Playing The Part free porn video

Playing the Part Belladonna Rudy Novarro always liked to think of himself as complicated. Ever since he was young, he believed that he was imbued with an inner torment that was alien to most. Others told him that it was teen angst or insecurity that others simply outgrew, but Rudy believed that he was different. As a teen, Rudy took up acting as outlet for his torment after he realized that he lacked any skills in writing or painting. He found himself a natural fit for acting. He was profusely praised almost from the start. Rudy kept at it as he found he was a natural draw to women when he went onto the stage. Like many an actor, he headed for Hollywood to give it a shot after high school. He knew success was unlikely, but he believed that he had the talent to succeed if only someone was willing to give him a shot. His photogenic good looks earned him a few small roles as gigolos and trophy husbands despite his stature. He stood 5'8" and weighed 170 pounds. Rudy often worried if his height would hamper his career, but he quickly realized that his stature was no hindrance to him as he went to auditions for small roles. It was one of Rudy's early bit roles that caused a female director to cast him in a supporting role in one of her independent films. She was instantly attracted to him on screen and his audition went flawlessly. Once the film was released, Rudy found himself a famous man. The film received praise as did his acting. Soon his agent was fielding calls from various potential employers while the press was busy calling Rudy the newest sex symbol. The status became a millstone for him. Rudy had married a woman he met on the set of the film after only a few months of dating. The sudden fame and screaming young women put a strain on his marriage. His wife was a domineering woman, but she found herself with no ability to control her husband's fame or shield herself from his fans. Not long after his first successful lead role, Rudy's marriage disintegrated. As his success grew beyond his ability to fathom, Rudy found himself increasingly isolated. With success, came the attendant price. Rudy found himself followed by the paparazzi at every turn. Deranged women stalked him, and his mere presence caused a frenzy among young women. With the popularity among women came scorn from men. Rudy was sure it was simple jealously at times, but he was thin skinned. Everywhere Rudy looked, he saw men imitating his style and haircut, but who simultaneously dismissed him as a pretty boy. He saw male writers calling him evidence of the decline of modern man. One paper screamed he was the latest example of the feminization of the American man. With those criticisms came rumors of homosexuality. His collapsed marriage further fueled the gossip. Rudy felt that it was all too much. He took every piece of criticism he received personally. Rudy carried critical newspaper clippings in his pockets and showed them to friends who told him not to concern himself with the comments of others. Rudy found himself with a distaste for the camera lights that followed him everywhere he went. He hated the accolades that were heaped upon him. He felt unworthy of them and wanted to disappear into the background from which he came. Finding the success he worked for as hollow as it was vast, Rudy began to look for an escape. Rudy was only 28, but he felt a bit older because of his years in the public spotlight. Work was easy to come by for him since he had made a series of financially successful films. However, he was dissatisfied with the safe roles he was offered from major film companies. He wanted to try something different as he had in his earlier acting days when he took offbeat roles to keep his name fresh in the minds of serious film critics. Rudy then got his hands on a new script. The part called for him to play a working class woman who decides to have a sex change. Rudy found that the script was well written. The part was unusual enough for him to look past the potential of his acceptance of the role potentially confirming the rumors that surrounded him. Rudy did not concern himself with them as he thought about the role. He knew that he had to get the part. After securing the role, Rudy began to prepare for the role. He knew that there was only one way for him to do it. He felt that he needed to understand how a woman thinks and acts completely even though the woman he was to be playing believed herself to be a man trapped in a woman's body. There was another reason Rudy felt that way beyond the requirements of the part. Rudy saw the part as a way to escape from his life for a while. Rudy had frequented a special clinic that specialized in radical, temporary cosmetic changes to people before. The clinic's services helped him research roles He had used them to help him pass himself off as a janitor and a gay hairdresser. Rudy had taken the latter role before the rumors about his sexuality started. Rudy decided to make arrangements with the clinic to undergo another transformation. When the day he was due to arrive came, Rudy followed the special travel arrangements he made with the clinic to fool the paparazzi. During the trip, he made several stops and donned several different disguises and was at one point hidden on the floor of a car. Eventually, Rudy reached the clinic and was whisked inside with out anyone recognizing who he was. Rudy was then taken into a room to await the staff member who was to lead him through the transformation process. Rudy waited alone for a few minutes before a young man entered the room and said, "Mr. Novarro?" "Yes." "Wait a minute. You're Rudy Novarro." "Yes, I suppose I am." "What the hell are you doing here?" "I'm researching a role, and I want to get away from my life for a bit." "Why would you want to get away from your life? You're rich and famous." "Fame has a dark side, you know. I'm always followed by the press and all these girl trying to tear off my clothes." "Oh, that sounds like hell," the young man said without any effort to hide his mockery. "You don't understand the way it is." "I suppose you're right. I don't know, Mr. Novarro. Now, that that is settled, sir, can we get down to why you've come to this establishment. " "I'm here to be changed...." "Well, obviously." "Please don't interrupt me. I was saying that I'm here to be changed into a woman. I want to be around my same age." "That's easily doable, sir." "Good, and there's one other thing about my appearance." "What's that, sir?" "I'd like to be a light skinned black girl, if that's possible," Rudy answered. "Come again, Mr. Novarro," the young man responded. Rudy repeated himself and waited for the young man's answer. He looked down at the floor and said, "That's possible, sir. We could easily do it, but can I ask why you want to do this?" "Well, I'm changing my gender, I figured why not my race too," Rudy replied as he decided to drop the entire pretense in his mind that he was undergoing the change to prepare for the role. "Yes, that's just it. You're changing an awful lot about yourself very quickly. Many people have trouble adapting to either a gender change or an ethnicity change. The change you're asking for is going to change how people look at you in a lot of ways." "I'm well aware of that. That's why I want it. I want to be looked as differently as I possibly can. I don't like the way people look at me now, so...." The young man nodded and replied with a cringe, "Have you ever heard of minstrels?" A stern look came upon Rudy's face as he replied, "This is nothing like that. I'm not going out there to parade in black face and make an ass out of myself. I'm taking this as serious as any acting job I've ever had. I want to become this normal girl I see in my head." The young man replied, "I'll go tell the staff so they make preparations, Mr. Novarro. Oh, and don't go anywhere, the waxer is going to be in to see you shortly." Rudy nodded as he watched the young man walk out of the room. A few minutes later, the waxer arrived. She took him into another room and got to work. The woman methodically removed every hair beneath Rudy's head. She then applied a skin softening lotion to his body. She then told Rudy that he had to have his skin dyed because of his requested appearance. "What does that entail?" Rudy asked. The woman shrugged and said, "You'll have to talk to the technician." "Technician?" "Yes, that's what he's called. There's a real art to what he does." Rudy shrugged as he continued to walk behind the girl. She showed him into a room and told him to sit on one of the waiting room couches. She then walked into a backroom. Rudy heard her talking, but he could not hear what she was saying. She came back out and said, "Jason will see you shortly. He has to finish up with another client." Rudy nodded and picked up a magazine. He laughed at his picture on the cover before he saw an Asian woman walk out of the backroom. She looked around and took a seat. Rudy wondered what kind of work she had done. However, the woman was more interested in Rudy. She saw the picture on the magazine and then looked at him again. She put her hand over heart and said, "Oh my god! You're Rudy Novarro! What are you doing here?" Rudy was surprised by how deep a voice his fellow client had since she was such a small girl. He smiled as he realized that he was dealing with another man transforming himself into a female. He leaned forward and said, "The same thing as you, I suppose." "You're getting a sex change," the girl said in a near whisper. Rudy's jaw dropped for a moment before he replied, "No. No. I'm just having a little temporary thing done. Nothing permanent." The girl went to respond, but a member of the staff walked into the room and said, "Mr. Williams, we're ready to take you to your voice treatment." Rudy watched with a slack jaw as the slender woman stood up and walked out of the room. He then turned his head and saw a man emerge from the backroom. "You must be Rudy," Jason said. Rudy nodded and shook the man's hand. As Rudy followed the man into the room, he asked, "Was that really a man?" "She was." "What did she have done?" Rudy asked, wondering if the clinic actually performed surgical procedures. "She had sex change. The whole deal. Everything's permanent on her. There's no prosthesis on that body, that's why she had her skin dye saved for last." "Well, you guys do amazing work." "We better. If we didn't, the wrong people might find out about us, and the right people, like yourself, wouldn't come here." "I suppose you're right. Tell me, what did she look like before?" "That cute little, American-Chinese girl? She used to be an English gentleman." "God damn!" "Yep, we do good work here." Rudy nodded and asked, "On the subject of what you do here, how exactly does this skin dye thing work?" "That's a common question, Rudy. It's simple really. We're going to stand you up in a shower which we're going to use to cover every inch of your skin, even beneath your hair with this dye that only works on skin cells." "Won't that cause cancer or something?" "No, we tested it on animals." "You do know I'm from Hollywood right?" "Would you have rather us test it on some third world kid then, pinko?" Jason asked. Rudy was surprised by the response. He was used to being treated with great deference because he was a star. He figured that he would have to get used to being treated like anyone else so he replied, "I don't think I want to get into this. Let's move on. How long does it last?" "It effects how the cells replace themselves. It can last forever if you'd like it to, but it's easily reversible with a dye removal solution. However, as a policy we won't dye and remove it more than twice a year. There's no concern with infrequent use of the dye, but we don't want to risk many changes." "This sounds dangerous." "Dangerous? Come on, you're Rudy Novarro. You live for danger and love." "Those are characters I play." "Well, get some balls then, action hero." Rudy felt that his masculinity was being impugned. He decided to shut the man up and said, "You're right. I'm not going to be cowed by any fear. Dye me." Jason nodded and showed Rudy into the shower. Rudy soon felt the dye being sprayed all over his skin. Rudy closed his eyes as the spray continued before he felt hands over his body. He felt like an animal as Jason and another person had their hands all over him working the dye into his body. "Who is this?" Rudy asked Jason about the woman assisting him. "This is my assistant, Florence." "Big fan, Mr. Novarro ," Florence interjected. Rudy nodded with a forced grin as they continued working the dye into his skin. Then they let it sit for a few minutes before they washed it off. Rudy felt the dye run off him and saw the caramel colored skin it left behind. Jason handed him a towel before he stepped out of the shower. As he got out of the shower, Rudy put on his clothes and headed for the waiting room to await his next treatment. As he walked towards the door, he saw a mirror. He looked at himself and saw a dark skinned, Hispanic looking man staring back at him. 'On my way, I guess', Rudy thought as he walked into the waiting room. A few minutes later, a member of the staff came and brought him to the cafeteria for lunch. After lunch, the staff brought Rudy in to get prosthetics made for him. Rudy watched as a prosthetic nose, chin, breasts and a vagina were added to his body. He smirked at his breasts as they were attached with an adhesive solution. Rudy asked, "How long until they fall off?" "Never." "What?" Rudy shouted. The technician laughed and said, "They come off when you want them to. You just come in, and we apply a special solution and they come off within a few minutes." "Oh, okay," Rudy said between a few deep breaths. The technician then applied a permanent paint to the prosthetics to match Rudy's skin seamlessly. The technician smiled when he finished. He handed Rudy a pink, linen robe and said, "What do you think?" "Looks good from my chest down, but I haven't seen my face yet." The technician nodded and said, "Of course. My mistake." Rudy watched as the woman took hold of a mirror and handed it to him. Rudy stared silently at his reflection. Even with his short hair, he looked just like the young, black girl he desired to be. "Do I good work or what?" The technician asked. Rudy nodded before he was led out of the room by the clinic's staff. They took him down to the cafeteria for dinner and told him that the rest of his transformation would occur the next day. Rudy was a little saddened to hear that he would have to wait another day to be transformed further, but he was ecstatic about what had already been done to him. After dinner, Rudy headed up to his room to get some sleep. The next morning, he was taken to get his teeth bleached after breakfast. The clinic decided that no further dental work was needed. He was then taken out of the room. Since Rudy already had dark colored eyes, the clinic decided to not send him to the optometrist. Instead, Rudy was sent directly to the clinic's in-house stylists for hair extensions and to have his nails painted. Rudy walked into the in-house salon and took a seat. The stylist looked down at Rudy and said, "You've got naturally straight black hair. That's good, your hair is going grow in just the way most girls like you like it. You're really lucky. Most black girls pay a fortune to get their hair relaxed to look like yours." Rudy smiled and said, "Luck of the draw I guess." The stylist proceeded to apply extensions to Rudy's hair. He watched intently as every strand further emphasized the girlishness of his appearance. When she finished with his hair, she applied fake nails that extended an inch off his fingertips. The stylist then made the last change to Rudy by painting his fingernails and toenails bright red at Rudy's insistence. With Rudy's physical transformation finished, the clinic began training him for life outside the clinic. Rudy began daily training to learn how to properly do his makeup and his hair. The clinic instructed Rudy on how to walk in heels and how to speak in a more feminine voice. Rudy found the voice training to come easy to him as he often thrown his voice for parts in the past. Rudy used his down time to further learn how to act as a woman. He watched the female staff and observed their mannerisms. He began to copy their movements and drilled himself with them. He practiced taking short strides with light steps. He also sat with his legs together and to the side or crossed at all times. In addition to preparing for living as a woman, Rudy also assisted in building a fake life for himself. He set up a nest egg for himself, and he asked not to be given a job. The clinic was concerned about his plans, but he assured them he would find a lawful way to make money. He asked that instead of a job, that the clinic provide him with a resume with fake references that could be verified by potential employers. The clinic agreed to his request. On the day of his departure, the clinic dropped Rudy off at the apartment they rented for him. Rudy was then left to build a new temporary life for himself. Rudy went up to his apartment on the third floor walkup. He was in apartment 3B. When he opened the door, the interior came as little surprise to him. It was decorated with cheap furniture commensurate with his age and apparent economic standing in the world. It was also apparent that the furnishings had a woman's touch. The couch was a bright green color and the tables were all made out of Formica. The walls were all done in pastel colors that Rudy found bright and pretty. When he reached the bedroom, he found that his bedspread was decorated with floral patterns. As he walked around his new apartment, Rudy noticed that all of the rooms in the apartment were small. The only thing the place had that could be considered big was the bedroom closest, which consumed the entire rear, interior wall. Rudy found that it was well stocked with women's clothes, shoes and accessories. After he finished looking around his closet, Rudy went down onto the local street to look for a job. He noticed that the area was decidedly integrated. The area was largely comprised of White yuppies and working- class people, but there were a large number of Asians and Hispanics in the area as well as a few Blacks. As he walked onto another block, Rudy quickly noticed a help wanted sign on a hair salon window. He walked inside and saw the predominantly white staff and cliental stare at him. Rudy cleared his throat and said, "I saw your help wanted sign outside. Can I ask what position you're hiring for?" One woman walked forward and said, "We need a new receptionist." "Can I apply?" "Sure. Do you have a resume?" Rudy reached into his purse and pulled out one of the resumes he got from the clinic. The woman looked it over and said, "You know, you're a little overqualified for the position." "Yes, but work is hard to come by." The woman nodded and said, "We'll call you." Rudy left the salon figuring that he had no chance of getting the job. He walked down the rest of the nearby streets looking for more help wanted signs, but he found none. He began to wonder if he made a mistake not getting a job through the clinic, but he received a phone call from the salon two hours after he left the place. The woman on the other end of the line told him that they had called his former employers for references and had gotten good reviews about him. He was told that the job was his if he wanted it. Rudy said that he did in a tone that did little to conceal his exuberance. The woman told Rudy to come down to the salon at 10 the next morning. Rudy hung up his phone. He headed back to his apartment to get ready for his first day as a working girl. He went into his closet and looked through the clothing that the clinic had provided for him. He had only taken a cursory glance at it before when he looked over his apartment. The closet was well stocked with clothing that ranged from casual to office attire. Having seen what the girls in the salon were wearing, Rudy decided to split the difference between the two. He selected a plain, black, knee length skirt, a grey short sleeved blouse and black ballet flats. After he checked to make sure that none of his selections needed to be ironed, Rudy decided to relax for the rest of the day. He made himself dinner and went to bed early that night so that he would be well rested for his first day at the salon. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Rudy awoke the next morning and made himself breakfast. After a brief shower, he dressed himself in the clothes he had laid out the night before. He then applied his makeup before he brushed his long, straight hair. When he finished getting ready, Rudy stepped out his apartment carrying his purse. He walked out of his apartment building. He strolled leisurely down the street, taking small steps because his skirt restricted his strides. The salon came into view as Rudy turned to walk down another street. The simple lighted sign above the salon seemed to blend in with the others around it. Rudy smiled at the normalcy in front of him and around him. He felt a sense of ease as he walked towards what he felt was a normal job for a normal life. Rudy stared at his reflection in the salon's windowpane. He looked every bit the girl he was trying to pass himself off as. He saw a few faces inside staring out at him before he reached for the door. He walked inside and said hello to the women and introduced himself. The girls smiled and said hello. Marilyn greeted him first and introduced him to her other employees. Rudy shook the hands of Francesca and Anna, who were Marilyn's two stylists besides herself. Rudy also said hello to Malee who was busy washing the hair of the salon's first customer of the day. Rudy then took a seat at the receptionist desk by the front door that Marilyn motioned him towards. Marilyn explained how the salon's phone system operated. Rudy listened closely to the middle-aged, short, brown haired woman. Marilyn used her perfectly manicured red fingernails to press the buttons on the phone to show Rudy how they worked. After Rudy figured it out, Marilyn told him about his other duties. He would share the responsibility of cleaning the hair up off the floor with Malee, who was the shampoo girl who also did manicures and pedicures for customers. Malee was a Thai immigrant who spoke fluent English. She had a thick accent, and she stood slightly over 4'10". She was in her 20's and had long black hair that was tied back in a ponytail. She was an emaciated looked woman with a very high voice. Marilyn informed Rudy that Malee would train him how to do a proper shampooing of a customer's hair in case the need arose and Malee and the others were preoccupied with other customers. While Marilyn had not told him about this day before, he accepted it as a necessary part of the job. The duty of getting meals for the girls fell solely on Rudy's shoulders because the other girls could do his job in his absence, Marilyn explained. Rudy understood her reasoning and accepted it. He knew that he was the least vital member of the salon. He smiled at that fact. It was the first time in years that he was not considered the most important person when he reported for work. Marilyn then left Rudy alone to start cutting the hair of the salon's first customer of the day. While Francesca and Anna waited for their first customers, they came over and started to talk with Rudy. They were both younger than Marilyn. Francesca was in her early thirties. She had a large engagement ring on her petite, tan finger. She had teased out, long, dark brown hair that had highlights in it. Her face had a considerable amount of makeup on it. Although she was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers for the job, Rudy immediately surmised from her words that she was very style conscious. Anna was in her late twenties and had similarly large, brown hair. She had a lot of things in common with Francesca besides her hair style. She also wore a large amount of makeup and was evidently obsessed with stylish clothing. They were both loud talkers who proudly referred to themselves as bitches. While they tried to engage Rudy in conversation, the phone rang. Rudy reached for it and answered, "Hello, Curl Up and Dye Hair and Nail Salon, this is Deanna speaking." Francesca and Anna took their conversation back to their stations as Rudy began talking with a potential customer on the phone. The woman asked Rudy, "Does Francesca have any openings on the 15th?" "I'll check. Just one moment please," Rudy replied before he opened up the salon's reservation book. Finding that there were openings in the afternoon and morning, Rudy asked, "There are openings, Miss, would time are you looking for?" "I'd like three, if that's available." "It's not, Miss, but Francesca could do two-thirty or four." "I'll go with four." "Fantastic, and your name, Miss." Rudy took down the woman's name and placed it in the book. He then asked, "Is this just a haircut, or do you want your nails done as well?" The woman on the other end of the line hemmed and hawed before she answered, "Just the haircut." Rudy then said goodbye to the woman and hung up. A girl then walked through the door, looked down at Rudy and said, "I'm Anna's Nine- thirty." "Your name, please," Rudy responded. The blonde haired, young woman replied, "Theodora Goodman." Rudy checked the book and said, "Oh, yes. She'll be with you when she finishes up with her current client." "Of course. Are you new here?" Theodora asked. "Oh, yes. I'm the new receptionist here, Deanna. Are you regular?" "Yes, I come here every other week." "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Theodora." "Same here, Deanna." Theodora took a seat as Rudy handled another phone call from someone trying to make an appointment. Rudy was surprised that the person was a man. He was under the impression that the salon catered to women, which it did. The salon just did not turn away men who were willing to pay their prices. Rudy took down the man's name and arranged his appointment with Marilyn. Marilyn looked over at Rudy as he hung and asked, "Who was that?" Rudy responded, "Some guy named, Tom Murnau." Francesca put a finger in her mouth and pretended to gag herself. "What's wrong with him?" Rudy asked. Marilyn smiled and replied, "He's not a bad person, he's just really vain. He checks virtually single strand on hair on his head to make sure it's cut just right." "Oh, is he gay?" Rudy inquired. "He's the only one that doesn't know," Francesca responded, prompting Anna, Malee and the salon's customers to laugh. Marilyn was not as amused and said, "Don't talk that way about him. He's not a bad person, he's just difficult." "I wonder why," Theodora interjected from her seat with a smile. Rudy looked to her and asked, "You know him?" "It's a small salon, Deanna. I know every person who comes through here." Rudy nodded and then addressed a woman who walked in with an appointment with Malee for her nails and Marilyn for her hair. Malee took her right away and began to do her nails while Rudy conversed with Marilyn, Francesca, Anna and the salon's cliental. Marilyn finished up with her first client, and since Malee was busy doing a customer's nails, Rudy had to sweep up the hair at Marilyn's station. He felt a little strange sweeping. He had not done it since he lived with his parents. It seemed like a lifetime ago for him as he pushed the hair away from the station before he swept it up and threw it in a trashcan. After he finished sweeping up Marilyn's station, he worked his way down to Francesca's and Anna's. He cleaned the floors beneath them before Theodora came over and took a seat at Anna's station. Anna smiled at her and asked what she wanted done. After she told Anna, and Anna began to cut her hair, Anna asked Theodora, "How's your husband doing?" "David is doing fine. How's your boyfriend?" "We broke up!" "Why's that?" "He was too noncommittal." "I hate that. Deanna, do you have that kind of trouble with men too?" Theodora asked. Rudy smiled as he thought about his own life. He had never had trouble committing, but he found that his relationships were hard to maintain. He smiled and said, "No, I've been lucky so far." "So you're married or dating?" Anna asked. "No, my last relationship ended a while ago. I haven't really found anyone since." "You'll fit in with Anna," Francesca replied. "What am I the whipping girl?" Anna asked before she playfully slapped Francesca's shoulder. Francesca smirked and replied, "Sorry, dear. You've just got to get more realistic standards?" "I think my standards are realistic. I want a guy with a job without mommy issues." "You'll never get that nice Jewish boy your mom wants for you with that criteria," Theodora responded. Rudy smirked at Anna and asked, "Are you limiting yourself to Jewish guys?" Anna shrugged and said, "I don't in practice, but I tell my mother every boy I date is Jewish." "That was a little hard when she dated, Juan," Francesca interjected, prompting Theodora to smile. "Hey, mother's deluded. She believed me. She believed he was a Puerto Rican Jew." "You should try J-date," Theodora responded. "I'm not lowering myself to online dating." "Well, then maybe you should let my husband fix you up?" Francesca replied. "I'm not dating one of Tony's juice head friends." "Hey, Italian boys commit. I'm just saying," Francesca answered. Theodora answered for Anna, "You don't know how it is with our mothers. Their daughter marrying a Catholic is like the end of the world for them." "So it would kill your mother if you did it. Isn't that a good thing?" Rudy interjected. The girls laughed, except for Marilyn. She had a daughter of her own and had her own desires for her like Theodora and Anna's mothers had for them. The girls noticed Marilyn's response and veered away from the topic of their mothers. Rudy was pulled away from the conversation by a ringing telephone. He jotted down the appointment and then went back to joining the girls' conversation. Francesca looked at Anna and said, "I just don't understand why you're so adamant about marrying a Jewish guy?" "It's hard to explain. I know I don't believe in the religion in anyway, but I just want to propagate the heritage," Anna replied while Theodora nodded as Anna kept the scissors away from her head. Marilyn backed Anna up and told Francesca, "Not everyone is satisfied marrying the first construction foreman who puts a ring on their finger." "It's a good job. It's a union job. Do you know what those guys get paid for?" Francesca retorted in a booming voice. "I know. I know," Marilyn replied with a smile, trying to calm her down. As Marilyn finished up with the client that Malee had done the nails of, she told Rudy to go over to Malee to learn how to wash hair. Rudy nodded and stood up. He walked over to Malee who had called over a client to have her hair washed. Malee smiled at Rudy and said, "Listen and watch carefully because I only want to explain this once." Rudy nodded and followed Malee's directions as he washed the girl's hair. Rudy quickly realized that there was no real artistry to it. Although he did notice that the girl seemed to enjoy the feeling of getting her hair washed by another person. Rudy began making plans in his own head to make an appointment to have it down to him. The girl gave him a small tip when he finished washing her hair. Rudy then headed over to his receptionist desk while Marilyn went over to cut the girl's hair. After another woman came in and went over to Malee to have her nails done, a young girl entered. Marilyn told Rudy to wash the girl's hair because Anna would be able to take her in a short while. Rudy smiled at the girl and introduced himself. The girl responded by introducing herself as Rita Bow. Rita took a seat before the sink as Rudy began to wash her hair. He asked her what she did. She responded that she was a waitress, but that she was really an actress. Rudy smirked and said, "An actress. Trust me, girl, that's not the best line of work." Rita brushed off Rudy's comment. After he finished washing the shampoo off of his hands, Rudy called in a lunch order to the local Chinese takeout place. He then walked down the street and picked it up after he collected money from the salon girls. He brought the food into the small break room in the back of the salon and left it out for the girls to eat it when they got a chance. As the day went on, Rudy kept scheduling appointments, sweeping, and washing hair while he talked with his coworkers and the clients who came through. As tedious as he found the work, the conversations with the girls made it all seem like the best job he had ever had. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After work, Rudy walked home. As he walked up to his building, he saw a young man trying to enter it as well. The man smiled and asked, "Are you new in the building?" Rudy replied, "Yes. I moved in yesterday." "Oh, I didn't know anyone had moved in so recently. My name is Chris Reid." "I'm Deanna," Rudy replied to the tall, lanky white man. "Just one name?" "Yes, I'm like Beyonce or Cher. I have no use for my last name," Rudy answered with a smile. Hearing the playful tone of Rudy's answer, Chris asked, "So where are you from, Deanna?" "I'm from California. I just moved here." "Did you get a job yet?" "Yes, I'm working at a salon. How about you?" "I'm a mechanic for the railroad." "That sounds like a good job." "Yes, it's reliable work. I get decent pay and good benefits too." "Sounds nice." "It's good. How are you enjoying the salon?" "I've only been there a day. The pay's not great, but the girls I work with are wonderful." "Glad to hear it. Say, are you doing anything tomorrow night?" "No. Why?" Rudy asked, well aware of what Chris wanted from him. Chris started to rub the back of his neck as he replied, "Well, I want to welcome you to the neighborhood with a dinner." "Oh like a date?" Rudy inquired knowing what Chris really meant. "Yes, sure. If you want to call it that," Chris said. "I'd love to. What's your apartment number?" Rudy responded. He had been on dates before, and he was interested in how a date would seem from the female perspective. "2A." "Why don't I meet you at your apartment at six tomorrow? Is that good for you?" "Very much so," Chris responded hastily. "Good then, I see you then," Rudy replied as he opened the door to the building. Chris followed not far behind him, and they went their separate ways for the evening. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day, after they both got off work, Rudy met Chris at his apartment before they went to a restaurant. They were shown to a table at the small Italian restaurant. After ordering drinks, Chris smiled at Rudy and said, "Have you eaten here before?" "No. This is my first time here. It looks nice," Rudy said as he looked at the restaurant's cracked, painted brick walls. "I know it's not the nicest looking place, but they have the best Italian food. If that's what you like." "I'm good with it. It's a nice change of pace for me," Rudy replied as he crossed his legs and straightened out his knee length, black skirt. The waitress brought them two glasses of wine and let them continue looking through the menu. She returned a few minutes later and then took their orders. As she walked away from the table, Chris said, "You look really nice tonight." "I know. You told me earlier." "It had to be said again," Chris replied as he placed his right hand over Rudy's. Rudy felt a strange sensation from his touch. Chris hand did not feel wrong as Rudy had expected it to. Rudy's jaw dropped as he realized that his attempt to learn how to portray a woman was pointless. He knew he was already wired to think like one. Chris noticed Rudy's expression and asked, "What's wrong?" Rudy shook his head and lied, "Nothing. I just remembered that I may not have put something away at the salon." "Is it important?" "No. I can handle it tomorrow." "So you're not running out on me?" Chris asked with a smile. "I wasn't planning on it. Do you think I should?" Rudy replied. Chris grinned, and his response was interrupted as the waitress brought Chris and Rudy salads. They chatted as they ate and waited for their main courses. As they ate their meals, Chris and Rudy began to discuss their plans for their futures. Chris then said, "I'm not a father type." "Why are you telling me that?" Rudy asked. "Well, I don't want to waste your time if you want kids. I no you're getting..." "Are you implying that I'm old already?" Rudy inquired with a laugh. "No. Not old. Not old. Just getting..." "Up there? I'm 25!" "Well, how much time does a woman..." "I'm glad to see the city schools educated you so well about reproduction." "No. I know that your clock isn't ticking near midnight yet..." "You need to work on tact," Rudy retorted with a smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you," Chris responded. Rudy placed his hand over Chris's and said, "You didn't. I guess that was a little odd thing to bring up on a first date. It made me a little uncomfortable. So I'm going to tell you something that might make you uncomfortable." "Okay. That's fair," Chris responded. Rudy smiled and said, "I can't have children. I'm sterile." "What? How did that happen?" "Is that something you really want to ask your date on your first date with a girl?" Rudy asked as he raised his eyebrows. Chris took a bite of his food and shook his head. As he finished chewing, he asked, "Have you heard the new Jay-Z album?" "No," Rudy answered between bites. "How could you not hear it?" "He's not one of my favorites." "Oh, all right. How about the latest by Snoop?" Rudy shook his head in response. "I'm getting the feeling that I'm a bigger fan of rap music than you." "That's an easy thing to be. I'm not a big fan of rap music." "How can that be? I mean, you're..." "Not all Black people like rap music. Some of it's kind of self- denigrating." "I guess," Chris responded as he finished eating. After he picked up the check, Chris walked with Rudy out of the restaurant. He held out his hand for Rudy to hold. Rudy hesitated for a moment before he gave in. They walked down the street hand in hand, talking until they reached their apartment building. Chris let go of Rudy then to open the door for him. Rudy walked in, followed quickly by Chris. They headed up the stairs together before they came to a stop on the second floor where Chris's apartment was located. "You want to come in?" Chris asked. "Not tonight," Rudy answered with a smile. "Can I see you tomorrow?" Chris inquired. "I can't tomorrow." "What about the next day?" Rudy nodded and said, "I would love that." Chris smirked and leaned towards Rudy. Rudy felt Chris's arms around his body. He felt Chris's hands rub up and down his back going from the top of his white tank top to the exposed parts of his back and shoulders. Rudy moved his arms around Chris's back and reciprocated the hug. Rudy smiled up at Chris, seeing Chris's eyes leering down his curve hugging top and his face coming closer to his. Their lips met for a few seconds before they parted. Their embrace ceased and Rudy walked up to his apartment door. He let himself in and sat down on his couch knowing that nothing would ever be the same again for him. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Rudy reported to work the next morning and told the girls at the salon about his night out with Chris. "How far did you go?" Francesca asked. "We just kissed. I didn't give it up to him on the first date." "That's good. He won't think you're a slut," Francesca replied. "Do you plan on seeing him again," Marilyn asked. "Yes, we're going out tomorrow." "Where's he taking you?" Anna asked. "I don't know yet." "Well, make sure you go all the way this time," Francesca said. "Why?" Rudy asked. "You want to make sure he doesn't suck at it. You don't want to waste your time." "Well, she'd still be getting another free meal," Marilyn retorted before she continued, "Anyway, you shouldn't give it up on the second date either." "Yes, it's usually best to wait until the third. That way you know if the guys just using for sex," Anna responded. "It's that attitude that keeps you single," Francesca retorted. Rudy started to laugh at Francesca's remark. He loved talking with the women and could not imagine a happy life without them. He knew then what he was going to have to do. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After work, Rudy went home and called the clinic. He explained who he was and spoke with the clinic's manager, Thomas Baker. "What can I do for you, Deanna?" "I need you to get rid of my old life." "I heard that from my underlings. I don't know what you're really asking from us is in your best interests," Thomas replied. "Look. I don't want to be Rudy ever again. He's dead to me. I'm not getting this reversed." Thomas responded, "Deanna, I must tell you that what you're considering is extraordinarily drastic. We can't make it like Rudy never existed. Rudy's a famous actor. We can't do that. If we fake his death like you want, you can never go back." "Good," Rudy answered. "I can't stop you from doing this, Deanna, but I have to strongly urge you to reconsider. You've only been living as a woman a few days. There's no guarantee that you'll still want to be Deanna in a month from now, let alone the rest of your life." "I'm not going to reconsider it." "Okay, well, then consider this. If we fake Rudy's death, we can't be shifting money from Rudy's accounts into your current ones anymore. You'll be cut off from all the wealth you accrued as Rudy. All you'll have left is the money you chose to take with you when you left. It's also costly to fake your death. We'll have to spend a considerable part of Rudy's money to do it. The estate you leave your survivors will be greatly reduced." "I don't have any close family. My parents are dead. I have brother I don't talk to who'd inherit the whole thing. I don't care about the expense. I don't care about the money I made as Rudy. He's gone now. Deanna is here. She's all there is. Mr. Thomas took a deep breath and responded, "Fine, Deanna. We'll do it your way. I just pray, for your sake, that you don't regret what you've done." "I'm sure I won't," Rudy answered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Shortly after Rudy got to work the next day, a breaking news report came across the television screen in the salon. "Oh, my God. Look at this," Francesca shouted. Anna, Marilyn and Malee looked over and saw the announcement that Rudy Novarro had died while piloting a small plane over the Pacific Ocean. "How can they be sure he's dead? They said they didn't recover a body," Anna asked. "They said the plane exploded in a fireball before it went down," Francesca replied. "Have they recovered the plane," Marilyn asked. "No. They're saying that the plane sunk!" Rudy tried not to smile at the thought that he had so thoroughly cut himself off from his past. "Why do these rich idiots fly themselves?" Francesca exclaimed. "It's such a shame. He was so cute," Marilyn said as Rudy began to smile before he forced a grimace onto his face. "This is such a shame, isn't it a shame," Anna said to no one in particular. "It's a damn shame," Rudy answered, straining to not smile.