FICTION

ACCEPTANCE

Dee Raymond

The young man peered into the carton-filled room. Yes, this was the place. The small dressing table had been set up for him at the back of the room. The curtains were drawn so that no bystander could peep in. He closed the door carefully, and edged his way between the high cartons. The familiar square grey box had been left beside the dressing table. He took one of the folding chairs and placed it in front of the mirror. The overhead lamp had a long string attached so that he was able to fit it sufficiently to gain the maximum light possible on the front of the chair, where he would be sitting. He looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were slightly puffed, indicating the poor night's sleep he had just endured. He smiled slightly as he thought of the haughty look Carmen had given him as he left for his job that day. Likely, she'd be gone as usual when he got back, and he'd not see her for two or three weeks until the urge to see him became too irresistible for her.

Without haste, the young man began to undress. His unfashionable woolen cardigan he placed carefully on the back of the grey, metal chair. He stole a couple of hangers from the nearest large carton and, with a carefulness that seemed habitual, placed his shirt on one, buttoned at the neck, his blue-striped tie under the shirt's collar, and his black, faultlessly pressed pants over the wooden rack of the other. He shivered slightly. The thermostat of the community building was obviously turned well down. He had to remove his undershirt, however, in order not to mess it up. His socks and shoes he placed neat- ly outside the grey box. Goose bumps rose up quickly on his arms, shoulders and legs. Quaking, he hastily put the cardigan loosely about his shoulders and sat on the cold chair. His hand selected one of the long white tubes and unscrewed it quickly, laying it before him on the table. More tubes and jars were opened and laid before him. Then he began to take the contents of the jars and apply them to his face. His

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