cold and be sure to wear the woolen babuska as she handed me the grocery list, the money and a little sketch of the supermarket's floor plan.

We left the apartment together, she for her err- ands and I for mine. I did a super-quick study of ev- ery woman I saw on the way and used as much as I dar- ed to help my impersonation. The only time I had trouble was in getting the money out of my change pur- se with my gloves on. I finally gave the clerk 2 dol- lar bills and let her return the difference in change. The bag-boy was surprised when I simply picked up both bags of groceries to leave but I smiled as sweet- ly as I know how and proceeded to the door. Heels are not the ideal shoes to wear grocery shopping. And, of course, I became painfully aware of why many of my counterparts in the supermarket used their two-wheeled wire shopping carts. I resolved that on future trips I would use Aunt Catherine's cart and save on the wear and tear.

By the time Aunt Catherine returned to the apart- ment I had the groceries put away, the potatoes peel- ed and soaking in salt water, and the jello made for the salad. She was obviously quite pleased and she asked me to come to the bedroom where she would show me "a little surprise. I hung up my apron and went to the bedroom. Aunt Catherine motioned me to the vanity bench and then opened a large box which con- tained a beautiful soft dark brown "page-boy" styled wig. I was thrilled. (This was before wigs became so tremendously popular and, they were not as easily ac quired as they are now). My questions came thick and fast. But Aunt Catherine fielded them all with a sim- ple explanation. A friend of hers was wardrobe mistress for her church's little theater group and was happy to loan the wig "for a few weeks. It was a gorgeous thing and I couldn't control a sigh when Aunt Cather- ine had finally fixed it in place. I must have been dreamy-eyed for a minute or two when Aunt Catherine, who was standing behind me, gently touched my shoul- der. It's strange how much a few seconds can mean in a person's life. To Aunt Catherine I'm sure that gentle touch was a call back to the here and now; to me it was the aublic recognition of my new status,

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