring to her as “The Steel Virgin.”

“Yes, I am. One of my positions is the University Ombudsman.”

“Ms. McMahon, what the fuck is this shit?” the girl said, holding out a letter. Susan took it, and began to read.

Ms. Laura Delacroix:

It has come to the attention of our office that you are habitually wearing a device that is inappropriate attire for students on the campus of Southern Michigan University. The device is indecent and indicative of deviant sexual practices, and you are ordered to cease and desist wearing it immediately.

Charles deRidder,

Dean of Students

Oh, crap, Susan thought. That idiot has stuck his nose in someplace else where it doesn’t belong. But she couldn’t say that to this girl. “That’s certainly an ombudsman issue,” Susan said, trying to remain calm; it was clear that this was going to turn into another pissing match with deRidder, but she realized that was something else she couldn’t say, just yet. “You’re Laura Delacroix, right?”

“Yes, and the device he’s referring to is my chastity belt.”

“I thought that was what it was when I saw it,” Susan smiled, remembering her thought at the time that someone was bound to pitch a bitch about it sooner or later. “Look, sit down, Laura, we need to talk for a moment. It’s my opinion that you can wear what you damn well please so long as it’s legal, but if I’m going to fight this one out I need a little more information. I guess the real question I have is whether you’re wearing that voluntarily, or whether you’ve had it forced on you.”

“I’m wearing it voluntarily,” the girl replied with just a hint of sullen tone in her voice. “I already had a discussion with Mr. deRidder about that. He accused me right straight out of having been forced to wear it. He was all set to call in a guy from maintenance to have it cut off of me. I finally had to tell him it was going to cost him twelve hundred bucks for a replacement, plus whatever he had to pay to a lawyer to defend against the lawsuit I’d file. I thought that ended that, but then I found this letter when I went to my mailbox.”

“Twelve hundred bucks?” Susan replied, a little amazed.

“It’s imported from Germany, and it’s probably the best brand in the world.”

“Good German engineering,” Susan smiled. “I’m familiar with that, just not on that particular product. Look, let’s get right down to the basic issue, as far as I’m concerned. Mr. deRidder was at least right in questioning whether you’re wearing it voluntarily. If you are, that’s one thing. If someone else, like a parent or boyfriend is forcing it on you, that’s another, and if you don’t want it on, I think it could be arranged to have someone remove it, and even possibly prosecute someone who was making you wear it.”

“I’ve always worn it voluntarily,” Laura said. “I started wearing it while I was fifteen, after I’d been raped.”

“Raped?” Susan asked.

“Raped, and violently beaten,” the girl said, and went on to describe a little of the rape, her fear of going outside her room, and how her father had suggested that she wear the chastity belt to feel safer and more comfortable. She also told the story of how the chastity belt her father built for her had stood off a second rape attempt, this one landing the rapist in prison.

“I don’t know if that was the best solution,” Susan said after hearing the story. “It’s not the one I would have chosen, but I’m not you. If it worked for you, then that’s fine. But if this guy is in prison, why are you still wearing it? Do you fear being raped again?”

“Not really,” Laura smiled. “The simple answer is that I got used to wearing it, and like wearing it. The big reason is that it gives me a little more control of my body, and gives me a reason to stop and think about what I’m doing before I do it. Ms. McMahon, I’ll come right out and be honest. I like sex, and I could be a really easy lay if I didn’t have it on.”

“Not wanting to be critical, but it seems to me like that’s going a little too far the other way. What happens if after careful consideration, you decide you want to have sex with someone?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” she grinned. “The guy has to call my dad and ask for the combination. He’s agreed to give the guy the combination if he’s called and he talks to both of us. We even have a code word I can use if I want Dad to turn the guy down.”

“Maybe this is a little personal,” Susan shook her head, smiling at the ingenuity. “But have you had to call your father with this?”

“Not since I’ve been here,” the girl laughed. “No one besides you has asked about that part of the deal yet, and I’m pretty sure you won’t spread it around, but I don’t think I’d want to go to bed with a guy who wouldn’t have the guts to ask Dad in the first place.”

“It would take a pretty understanding father,” Susan grinned, liking this girl better every minute. “Even at my age, I’m not sure I would have the courage to call up my dad and ask him if I can have sex with some guy. On the other hand, it strikes me that if more girls had to ask their fathers for permission to have sex, we’d have fewer teen pregnancies as well as some other issues.”

“I’ve often felt that way myself, and I agree about the other issues. I don’t want to say that wearing a chastity belt would work for everyone, and I wouldn’t recommend it generally. But it works for me.”

“Just as an aside, what are you planning on studying at Southern?”

“I’m pre-law. That’s another thing I learned from being raped at fifteen. When a woman is raped, she often needs help fighting the system to get any kind of justice. I want to help. I mean, I have been there and I understand what happens.”

“An admirable goal,” Susan replied, even more impressed. Let’s see how she handles a change-up to a curve ball, she thought. “I’m not what you call a rabid feminist, but I would imagine there are some out there who would say you’re not supporting the equality of women by wearing a chastity belt.”

“I support the ideal,” Laura said immediately, showing that she’d considered that issue, too. “And there are all too many men out there who seem to think they should have control of a woman’s body. With it on I’m in control of my body, not some damn jock with more testosterone than he knows what to do with.”

“So you want to keep on wearing it, and damn the consequences, right?”

“That’s a fair statement.”

“Then hang on a second.” Susan swung around to her laptop, brought up the IM, and quickly typed out a message to Dr. Thompson: Got time for an ombudsman issue?

She had a reply in seconds. Come on up.

Susan thought for a moment. This was obviously going to lead to another pissing match with deRidder, but this one was worth working through. Might as well get it over with, she thought as she typed a little more: Might as well have deRidder there. He’s the problem.

Will call him in, Dr. Thompson replied after few seconds.

“You’ve convinced me,” Susan told Laura. “Now you and I just have to convince Dr. Thompson. Let’s go.”

DeRidder hadn’t arrived by the time Susan and Laura were in Dr. Thompson’s office. He looked up when he saw who Susan was bringing with her, and said, “Somehow I was expecting this to happen.”

“It didn’t take much expecting,” Susan nodded, and went on to introduce Laura and summarize the problem and the discussion the two had just finished.

She was just finishing up her explanation when deRidder arrived. “What are you doing here?” he said to Laura. “I thought I told you to lose that damn thing!”

“Dr. Thompson,” Susan interceded. “I am convinced that Laura has good reason to wear her chastity belt if she wishes. She claims to be wearing it voluntarily, and as far as I can see she’s not breaking any laws or university policies by doing so.”

“It’s morally offensive!” deRidder shot back angrily. “Dr. Thompson, wearing that thing just signals to everyone on campus that this young lady is some kind of deviant! We can’t tolerate such behavior on campus!”

“Mr. deRidder,” Dr. Thompson said quietly. “When I rode the shuttle bus over here from the parking lot this morning, I saw a young lady dressed in very revealing clothing. Worse, she had several tattoos, some of which struck me as offensive. On top of that, she had several piercings visible on her face, and I don’t even want to think what she might have had under her clothing. Even the thought of that strikes me as offensive.”

“I think it is, too,” the Dean of Students replied, a little more calmly.

“Did you order the young lady to remove the piercings and cover her tattoos?”

“No. While I don’t like it, I realize that’s the style today. I wish there was something we could do about it, but I don’t think there is.”

“I have to say I agree with you on that,” Dr. Thompson said. “But there isn’t. In addition, it offends me to see girls running around this campus dressed like slobs or sluts, but if they meet the legal minimum requirements for exposure there isn’t much we can do about it except to offer gentle encouragement to do better. We clearly have policies that say that our students are allowed to have their freedom of expression in the way of dress and decorations, so long as does not violate community standards for indecent exposure.”

“You may be right, but we should take lead in setting those community standards.”

“As well we should, but by gentle guidance and force of example, not draconian orders that could be considered illegal.” He shook his head and went on. “We walk a thin line between community standards and freedom of expression. Crossing that line can open up cans of worms that we don’t want to get into. But I digress. If that girl on the shuttle bus this morning is allowed her freedom of expression, why shouldn’t Ms. Delacroix be allowed hers?”

“But it’s indecent!” deRidder exclaimed angrily.

“In my opinion, so was that young lady on the shuttle bus, but I’m afraid it’s out of our hands.” He turned to Laura and went on, “To paraphrase Voltaire’s biographer, ‘I disapprove of what you wear, but I will defend to the death your right to wear it,’ so long as it’s legal.”

“Thank you, sir,” Laura smiled. “I really appreciate it.”

“Thank you,” he smiled. “Now, Ms. McMahon, Ms. Delacroix, is there anything else?”

“Not that I can think of,” Susan replied. “Sorry to have had to bother you with this.”

“One of the enjoyable parts of this job is that we never know what’s going to happen next,” Dr. Thompson smiled. “Sometimes it’s a little more interesting than others. Have a good day, ladies, and good luck to you at Southern, Ms. Delacroix. I would be surprised if you didn’t help keep life interesting around here.”

“Thanks again, sir,” Susan said.

“That’s about that,” he replied. “Mr. deRidder, would you stick around for a moment?”

After they were out in the hall Laura said, “That went better than I expected, and a lot different than I expected, too.”

“Not to me,” Susan smiled. “But let’s go back to my office for a minute so we can talk about it.”

*   *   *

“Mr. deRidder,” Dr. Thompson was saying in his office at that moment. “Back in the days when I went to undergraduate school, the legal age of adulthood was twenty-one, and the schools had to stand in loco parentis, which means ‘in place of the parents.’ Since the legal age has become eighteen, those days are mostly gone, and we have few rights in that matter. As a high school administrator you had rights of that nature, but they don’t apply here. That’s something you’re just going to have to get used to.”

“I still think she’s being indecent, and I still think we should do something about it.”

“Actually, you may be right on the first part, but we don’t know for sure. Ms. Delacroix is one of the more modestly and attractively dressed students I’ve seen around this campus. Granted, it’s a little odd. Well, more than a little odd. But we don’t know her motivations, and since she is an adult we have to give her the benefit of the doubt, just like we have to that girl on the shuttle bus I mentioned. As far as doing something about it, our hands are tied. Charles,” he said, trying to lighten the formality a little, “When I was her age I spent a great deal of time at odds with various school administrations on freedom of expression issues, so I’m sensitive to them. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill on this, Charles. Save it for something important, and there are enough of those issues. All you can accomplish on this one is to make things worse in the long run, rather than better, so don’t try.”

“Be that as it may, I think she’s in the wrong.”

“I don’t want to say she’s in the right myself, but I don’t think it’s worth making an issue over. Charles, I don’t want to hear about this again.”

“I can see you’ve made up your mind and there’s no changing it,” deRidder snorted. “But what business of it was McMahon’s to get involved? This was something that should been between me and that girl.”

“She got involved because it’s her job,” Dr. Thompson smiled. “That is exactly why we have the position of University Ombudsman.”

“I don’t like it. It ties my hands, and leaves me open to being stabbed in the back like I was this time.”

“You don’t have to like it,” Dr. Thompson said with a tone of finality in his voice. “You just have to live with it, because that’s the way it’s going to be.”

*   *   *

“Thanks, Ms. McMahon,” Laura said when they got down to Susan’s office. “I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t been able to come to you.”

“Please, Laura, call me Susan, now that we’re out of Dr. Thompson’s office” she replied. “That’s my job, or one of my jobs, anyway. Anyway, I have to say I’m impressed with you. You seem to be a pretty cool customer. It may be you have an odd point of view or two, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Are you in a dorm, or an apartment off campus?”

“I’m in Echo Hall.”

“What does your roomie think about your chastity belt?”

“She thinks it’s a little odd, but once I explained why I was wearing it she was cool with it.”

“Put me in the same class,” Susan smiled. “I’d like to talk to you about it a little more, but this isn’t the time or the place. What would you think about having dinner at my place? You can bring your roomie if you like.”

“Sure, I’d like that, and I’ll bet she would, too.”

“Do you like Chinese food?”

“Not particularly.”

“Well, nuts. I learned something about Sichuan style cooking when I spent two years in China, but everyone seems to shy away from it since it’s hotter than hell. How about German cooking? I do a real great knockwurst and sauerkraut.”

“Sure, that sounds good. I don’t know how well Stacy will like it, but I get the impression she’ll eat just about everything.”

“Good. What do you say we make it around six tomorrow night?”

There were a few more arrangements to make before Laura left. Susan sat down at her desk again, thinking that while Laura may have had one of the odder eccentricities she’d seen around Southern, it was far from being the oddest, and she seemed like a very competent girl who really had her act together. It would be both fun and a learning experience to get to know some students a little better, and Laura looked like a real good place to start. Who knew? Maybe she’d even find someone she could try her Sichuan cooking out on.

She was just trying to get her mind back on the international programs when she heard the IM ping on her laptop again. She glanced up to see another message from Dr. Thompson: Come back up if the Delacroix girl is gone.

OK, on the way she typed back. She got up a little reluctantly; this sounded like another pissing match with deRidder, just out of sight of a student.

But deRidder was gone when she got to Dr. Thompson’s office. “You rang, sir?” she asked, a little more informally than earlier.

“Yeah, come on in, Susan,” Dr. Thompson said. “You know, as long as I’ve been messing around college campuses, and it’s over forty years now, that was a new one on me.”

“I’ve never seen it either,” she replied, a little relieved that it wasn’t going to be another interoffice hassle. Dr. Thompson was being informal, and she might as well be too. “But that’s one for the books.”

“You know, I could be wrong, but it just struck me that there’s an aspect to that girl wearing her chastity belt that we didn’t get into.”

“Actually, I think there are several aspects, and I’d like to know her a little better and see what I can find out. I asked her and her roomie over for dinner tomorrow night to see what I can find out informally. But what’s your insight?”

“I could be wrong on this, but after over forty years around college campuses, I can’t help but think she’s using it to draw attention.”

“She sure does that all right. I’m told she’s being called ‘The Steel Virgin’ already. There’s probably not another freshman on campus with a higher profile.”

“That’s exactly my point. She may have a number of reasons she’s wearing that thing, but you know how anonymous kids are when they first come to campus? I mean any campus, not just here? She’s found a unique way to stand out and show her individuality. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s part of her motivation.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised either,” Susan nodded. “We didn’t get into it earlier, but she wore that chastity belt in high school, too, and I’ll bet it got the same reaction from people. It sure makes her stand out, but at the same time she seems to have the cool to handle it. But then she’d have had the practice by now.”

“In high school, too?” Dr. Thompson smiled. “She’d know it would work, then.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a dozen reasons why she’s doing it. All of them will make sense, and any, or all, or none of them could be the real reason. I don’t know if I’ll find out by having her to dinner, but I may at least hear some more of her excuses.”

“That might be interesting. But that’s not the reason I wanted to talk to you. I thought you ought to know I had a little discussion with deRidder after you left.”

“I suspected as much.”

“I keep thinking about what you said about him not getting the message,” Dr. Thompson sighed. “More and more I’m coming to think you’re right. He still doesn’t understand how this place works, and I’m beginning to doubt that he’s going to figure it out. But I want to give him a chance, and that may mean you have to lose one once in a while. See if you can find one to lose that isn’t going to matter.”

“Those don’t always come easily.”

“No, they don’t. Relax, Susan. You’re doing just exactly what I wanted you to do, and this incident is a very good example of it.”

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