The Ship Builders Tale : (Sister's First Bath?) by George

In the early 1980’s I was made redundant from the ship building industry on Tyneside. I’d be originally a riveter, then a welder. I’d worked there since 15 following in my father’s footsteps. I went and signed on at the employment exchange thinking I’d soon be back in work. Weeks went by and not an opportunity in sight for a highly skilled trades man. One day the clerk offered me a piece of paper with a job interview on it. It was for a ward orderly. I told the clerk that they must have given me the wrong card has I was a workingman. The clerk said they’d been no mistaking the job qualifications where for a strong man to help lift patients and fetch and carry supplies for the ward. I found myself sitting in front of a woman about my age (45). She was the sister of the ward and gave me a card to take to personal, I could start the next morning and that was that, I’d become a nurse so to speak overnight.

The first two weeks were absolutely awful. But slowly I got use to the ward, the staff, and the patients. My job was to take patients from the ward to various rehabilitation units, collect drugs, linen, the meal trays, and so on. Another aspect was to help the female nurses (I was the only male member of staff) lift the heavier patients. I was also called on to restrain the patients with dementia when they got agitated. The ward was an all female geriatric ward most of the patients were suffering from a stroke, or dementia. I settled in and contented myself that the job was just until a proper job came along. Besides the sister had said the job was only short-term until the nurse who’s job it was came back after receiving surgery for women’s troubles.

I started to here some tall tales about what had befallen the younger nurses in training. I figured these where similar to the tales we’d tell the young apprentices in the shipyards. One classic was that before they could be allowed into the inner circle they had to carry a red-hot rivet in their bear hands. We showed them older men doing it. We then tell them to close their eyes, as we’d put the rivet in. We’d draw a red-hot rivet out of the brassiere. They’d close their eyes and we’d change it for one that had been warmed in a cup of boiling water. This made the rivet warm but not dangerous. They would inevitable drop it. The reasoning behind this was that it built trust that was important in the shipyard. The young men showed that they would do as they where told, and that they could trust the older guys not to put them in harms way.

Any way, one day the staff-nurse came to me and said that it was sister’s birthday the next day. Would I be willing to help them with the celebrations? I said sure the sister had been really good to me and supportive. I figured that they wanted me to use my height to hang banners, or fetch and carry stuff, perhaps move the tables around in the day room.

The next day came and after morning tea in the quiet time before lunch staff-nurse came to me and asked me to come to the lower sluice/bathroom. We went through the double doors and turned to the bathroom area. Staff pulled back the curtain which concealed the bathtub from being viewed accidentally by others when nurses where coming and going. She gave me an apron to wear and told be to hold a sponge in my hand. I’d already noticed that the bathtub had been filled. I could now hear a light-hearted commotion outside. It was sister being propelled along against her will. I very quickly cotton on to the plan. They’d bring sister in, she’d see me stood there ready to bath her, she’d freak out, then they’d present her with a cake and present and have a good laugh. I was feeling a little guilty at being part of what would be a shock but also knew that sister had a good sense of humour and would see the funny side.

The double doors crashed open and sister was propelled and turned across the floor to the bathroom area. Her shoes squeaked on the oil tile floor as the two auxiliaries, one holding each arm firmly manoeuvred her into my sight. The two student nurses behind her along with the SEN. Sister’s face was a picture when she saw me. She gasped quite loudly before her jaw dropped open, then lowering her head in shameful anticipation saw the water and realised that perhaps staff was serious. She raised her head in horror and shaking it with a nervous smile said, “Your not serious?”

“Yes”, said staff, “When we took Frank on you said there wasn’t anything wrong with a male orderly helping us bath patients. So we’ve took you at your word”. They’d been concerns about the female patients being shocked at being bathed, or being helped to be bathed by a male. Indeed some looked quite shocked or embarrassed the first time but not as much as me. After a few times they seemed to be use to it, and accepted it, as just what happens in hospital. I mentioned it to my wife and she assured me that she would never let me see her in the bath never mind have another man wash her. This was true in 23 years of marriage I’d never seen her naked in the bath.

The auxiliaries now turned sister back towards the sluice. I could hear her being wrestled to the ground. I began to grow concerned myself now. Surely they weren’t really going to force her into the bath. I rationalised what was happening in two ways. Firstly, they where just going to spin out sister’s suspense a little longer, perhaps remove her hat, belt and maybe shoes before releasing her, making her really believe they where going to do it. Secondly, that it was kind of a counter surprise on me. That just when I thought I was going to have to decided whether or not I was going to go through with this or not sister would emerge fully dressed or at least decent.

I heard sister’s pleas, the sound of shoes clearly being removed, the metal click of her board belt being undone, and the sound of the starched hat being unpinned. Funny how ones senses are heighten in these situations. Sister was saying, “Please no spare me”, “Please not all the way” then clearly as the sound of a zip could be heard, “No father then this please”. I heard the sound of material being ruffled then a student nurse say, “Very sexy, sister”. Staff who’d been stood at the opening of the cubical with her head forced around the side so she could see what was happening to sister now turned back to me. “You’re missing the show some very sexy underwear. Do you like women in stockings and suspenders”? “No, no” said sister, with clear embarrassment in her voice. It wasn’t the stripping per sae she was saying no to but to staff’s invitation and description to me. There were further sounds of what appeared to be underwear being removed and stockings. I was now very unsure. I couldn’t leave because I’d have to walk right past poor sister, and just in case she was nude I didn’t want to turn an obvious joke into real embarrassment. I was sure that within the next few seconds a completely clothed sister would appear and the joke would be on my horrified face.

I heard the sound of exertion and sister being lifted, then a final plea from her. The two auxiliaries now backed, back into sight holding two bared arms. They crossed across the opening carrying a very naked sister. As her shoulders appeared I thought that they’d just dropped her bra straps for affect to see my face. I was stood there looking rather ridiculous with sponge in hand. I hadn’t moved from being put on the spot by staff. Now seeing sister’s naked body I just blushed deeply, and reflectively grow hard and very prominent. I was now really perplexed, I figured that I was having some form of hallucination. The auxiliaries wheeled sister’s body around so that the student nurses lifting her at her feet could turn into the bathroom. Poor sister. How do I begin to describe the look on her poor face?

I could see everything, as well she knew. Her legs where pulled wide open revealing her pussy lips, which where engorged, her black well kept pubic hair, then past a operation scar to her well sized, firm breasts with large hard brown nipples. Her face was one of shock, embarrassment, and surprise. Surprise that the other women had truly gone this far. Shocked at being naked in my presence. Embarrassed I think, but not seemingly through the nakedness, I think it was because it was obvious that she was aroused. Her eyes seemed to be pleading with me to end this some how, she was clearly concerned and in doubt as to whether or not I would go through with whatever was intended with the sponge or if staff would call a halt. But there was a twinkle, some inner delight and desire; some hope that this unreal scene wouldn’t be halted to prematurely. Her only words where, “We’ve never let men in on our celebrations before” to which staff replied laughing at her own pun, “Well we’ve never had a man before?” Suddenly, I saw this scene in a new light. Had this happened before, was this what sister expected but it was my presence which was the new shocking, embarrassing, surprising element?

The nurses carried her so she was over the bath then lowered her in. Sister squealed. The water was freezing, I know this for a fact, she said so, and speckles splashed my cheek.

“Well then Frank give sister her birthday bath, then she’ll see for herself if it’s acceptable to have a man bath you” staff said.

“I’ll get you for this” she said to staff then turning to me in a pleading tone hoping that her words would prick my conscience, “Not you Frank, I know your just as embarrassed as me” which was probably perfectly true. But with all the others now crowding into the small cubical it felt as if I had no choice. Somewhat on automatic pilot I bent and dipped the sponge in the water between sister’s held spread feet. She looked pleadingly at me like a little puppy then closed her eyes in resignation and said something very quietly, it was a prayer but I didn’t catch it.

I rose up and reached out to wash sisters face thinking that this was the least embarrassing for me, and her, and would be acceptable as completing the task. Staff stopped me, “Oh no Frank. Her breasts and pussy, we want sister to know what its like to have a man wash a woman. Besides we don’t want her make-up spoilt”. I was half thinking of interjecting here since although I’d help the nurses lift naked female patients in and out of the bath, and kept certain patients from scratching the nurses whilst being washed, I’d never actually washed any patient and certainly not so intimately. But, something took over, in for a penny in for a pound, I was waiting on a job I was sure to get, so being sacked wasn’t an issue. I reached out and made indirect contact with sister’s breasts and quickly soaked them. Next I even more quickly scrubbed with a quick rubbing action more her pubic hair than pussy. I now stood up fully. Sister was just well gob smacked that I’d done it but had the most serine smile on her face. “Turn her,” said staff and sister and I both looked puzzled. Sister caught on quicker. “Well you might as well see my best feature as well,” she said as she turned with the help of the nurses to reveal her bum. It was truly Devine but then I have a thing about backsides. I washed it, and the nurses released her. They began to sing happy birthday and the SEN that’d disappeared at some point without me noticing returned with a cake with lit candles. It was placed on a stool at the side of the bath. Looking at me, sister covered herself and asked for something to cover herself with while we ate the cake. “You know the rules” staff said but if Frank’s nice to you he’ll move around a bit”. Which is what I did to spare some of sisters blushes.

After eating the cake we left sister to dry and dress. I expected that once she was back in her uniform there would be hell to pay her authority restored. But no, she walked back into the duty area and just began talking to use as normal issuing orders for the lunch time period and the afternoon since she was half-day and was going off shortly to celebrate with her husband. I kept expecting some repercussion once the enormity of the event sunk in. But it never came. The only comments from her came one at a time over the next few weeks. Firstly, she was concerned about my embarrassment at their antics as she put it. I said it should be me apologising to her. She said, “I’m a big girl now I’ll live” I replied, “I know” reference to her well-endowed cleavage. She laughed and said, “Cheeky, I am your sister”. Some weeks later she asked quite casually one late shift what I had thought of her body. I was a bit embarrassed but I said I thought it was excellent. She asked which bits in particular. I said somewhat shyly her bottom. “Are a bottom man?” she said smiling and nodding in a mysterious knowing way. Later she asked if I’d ever washed my wife in the bath. Again a bit uncomfortable at her openness I said, “No, my wife said, she’d never let me see her in the bath never mind another man, eh, wash her”

Life went on. I didn’t get the job I was in for at the time of the bathing incident but eventually got offered another one. Sister accepted my resignation and said they’d have to go short handed until the other nurse return in about three weeks. She then said that we should go out and celebrate my new job and leaving. I said that would be nice, I’d grown quite found of them all. She then winked and said that she thought I deserved a little surprise and farewell gift.

I ponder over the next few days that last statement. I had visions of me ending up naked in the bath. I wasn’t disturbed at that thought. I think men think its quite natural to be bathed by a woman. All that mothering when young, and although I’m banished from the bathroom when my wife’s bathing she would often bath me. Sister asked if she could swap my remaining shifts around to facilitate us going out to celebrate I said sure that was fine. My wife was a little displeased, she hated sudden change, but she felt that I was best off out of that place because she’d noticed an undesirable change in me. I hadn’t told her about the bath incident, just as well, because when I did plus my surprise she went ballistic and sent me to Coventry, not the place.

So on my last shift, which was a late shift before we where going out to the pub, I was busy at the top end of the ward. Sister had asked me to clean the high corners of the ward, which the cleaners missed the cobwebs because they could reach that high. I’d finished and was walking back down the ward to the nurses point. The ward was in darkness, the patients put to bed. It was the quiet time before night staff came on. The student nurse, who was on duty with the auxiliaries from the bath incident, and another SEN with the original one had all just walked up to the nurses point from the bottom sluice/bathroom. They where giggling but stopped as I approached. They were all beaming smiles. I was now a little cautious and uncertain feeling that something was going down.

Sister came out of the bottom sluice carrying something in her outstretched arms, which were bent at the elbow and held to her side. Like a footman or butler carrying a tray. In the dimness of the unlit ward I could not make out what it was. She stepped into the glow of the nurses station I could clearly see but it still took time to fully register. Across her arms dropping to each side lay a blue nurses uniform dress, over this was a white slip, then a white bra, and a pair of white panties. The slip, gave away whose clothes these where, since staff was the only one I new of who wore one on duty. Sister confirmed the ownership, “Would you take these back to staff for me please Frank, and tell her not to leave them lying around, and to get a move on”.

I took the bundle from her and with a lump of expectation in my throat and apprehension, and I’m a shamed to say growing hardness made my way down the ward to the sluice. I pushed through the double doors half expecting to see staff curled up on the floor or in the corner trying to hide her nakedness. I’d resolved to simply but the bundle down and leave. But there was no obvious sign of her so I called out. “Staff”. Her voice drifted weakly from behind the curtain that concealed the bathtub.

“Frank”. Staff called out. Then a pause, “OH no”. Longer pause “The bitch”. Staff said.

“It’s ok” I said, “I’ll leave your clothes here” thinking that sister was obviously paying staff back as well as giving me a surprise. “I’ll just say I’ve seen everything and spare you sister’s embarrassment.”

“That isn’t going to work Frank. You’re meant to see me, its okay I’m resigned to my fate, its only fair after all,” Staff said.

“I’ll just peek then and push your clothes under the curtain. That should satisfy everyone,” I said.

“I’m afraid I’m going to need you to do a little more than peek. I’m going to need your help to dress” staff said.

I took a deep breath and gently pulled back the curtain to peek. I’d slowly advanced across the sluice floor. The light in the bath cubical silhouetted staff through the white plastic curtain. I couldn’t understand the strange silhouette but now peeking I could. Staff-nurse was naked as expected. Her arms were above her head. Each wrist was tied to the hopped rail that ran above and around the bath. It was never used to carry the curtain as originally planned. Her naked body was back to me so I could see her lovely firm dainty bottom. Staff-nurse was aged about 32 I think. Her legs where crossed over.

“I’m going to need you to untie me I’m afraid” staff said apologetically as if she was causing me great inconvenience.

I walked further in and placed her clothes on the chair in the far corner that was kept there for that purpose. Not putting naked staff-nurse’s clothes on but patients. I turned back and saw such an exquisite vision. Made even more Devine and delightful because of my catholic upbringing. She was like the pictures of Christ. Arms stretched out in a Y shape above her head. Her head bowed and looking down the naked length of her body. Her legs crossed trying to conceal her pussy, but just accentuating her light fair brown bush. I took in the smoothness of her body, her firm pointed, small breasts with their ruby red nipples like red-hot rivets. I was temporarily swayed and nearly was overcome with the wondrous sight but managed to steady myself enough to reach up and undo the nearest wrist restrain. I thought it was a stocking but I knew staff didn’t wear them, I then realised her tights had been torn into two. I now walked the long way around to the other side. My thoughts were how lucky I was to have found this strange temporary occupation and seen such loveliness. I untied the other wrist and staff wrapped herself up. She smiled.

“You were meant to wash me like this” staff said.

“I’ll say I did”. I said and sensed a moment of disappointed that receded into gladness.

I turned to go and staff called me back. “What did you think of mine then?” she said. Obviously sister had said something. “I love them, whatever the shape and size,” I said.

Once staff had dried her feet and dressed she joined us. Night staff arrived and we set off to the pub. It was a great night but every time I looked at staff or sister I had to turn away. They’d smile knowingly, knowing that I wasn’t seeing them but imagining them. I started my new job and the week went slow. I found I was missing the friendships. On the Thursday night I found myself going out of my way to go home via the hospital. I stood looking up at the ward windows then ventured inside. Sister greeted me warmly. “Want your old job back?” She asked. I nodded. “Great!’ she said the other nurse had phone in on Tuesday to say she wasn’t coming back. I went into work the next day and gave my notice. My wife was incandescent with rage. I tried to tell her that although it was nearly £20 per month lower in pay, I’d be £100 happier. I was also to eventually marry my second wife but that’s a long way off and quite another story. And yes, there was plenty of more interesting fun!