RELUCTANT PRESS

curler, mascara, liner, shadow, and a painful plucking of my brows. Then it was lipstick and rouge and dabs of perfume behind my ears. Next, my hair net and rollers were removed and my hair brushed, teased, and combed.

Still without letting me look at myself, she brought out a skirt and blouse from her closet. The black skirt was full and came to my knees. The blouse was white, with sheer arms and ruffled cuffs and collar. She had me sit on the bed again and fitted a pair of low heeled pumps on my feet. She had me stand while she checked me all over, tugging at the blouse and skirt and patting my hair.

"Ok, want to see?" she asked, turning me to the full length mirror on the back of her door.

I was astonished at what she had created. My first impression was of how nice I looked and I thought Susie was right, that nobody would recognize me as the quiet Danny Norris. And another thought hit me that made me panic. My hair had been styled with a sweeping wave over my right eye and flipped up on the right side. The other side was curled under. The blouse was white and the skirt black. I was an almost exact match to the way I had been dressed for the hairdressing contest!

"Look familiar?" asked Susie.

"You...ah...made me look like my cousin in that picture in my house."

"Yes I did. And it was easy, considering what I had to work with, Danielle!"

"Why did you call me that?"

"We can't very well call you Danny, can we? And isn't that your cousin's name?"

"Yes, yes, of course" I stuttered.

I did not know if Susie had figured out that it really was me in the photo or if she had just decided to use that as a model for my transformation.

"Well, are you going to stand in front of that mirror and admire yourself all night or do we have a date?"

"Are you sure that this is going to work, Susie? I'm awfully nervous. If anyone ever found out, I'd kill myself."

"Nobody will ever know, except my mother and myself. And we'll never talk, as long as you behave yourself!" she added with a pat on my bottom and a funny grin on her face.

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RUFFLES & CURLES

By Kammi Morton

Mrs. Wales had to see me again before we left and told me again how pretty I was.

"I think that that skirt would look better with petticoats, Susie."

"You're right, mother. Want to wear petticoats, Danielle?" "No, I think it looks fine," I answered.

"Do it anyway!" said Mrs. Wales firmly.

Susie ran upstairs and returned with a bundle of fluffy white material. I was told to lift my skirt and step into the petticoats. Susie pulled them up to my waist and arranged my skirt over them. Now, instead of hanging loose around me, the skirt flared out in a wide circle.

Susie handed me a pocketbook from the hall stand and picked up one for herself.

"It's a little windy out Susie. You probably should wear a scarf for your hair."

Susie opened a drawer in the stand and took out two silk, flowered scarves. She folded one into a triangle and carefully placed it over my hair and tied it under my chin and did the same for herself.

car.

"Have fun, girls!" said Mrs. Wales as we walked to Susie's

Susie drove to the movie house where we were going to see the Beatles in A Hard Day's Night.

She gave me instructions the whole time on how to act and not to be nervous. Tonight I was to be Susie's cousin Danielle, who was visiting from out of town. The closer we got to the theatre the more nervous I got. On a Friday night, the place would be full of kids from our school and despite my disguise, I figured that everybody would know who I was. Susie kept telling me to relax but I was not convinced. Every movement I made, whether standing or sitting, reminded me that I was wearing strange clothes, especially the noise of the taffeta petticoats, which sounded like a roar to me whenever I moved.

"Remember, if you have to go, use the ladies room and be sure to sit!"

I had not even thought of that and vowed that I would hold it until I got home, as impossible as that seemed considering my state of mind. I was ready to wet my pants now.

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