18 -ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID

in like we did as kids. To my surprise, when he came up his white t-shirt became transparent and I saw the trainer through the wet shirt. "You're still wearing that thing," I asked, then splashed him good.

He laughed and splashed me back. "I guess I've gotten used to the way my shorts fit with it on." He turned to show me his bottom. The white shorts zipped up the back. Wet, they stretched like a second skin over his ample, soft bottom. He joked, "Your sister and I wear the same size shorts now. Don't tell her but I think I have a better butt!"

"You fill 'em out better," I countered and whacked him on his soft bottom. I wanted to add, "You big sissy!" but didn't. After that we played like kids in the water. I forgot how he was dressed until he accidentally scratched me with his long nails. They were over 1/4 inch longer than his fingers and shaped like my sisters.

That's what caused me to worry about him. He had become so used to his girlish clothes, he seemed to forget what he was wearing and how girlish they really looked. His hair was now touching his shoulders and had a natural wave to it.

He no longer walked like a boy either. I guess that the trainer compelled him to walk differently. The way he walked could be called "sophisticated."

I did not want to hurt him in anyway or make him feel bad, so I never remarked on any of his new clothes unless he did first.

I never heard him complain anymore about the clothes from the shop or why his mother made him wear them. I guess he accepted his assistant duties for his mother and was trying to make the best of it. I was there one time when a couple of "wide eyed" young boys about ten came up to him outside the shop and asked, "Are you a boy or a girl?"

He matter-of-factly said, "I'm a boy like you two. .but I get to wear soft and pretty girl's clothes." Turning to the window where a mannequin was

SANDY THOMAS PUBLICATIONS -19

dressed in white lingerie, he said, "Maybe someday you'll get to wear something that nice."

The boys blushed. When Baily's Mother happened to hear them, she shooed them away. Boys were always hanging around outside the shops window because of the lingerie displayed there.

Baily's Mother took me aside one day and reminded me that Baily's birthday was in two weeks She asked me to invite all our classmates to she shop for a surprise Birthday party. I thought that was nice of her.

I invited practically our entire class. The plan was to meet at my house and then as a group go over to the shop and sneak in the back door and surprise him.

My mother made a Birthday cake.

Some surprise it was for poor Baily. Quietly we sneaked into the back door of the shop. Music was on so all twenty of us were able to get in without making too much noise.

It was exactly seven o'clock as planned. We all rushed into the front of the store yelling and singing, "Happy Birthday. Then we all stopped in mid sentence.

There stood Baily on the fitting soapbox. . .completely decked out as a girl. He jumped about a foot into the air, spilling a drink he was holding. His face became a fiery red and he looked like he was going to cry. His Mother started singing again and we all sort of joined in as we stared at him.

He was wearing a well fitted, pink bridesmaid dress with white and pink lace flowers at the bodice and sleeves.

He wore stockings and a white, lace edged petticoat showed where his mother was hemming the dress.

He was perched on pink high heeled pumps that were the same pink as the dress.