Transvestia

as a femme, centered on making Alice as pretty as possible. In another way, Henry himself felt protective toward Alice--feeling that since she now lived within him, she was an inseparable part of himself.

The next day, Henry strolled the streets of New York, seeing things with different eyes. Even the shabby loft buildings took on an air of old-age dignity. He was aware of the exciting clash of strong colors, and responded to the line and form of all he saw. Of course, all this was Alice's doing. Henry even bought his 'sister' a rather complete line of cosmetics-- quite boldly, and without explanation or apology to the raised brow of the clerk. Passing a wig salon, his fashion-aware eyes fell upon a beautiful ash-blonde hairpiece that suddenly seemed so perfectly appropriate for Alice that Henry, heart jumping with joy, bought that very wig and hastened back to the hotel to see how "Alice" looked in it.

Though he could 'feel' the presence of Alice all of the time, it was quite a different matter to bring her into being as herself. That dingy room bore witness to her 'birth. She dressed most carefully, making sure that her seams were straight and that no untoward wrinkles in her slip showed. Then, with a studied application of make-up, mascara, and lipstick, 'she' began looking more and more like the lady she was. With the blonde tresses at last in place, there stood Alice--a very charm- ing 'young matron', well-groomed and attractive. The smile that she wore was that of a supremely happy person at peace with the world. Henry had come a long way. In finding Gracie, he had found Alice, and because of Alice, there was a revitalized Henry. This brought new objectivity and purpose into his life.

On the bed lay a rumpled Banker's grey worsted suit-- the empty husk of the old Henry J. Detweiler-- once banke once harried husband, once a dull, dry and uninteresting creature. While the physical Henry was gone, his freshly- nourished soul dwelled in harmony in this person, created out of emotional hunger, but now as real and vital as life itself. So long as 'they' were together, nothing could disturb the inner tranquility.

For several more days Henry remained "incommunicado" while Alice moved about the city, marveling at the wonder