ransvestia

a few minutes on a personal matter." That changed her facial expres- sion but the third degree was not over yet. "Does it concern your ac- count?" she wanted to know. I assured her it did not concern my ac- count. "Well," she informed me with a note of finality, "Miss Bell is on the telephone long distance but if you care to wait." She nodded me toward some seats that were strategically placed nearby for the benefit of strung-out husbands. I sat in one of them for fifteen minutes while Miss Bell finished her conversation. My go-between sales lady made several nervous trips to check on Miss Bell. I waited patiently, trying to keep it all together and mentally review the little presentation I hoped I was about to make.

At length Miss Bell appeared in the sales area looking plainly curious. When I refused to divulge the nature of my secret mission within earshot of the sales lady Miss Bell escorted me into a small, cluttered office in the rear where I seated myself on a modest folding chair. It was the moment to begin. "I am interested in purchasing some of your merchandise — perhaps one to two hundred dollars worth. But before we go any further I think you should read this." I handed her the following typewritten letter:

To whom it may concern:

My name is

I am employed as a

professional man in this city and live nearby with my wife and two children. Due to circumstances beyond my control during childhood and adolescence, I developed an unusual interest in feminine attire, behavior, and activities. As a consequence of my childhood experiences I have developed these interests more fully as an adult and am now what is correctly described as a "Femmiphile" of "lover of the feminine." I am happily married and completely heterosexual in orientation. I do not desire to physically alter or change my natural sex from male to female. I do enjoy wearing feminine apparel occasionally and, when dressed as a woman I gain further pleasure from engaging in activities traditionally associated with women. These activities, for the most part, are confined to my home with the complete knowledge, understanding, and cooperation of my wife. My appearance in women's clothing is quite accep- table and I have been out in public dressed as a woman in this community without incident on a number of occasions. (It is not illegal to appear in the clothing of the opposite sex in this city or in the state.)

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