The pantihose weren't THAT warm. But the pair of slacks he selected that snowy morning were awfully tight in the hips and seat, and loose in the waist. Funny! He thougt he remembered them being just the opposite, lots of hip room and a very tight waist??? The fit was uncomfortable but with eight inches of snow blowing around the grounds he definitely did not want to wear a dress! He tried on every pair of slacks and pants he had and all were an equally poor fit.

In disgust Chris called Judy who, naturally, was eager to help.

"Well," she said, after looking over the pair Chris still wore as well as the others. "I don't know if not wearing them for so long made a difference. Maybe there is a flaw in the material

OK?"

or something? Tell you what, I'll leave all except one pair that you can wear today and I'll take the others to the shop for alterations. "Sure, Judy, that's why I asked you over. Thanks."

"Anytime," she answered as she left with an armload of his pants.

The Big Christmas Party was soon upon them. Chris decided that he would wear a dress. It would make him far less conspicuous since there would certainly be several women, mostly patients, at the affair who had never seen him. He didn't want to cause any problems for himself like he had that time with Alice that resulted in his one and only visit to Mrs. Ambrose. He fervently hoped never to repeat that visit. No telling what she would cook up to 'punish' him this time. he had to admit that her punishment then was hardly painful, at least not physically.

Though

Christmas Eve arrived and Chris prepared for the Party. As he shaved his face after a hot shower, he noticed that his whiskers were much thinner and finely textured, hardly growing at all

over the passed week. slid the electric razor underarms.

Hurrying to get ready, he

over his legs and

It did the job well enough since he

used the dipilitory. He applied his makeup with swift practiced strokes and brushed out his hair, adding the silver clip-on circlets to his ears. The new yellow dress clung to his frame and outlined it seductively while the two-inch black pumps added height and grace to his legs. A touch of perfume at wrists, ears, neck, and he was ready. He hoped!

The party was festive but Chris found it strangely subdued since, naturally, it consisted of a hall full of women. Music, female voices, and the clinking of dishes at the ample buffet filled the large dance floor, with an occasional pair of prettily dressed ladies interlocked in a waltz or two-step. The music was very dated! Almost antique by Chris's standards. Yet, to his great satisfaction, he felt generally comfortable mixing with that crowd of women, even when someone looked him over with an assessing glance. After all, he was looking some of them over as well, considering their clothes and makeup and hair styles. Chris found himself caught up in the feminine competition of evaluating everyone he saw or met against his mind's 'perfect woman' image, and he began to enjoy the party. The event became

fun and it seemed that everyone enjoyed themselves, drinking in the excitement of the rare social occasion, it being an oasis of excitement in an otherwise basically dull clinical existence for most of them.

The Group convened at Mary's on Christmas morning so that the six of them could exchange gifts and toast the holiday together. Chris had selected ultra-feminine nightgowns or pins for his five friends, so he was not surprised to recieve similar items. Judy gave him a pretty