16CONTEMPORARY TV FICTION

The next day, I was coming home after playing golf when I saw an unfamiliar sports car in the Carrs' driveway. "Must be Rita Delatore," I angrily muttered. "I ought kick her butt!"

But thinking more rationally, I realized I was a pretty persuasive guy. Perhaps I could talk some sense into the

woman.

"Ron!" Mrs. Carr greeted me. "It's nice to see you." "Yeah, Ma'am. So where's Wayne?"

"You're so sweet, supporting him and all," she smiled, ushering me to the den. "Especially now. He needs it so much.

It was truly bizarre. I'd never known Mrs. Carr act SO weird! She lead me into the living room.

"Ron, isn't it?" the flamboyantly dressed, red haired woman confidently asked. "Our Wayne has told me A LOT about you!"

Taken aback by her boldness, I gulped, "You're Ms. Delatore?"

"Call me Rita," she winked, firmly shaking my hand. "My protege will be down momentarily.

"She's something else, huh?" Rachel simpered, waltzing into the den. "I hope to look as good when I'm fifty...But then again, a face lift and a boob job wouldn't hurt, either! You arrived for the best part, Ron. Wait 'til you get a load of your buddy, Wayne!"

"You're EXQUISITE, darling!" Rita Delatore gushed from beyond the den. "Hurry, everyone's awaiting your debut!" "WAYNE?" I choked, running into the foyer. "What

the..."

"Ron!" he panted, stopping dead in his tracks. "What are you doing here?"

"You said, 'See you tomorrow,' remember? I knew about the girlish hair style, but MAKEUP...and he had on a DRESS!" "JUMPER!" Rachel corrected. "Don't the loose collotte pants and roomy tee shirt make Wayne start to look like unisex?"

"Looks like a girl," I muttered.

Rita smiled and said, "He's got to learn how to be totally feminine so he can be either masculine or feminine at will."

"STOP IT!" Wayne moaned, bowing his head in shame. Pouting full, red glossed lips, his thickly mascaraed lashes fluttered.

BOSOM BUDDY -17

Wayne's feminization was incredible. Big, bouncy curls brushed just above his shoulders. His smooth, hairless legs peeked out below his jumper's ankle length hem, while airy espadrilles encased his small, slender feet.

"Show us what you've learned, dear," Rita Delatore devilishly grinned. "Walk to the sofa and sit beside

Ron.'

you friend, Hesitating, Wayne's eyes showed his tortured anguish. But with forceful prodding from his Mom and sister, he obeyed.

Slightly overlapping, his steps were short and measured. With elbows bent upward, his hands dangled limply at the wrist, flashing his shiny manicured fingernails.

"WAYNE!" I blurted. "You walk like a GIRL!"

Desperately maintaining his poise, he tried ignoring my outburst, yet his forced smile betrayed his chagrin. Smoothing his skirt-like collottes over his bottom, Wayne daintily sat beside me.

"Press those knees, dear," Rita Delatore chimed. Thrusting his shoulders back, Wayne squeezed his thighs, demurely folding his hands atop his skirted lap.

Across the room, the three women gleefully congratulated each other.

Rita turned to me and asked, "Do you feel like this person sitting next to you is a boy or a girl?"

I blurted out, "He's my buddy, Wayne. . .A boy!" "Yes, dear," Rita said calmly, "I sense it too...he's still too much of a boy." As the three chattered about how to make him more of a girl, I secretly whispered as Wayne stared vacuously into space. "What the heck's going on?"

"Believe me, I didn't know," he softly whined through a clenched tooth grin. "The dress and cosmetics shocked me too! guess I've got to know how to be a girl sometimes."

I

"Ahhh! Those TEETH!" Rita Delatore announced. "Shut your mouth and smile with you eyes, dear. You'll look MUCH prettier!"

As Wayne sullenly obeyed, Rachel mocked her brother's tight lipped grin. "Too bad you didn't have braces, like me.'

"Now, now, Rachel," Mrs. Carr kindly scolded. "Daddy didn't believe boys needed them." Looking sorry eyed at her son, she sighed, "Then again, he'd NEVER believe his son would be learning to be a girl!"

Tears rolled down Wayne's powdered cheeks as he dabbed his reddened eyes. "May I be excused. I don't feel so good."