Eric Templeton walked slowly home from the after-prom activities. His girl friend had left him. His best pal, Bob, had watched in silent embarrassment as he, Eric, had been "womanhandled" by every girl in their sophomore class. The slender, almost nerdy, sophomore had just been used as a crash-test-dummy, in a manner of speaking. It had begun innocently enough'chicken fighting in the Wilson's pool. Then his now former girlfriend Beth, had decided he wasn't "man" enough for her, since they had lost their first battle. Attempting to put the blame where Eric thought it belonged, he and Diane, cheerleader, volleyball player, all-around superb athlete, had paired up and beaten Beth and Bob two out of three times, and the last time, there was really no question of Beth's inferiority to Diane, and whose fault their earlier loss had really been. Still, Eric was thinking, there was no sense in Beth's attempt to humiliate and embarrass him in front of all their friends. He recalled how she had quietly gotten behind him, picked him up in a bear hug and carried him to the edge of the pool, jumped in with him, and made such fun of him that finally, every girl there had tried, and succeeded at carrying him around the yard. What was the big deal, he wondered. It wasn't as though he was a coward, or a whiner. So he only weighed 130 lbs., so what? At 5-9, he was slight, but not emaciated, reasonably energetic and fit. He was active, and his metabolism fast. And what had prompted Beth to suddenly become so tomboyish anyway? In the three years they had been fast friends, and later boyfriend/girlfriend, not once had he known her to roughhouse, to wrestle or even horseplay in the water. He had guessed she was pretty strong for a girl, since she was on the tennis team, and did a lot of running as well as tennis practice. Even so, he was still amazed, as he recalled just over an hour ago, this 5-3 babe who weighed 30 or so pounds less than he, grabbing him from behind, and carrying him about 15 feet, jumping into the water with him still pretty much helpless in her bear hug. She had tried her best to humiliate him, teasing him, and finally urging every girl there to pick him up. The fact that every girl did, including little 90-lb Amy, 14 years old, but smaller than his 9-year-old sister, didn't embarrass him so much as excite him. In fact, as he again replayed that last half-hour, he felt his heart rate increase, his breathing become shallow and more rapid, his adrenaline flow.

Diane had been the most fun, so lovely, and so fit and strong'the same height as Eric, but a few pounds heavier, she had almost effortlessly tossed him over her shoulder and carried him up three steps out of the pool and across the Wilsons' back yard. All he could do was keep his hands on her waist and watch her incredible hips and legs as she climbed the steps and walked that 30 or so feet to his towel. When she leaned over and set him back on his feet, he was almost disappointed it was over. He had to sit down quickly to avoid anyone else's noticing his natural, if involuntary reaction. But he still didn't think he had anything to be ashamed or embarrassed about. "No," he said softly to himself, "who wouldn't enjoy being held by a lovely girl? That does not make be less of a man." The sun was just coming up as he climbed the back stairs to the upper level of their older, comfortable home. He let himself into the hall, and quietly opened his bedroom door, undressed, and fell asleep.

Eric awoke to a gentle swaying, almost floating sensation. Slowly, his eyes opened, and became accustomed to the bright light. It was like noon, bright, hot, and'what the hell was all that sand underneath him? It was moving! It was-no-he was moving, floating, good God!! Someone was carrying him! It was Amy, no-she was bigger than Amy-oh my God, it was his sister!! "Katie!!! Put me down!!!" he shouted, but Katie acted as though she didn't hear him. She was nine years old! She wasn't quite 5 feet tall! She didn't weigh 100 pounds! He was preparing to take his driving lessons in a month, and his baby sister was walking down the beach with him over her little shoulder, Eric who weighed almost 35 pounds more than Katie, and she was carrying him to throw him into the ocean! Then he remembered the past summer, when they had gone to Myrtle Beach in North Carolina, and he had done the same thing to her. She had almost been in tears, he had tormented her so, and now Katie, little Katie, had her six-year-older, 35 pounds heavier "big" brother in the same situation. Baby sister was about to get more than even with big brother! Eric became aware of laughter, and looked up from his little sister's legs (she was nearly dragging his head in the sand, she was so short!) and saw the upside-down beach and people's feet and legs, and heads, as he looked around. They were all laughing, and many were pointing and drawing others' attention to this little pre-teen cutie with the skinny older boy over her shoulder. He felt himself bouncing a little harder and realized to his horror she was running! Sand and dust were flying off her feet and into his eyes, but just before he closed them, he saw the waves lapping up on the beach, and felt the moisture as Katie carried him, completely helpless, and dropped him into the warm surf.

"Now, big brother," she said sternly, looking down at him, "remember how this feels. Next time you want to tease me, maybe you'll have a little mercy."

Eric just shut his eyes, and prayed to be somewhere else. Gradually, slowly, he opened them again. Was everyone gone? What was that against his head? His pillow? What the-a dream? It was just a dream? He turned, and sure enough, there was his bedroom ceiling, the paddle fan and light, his room. Thank God. It had been a dream. His sister didn't, couldn't possibly, toss him around and carry him over her shoulder with such ease. There was one thing, though. He was wet! Ohhhhh-God! This is sick! My little sister for God's sake! I had a wet dream about my little sister? Ohhhhh-Eric turned over and closed his eyes again. "There is something wrong with me," he thought. "I'm having wet dreams about my sister. Yuck!" He dozed on and off for the next 45 minutes, then finally sat up in bed. He thought. He planned. "First of all, I have to do my laundry. Sheets too," he thought. This was not the first time Eric had had to launder his own bedclothes, and he wondered if his mom knew why. "Then, I have to figure out what to do about Katie. She's such an innocent. She can't be sexy to me. She's my sister. She isn't sexy." The more he thought about that, the more he realized this was not about sex with his little sister. Thank God, again! He pictured Katie in her swimsuit. She was nine and looked it. Short blonde hair, still a little baby fat, played with dolls and watched "Animaniacs" and "Rugrats." He felt nothing but brotherly affection for the little dickens. So how could she have been in his wet dream? Then he thought he understood. It wasn't about sex, it was about being carried by a small girl. He didn't know any other girls, except for Katie, that were her age or size (except Amy, now). That had to be it. But, how could he know beyond any shadow of a doubt?

Eric hurried through his shower, dressed and had a quick bowl of cereal and a glass of juice. He was burning with curiosity about his sister and the dream, but he felt better about it now than when he had first awakened. He walked outside and looked for Katie. She was nowhere to be found. He was a little relieved, because he really had no plans on what to do when he found her. Then he heard a car in the drive, and they were all home'Mom, Dad and Katie.

"Eric, sweetie, can you help with the groceries?" His mom was carrying a bag of potatoes, his dad two grocery bags, and Katie was struggling with another. "There's one more bag, and the kitty litter."

"Sure, Mom. Hi punk!" he directed the last to Katie.

"Hi, nerd," she replied, grinning.

Eric grabbed the grocery bag in one arm and with the other scooped up the litter. It was a 30-pound bag, and although it didn't feel terribly heavy, it was awkward and more or less collapsed in his left arm. "Hold the door, please, Kate?" Katie waited for her brother, and pushed the storm door open till he got his shoulder in front of it then went into the house. Eric followed her, and as he did, the kitty litter shifted in the bag, and nearly slid out of his arm. He held it with his arm against his body, and put the other grocery bag on the kitchen counter. Katie came back and grabbed the litter just as it slipped all the way out of Eric's arm. "Nice catch, sis," he told her.

"Lucky for you I was here, "Ric."

"I could have held on sis, but I am glad you were there to help. You're growing up a little, finally."

Katie hugged the awkward bag of litter to the utility room and came back. "Growing up a little?" she repeated. "Watch out, cause someday I'll catch you!"

"I doubt it, kid," Eric replied. "Look at Mom and Dad. Look at me. You get your build from Mom and I get mine from Dad. You're doomed to always be short, and I'll be tall, lean and mean, and great-looking!"

"Short doesn't mean ugly, pal!" his sister retorted. "Besides, I'm small but mighty." She struck a double biceps pose, and Eric had to laugh. His little sister was cute, but she would never be mistaken for Supergirl.

"Sure Kate, sure. Or should I call you Mighty-mite?"

"Call me whatever you like, but it better be with respect, "Ric. My someday may be here sooner than you think." Katie was grinning at him, but she had a determined look Eric couldn't recall having seen before.

"OK, sissy, I'll r-e-s-p-e-c-t you." Eric sang the tune of the old Arethra Franklin song as he spelled the word.

Eric's mom spoke: "Katie-Be careful."

Eric assumed she meant for Katie to watch her attitude, since he thought Katie sounded a little mouthier than usual. "Yeah, Kate," he continued. "You'll be grounded again."

"Now, c'mon, you two," Mrs. Templeton again interrupted. "No need for idle threats."

Eric pondered that. It didn't seem consistent with what had been going on. "I wasn't threatening her, Mom," he said. "I just don't want her to be grounded for being mouthy and then I gotta baby-sit her again."

"No Eric, it wasn't the mouthiness I was referring to. It's her confidence. I don't want her to get cocky with herself."

Eric looked curiously at his mom. She was 38 and a little shorter than he, although stocky. He guessed her at around 145 pounds. She was still an attractive woman at 5-7 or so. He wasn't following the conversation about Katie's over-confidence. "What do you mean, "cocky?'" Eric asked his mother. "What does she have to be cocky about?"

Mrs. Templeton looked at her son and tried to decide how she could tell him without hurting his self-image. Lately, she and Kate had been swimming at the Y, and after they had finished their 20 minutes or so of laps, they had been roughhousing in the water with a lot of the smaller kids. The last time they had gone, Mrs. Templeton had found herself on little Katie's shoulders before she knew what had happened. They had been dunking one another, and Katie had swum under her mom's bottom and stood up easily with Mrs. Templeton perched on her shoulders.

"How about that, Mom?" Katie had said. She was grinning as she looked up at her mother, who outweighed her by close to fifty pounds.

"Katie, be careful, you'll hurt yourself, dear," Mrs. Templeton laughed.

"How, Mom?" Katie had replied. "All your weight is on my shoulders and legs, not my back. I'm fine, don't worry!"

"OK, Katie, but let me down, anyway, I feel silly up here," her mother had told her.

"Oh, Mom-" Katie had protested gently, but had scrunched down and let her mother stand on her own feet, anyway.

Later, as they were changing into their street clothes in the ladies' locker room, Mrs. Templeton had said, "Good grief, Katie, I can't believe you could lift me like that. You're only nine years old, and you're so tiny. I don't think you ought to be lifting grown-ups like that. You could both fall down if you lose your balance."

"Mom, we were in the water," Katie laughed. "So what if we fall? Besides, I have been goofing off like that at recess with some of the other kids. We have games and see who can give shoulder rides the longest. There's only two others in my class who can give rides longer than me, and I'm the best girl! Isn't that neat?"

"But Katie," her mom continued, "Those are your little friends. I'm pretty big for you to pick up like that."

"Mom, I'll tell you something, but you have to promise, please promise, not to tell Dad and especially Eric. OK?"

"Katie, are you in some trouble? Cause if you are, you know I have to tell your father."

Katie had rolled her eyes, and continued, "No, Mom, I'm not in any trouble. I just don't want Eric to know until I have a chance to show him for myself. OK? Please-?"

"OK, honey," her mom had promised, "I won't tell Eric for sure, and maybe not Dad, but I need to hear first, before I can promise."

"Mom, one of the guys that plays with us weighs 160 pounds! And I can carry him farther and longer than any of the other girls, and all but two of the guys! Mom, that's more than Eric weighs! I thought it might even be more than Dad! Is it?"

Katie was so obviously proud of her accomplishment her mom had to smile. "Katie, you are such a character! First of all, I won't say a word to Eric or Dad, if you want to surprise them. Second, your dad weighs 168 pounds in shorts and tennis shoes. So, I guess if you were careful, you might be able to sit him on your shoulders. But you better not try to surprise him like that. Just ask him some time if you can try, and tell him you promise not to drop him. OK?"

Katie gave her mother a hug that temporarily took her breath away. Her daughter is getting stronger, she thought. "Thanks, Mom; I knew I could count on you. Now hold still, and let me show you something." Still hugging her mom, Katie leaned back slowly, and her mom was amazed as her 9-year-old daughter lifted her off the floor. "See?" Katie asked, proudly. "You weigh 140 or so, right? Watch this!" Katie had taken about 8 steps towards the locker room doors and stopped, then set her mom back down on the floor. "That wasn't hard at all, Mom., honest!"

Mrs. Templeton had turned to her daughter, still marveling at all that strength in her tiny frame. She smiled down at Katie and suddenly scooped her up into her arms like she used to when Katie was a toddler, much to Katie's chagrin. "No matter what," her mom had kissed her on the forehead, "you will always be my little girl!!"

"Oh, mother!" Katie had squirmed self-consciously. "Please, I'm too big for this."

Eric's mother looked at him and at his dad, who by now was also looking curiously at his wife and daughter. "OK," she replied, finally. "Bob, Eric'Katie has something to show you. How about it, Katie? Want to try now?"

Katie grinned at her mom, then at Eric and her dad. "Dad," She began, "there's something I need to show you. Now it won't hurt, and I promise I won't drop you."

"You won't what?" Bob Templeton looked with a mixture of confusion and amazement at his little girl. She had always been one to try anything once, and this sounded like something entirely new again. "What do you mean you "won't drop' me? What do you have in mind?"

"Come on outside in the back yard, where it's nice and grassy, Dad," Katie smiled. I have been practicing for this for a couple weeks, and I'm sure I can do it. But you have to let me, please?" Katie gave her father the look that got his agreement about ninety percent of the time.

"I don't think it will hurt, Bob," Mrs. Templeton joined in. "I know what she's going to do, and you'll be amazed. Let her give it a shot."

"All right," Katie's dad replied. "Whatever it is, Katie, if you really feel no one will get hurt, go ahead."

"C'mon Mom, c'mon, Eric. I want you to see this, too!" Katie was obviously excited as she took her dad's hand, and pulled him after her, down the back steps and into the grassy, private back yard the Templetons enjoyed. The kids and their parents had parties and get-togethers there several times each summer. It was large and well guarded by shrubbery and privacy fencing. As they paraded into the yard, Katie said, "Now stand right there, Dad, and trust me. I know I can do this."

Bob Templeton still appeared skeptical, but he nodded OK and stood watching his determined daughter. As Katie scrunched down in front of him, she backed up, and brought her arms behind his legs and began to push up.

"Hold it!" Her dad seemed suddenly reluctant to let this continue. "I don't think you ought to be trying this on me, I'm much too heavy for you to lift this way."

"Da-ad," Katie protested. "You promised."

"Actually, Kate, I didn't "promise.' I said you can try. But now that I understand what you are going to do, I've changed my mind. It would be too easy for you to lose your balance, and if we fall and I land on you, you really might get hurt. I'm sorry, but your well-being is too important." Mr. Templeton was adamant.

"Dad, I can lift a kid in school who weighs 160! I can lift Mom that way!" Katie was near tears.

"Well, you shouldn't! A hundred and sixty pounds is more than a girl your age and size should be lifting. Golly, I don't think your brother weighs that much. How much do you weigh, Eric?" Mr. Templeton turned to his son, who looked a little worried. "I'd guess you weigh maybe 135, 140?"

"That's about right, Dad." Eric was uncomfortable. There was a fourth-grade boy who weighed 30 pounds more than him? And his little sister claimed she could carry him on her shoulders? What kind of a wimp was Eric, if fourth graders were a lot bigger than he was?

His dad continued, "Katie says she can carry a kid that big, and she is ready to go bigger, with me. Dressed like this, I weigh about 170. I don't think so. But I'll tell you what, Katie' " Mr. Templeton suddenly had an idea. "I'll stand here next to Eric, sort of like a spotter, and you can try to lift him. OK? OK, Eric?"

Eric didn't know what to say or do. In a way, this was the answer to his question, but what if it did turn him on? What would he feel? How obvious would he be? How could he and the rest of his family handle that? "I don't know, Dad. I mean, she is little, and I don't know about that story about a kid who weighs 160 in the fourth grade-"

"Do you think I'm lying?" Now Katie looked irritated.

"No, Katie. Really, I don't," he stuttered. "How do you know this kid who says he weighs 160 is telling you the truth? I mean, for a fourth grader, that's pretty hefty, right, Dad?" Eric looked to his dad for support, but he was silent.

"We're having this science project at school. We weigh ourselves every week and keep track of our height, too. Last week, he weighed 160 and I weighed 99." Katie seemed quite sure of herself. "And I did pick up Mom, didn't I, Mom?"

"Yes, honey, you did," Mrs. Templeton answered. Curiously, she did not mention that it was in the water. "Eric, why don't you let her try? Your father and I will stand on each side of her, and if she starts to lose her balance, or you start to fall, we'll catch you. Just humor her!"

"Mother," Eric said sardonically, "is that supposed to make me feel better, that you're going to try to catch me if she falls? I'd have a better chance landing on the grass, I think!" Eric grinned at his mother. He thought of her as the typical mom'ready to try to do anything for her family. He couldn't have imagined what happened next.

Sara Templeton looked at her husband, who rolled his eyes and shook his head. Then she took a quick step to her 15-year-old son's side, grabbed his left wrist in her left hand and pulled his arm around behind her neck. Then she scrunched down and put her right arm around his left leg, and stood up suddenly, sitting Eric neatly on her right shoulder.

"Mother!!" Eric cried. "You shouldn't be doing this!" His mother swayed a bit from side to side, but stood firm. "Mother, you're going to kill us both!"

Sara looked up and smiled at her son, perched precariously on her shoulder. "Eric, your father and I have been roughhousing like this for 18 years. Remember at the park about three years ago, when I gave him the piggyback ride? How surprised all of you were, including your father? I know if he hadn't been tricked into leaning on me, he would never have let me do it, but I knew I could, and since then, none of you even question it."

Katie was ecstatic. "Way to go, Mom! Now, can I ple-e-e-ase try?"

Sara scrunched back down and released Eric. As Eric looked at his mother from his 2-inch height advantage, he couldn't help but laugh.

"OK, Sis," he said. "No reason you shouldn't get into the act. "The Clowning Templetons!' We should take this show on the road." Eric walked over and stood behind his baby sister. "But if you can pick me up and carry me around this yard, I think that Dad ought to allow you to try him, too. What about it, Dad?"

Eric's dad looked at Eric, his little sister, his mom. He was very proud of his family. They got along superbly. Affectionate and helpful to each other, and never too shy to show it, even publicly. "OK, it's a deal," he replied. "C'mon Sara, get on the other side of Katie, just in case."

Sara and Bob each stood on one side of little Katie, and she backed up to her big brother, scrunching down as she approached. "OK now, Eric, put your hands on my shoulders and just climb on. Don't worry, I really don't think you will hurt me."

Eric was still a little doubtful, but he tentatively leaned on his sister's shoulders and put one leg over her right shoulder, and the other over her left, still with some of his weight on his own feet. His sister seemed so small under him, how could she possibly carry him, much less a 160-pounder? Katie put her arms over his thighs, and slowly, but smoothly stood straight up. Bob and Sara stepped away and they both applauded softly.

"Well, Eric?" Katie grinned up at her brother whom she realized was considerably easier to hold than her oversized classmate; in fact, he felt a lot lighter than mom! She took a couple of tentative steps, then walked slowly around their back yard. "Whatta ya think, Dad?"

"Katie, you are quite the character," her dad was smiling again. "You sure made it look easy."

"It is easy, Dad! Honest! Eric's lighter than Mom! Oops-Sorry, Mom." Katie looked at her mother, who was also grinning at her kids in this obviously top-heavy arrangement. Eric's relatively long legs hung down past his little sister's waist.

Impulsively, Sara ducked under her husband's legs, and stood up with him on her shoulders. "This is sort of what you two look like." Then Sara and her mother both broke into laughter. "Let's have a chicken-fight!" Katie suggested.

"Wait a second-" Bob protested.

"Yeah, wait!" Eric chimed in, but the girls ignored their protesting passengers, and headed toward one another.

Katie grabbed her mother's hand and, because she was shorter, ducked her head and pushed her shoulder into Sara, turning her in the process. Thinking she had the upper hand, she squeezed Sara's waist with all her strength, but Sara just tightened her stomach and the bear-hug had little effect. At the same time, Bob reached out and cuffed his son around the neck, pulling him down. Katie, being off balance had to hang on to her mom just to remain standing. As Sara realized what her husband was doing, she also pushed down on Katie, and eventually Katie went to her knees, with Eric falling into the grass in front of her.

"Yay!!!" Sara cheered. "The old folks win one!"

"I think our experience has overcome our children's youth!" her husband agreed.

"Hey! Doesn't anyone care about our injuries?" Eric was laying on his side, laughing.

"Sorry, brother. I thought I had her," his sister said. "Next time I'll be ready." Katie stood up and reached down to give her brother a hand, which he accepted. Pulling him back to his feet, Katie once again thought to herself how much lighter her 15-year old brother was than her friend in the 4th grade. "C'mon, Eric," she scrunched her legs down, I'll piggyback you into the house." This time, Eric just jumped on.

As Eric rode his little sister across the back yard and up the three steps into their kitchen, he had to marvel to himself how solid she really felt. "Katie," he began, "you aren't having any problem carrying me at all, are you?"

"No, Eric; I told you, there are two or three kids in my grade at school who are as heavy or maybe heavier than you, and so is Mom. I hope I didn't hurt her feelings."

"Her feelings? What about my feelings?" Eric suddenly felt self-conscious. "Sis, here you are, carrying me around like I was the 9-year-old girl, instead of you, talking about how light I am and all that. Do you think maybe I might feel a little funny about that?"

Katie stopped suddenly in the middle of the kitchen. Still holding Eric, she bounced gently up and down, as though getting a feel for his weight on her. She thought how she might be making Eric uncomfortable by calling attention to his being smaller than a few of her 4th-grade classmates. "'Ric," she said, "I'm sorry if that embarrasses you, I don't mean to. I'm just feeling proud of myself for being the strongest girl in my class, that's all. Maybe I am overdoing it. I don't think less of you, that's for sure, just cause you're not a big, bulky guy. You're sweet and caring, and about as lovable a brother as a girl could want." She let Eric down onto the kitchen floor. "There. Feel better?"

Eric looked at his little sister as she turned around to face him. "Dad is right. You are a character." He stepped up to her, leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "And you are a terrific sister, and I'm proud that you're also the strongest girl in the 4th grade. Whaddya think of that?"

As Eric and Katie's parents entered the kitchen, this time both on their own two feet, his dad said, "That's nice you two, but what brought it on? Is everything OK?"

"Everything's fine, Dad," Eric answered. "I just have to get used to Wonder Kid, here, being my sister. I guess that's what I should expect with Wonder Woman as my mom." Eric went upstairs to his room, to finish stripping the bed and do his laundry. Now, having no sexual stimulation or feeling regarding what had just occurred, he felt much better. "Thank you, God," he thought. "I'm not a pervert towards my sister. Not only that, but I think I can figure out a few more ways to have girls try to lift me!"