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him and after about a block of this he said, What's wrong, are you stuck up?"

By now I had finely calmed down and was thinking again, so I said, "No, but my husband's waiting for me at home, so would you please leave me alone."

He dropped the subject and went on his way. Although he had been walking along side of me for almost 3 blocks it seemed like the whole thing had only lasted a split second and like it was a dream. It was another block before it started to dawn on me just what had happened. Then it hit me!! Not only was I passing in public, but a man had actually tried to pick me up and wanted to take me out. Remember when I said it was like a little flame that started the urge to go out? Well right then that little flame became a roaring fire. From that moment on once I got dressed, you couldn't have kept me in with loging chains. It wasn't just the idea that a man tried to date me, but it was knowing that I passed, and was- n't just slipping by people, and being lucky.

Soon after that I took my vacation, just about a year ago now, and I stayed with my friend Betty (another FP) and lived as Loretta for the whole 20 days. Betty's "brother" took me out on what I call my first date. We rode around and went to a few bars and had a few beers. Another time he took me out for dinner, and we went to Hollywood and met Virginia and Barbara, and went to church, among other things. The whole 20 days was just wonderful. Loretta was out every day and this really got my confidence up. In the last year I've been out both night and day, to church, movies, cafes, and just Xmas Eve, one of the biggest stores in town stayed open, even though it was Sunday, for last minute shoppers. My "brother" had forgotten somebody on his shopping list, so I went in and bought it for him. Two nights before Xmas and though I broke one of my own rules, that I always said Loretta would never do and that was go into a bar, unescorted. Girls like me can only find trouble in bars, if we're by ourselves, so I stay out of them. But this one night I guess I just had the Xmas Spirit in me so I took a chance. Now that I've been in one once, as a girl, by myself, I'm satisfied.

So that's my story of going out and being excepted by others as a woman. I've had a few things happen that at the time made me think the chips were really down. One time I accidently ran through a red light in my car. Just as the light turned red, and with my

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