Transvestia

by a modest fall reaching to her shoulders. A wisp of perfume completed her. As she approached him, the head waiter was vis- ably absorbed in memorizing Anne's every detail. “I'm looking for the Thaxton table,” she inquired.

Pleased that he could help, the waiter ceremoniously ushered Anne down a carpeted corridor, opened the door for her and pro- nounced, "Miss Thaxton, your guest has arrived."

It was not Jim Thaxton that Anne now met; not quite. Rather Jim had suddenly been transformed. “Audrey!” Anne exclaimed. "Let me look at you! Why you're stunning; I wouldn't have be- lieved you could be so lovely." Anne stood for a moment look- ing happily at Audrey who was beaming in return. Audrey was a tall blonde with a very sophisticated look about her every feature and movement. She was wearing a dark blue evening gown and her light skin and string of pearls seemed to shimmer against the gown.

“Audrey, I didn't think you had continued dressing after I left you," Anne said finally.

"Well, I didn't have any chance for several years,” she replied. "It wasn't until I was thirteen, I guess. Anyway it was on my first date with a very masculine girl. She suggested we go out for a hike in a woods up near the mountains. As soon as we got off the main road she began to complain about hiking with a dress and how much easier it was for a man. Finally it became unbearable, so I bet her she wouldn't switch clothes with me. Surprisingly, she took me up on it. But you should have seen the look on her face all the while." Audrey seemed to settle into a quietly relaxed mood as she reminisced, but Anne was anxious to know every de- tail of what had happened to her friend in the years since they had last met.

Almost involuntarily Anne asked, "What did she do then?"

"Oh, she squirmed and fidgeted--but she finally came through, Anne. I helped her unzip her dress, we exchanged clothes--she zipped me up--and we continued the hike. For the first time in years, I felt free, as though I was finally the only way I had ever wanted to be. She was wonderful to be with, too. All day she