RANSVESTIA

convince you both that I am not the heartless person you might believe. First, let me tell you a little about my son, Richard. I know that your boy likes him and has wanted to be his friend. I can assure you that the feeling is mutual, and your son's friendship is the one thing Richard desires above all else. Although he has until now not been able to make his feelings known, I now know that as a result of what I see here this situation has changed completely."

Alan and his mother sat completely confused, but somehow realiz- ing that there was a reason for Mrs. Moore's former peculiar behavior, and they sat silently awaiting the promised explanation. Mrs. Moore continued, "As you know, my husband died five years ago. Fortunate- ly he left us well provided for and with my job we have no financial worries. During this time I have come to depend increasingly on my son for companionship, and as a result our relations have become closer than the usual son and mother relationship, much indeed as with you, Mrs. Wright, and your Alan. About two years ago, on coming home from the shop one afternoon unexpectedly early, I found my son fully dressed in one of my outfits, from the skin out and complete with make-up. To say the least, I was shocked, and I confess rather angry with the boy. He on the other hand was most upset, and we both ended up in tears. Later, when he had resumed his own clothes, and I had had an opportunity to calm down, we were able to discuss the entire situation objectively.

"As Richard always arrived home from school at least two hours before I returned from town, it had been his practice to straighten up the house from the rather untidy condition we had left it on our mutually early departure. This included doing his room and mine, putting away our clothes and making the beds. Possibly I should not have asked a young boy to do what is generally considered to be women's work, but as I could not get home until an hour before dinner time, it would have been difficult for me to have taken care of this housework as well as to prepare an early dinner. Also, he had always expressed a willingness to help out in this manner. After a period of handling my clothes, including lingerie I had left lying around, he inevitably developed a curiosity as to how it would feel to be dressed up in such clothes. The outcome was predictable, and at the time of my discovering him that day, he had been dressing every day for the previous two years from the time he got home until shortly before my scheduled return. During this period he had many times wanted to confess his behavior to me, as we had always been close and with this

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