RANSVESTIA

meeting Frances and that we would be alone. My wife has never seen me dressed and doesn't want to. She even refuses to look at a picture of Frances so Frances is forced to lead a separate life out of respect for a wife who has known about her for 51 years of marriage but refuses to accept her. When she is upset or angry with me she says, "What do you want? The best of two worlds?" Calmly I answer, "Honey, I got 'em and I wish you would share them with me." But so far she won't budge from her intolerance.

I took my time driving home as I did not want to drive in my town before dark in case someone recognized my car. It was foggy all the way up the coast and I was tired so I stopped at the Sheraton Motor Inn in Hampton, N.H. for lunch. In the past year I have stopped there often as Frances and the help recognize me and greet me with cheery hellos and smiles. The dining room hostess on seeing me enter with the bandage just above my eye said, "Oh, you poor dear, what hap- pened? Did you fall?" I explained that I slipped on an icy floor and she said, "You must be careful in this weather. I know if I wore those heels I'd break my neck." Of course I pointed out that my heels had nothing to do with it since I always wear them everywhere so I am quite comfortable and used to wearing them in all conditions. And she said, "I think you are wonderful and you have such tiny feet they look lovely on you. I envy you."

After lunch I stopped at Sylvia Greer's in North Hampton. She is my dressmaker and a real nice GG. Her brother, Merissa, is a confirmed cross dresser. Of course I told them the whole story of my experience at the hospital and they both seemed to get a kick out of it. Sylvia remarked that she was sure none of the doctors or nurses would have thought I was anything but a woman. "I've told you again and again, Frances, that I would go anywhere with you," she said.

I arrived safely at my sister's a little after dark. I was nervous at seeing her for the first time as Frances but she was most complimen- tary. She said she thought I was terrific and that she had expected an old lady. "You've dropped twenty-five years off your age and become a cute chick!" she said. And as you all know, those kind of words make mighty sweet music to our kind of women.

My sister insisted I stay dressed and have supper with her, which I did. "Suppose someone comes?" I asked and she said, "They would never recognize you and I'll introduce you as my cousin. So relax."

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