55.

After three weeks, with frequent dates and an occasional rest day we finally went back home. The first day at home, Constance had me go to a beauty parlor to have my hair done. Then she took me on a shopping trip that will live with me for the rest of my life. I was fitted for dresses, tried on high heeled slippers, bought pant- ies and bras and finally went to a private corsetiere to be fitted for several whale-bone corsets. The corsetiere was an old lady and to this day I don't know for sure whether she suspected my true sex. If she did, she paid no attention to it, confining herself strictly to her business, which was taking measurements of my waist, hips and bosom for some specially made brassiers which she was to make for me. Upon Constance's recommenda- tions, she made the waist of the corsets almost six inches smaller than my own natural waist line and the first time I put one of them on, I thought I would suf- focate but I soon became used to the tight constriction about my waist and could wear the corset with no ill effects. Then a week later, Joe and Art came to our house and from the way Constance greeted them, I could see it was no surprise to her.

Again, we began the seemingly endless trek of night- clubs and dances and again Connie took up where she had left off with Joe. One day as we were returning home from a dance I lost my temper and did something in the heat of the moment that surprised me. Art and I were sitting on the two folding seats and Connie and Joe in the regular seats. I turned around to address a re- mark to Connie when I saw that she was locked in the amorous embrace of Joe, who was taking liberties with her that were not exactly innocent. Her head thrown back, Connie grinned at me in a mocking sort of way. Angry, I turned my head toward the front of the cab with violence. Impetuously stirred by this anger, I turned to Art and leaned my head against his shoulder. Surprised, he put his arms around me and I raised my face to him, pursing my lips. He brought his head down and pressed his lips against mine with a fervor and