He heard music.
The plucking of some stringed instrument with some ambient, soft tones bringing him closer to consciousness.
"Mr. Thaler?"
The harp strings chimed.
"Mr. Thaler, I think you're waking up now." He fluttered his eyelids open. His hospital room was nicely decorated. It didn't feel like an unfamiliar place, unfortunately. But he felt...so good. He had been in hospitals for so many illnesses, so many problems with his body betraying him as time went by.
"Hey, oh man...that sounds really nice."
"Yes, we've been using music lately. It really calms patients down and some of the new arrival bodies are not exactly easy for them to accept. But I think you're going to have an awesome morning."
He smiled. He hadn't felt this comfortable in ages. He opened his eyes. He was so calm. He was so content. The woman standing above him was in her mid 30s. Beautiful eyes, black hair.
"You're a vision of beauty itself, nurse...what was your name?"
"It's Doctor and the name is Ruth. Doctor Ruth."
"Of course. Forgive me. I was so overwhelmed with your beauty I forgot my manners and the knowledge that women have supreme intellects."
"Oh man, you are already practicing. You are going to be a popular one, I can tell."
"Where are my glasses?"
"You don't need glasses anymore, Mr. Thaler."
"I don't? I don't! My voice. That's my voice!" He shot up suddenly.
(to see what Bert's new body looks like, go to:
)
"Easy does it. Give yourself a few minutes to adjust to your new body..." She came over to him and stroked him gently along his arm in a very maternal way. "I need to take your blood pressure real quick."
"You can take anything you want from me, darlin'."
"Good to know. Just need your blood pressure."
"Am I...young again? Did I really do it? I made it?" He basked in a type of euphoria that he didn't know could exist.
"You made it. You are a bastion of teenage boyhood."
"Hot diggety dog! Can I see myself?" He sounded so happy. He could cry from being so happy.
"Just a sec....yes." The blood pressure taker deflated. He excitedly made his way over to the bathroom.
That kid. That glorious, stupid bastard who had totaled his car. He was looking ta his reflection, and it was the kid. 18 years old.
He knew when he woke up in the hospital after the accident that the pain would be for life. At his age, who would ever be able to take away the pain of getting older? The body swap people, that's who. Body swap technology had come around after the government announced it had alien technology in the 70s. Usually only rich people could afford it. There were a million laws around it. He was okay in his retirement but he couldn't afford a new body like that Herb Linderman he had worked with in accounting, who had gone on to bigger and better things. Herb paid some bodybuilder trailer trash stud every year for the joy of walking around like a god. Some retirement he must be having! But it all had to end some day unless the other dude just croaked in your body. That's why they had so many laws around it. You had to sign a waiver for that sort of thing. You were running a huge risk by doing a paid transfer.
But Body Swap Court. Now that was his one and only chance at a new life.
His face was clean and round. His hair was soft and brown like and just right. Short on the sides, an inch or so in the front, the color of good ale. No age spots, only the barest hint of stubble on his pink cheeks. His eyes and eyebrows were dark and piercing, his nose cherubic, his lips had an adorable curl to them when he smiled. Not a wide smile, but a gentle smile. He touched his face disbelievingly, looking at his young, disbelieving face mimic his emotions. Tremblingly, he ran his hand over his chest. His features were well defined. His chest and arms were not large, but they were symmetrical, taut, and a good start for a man his size. He was now a more average height of 5'10". He almost cried as his fingers touched the rill of his cut abdominal section. A slight mess of fur crept up in a small treasure trail. A single tear fell from his eye.
"It's...it feel so wonderful. It's incredible."
"I know. And I have some paperwork for you to sign."
"Oh. Right." He began laughing. Laughing uncontrollably and with wondrous glee, looking at his hands and flexing his small but incredibly hard arm muscles. "I'll sign whatever you need." He couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he walked out of the hospital in the T-shirt and pants they had provided for him. None of his other clothes would fit. They were all too small now, he thought.
Everything looked new, and more beautiful than ever. Bushes looked greener. The flag waving in the wind, he could hear it flapping. He had had some hearing loss so that was just a sound that he had dearly missed. He could hear children complaining about having to go visit Grandma all the way clear across the parking lot.
"My hearing. Jesus."
He wanted to drive home as soon as possible. He took the Miata, since his Mercedes was history. Much like his old body.
He prayed the kid died in his body. Technically if anything happened, even life threatening, they were not allowed to swap them because the procedure was too dangerous done in increments less than 3 years apart. It was something he'd hope for. A new chance at life. A chance to do it all again, only even better this time.
He would have to learn more about computers, he thought. He knew accounting programs like Excel but not much more than that. He used computers but didn't know too much about them. Not like the kids these days. All the programming thingys and app whatchamacalits were too confusing. Maybe he could go to a class. He was the perfect age for going to school! Maybe...
He hadn't thought about it, but maybe he should enroll in college. Go back and do it again. He had multiple degrees in accounting and theater arts for all the good that had done him. He had done accounting and some of it was for movie industry people but he'd never broken into the business. He could never find the time to hone his acting skills and commit. He raised all five of his siblings on his own. He had worked at various corporations after his parents died. Dad died in Europe fighting the Nazis and his mother had died in a car accident years later. He had to take over as head of the household at 17 years of age. He worked in grocery stores, county fairs, as a janitor, in restaurants...all working slowly towards his degree. Raising five kids all to adulthood. Sacrificing all that time. All that money.
Four of them were dead now. He'd outlived them all but one, and she was a dementia patient. She didn't remember him at all. Even if he could afford a body swap for her the law would never allow it. Dementia was a checklist item. Totally forbidden to swap someone after mind deterioration had set in. Same with too many brain injuries, extreme mental illness or Alzheimer's.
So he was alone. He'd spent a lifetime taking care of his family. He had married but it had been an unhappy marriage. She wanted someone that would rise higher. She had ambition. He had not learned to value himself enough and he was so used to taking care of people he did that more than expect a good partner. Someone who would back him up.
He had dreamed of girls for years, bedded a few women and been very lonely.
Until now. He would find someone for sure. Or many girls. Or hundreds of girls!
Or boys. Who knew what this kid was into? Lots more gay kids these days, he thought. Maybe something was in that water making them gay. He should call one of his grandkids and ask them if they knew anything about that. Too bad none of them were here to see this. Holy hell, he felt fantastic!
He got home. He practically hopped up the cement steps. He was so full of energy now!
The first thing he did was shower in his new body. It felt amazing. Wonderful. His body was so light and packed, and tight! No flab anywhere! He marveled at it, the water had never felt better. He wanted to go swimming! And running! And do jumping jacks!
But the first thing he had to do was go onto his computer and look at porn. That at the very least he could do.
And he was not disappointed by his new cock when he took his clothes off.
"Wow. Wowee!" He looked around him, half expecting someone to be there. He was so happy he was dancing around his apartment, looking at his reflection in various mirrors in shock and awe, often cupping his mouth with his hand.
He rubbed his new, fat, bullet shaped 7 incher. It sprang to life in his hands, as if by magic. Popping up, giant as life, and he gripped it like a cowboy gripping the reins of a rodeo bull, half expecting to be thrown off at any minute.
When he came it flew across the room and landed across several expensive walnut varnished chairs and matching desk, plastering them and the wall beyond them. He gripped his new dick and grunted a heavy "GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
Just like Tony the fucking Tiger! he thought, before using his fire nozzle of cum to blanket a framed picture of Jackie O, whose beaming face was now covered in cum.
"I'm so sorry, Miss O'Nassis. But ya gotta admit, this is some powerful voodoo! Look at all of this fucking CUM! Oh my GOD! I made SO MUCH OF IT WOOOO! WOOOO!" He started jumping up and down like he'd just won a tournament of some sort.
He showered again, and went on the internet. It was time to see where all the young people hung out in this town. He needed nightclubs. Oh. Wait. He couldn't go to them because he was only in an 18 year old body. Fuck. He couldn't legally drink now! He rolled his eyes. Well, he had some brandy and wine but that probably wouldn't last long. If he went online today, he could probably order a bunch on his credit card before the new age limit was applied to any of his online purchases.
Very clever of me, he thought, with a smug smile, typing away.
There was just so much to do now, he thought.