As he put a table cloth around my shoulders, I said, “Cut it close and lay it carefully on the table. I'll have a wig made from it."

"Sure thing, Honey," he said. "Now close your eyes and it won't hurt so bad. At least that's what I've heard."

With each snip of the scissors, I died a little; but as I knew I was re- turning to a masculine life, I managed not to cry. Well, maybe I did shed a few little tears. Who wouldn't? When he finished, I refused to look in the mirror. I said, “I'll be back in little while" and went to the nearst barber to have my transition completed professionally. Only then did I look at myself and hate what I saw. The barber never suspected that I was probably the only customer he had ever had that wanted to break both his arms. And it wasn't his fault at all.

As I entered the cottage, I could hear Bert in the bedroom. I started towards the door, but he called, "Pour us some coffee, Honey, I'll be out in a jiffy." I could hear his footsteps as I poured and turned to look at him but it was Norinne standing before me.

We looked at each other for a moment, then gave each other a tight hug that reassured our love for each other. I held her at arm's length and said, "Norinne, my Darling, you are very pretty. I like your hair that way."

"Thank you, V.J.," she said soberly, "I'll try to be a good wife."

"You already are, Sweetheart," I said. "We have a lot going for us; we can't help but have a happy life together."

She took a sip of coffee, and then blushed as she said, “I have a little confession to make since I'm not very well endowed upstairs, so I uh-uh-borrowed your falsies, O.K.?"

I laughed as I said, “O.K.”

We drove over to see the folks. Mom was finishing cutting Pop's hair and everyone was sitting around looking like they had just received word that the world was coming to an end. Nobody had much to say. Jimmy had gone to the barbershop as I had done, and for the very first time, I saw Judy wearing lipstick.

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