The New Normal

Chapter 8
Playtime

Chapter Description: John's first day at daycare is a long, but eventful one.

After the administrator finished her lengthy speech, the boys were ushered out of the auditorium. Audible groans and murmurs blanketed the air as they collectively grumbled about their fate. They’d all been regulated to the role of toddlers and infants, and there was nothing anyone could do. They weren’t even allowed to remove their pacifiers.

Once they were relocated into the hallway they were then divided into smaller groups. Each group was headed by a teacher. With so many young men to sort out, the process took nearly an hour. John waited, still stewing in anger over the ruination of his life. In fact, he was so distracted he’d almost missed his name being called. Luckily for John he was assigned to a class with the boys from earlier. 

“Hello, boys I am Miss Plum, and I will be your teacher. We are heading to class, so if you went potty in your diaper let me know now.” Her sugary sweet tone failed to illicit anything more than embarrassed glances from the men. Well, almost all of them save for one guy. With a mop of red hair and pale skin he stood out in his “uniform”. Hand raised; he shook meekly amongst his peers. An overburdened diaper clinging to his backside, it was clear that he needed a change. Humiliated by his predicament the young man dejectedly stepped forward.

“Jimmy, there is no need to be shy, honey. Boys are supposed to go potty in their diapers. Now follow that line to the changing room. Someone will escort you back when you have been changed.” John cringed with every word she spoke. It was if she was speaking to an actual toddler and not a nineteen-year-old man. It seemed this would be the new normal for all of them and it sickened him.

Head held low; Jimmy went to join the growing line of boys who needed to be changed. Pity was all he felt for his diapered compatriot, but not only for Jimmy. Eventually John would be forced into that situation as well, and he dreaded it. Suddenly John’s train of thought was derailed by the hand of another boy. Slightly taller than John and his elder by a year, the older male motioned with his head that it was time to head for class. Freed from misery’s oppression and brought back to reality, John complied and followed the older guy.

“I knlow it schucks, but itll worck out.” Despite the pacifier anchored in his mouth the older boy attempted to cheer up John. Still depressed, but a little less miserable, John was thankful for the boy’s efforts. While he wasn’t alone his life had still been changed for the worse. He would just force himself to deal with it. He thought maybe if he didn’t eat much and powered through the day, he’d be fine.

“Here we are boys. Now get seated because we have a full day ahead of us.” Announced the plump teacher before escorting her diapered charges into the expansive classroom.

Akin to the buildings’ entrance the classroom was draped in childish decorations. The walls were plastered with cartoony animals prancing about whilst ribbons and other decorative fair hung from the ceiling. In the center of the room were four large conference tables, two in a row, they stood parallel to each other. Surrounding the tables were chairs with a children’s book sat before each one. Before all the tables sat a teacher’s desk. Behind it hung a wide and flat smart tv on the wall mere inches away.

Twin sets of cubbies were placed at the furthest reaches of the classroom. It was here that the boys would leave their belongings. Adjacent to the cubbies was a large baby play mat atop, which sat playthings for babies and toy boxes all neatly placed upon it. Lastly, several large cribs complete with blankets and baby mobiles lined the walls. The idea of being expected to sleep in a crib disturbed John the most.

Pained groans and grumbles of discontent escaped the boys’ mouths at the infantile sight.

“Now be good boys and take your seats. We will start silent reading for twenty minutes.” Humiliated and demoralized the men meekly submitted. Just wanting the day to end John was the first to sit down. The book in front of him looked simple enough. A happy bunny frolicked on the cover carrying a basket full of carrots.

“Ughh..Are you kidding me?” Predictably the book was about a bunny rabbit being potty trained…or rather unpotty trained. Despite his potty training a happy bunny kept having accidents that only diapers could cure.

John couldn’t help, but roll his eyes at the absurdity of it all. Here he was an eighteen year-old man sitting in a diaper reading a story about a rabbit using diapers. He would have laughed if he wasn’t so miserable.

“Alright, boys that’s enough. Now it’s time to learn, and if we get done early you can have some playtime.” The jolliness’ of her tone only punctuated the collective anxiety felt by the men.

 “Now, it’s time to understand how boys are meant to wear diapers.” She said with a remote in hand. With the click of a button images of a diapered young man appeared on screen. Accompanied by charts and graphs it appeared to be an educational video of some kind.

“Boys, even when they are older are vulnerable to accidents. Diapers are the best ways to combat this wetting not to mention they are meant to keep you all safe. This is why incontinence is the desired state for males.” If it wasn’t bad enough to have this same point driven home twice. It only seemed to worsen when she switched to yet another animation.

“Video games, caffeine, and, the internet are unhealthy for a boys’ development. They overstimulate the mind with rebellious thoughts and poison the body. Violent games promote poor behaviors like fighting and theft. Instead young men should be playing with simple toys and drinking nutritious formula.” To emphasize her point an animation of the same diapered man playing with blocks and drinking from a baby bottle appeared on screen.

John, while annoyed with her condescending explanation couldn’t help, but listen. He was transfixed and somehow her words made sense. Intellectually, he knew she spoke in dimwitted generalizations and simplifications, but he couldn’t challenge her. All he could do is sit in stupefied silence and suck on the pacifier betwixt his lips.

“I brought back another little stinker.” Announced a voice from beyond the oaken portal separating the class from the school.  An older woman led the young man Jimmy back into the classroom.  The redness in his cheeks made Jimmy’s embarrassment obvious. With zero hesitation the redhead quickly maneuvered to the empty seat neighboring John. That feeling of shared humiliation and pity returned as John looked over the paci sucking manbaby.

After the slight interruption Miss Plum returned to her sanctimonious spiel. No matter how much attention her lecture demanded. Jimmy couldn’t take his mind off the redhead. Through a shower of forever falling locks the boy snuck glances at John. A feeling of discomfort fell over him, but the man did his best to put it aside.

Time crawled by as John was bombarded with lectures and thoughts of Jimmy.

“Alright, boys let’s take a break for playtime. Did anyone go poopoo or potty in their diaper?” Mercifully John was freed from her lecture, and he’d be able to finally have some free time so he could socialize with the other guys.