➡ransvestia

Our dancing was a source of delight and pride to the two families. Again Barb planned our routines as she had taken several years of training. I enjoyed it more and more. Not from the sense of leading her, because this wasn't true. Our dances were scored by Barb and it was understood that the routine was not to change.

Even when I returned to school, Barb felt that mother and Dad should not allow me to participate in anything that would put a strain on me. This seemed to include everything that I had done before the mumps.

I ended up with all the easy courses at school. There was English, Math, social sciences, and drama. I found that here was where I could work off my frustrations, and I lead my classes in all subjects. Here too, I found that I could tutor Barb with her studies. My insistence that she apply herself brought the approval of our parents, and it was the families' concensus that “we were good for each other."

Our mutual delight and talents in dancing led us to try out for the High School Follies in our Junior year at school. Barb had worked out a soft shoe routine of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy that was both fun and difficult. Our costumes were patterned after the well-known dolls and made with skill by our mothers, including the red yarn wigs that we wore.

"Marty," Barb suddenly spoke and roused me from my reverie, “Come over here, and let's decide something."

I wearily walked over to the row of chairs and sat down. She stood up and looked down at me intently, said: “Marty stand up back-to-back with me."

Though this was a final rehearsal in costume and make-up, I knew that she wanted to change something. I started to groan but thought better of it. She carefully measured our heights and seemed satisfied that she was still an inch taller.

"Marty, give me your wig and cap, and take mine." she said as she carefully removed her Raggedy Ann yarn pigtails and kerchief. I put the wig on, being very careful not to smear my make-up. As I looked up and saw Barb with my wig on, I had to grin because she looked like me. I suddenly realized I must look like her.