attend the all-night party on Graduation Day which had become such a tragic event in his young life. Even with his little clique of friends around him, he was temporarily immune to their intentional joviality. He went to bed right after dinner and cried himself to sleep. After the other day, he found that crying was an easy way to relieve his burdens. Tears flowed freely. Chris kept hearing

a high feminine sobbing, then realized it had come from his own throat. He wondered if his voice was being adversely effected by his presence there, as his breasts were, as Andrea had explained.

A few evenings later Judy stopped by the office with another of her 'packages for Chris'. "Try one of these tonight,' she admonished. need to get used to wearing dresses in social situations now, not just for work."

"You

The contents were definitely not of the plain uniform white variety. Lacy bodices and fuller skirts were admittedly more interesting and pleasing to the eye. The blouse was a woven polyester in a flashy organdy stripe. There was a light cotton dress in a brilliant peacock with an elasticized waist and web belt. The other was a rayon crepe with a yellow floral design and V-yoke waist, the skirt spilling lusciously to Knee-length. Gorgeous!

Chris got a strange look from Judy when he hugged her and said, "Thanks Jude, their lovely." She stammered, " "...uh... you're very welcome, Chrissy dear."

After work Chris shucked his whites and took out his new acquisitions. He slipped into the beautiful yellow crepe and it billowed lusciously about his hips and thighs. Then, with dismay, he discovered that the zipper was behind his back. He quickly checked the peacock cotton and found it was the same, as was the new organdy blouse. But the crepe was so lovely and felt so delicious that

30

he determinedly struggled with the fastening until it was secured properly. He wasn't completely satisfied with the image he presented in that fantasy dress with his somewhat straight hips, but his waist was even smaller now after weeks in girdles and his bosom was ample enough to push out satisfactorily. 'What is a pretty dress without a well-endowed woman to fill it?' he thought, hardly considering his disappointment that his body couldn't do justice to the dress.

Now the fashion discussions took on more meaning and became much more interesting to Chris. He began to listen more carefully and ask questions instead of waiting silently for the subject to change. The ladies were all amused by his occasional tentative comments and

participation in the discussions.

Within days Chris took two more steps into womanhood. Caroline finally convinced him to let her thin his eyebrows. So, one evening, he took another small but significant step into her world when he underwent the somewhat painful process of having his brows plucked. She seemed to tweeze at them forever! When he saw the pencil-thin line of hairs that had once been fairly thick brown bushes, Chris could only say 'Good grief' to himself yet one more time.

When

The second step came that same evening when Mary and Tracy were doing their nails at the latter's apartment when Chris came to visit. they started in on his own manicure he offered token resistance as they painted his fingers a bright red. But he balked when they wanted to do his toes too.

In mid-December a snowstorm, the first of the short winter on the island, forced Chris to go back to slacks. He still prefered them to the dresses and he was still more comfortable with his legs covered by pantlegs during inclement weather.

31