” in a barely audible voice. “Cool. “He said follow me. He led me down the hallway, grabbed a roll of TP from the bathroom then we continued dow... to his bedroom. It wasn’t very large but one wall was nearly all mirrors giving it the illusion of being far more spacious than it really was. He went and opened the drawer of a nightstand and pulled out some Q tips and a big jar of Vaseline with a blue lid. Placing them on the bed he said, ”Time to get naked.” I sat on the bed and pulled off my. Steve wouldn't just come out and tell me, he had to make me ask, you know. And I'd closed my eyes, asking him how and where, and most especially why. What had made that one girl so special, I'd asked him. What did he like about her, how had she made him feel? Was it a word, or a touch? I wanted to know everything because I wanted to understand why he did it with her of all people.And I closed my eyes, like I said, maybe wondering what it might have been like to be Nancy for those ten or fifteen. ‘It’s OK. It’s not as if I can’t afford it. I’m pleased to be able to help. It’s given me a new purpose and cheered me up enormously.’ Kate gave me a watery smile and choked out, ‘Thank you so much.’ Then she turned and hugged me hard. We both fell over in a heap on the floor. ‘So I buy you a couple of things and you knock me over?’ I hadn’t laughed so much in ages. ‘Seriously, you are very welcome.’ As we got up, she looked me in the eye. ‘It’s so sweet of you, and they’re all the right sizes. Themuscles of my calves, thighs and butt intuitively compensated for thesudden, feminine equilibrium I felt, and as I took my first stepforward, all my reservations vanished. Power suit, indeed!As I used these new shoes to negotiate the nasty parking lot of my oldemployer, I felt, not fear, but freedom. Why should I feel shame toenter this place of business looking, and feeling, as wonderful as I didat that moment? Suddenly what I was ashamed of was all the times I hadentered this store.