RELUCTANT PRESS

We went straight to the Salon which was already busy with over a dozen women being pampered by uniformed operators and stylists. As used to a beauty shop as I was, this was still a strange experience. The place was posh and there were all sorts of beauty procedures being performed that I had never seen before. We had barely entered when a smallish, elegantly groomed man in a crisply starched white jacket stepped up and greeted Mrs. Baker.

"This is the young lady that I told you about. Danielle, this is Mr. Alex who is going to turn you into a beautiful lady."

"Ah, but that would not be possible unless the lady is already very beautiful, as you are Miss Danielle," he gushed as he took my hand and kissed my fingers.

Shit! What would he do if he knew he was kissing a boy? Actually, from his appearance, he might have liked it more! Mr. Alex snapped his fingers and a sweet looking girl stepped forward to lead us to a changing room where Mrs. Baker began to undress and put on a pink, loose fitting nylon robe. Very nervously, I did the same, thankful that I had worn a full slip and a panty girdle. (The latter garment had become a standard item for me the last couple of weeks after developing an enormous erection while ironing one of Mrs. Wales' lacy panties. The ironing board had concealed the problem, but taught me that I could not risk this happening again.)

Now clad in the transparent gown with comfy slippers on our feet, we followed the girl to a row of shampoo sinks where two other girls sensually, at least to me, washed and conditioned our hair with perfumed products. With fluffy pink towels wrapped around our heads, we were once again led off past the regular work stations to a private room at the

rear.

There, Mr. Alex waited for us, indicating that I should sit in his chair first. The young girl removed the towel and stepped back as Mr. Alex ran his fingers through my hair.

"Yes, yes, very lovely indeed. I think just a little trim and shaping is all that's needed. You have had your hair lightened? Who did that?"

"My mother," I answered, trying to use as few words as possible.

RUFFLES & CURLES

By Kammi Morton

"She is very good! She should consider going into hairdressing."

Of course, it would have revealed too much if I told him that she was already a hairdresser and in fact had her shop only a few blocks away.

Mr. Alex combed my hair this way and that, snipping pieces of hair as he did. My mom always wanted to give me a styled cut but I had refused, fearing that it would look too feminine when I was dressed as a boy. Now, I was letting a stranger do it without protest, afraid that if I did not, I would reveal that I was a boy. When he was finally satisfied with his work he signaled to the girl to wheel over a tray of rollers. She would hand him the roller and he would deftly wind a strand of hair on it and secure it firmly against my scalp with two shiny clips that she would also hand him. In no time at all, my head was covered with jumbo lavender colored plastic rollers. Mr. Alex stepped back and without a word the girl stepped forward and placed a pink triangle net over my head and secured the ends in a bow at the back of my neck.

I expected to be put under the dryer but instead Mrs. Baker asked me to wait for her. I sat on a chair in the corner and watched as Mr. Alex set Mrs. Baker's hair. He truly was an artist and I found myself admiring his skills just as most boys would admire the smooth swing of a baseball player. Maybe being a hairdresser might not be such a bad thing after all, I found myself thinking, especially if I could be as good as Mr. Alex.

He quickly finished the set and, with a nod to his assistant, he left the room. The latter stepped up behind Mrs. Baker and secured a hair net over her rollers.

"Let's go, Danielle. This is the best part!"

Mrs. Baker took my hand and led me out of the salon to the main store. I was instantly nervous all over again especially as I passed a full length mirror and saw my reflection. Here I was, an eighteen year old boy with a head full of rollers and wearing a nylon robe that clearly revealed my slip underneath. And this boy was out in public! Well, not really in public but certainly out in a place where I would be seen by strangers.

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