RANSVESTIA

And then, the road quite clear a hundred yards or more to the tail- lights ahead - no one was passing my secure fifty-five. Brights flashed on and off in the rear-view mirror and a honk or two made me increase to the sixty limit. My left eye corner caught the image of yellow Thun- derbird fender pacing me. I slowed again precipitating a cacaphony of horns. Yellow moved ahead and drew in front of me releasing a steady stream of left-lane passes. Yellow slowed to fifty . . . forty . . . thirty-five (blast). I pulled out and passed fair-haired driver to my right.

eyes straight ahead but noticing the speeding up, again to pace me for a while then dropping back. I moved to the right lane regretting my er- ror but, oh . . . being followed. Perhaps he'll stay on the freeway when I turn off but no what now! Perhaps he lives nearby. a coinci- dence! I passed Harry's street and turned with follower's headlights bright-beaming through my rear window into the next street, circling the block to find (thank God) a parking place in front of Harry's house.

――

With Thunderbird lurching to a halt not six inches parallel . . . can no longer stare haughtily ahead . . must not panic I'll lay on the horn until Harry comes out. Fair hair falling boyishly above a face most hand- some, lined impishly in promise of a real-gas, looms as the yellow band- ed window opening beside me, and through the safety of my own triplex LOF comes:

"Open the window!”

"Not bloody likely!" silently fired back.

"You're cute!"

"I know . . ." eyes rolling jadedly starward.

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...

Like to go for a drink?”

"Oh, God, I'd love to "negatively shaking my flip as I pulled my collar closed.

"Come on, doll . . . !”

I waved my hand get-lost-like and pressed the horn in an instantan- eously conceived make-believe signal coded of short blasts as I leaned over the passenger seat and looked toward Harry's front door. Yellow streaked off with smoking tires . . . wait. . . wanted to tell you how sorry I am so sorry in so many ways. . .

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