through me.

I saw a girl standing there. I knew she was a girl, although actually she looked more like a boy. She wore very masculine looking trousers, and her shirt was concealed by a leather motorcycle jacket. She was bare-headed, and her dark hair was crew cut.

While I politely said, "Yes?" thoughts whirled through my head. Jan is the only lesbian I've ever known. And while Jan is nothing like this girl, I'm sure this one is a lesbian too.

"Hi, Melba!" the girl spoke in a husky, rather coarse voice. She called me by name as if she knew me. I was puzzled. Curiosity trickled through me.

"Hello," I said pleasantly.

"I'm Mac. Collins," she said, as her wide lips parted in a smile. "Got an invite for me?"

I stared at the gleam of her even, white teeth and stammered, "An-an-invite? I don't understand."

"I mean, ask me in, chick." She jammed both hands in her jacket pockets and swayed back on her heels. While I hesitated, she said, "I'm a present from Jan.'

Her words and the way she jauntily spoke them were sharp nailed fingers tearing at my heart.

"Jan! My God!" I breathed unsteadily. I swung the door open and motioned for my visitor to enter.

She followed me to where I sank down on the divan. I pressed my fingers to my temples.

"What gives?" she said, as she stared down at me. "Cripes! chick, you've gone white as flour. What'd I say? What'd I do?"

She showed honest concern, so I told her frankly, "You-you tore open an old wound."

"I don't savy this jazz, chick," she said, digging her fingers into her jacket collar. "The jerk told me to say what I said. He didn't say you'd keel over when I said it."

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Before I could ask for an explanation, Bob strode through the doorway. He was beaming with triumph.

"Oh-ho," he said nastily. "See you got the freak stuff on the kettle, stewing again. Okay by me." He came closer and shoved me back on the divan. “Why don't you and your butch friend have a party? Aw, don't look so shocked. Go ahead. I'm more broadminded now than I used to be." 9.9

Tears spilled from my eyes. I tried to keep from sobbing out loud, but sobs were churning in my throat. Bob turned toward the bewildered girl who hadn't taken her eyes from me the entire time.

"Hey, you," he said in the tone of a foreman giving orders to an employee who has been loafing on the job, "Come on! Get with it! Show me some action!"

The broad-shouldered girl turned toward him, but not before I saw the flash of anger that filled her eyes.

"Go on, Butchie, you and Melba have a party!" The girl continued to glare at him in silence. I knew she was trying to size up the situation.

Bob tossed his head in a cocky gesture and needled me. "Come on, Melba. Tangle with this butch the way you used to tangle with Jan. I saw you once, but it was dark. It's light now. Go on, gals, mix it up. I'll kibitz. But good!”

"I'm getting the drift of this deal," Mac's bold, black eyes softened with pity as she looked at me. "I don't know who the hell Jan is. But she's a lucky one, if she ever made the grade with you."

"Oh, cut the drizzle," Bob flared at Mac. "I hired you to come here and fix Melba the So, okay, it's not a present from Jan. But hell, it's she likes. way one from 9.9 me.

Now the sobs did break through my attempt at self control.

Mac whirled toward Bub. "I don't want your lousy

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