26 -MOTHER'S NEW DAUGHTER

uncomfortable. The way everyone stared at Sidney, I just knew someone would read him. I couldn't read him, yet I knew his secret. He girlishly gushed about shopping for dresses and even lingerie. He was filled with electricity. "I want to show you why I like this stuff," he said. Sidney threw back his long silken hair and added, "I want you to pretend like you're my boyfriend and help me pick out a sexy outfit for a date. Okay?"

As I ate a few bites more, I calmed down and realized that no one was going to read him. I asked, "You've met guys who asked you out?"

He blushed, "Mom insists that I act like a girl my age. If a nice guy asks me out, I can go if I want to."

"You want to?"

"It's not that I like going out with guys but Mother gets a kick out of making me be perfect for them. You know, the right dress, makeup, my hair all done up. The rule is that I can only go out with a guy twice. Mother doesn't want me taking any chances!"

"That's probably a good idea. You really don't have what they want.'

"But they usually don't get it on the first couple dates anyway. Besides, it makes me feel feminine. One guy sent me a dozen passion pink roses!"

We chatted and I began to feel at ease. After lunch, Sidney dug into his purse and pulled out a little pink compact and popped out a purple pill from a cardboard casing. "Oh! Last one," he exclaimed, "Remind me to drop by the pharmacy. Mother only wants me to pick them up when I'm wearing a dress."

"What are those for? Are you sick?"

"They're for my hair. About a year ago, my hair wasn't growing very fast, so mother got me these. I don't know why they only give me 28 pills and not a whole months supply."

"They make your hair grow faster?" I asked. I could tell from the pictures of Allison, the model in the magazine, that her hair grew much faster than mine.

"Look!" he said flipping out his luscious full locks. "My pimples went away too!"

That made sense. Mother took gelatin for her fingernails. "Maybe I should get some for my hair," I commented.

SANDY THOMAS ADV. -27

We walked around the store and Sidney took

my arm, whispering,

"Just relax! No one here knows I'm a boy."