RANSVESTIA

his continuing study of the subject and some occasional contacts with others like himself had brought Harry to a state of relative self acceptance and peace of mind. Harry and Harriet now co-existed with a minimum of friction. One thing continually saddened him though. He hated the secrecy. In later years he had often wanted to share it with his wife. Others like him had confided in their wives without destroying their marriages. But Harry couldn't accept those arguments yet. Somehow he figured the contrast between old Harry, the hard-bitten, road-running truck driver and Harriet, the attractive, smartly dressed, middleaged lady would be too much for his Martha to take. And aside from that Harry couldn't see telling his grown son in the Army about it all at this late date. If he had known then what he knew now about himself and transvestism Harry would have told Martha before they were married. But twenty-five years ago he didn't even know the word transvestism. All he knew then was that he had this crazy thing about dressing himself up in feminine things. At least time and experience had given him some perspective on the problem. And if he did not understand his desires. completely perhaps he understood them partially and now could even see some humor in the situation. “Harriet," he mused to himself as he walked back to the maintenance and security office, "you're going to get yourself dressed, my dear, and guard this store with your old .38 in your bra the last of the red hot mamas.” And he whistled 'Sweet Georgia Brown' to himself as he went.

Harriet could look very chic for a girl who had to start and finish with a body that belonged to a man. But she was more fortunate in this respect that many of her kind for while her other half was far from effeminate in build or demeanor neither were there any obtrusively masculine char- acteristics to mar the impersonation. Harry's trim one hundred and fifty pounds was evenly distributed on a medium frame that stood five feet nine inches in height. His shoulders were not too broad and the neck was fairly long and revealed no protruding adams apple. Harry's legs were slim, muscular, and well shaped, and Harriet took a size nine shoe in women's size. His hands were a shade large and somewhat bony and the wrists were thicker than he would have liked but these defects could be concealed easily enough. Harrys best physical assets as far as Harriet was concerned were the fine, thin, facial features he had inherited from his Irish mother. In younger years he had boasted a head of thick red hair but that was thinning now and he was rapidly going to baldness. Thus good wigs and hairpieces were a necessity for Harriet. Ten years ago before he retired from the trucks Harry had initiated a program of electrolysis that had left his face smooth and free of any beard. But it was still necessary to shave his legs, underarms and

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