Transvestia

a "nut" and begin to treat me with scorn. Despite my arguments Betty insisted that she was going to try no matter what I thought.

I did not have long to wait. The next day Betty brought up the fact that I had hardly any decent clothes. This was true, for living only on an education grant since I had left my parents, I could not afford to buy new clothes, and what I had was getting shabby. She said that I would need to keep some clothes decent to look for a job when the time came, and there was no reason to get my clothes more worn by wearing them around the farm.

This led up to her suggestion that both she and Nicola had lots of clothes around the house which they seldom wore, or were out of style. Therefore, I should wear these garments, and keep my few clothes in good condition.

Iris and Nicola agreed to this, first in a joking man- ner, but then getting quite serious about it. I protested and was genuinely terrified, with Betty leading the way the women answered all my arguments. No one outside could see me, for the nearest house was over half a mile away, anyway, no one knew me and if I were seen I would be taken for a girl, since my hair was long enough to pass as a girl. They promised not to tease me and that no one outside the family would ever know.

Finally I allowed myself to be persuaded, and Betty quickly produced the clothes. Since, as far as Iris and Nicola were concerned, I was wearing women's clothes for purely practical and utillitarian reasons, it would be incongruous to begin with dainty or frilly items. There- fore, the first items were slacks and a blouse along with flat shoes and sandals.

Although most of the clothes fitted rather well, all of the slacks were too tight at the waist. Therefore, Betty produced a "waspie" waist cincher. Oddly enough, this was of great value in other ways. The appendix wound had not yet fully healed and was quite painful when I stood erect. Thus I was walking somewhat bent forward to keep the strain off my abdomen. Wearing the

69