CONTEMPORARY TV FICTION

"It might do him good," replied her mother. "He needs to be taught a lesson, that's for certain. His attitude is just terrible. His grades are so bad he will never get into college and he is always getting into trouble. I am afraid that he may do something really foolish and wind up in jail. I am almost at my wits end. Do you know, I have heard of disobedient boys getting punished by being forced into girl's clothes. It's known as 'petticoat punishment', and the resulting humiliation can be very effective in changing their behavior permanently."

"Oh, Mom, you're not serious!" cried Karen incredulously. "You wouldn't really make Jeff wear girl's clothes, would you?"

"We'll see."

As Jeff's mother thought about it, she found the idea of petticoating her son more and more appealing. It might bring about a change in Jeff's behavior and certainly nothing else had worked. She spent some time mulling the idea over in her mind and decided if she were to go ahead to punish Jeff in such a way, she'd need help. Jeff was a strong and tough young man and she was sure that he would resist her to the best of his ability. Her sister Linda would help for sure. Linda had three girls herself and had always let it be known that she disliked boys in general and given a choice, would have a world of all little girls with no boys.

Linda was amazed, however, when the

JEFF'S HUMILIATION

suggestion was put to her that Jeff be transformed, and she couldn't stop laughing for several seconds, then she became serious and with a glint of steel in her eyes said, "Yes, I will enjoy helping you turn that nasty boy into a sweet feminine girl! I think that he has it coming for all of his rudeness."

Jeff didn't know why there was so much giggling and laughing at his home during the next few days, nor did he know why his aunt Linda was there so much. He supposed that it was all Carnival preparations, and he was heartily sick of the whole thing. He couldn't wait for it to be over and for things to get back to normal. All of this bustling around was disturbing his television watching.

On the morning of the Carnival he awoke and noticed the sun streaming in through the window. "Pity it's not raining," he thought. "It would be great if everybody got soaking wet in all their finery." He got up and moved over to the chair where he had draped his clothes the previous night. They weren't there. In annoyance he went out of his room and shouted, "MOTHER, WHERE DID YOU PUT MY CLOTHES?"

His mother called back, "I'll bring them right up, dear."

He returned to bed still in his pajamas and waited. The door opened. He was too impolite to even look up. He said, "Just, leave my clothes on the floor. I'll get dressed soon."