We can get you a proper boy's hair cut and you can get back to your boysclothes. They will cut all that girly hair off of you and you will looklike a ...roper boy should. What do you want to do son?"I look up at mommy holding my hand as we stop walking and stand in frontof the barbershop in the mall.Tears start pouring down my face. "I don't want all my hair cut off likeall the other boys have mommy." I continue to cry but louder, hoping itwill change mommy's mind about me wearing these girls'. If I lose you can pick anything out of the laundry room and I will wear ituntil I can beat you at another game of 8 ball. If I win, I pick anythingout of there and you wear it until you beat me."Sheez, my mind was cloudy from the weed but my pride was on the line.Seeing Mark dressed up in his mother hose would be a great pay back forall the times he had beaten me at 8 ball. But me being dressed up in hismothers stuff in front of my 3 buddies made my head swim. What if I lost?Feeling a new sense. "Don't complain. She's willing to help out in an attempt to salvagemy cooking skills." It was a pea-shooter returning fire at a tank,but it was all she had -- for now. She filed the incident away forfuture retribution; the two were settling into a comfortablecompanionship, heavily seasoned with good humor, but it requiredmental agility to keep the score even.Her planning was interrupted by her companion. "You and Amelia seemto get along very well, and your background looks more suited to ITthan. The wine had helped Julie get loosened up and spent most of the gift swap flirting with the two burly guys, Ryan and Jim. Neither of them had brought dates to the party and she figured it was just a little harmless fun. The guys shared an apartment and were both working hard to put themselves through college. Between work and school neither had much time for girls or really any relaxation, and they told Julie how happy they were that she was there to hang out with them.Finally, it was time to.