13.

LEAP THE BARRIER

by "LORI"

(A Fictionalized True Story.)

Elaine tossed the sheaf of typed pages on my desk. "Your technique is fine, as always, but...well, your girl character, Lori, just doesn't swing. She fails to come alive to me, Know what I mean, honey?"

em-

I'm a writer and Elaine, my wife, is at once my secre- tary and my sincere, constructive critic. And I knew what she meant by her comments on my latest manuscript. Usually I've written male-interest adventure stuff, but now I'd barked on a novelette which, by its very nature, demanded to be told from a woman s point of view, My heroine, my Lori was giving me a hard time. I just couldn't seem to make her sound convincingly feminine.

"

"This thing's got me licked, I told Elaine. "Maybe I'd better ditch the whole project and go back to the hard- boiled action stuff."

"I don't know but what there may be a way out for you", she mused. "Remember when you were doing those waterfront stories? You took a job as a longshoreman to get the right background for them. And that trip you took on a tramp steamer in search of authentic atmosphere?"

"Sure I remember, But Elaine, I can't very will get inside this Lori the way I could if she were a simple un- complicated male. My imagination falls short of that. In order to think, feel and react like a girl, I guess you have to be one."

"

"That's exactly my point, she enthused. "We'll have to let you be a girl. Temporarily, that is."

"Now, wait a minute

*

"

"Don't you see, dear", she continued. "We'll trans- form you from the skin out. You'll learn to wear dainty nylon undies and things, you'll use make-up and perfumes, and we'll even redecorate your workroom to create a femin- ine atmosphere. Then, first thing you know... ! "