RANSVESTIA

it was particularly suitable for having a light meal as and when de- sired. So in the early afternoon, I was thinking of stopping when I came suddenly on a small town. As the sun had come out in earnest then and I had misplaced my dark glasses, I deemed it urgent to remedy that by purchasing some new ones right away, and as I was also getting low on currency, to cash a traveller's cheque. I wore the white evening top and white pleated skirt of the evening before, and my mustard coat, as being the most appropriate for the sunny, spring mood of the day, and stopped my car more or less in the middle of the small town, or large village.

—

I cashed a cheque at a bank chosen at random; but an interesting sequel to the choice came soon. The pretty woman teller of 35 or so who served me gave me no more than a polite glance. I crossed the street and was discussing face powders in the chemist's with a pleasant young lady assistant when I heard a male voice say be- hind me, "Excuse me a minute, please." I turned round calmly while my heart leaped with fear that it was myself being addressed, to see a short, middle-aged man in not-too-smart sports jacket and trousers gazing at me. "Did you just cash a cheque at the bank?" He con- tinued. I could hardly deny it, in view of my conspicuous figure, and nodded, at the same time saying perplexedly, "There is something wrong?" showing a little concern, but not to appear worried, just what I thought would be right in the circumstances. He muttered something about being "out at the farm" when I called, and would I "mind coming back over to the bank" for a minute. I thought he also said something about the exchange rate on foreign currency. I com- pleted my purchase and we left, he preceeding me across the street, watched by half the village, it seemed. I wondered, frantically, what sort of spot I was in and, more important, how I was to get out of it without ignominy. My first thought, as expected, was that I had been read, but I couldn't imagine how one might possibly reveal this to me in a diplomatic way, even if a hundred percent certain. I reviewed my brief list of actions, words, movement, etc., since stopping, and could find no obvios blunder all this in the brief time that it took to follow him into the bank and into his office. I concluded he was not positive, though maybe he had his suspicions, but — how to prove them?

He invited me to take the visitor's chair, and I thought, there goes my second and final daylight appearance. You've overreached your- self, girl. I composed my features and clasped my bag in my lap, not

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