RANSVESTIA

I turned and twisted, pulling down on my hem, fluffing out my little sleeves, listening to the jangle of my bracelets. Janet cut into my revery as she stood behind me, smiling to herself with satisfaction at my transformation. "Now we have to go down to the rehersal hall," she said.

I crashed down to reality with a thud. "Like this?" I gasped, really knowing and half-dreading the answer. "Wearing a mini-dress out into the street!"

"That's right," Janet said. "We'll take your wrap-around skirt and a full-length half-slip so that you can practice moving in long skirts."

"But I'll be recognized!"

"Nonsense!" Janet matter-of-factly handed me the sirt and the half- slip. "With the makeup you have on, your best friend won't recognize you. And if we meet anyone whom I know, I'll simply introduce you as my cousin, up here for a visit."

She supplied me with a shoulder bag filled with such things as my keys, tissues, a comb, cosmetics, a scarf. Then she seized her crutches and shepherded me out the door. Out we went.

For the first time, I felt the breeze on my nylon-clad legs and found myself pushing down on my skirt so that it wouldn't lift up. My wedgies scraped on the sidewalk. I felt that everyone, the whole world stared at me, but remembering my makeup, I defiantly tossed my hair back and lifted my head up proudly. I didn't see anyone on the street. A car drove by. Way down at the end of the block, a man in a white undershirt watered his lawn. We had come from an apart- ment building where many different people lived. Who could identify me as Carl? I was Carla, and confidently, walking with a little wig- gle, 'I moved down the street with Janet.

From then on, I never worked so hard in my life. Lois and I re- hearsed, and when we could not book ourselves into the rehearsal hall, I devoted my energy into learning how to sew. My little stock of savings dwindled as I bought beautiful fabrics and sewed them into gorgeous gowns. I developed into an excellent seamstress and found that I enjoyed the skill, especially when I had the pleasure of putting my creation on when it was completed; I could see and admire the