TRANSVESTIA

curtain was going up just as David heard Ace's muffled expletive, followed by, "Marty, how could you do it?" in a tone that sent chills up and down the spines of each performer so that their first number was likely the low point of the evening.

David found it very hard to play to Marty, either in the long gown, or in the short, flapper dress with the black garters and flowered slip showing. It was disturbing to watch Marty do the "chorus" dances with the other girls, not missing a step and doing every action so girlishly and prettily. Then, with Nadine's voice coming out in place of Marty's, when he and David did Jackie's piece as a hooker, it made the whole scene so real that David quite forgot that it was Marty and he ended the dance as usual with the kiss he gave Jackie at the finish of the scene.

"Oh, David," said Cindy in a tiny, fake-sobbing voice as Ace and Sally took the limelight. "Is she taking my place? How was it for you? Does she turn you on more than me?"

They had to join the others for an involved scene of partner-shifting so that David could do little to assuage his chargrined feelings. Still, he felt for Marty. He wondered how the others felt about the turn of events. At least, Marty was making a show possible, and it was turning out well, too. He was a much better "Jackie" now than was Jackie herself. In the "Can-Can," he was positively scintillating and the sparse audience gave him a special round of applause for his efforts.

The finale through at last, David was ready for a quick withdrawal. The house was small and they'd all worked hard, but Nadine had come on stage. Oh, oh, here it comes, thought David. Now we close. He pressed hard on the hands of Cindy on his left and Marty on his right. Marty breathed lightly, his bust, rising and falling, the equal of Cindy's, his mouth a painted-on Cupid's bow of red lipstick.

"This was a special performance tonight," stated Nadine directly into the mike, and everyone gave her their attention. "We usually have six pairs in this show, but tonight there were only four-because three of our girls were very ill and couldn't make it."

Marty's hand suddenly clasped David's very hard, but Nadine was going on. "Just to make a show for you, one of our male performers