RANSVESTIA

Eddie shook his head. He'd better comb out and spray his hair. As long as it was naturally, Frankie had insisted he backcomb it up over his head in graceful waves, holding it in place with an extra-strong hair

spray.

"You're a stripper?" Kiki was lounging in the chair, apparently satisfied with her make-up, and was prepared to chat.

"Yes," Eddie nodded. "And you?"

"I sing, Kiki's voice was pitched up again. Eddie could hardly believe it was not a woman beside him when Kiki spoke like that. "The twins will open the show with some dancing and acrobatics. Then I follow with a couple of songs." Kiki stood up and headed for a war- drobe near the wall. "You will follow me.

Eddie nodded. His hair was in place and Roxanne was beginning to appear. He prepared to put on his false eyelashes. In the mirror he could see that Kiki was putting on a short slip and was holding a green cocktail dress on a hanger. With his eyelashes in place, Eddie looked at himself. Roxanne looked back. In no time, Frankie's precise instruc- tions in his head, Roxanne's lipstick was applied, her eyeshadow, necessary for the stage, made black holes of her eyes. For a while, Rox- anne disappeared into her wardrobe to add the other necessary things, garter belt, stockings, slip, petticoat, red satin high heels, the long, very expensive brocade black and red gown, white evening gloves, a thick fake-diamond necklace, heavy triangular earrings to swing in Rox- anne's ears, a small tiara wedged into her hair, the three-quarter length white silk-lined evening coat, and the final touch, a diamond- studded purse. As Eddie swished out to check that everything was as Frankie had ordered, he caught the other three impersonators staring at him Confused, he looked in the mirror. He had never quite seen Roxanne that way before. If he hadn't known it was Eddie underneath, he'd have admired the lovely girl who looked back warily at him.

"Wow," said Kiki. "You're gonna knock 'em dead, kid."

Just then, the door opened, and a group of young girls came in. They split off, chattering, going into different cubicles, where they began to strip off. "Meet the rest of the cast," said Kiki. "Hey guys," he shouted, "this is Roxanne. She's stripping in the third spot."

From the wardrobes came a few scattered greetings but in the

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