RELUCTANT PRESS

"Darling, there is a faint stubble, quite palpable, and nothing, absolutely nothing, looks worse on a woman than stubbly legs; it's not terribly visible but one wants to FEEL right when one is smartly togged out. Now I think you should go and do your legs again, then climb into a bath and come out feeling all nice and ladylike. Go on, off you go. Thank God you don't have to shave too often (at that time I was shaving once every ten days or so) but I think you should have one this evening. You can slip on that nightie you have been wearing all week, and put the gown and mules on and come back in here when you are all ready as Dee and I want to do your nails. Here, let me see them," she said, taking my hands in hers. "No, that's lovely; thank goodness you haven't cut them for a month at least they're a lovely length!" "Has he been wearing your nightie all week?" asked Doreen with a grin. "I think that was an excellent idea," she continued, without waiting for an answer, "as playing any important role on stage always involves that sort of thing. Joyce, my dear, I'm sure you must be feeling thoroughly womanly, and so you should be if you are going to pass yourself off as one in broad day light and in public; off you go now and attend to your toilette like Mommy said."

"By the way, who else have you told about this besides Mrs. Gilray?" I asked.

Mrs. Gilray was Sue's Mom although Sue's surname was Stuart but we don't need to go into that as it has no bearing on this narrative.

"No dear, I haven't told anyone else nor will I. Joan Gilray is a broad minded fun-loving girl and I knew she'd love the idea of what we are going to do tomorrow. Joyce, my love, please rely on my instincts I wouldn't dream of divulging our little escapade to anyone I felt wouldn't fit in. And as for Sue, well, she is your chief mentor; she laughed and giggled all evening and is looking forward to it tremendously." "Well, I suppose you are right," I said.

"Of course I am. Now you go and attend to your 'twaleet', she said, Frenchifying 'toilette' to an absurd degree.

JOYCE'S GIRLS BY JOYCE

I hurried away to the medicine chest as I had done five days previously. I did my legs and underarms and after ten minutes or so, wallowed in the bath for a good twenty minutes.

Slipping on the heavy satin nightgown, gown and mules (I loved them they had 2" heels) I made my way back to the sitting room.

"Now that looks really nice," said Dee approvingly. On a little side table was a bowl of warm water and Mom's manicure set and the new nail varnish.

"Come and sit over here, dear, I want to do your nails," said Mom.

"And while Mom is doing that, you can put your head back on this cushion in the light here because I'm going to have a little go at your eyebrows; they are not even enough," said Doreen.

"Not too much then," I replied nervously.

"No, not too much. I know what I'm doing," said Doreen commandingly. In spite of her 'not too much', she proceeded to pluck away mercilessly. "There, that's much better," smoothing down the arched remnants of my eyebrows with her fingers.

By this time, Mom had finished my nails down to a pleasant shape and was applying an undercoat. Ten minutes later, they were a gorgeous, gorgeous red.

"You know, I do believe 'she' is enjoying this as much as we are," said Mom approvingly.

"Of course 'she' is," said Doreen with a laugh. "Why should girls have all the fun making up. Now the night cream and you are ready for bed. Dears, I'm off but I'll be here tomorrow at 9:30 A.M. sharp. Blinnman's is only a block and a half away and we are meeting Joan and Sue at the Pritchard Street entrance at ten. Joyce love, you are going to carry it off marvelously," said Doreen, psyching me

into it.

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