ransvestia

was merely concerned that I might be soaking wet. When I reassured her on that over supper, she was not the least annoyed, and I was very grateful for her beautiful acceptance. We chatted some more and eventually turned in late.

Next morning I delighted her by serving her breakfast in bed. She said she was not accustomed to such spoiling. I was wearing my ankle-length lavender nylon dressing-gown over a waltz-length coffee-colored, two-layer nylon nightie with black lace trim, and of course, my foam-filled sleeping bra. I also wore my gold and black mules, but no wig or makeup at that stage.

Shortly thereafter, my hostess rose and we chatted, puttering about the kitchen in dressing gowns, being very casual, and having a cup of tea, when her daughter-in-law arrived. I was sitting thus at one end of the table and offered to disappear by signs, but she quick- ly gestured denial. I was introduced briefly as "Chris" to the sturdy, no-nonsense type who entered with a birthday gift for M with whom she chatted for five or ten minutes, mostly ignoring me, then she went off.

My friend M stifled my attempted apologies with, "No. If she can't accept my friends in my house, as she finds them, it's just too bad." I have no idea to this day what impression, if any, the daughter- in-law had of me.

An invitation had come to M, as a social worker, to attend a local meeting of the Gay Liberation group that evening; she asked me if I'd like to go also, and I said I'd be delighted to do so. During the afternoon, she brought out from hiding, still in its box, a new silver- blonde curled wig that she had bought, but never used. Not surpris- ing this, because her beautiful hair just off-white and always well- groomed cannot be improved upon by artifice, I'm sure. She offered it to me to try on, which I did without makeup, thinking that if I liked it thus, it would be ever so much better after makeup, and this was so. M also said she liked it on me, and that I should keep it as a gift from her. Of course, I just had to give her a kiss and a hug of thanks. With a smile and a glance at the window, she said, "If any of the neighbours are watching, they'll be saying, 'There's two lezzies having a go.'" "Let's give them more ammunition," I said. Some- how I felt pleased by her remark.

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