RANSVESTIA

"I'll never do it again."

"That would be very wise."

"Well, I won't," I assured her.

"That may be a harder promise than you think.”

"Oh, I'll keep it all right!"

"That's easy to say while you're being punished."

"I know I won't."

"Nevertheless, I'm going to suggest that we take out a little insurance."

"What do you mean?"

"Against having you wind up in the hands of the police or a father who knocks you against the wall."

"Honest, Aunt Helen."

"It's only insurance."

I dug away at my soda, both of us finding it difficult to learn exactly what she meant.

"Do you know what I mean?"

"Sort of, I guess."

"Do you want to know?"

"We're going to buy you some ... of the things you stole, and keep them at my house . . . where you won't need to steal them, and your father won't have to know about it. Nobody will."

I was too embarrassed by the idea to tell her if I liked it. If she had suggested it this morning, I could have rejected it at once. Our afternoon's escapade, however, had begun to rekindle my appetites,

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