JoAnne spoke up, "Well, you're not terribly masculine, you could pass for a girl. As a matter of fact, with a little help from us, you could probably look pretty cute."

I noticed an odd twinkle in JoAnne's eyes, and I guess that's when it hit me. Me as a girl! I must have blushed, because Mom started to laugh.

"Mark, stand up. You too, JoAnne. Stand back to back."

We did this, although I wasn't aware of why at first, but I soon re- alized I was just a fraction of an inch taller than JoAnne. Then one word came into my mind. NO! How could I pass myself off as a girl? But my family instinct, which has always been one of my weak spots, took over my mind. I thought of Mom's deserved rest, Alicia's friends, Susie's guys on the beaches, JoAnne's love for the water. What choice did I have? I looked at Mom, then JoAnne, then Mom again. I sighed and managed a sheepish grin. "What do you want me to do?"

They both came over and kissed me. JoAnne hugged me also, "Mark, do you know what size shoe Susie wears? 9C! and you wear an 81⁄2 D. It's a perfect fit!"

I gulped as I pictured myself in a pair of those flimsy high heels Susie always wore.

Mother sat down again, and got out a pencil and paper and began writing. "You can use Susie's blonde fall, and we'll get you a blonde fashion wig that can be re-styled. Oh, you'll be perfect!"

I just stared at her and weakly asked, “Mark's really going to dress up like a girl and pass himself off as a girl for three weeks?”

JoAnne looked at me, indignantly. "No, silly, Mark's a boy." She smiled, "The only person who is going to dress up, and act like a girl is Marcia."

"And I'm Marcia, I suppose!"

"That's right!"

"Mom, what do you say?” I asked with but faint hope.

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