Would You

Drab grunge and bookish anonymity could be shed—in eye blinks...peripheral glances...sleights of hand...changes in tone—for striking, sometimes exotic, always arresting, yet delicately balanced appearances that always stimulated every sense...every imagination—the mind was their playground; the sensory and sensual, both the toys and tools of their 'trade'...guided by one rule—though not the only one: 'look the part to play the part....'

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2

It's not clear how it all started....He was on the sofa...stretched out with something that looked thick, dull, and deadly...she was curled in her favorite chair, fire in the background, wearing out the NYT crossword....

'I've been thinking,' she began... 'more wondering....'

His head was still in his book....

'I mean...how do they do that....you know it's not real—well sorta...but then, you never can be sure...I mean, I never can be sure—but then, what do I know...?'

Now, he looks up... 'What...?'

'I was thinking about he-shes, 'girly-boys,' tgirls, shemales—whatever you call them—guys who dress up....'

'Transgenders,' he murmured... 'I think they'd prefer that...'

'Sorry....' she said sincerely... 'It's all kind of new to me....'

'New?...to you...?' he answered...surprised.... 'Nah...not you...' shaking his head....

'Look, Cutie...' she went on, 'there are a few things sexual that I know nothing about....'

'You?!'...this time faking it...then: 'It's not all sexual....

'I mean, a lot of it is...but the majority of it is lifestyle....it's about choosing a way to live and then acting on it....'

'Hmmmmmm...' she mused... 'but I want to know more....'

'Like what....?'

She laughed... 'You know me, Knucklehead! I want to know about the sex!...'

His turn to laugh....

'I mean, some of them seem so perfect.... I know... I know.... I'm mostly looking at pics that have been brushed and doctored and photoshopped...the movies are trying to get the most photogenic...but ain't nothing new there....not many ugly porn stars, ya know....'