26-MAID UP

woman, given the proper training AND CLOTHES. John blushed when the doctor was expressing his innermost thoughts and Dr. Hepstein, digging deeper said, "Even when you blush so maidenly, your real gender is revealed."

Seeing that this first dose of psychological warfare had been enough, Dr. Hepstein stood up and said, "Would you kindly call Mrs. Howard, Miss, so I can bid her good-bye."

After the doctor left, Mary and John talked over her visit and foolishly John confessed to Mary his doubts lately about his passing as a girl so easily. Mary said, "You know, Darling, you look so much more attractive and natural when you are dressed as a woman."

"Do you really think so?" Jill asked sincerely.

"Just look in the mirror. I would guess that nature really meant for you to be a girl. That was why in our high-school days I always said that your pinafores looked so natural on you, Jill. I guess I never realized how feminine you really are and how much I cherish that in you."

With this she left the room and John remained with his thoughts. He went to a mirror and looked at himself, dressed in the nice fitting black serving dress, his busts jutting out under the straps of the apron, his shoulder length wig attractively combed, his nicely shaped legs beautifully clad in the sheer black nylons. He realized that even his panty girdle no longer felt tight and uncomfortable.

Suddenly, he rebelled. He practically tore up his apron, took off the dress and all his other clothes, his girdle, his bra; dropping them all on the floor, he raced upstairs and locked himself in the bedroom.

There John stayed all day, his newly discovered deep wish for femininity wrestling with all the masculinity of his almost 30 years as a man. His thoughts were chaotic and he could concentrate on nothing else. He could not eat and was severely distressed by the battle within him.

Finally exhausted he fell in a light dream-plagued sleep, tossing and turning, with fits of wakefulness that led to a terrible headache. When he awoke in the morning alone, in his bedroom, he was more tired than he had ever been in his life.

He decided to get up, however, and dressed in his own male clothes began his regular routine of making coffee for himself. There was no sign of Mary. He decided to have breakfast in a little restaurant next to his office and left the house. He hoped that no one would notice his highly arched eyebrows.

Mary called Dr. Hepstein soon after she had heard John leave the house. She explained what had happened the day before. Dr. Hepstein said, "Good, this means that we have hit where it hurts. Take it easy for the first few days, but don't let your guard down and continue to let him feel your superiority wherever and whenever

you can."

TV FICTION CLASSICS -27

Trying to forget the struggle going on inside him John arrived at his office and found everything in good order. His secretary asked him how the vacation was. He gave a non-committal answer. John found that he could not concentrate on his work. His mind kept bristling with his great emotional problem so he decided to go to a movie but even that was aggravating. It was about 2 male musicians who join an all girl band to hide from some gangsters.

John left for home as soon as the movie was finished not knowing how he was going to face Mary.

After he parked his car in the garage he found Mary waiting for him with cocktails and hor d'oeuvres all prepared. Obviously she was not going to serve him, so he asked whether she wanted a cocktail also. She said, "Yes, you may bring me an Old Fashioned." She did not even bother to say "Thank you." They drank their cocktails in silence.

Finally after Mary noticed that the drink had mellowed and relaxed John somewhat she asked, "What was that silly act of yesterday all about?"

John did not know how to explain that sudden impulse. Mary said, "You completely upset me and I had to go to the doctor this morning. You are now aggravating my condition all the more."

"Yes, dear," John said, "I am sorry. I don't know what came over me. I will try to do better from now on. I am all confused inside and I don't even know what or who I am any more."

"Well," Mary said bitterly, "I know what your problem is and the sooner you realize it the better. You are fighting a battle of the sexes within you, which you are rapidly loosing, and I wish you would admit it."

"I have been thinking all day about that," said John, "and I doubt whether it is true."

"Well, I think it is and who knows you better or longer than I?" They dropped the matter and Mary told John that Dr. Hepstein would see them every other night after dinner. "Please set the table, while I go and finish preparing dinner." John did as he was ordered, almost automatically tying on an apron as he had done the last 2 weeks. He suddenly realized what he had done and quickly took it off again. Mary, however, had seen his act and smiled deprecatingly. "See what I mean?" she snapped.

John flushed but said nothing. "What could I say," he discouragingly mused.

They had pea soup that night, John's favorite in cool weather. For some reason it tasted a little funny, but John thought nothing of it. They finished dinner in silence and Mary asked John to help her with the dishes. Soon he found himself doing all the cleaning up with a pinafore on "to protect his clothes" while Mary went to