As Joan and her new assistant, Mary Jane went off to professionalize their friends, John sat locked up with the headphones blasting over him, writing over his thoughts with each line. He squirmed and struggled but each line brought him closer to professionalism.
"Let me go!" John screamed.
"You are always a dutiful, good looking and hard working Professional. Maintaining the image of a Professional." The voice from the headphones echoed out. "I am always- No! I cannot let it brainwash me!"
"You strive to be obedient to your colleagues and dedicated to your work. You love presenting yourself to them with poise, pretty and proper and never let your emotions get in the way."
"Must...fight... but my emotions are getting in the way? I have to focus...focus on being Professional."
What Joan and her mother didn't account for is that the recordings and program John made, were aimed at making woman into professionals. The voice didn't distinguish between genders, and didn't have a setting for males because John hadn't programmed it that way.
"You will wear clean hose, wear nice strait skirts. A woman's business suit and tie suits you best."
John closed his eyes and tried to distract his attention, but the words brought images to mind. Images of a pretty, petite and utterly polite woman with a doll, neatly cut bobcut and an emotionless, cool expression on her face. "Being a business woman is desirable. You desire to be a professional don't you? Showing outbursts or resistance is most unprofessional."
"Yes, resisting isn't very ladylike of me- But I'm NOT a lady- Well than I better dress well and try harder- Nooo!"
"Be a good business woman. A professional. Emotionless. Pretty. Polite. Poised. Dedicated to her work and not distracted by childish things such as sex, free time or emotion. Be a good business woman. A professional." The words looped on the headphones and than looped as frequently in his brain. It was always as if the pretty sounding lady's voice was starting to override his own thoughts. Even when he struggled he no longer heard his own voice mentally but aligned it with a crisp and professional woman, matching that of the headphones.
"A good business woman."
John's jeans turned into a black skirt.
"A professional."
His top shirt became a perfectly suited woman's business suit with a tie.
"Emotionless."
His face went dull yet focused.
"Pretty."
It became completely feminine with soft plain features.
"Polite. Poised."
She gave a faint smile and stood perfectly straight.
The rest of the recording played on, and by the end of it John- no, that name no longer suited her, Janet or Janna suited her. Jan for short, Miss Jan for an extra formality. She'd become a well grown woman, in her black business skirt, suit and tie, sleeves and white cuffs. Her hair had become a perfectly shaped bob and she had black flat heels. A briefcase had appeared right beside her, now containing all the instruments for her new identity, right down to a work punchcard, a drivers license and an ID with her (barely) smiling picture on it. She tried to smile like the girl in the picture, looking just like her and being her it should've been easy, but she find even a simple smile or expression rather difficult. And most unprofessional, her internal voices told her.
