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-15-

I can't believe I am actually hearing this from my own son, who I have always heretofore looked upon as being so completely masculine. I indeed find it difficult to understand you, and quite frankly, I am very unhappy with what you have told me so far. However, suppose you continue, as I see you obviously want to do, and then possibly, I shall be in a better position to understand just what has all of a sudden come over you,"

Now, looking his mother in the face for the first time since their present discussion began, and this time again speaking in his normal tone of voice, Jan, feeling he now had the worst part of their confrontation behind him, tried once more to make plain

exactly how he felt. Also, how he intended to be of greater help to her in the future, than he had been in the past, provided he were allowed to have his way,

"Thank you, mother, for not so far having turned me down completely, or saying what you have every reason to. Of your obvious disappointment in me and my recently disclosed abnormal interests, that even I recognize are so contrary to how a young man should properly feel. While what I still have to say will probably not make you think of me any more highly, I might just as well tell you exactly what I have in mind, and the suggestions I would now like to make, so that there will be no possible future misunderstanding."

"In the first place, and although I know you said it as sarcasm only, I would not at all mind feeling like a girl at times. Particularly when engaged in doing a girl's work.

Frankly, I do not think I have been too successful so far as a boy, also I certainly no longer admire my father as being representative of what a real man is supposed to be, so, possibly developing another side to my personality, might not be at all a bad idea,"

"Now, I will attempt to explain in further detail just what I propose doing in return for the privilege of being allowed to wear these cast off clothes of yours, for as often and as long as I would like. In addition to doing the housework as I have already mentioned, and which I already know full. well how to do, I would like also to have you instruct me in the use of our washer and dryer, so that I can take over the job of doing all our laundry, and in this respect, you will also have to instruct me regarding the fine points of ironing. Along these same lines, I want also to assume full responsibilities of likewise doing all your personal laundry, that I shall collect and do each morning together with mine.

I well know that you have always greatly disliked doing any of the laundry, including your own, so that you should be happy to be relieved of that irksome job."

11

"In addition to doing both the house