FICTION

CHRISSIE

Jeri Lynn-Wisc.

I couldn't understand why mother complained so much when I told her what was required of all the freshman boys at our school

namely, that we appear as part of our "initiation" into high school, dressed completely in girls' clothes. (To make sure that we all under- stood what that meant, we were each given a mimeo'd copy of what we were supposed to wear, when, and for how long the latter being the Friday session of classes our first week of school, and again that evening at a school party.) I wasn't, you know, particularly thrilled by it all myself, bu then, "Everybody else has to do it, too," I told her. But she still thought it was terrible. Perhaps it was her old country upbringing. I love my mother, you know? But, sometimes she didn't understand things because they were so different from what she had known in the "old country."

So anyway, I gave her the list of things I was to wear, and went on about my own business, thinking she would help me. I mean, she had to help me. You know? And she did I think. And I also found out why she was complaining.

"Mother! You didn't buy all this stuff new, did you?" I asked, when she presented me with an armful of bags and boxes.

"Yes," she said, "and it was too expensive - too expensive, I tell you. I hope this does not happen more - again. So much money for what you say initials."

your

"Initiation."