RELUCTANT PRESS

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RUFFLES & CURLES

By Kammi Morton

"Sunday best," she added as she tied the ribbon in a big bow behind my back.

I was finally allowed to join the women but I was not done with my work. Susie had me first wash her hair in the kitchen sink, which I had just scrubbed 'till it glistened, and back in the living room I set her hair on rollers while they continued their conversation as though I was not even there. The topic was about "MEN" which was said with disdain and I was surprised to hear even my mother speak in such a condescending manner about my gender.

When it was time to leave, Mrs. Wales insisted that I keep my female clothes on and Mom smiled and agreed. On the way home she commented on how lucky I was to have such a nice girlfriend as Susie.

"It was so cute to see you ironing her clothes and doing her hair. You'll make a wonderful husband someday. By the way, Mrs. Wales gave me a good idea. Since you've not decided about what to do after graduation, she suggested that you would make a wonderful maid. She has lots of friends who would hire you for a day or two a week. I didn't know that you were doing so much of their housework as well as our own. Then you could still work at the shop on Saturdays. What do you think?"

"Oh, I don't know," I answered, but the idea, strangely, did have appeal. "But there's no such thing as male maids, are there?"

"Oh, I don't think that would be a problem. You'd go as a girl!"

So I knew then with certainty that my future would be one serving women, whether in a beauty shop doing their hair or in their laundry rooms washing their clothes. Oddly, I was quite content that this nagging question about what to do after graduation had finally been settled.

When I was getting ready for bed, Mom handed me a short pink nylon gown suggesting, "you'll be more comfortable in this."

I took it with a simple, "thank you," and have worn nighties every night since. I lay awake for a long time, thinking about my future. Strangely, in every scene I envisioned, I was wearing a dress or skirt but never boys' clothes.

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