Another Truth Uncovered...



The knock on his door interrupted him at a very delicate moment and Stanley Raymond Kowalski cursed dramatically. Another, more imperative knock, and he shrugged the edges of his robe together and minced towards the door. Damn these shoes, they were way too tight, but what was a girl to do about it?

Ray opened the door onto a vision of loveliness. Long red hair, a face to die for, and the sweetest little smile...

"Oh dah-LING! That shade of taupe is just so YOU!"

His visitor winced a little at the high notes, then fixed the smile a little more firmly in place. "Why, thank you kindly, Miss Ray-LEEN..."

They both shrieked genteelly and leaned in for the ritual kiss. At least three inches away from the surface of Ray's cheek, Benny pursed his lips together and made the required "mmwa, mmwa" noises.

"Well, come on in, darling! It's so GOOD to see you!" Ray led the way to the couch and watched admiringly as Benny perched daintily on the edge. "That man of yours has been just DOM-inating your attention lately! Ooooh! Dominating! What a dee-LI-cious word! Makes me go all goose-bumps!"

Benny smiled demurely. "Yes, Ray has been just a teeny bit de-MAND-ing lately... if you know what I mean..." He inspected his nails coyly. They were the most divine shade of turquoise.

"Oh, darling, I WISH I did!" Ray flung a limp wrist dramatically across his brow and rolled his eyes. "If only I could find a REAL man. Ray is just so wonderfully BUTCH!"

"He IS, isn't he?" Benny blushed prettily. "I'm SUCH a lucky girl! Do you know, he actually REFUSED to open the car door for me again yesterday?"

"No! The BRUTE! Did you cry?" Ray leaned forward eagerly.

"Of course I didn't!" Benny looked offended and Ray hastily apologised. "I am a LADY. Ladies do NOT cry! But I'm afraid I had SUCH a headache last night! I was quite PROSTRATED!"

They burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh, Miss Benny! You are such a WICKED girl!"

"One has to know how to manage one's man, Miss Ray-leen. It's an ART, believe me!"

"Oh, I DO!" Ray placed his hand confidingly on Benny's stocking-clad knee. "That's why I asked you to come around today. Darling, I think I've FOUND him! You know, the ONE! Mr Wonderful! And we're going on a date TONIGHT!"

Benny squealed with delight. "OOOOH! Sugar! Tell me ALL about him!"

"I don't NEED to, darling! You already KNOW him!" A small, but dramatic pause ensued. "It's TURNBULL!"

Both Benny's eyebrows shot up into his fringe. "Turnbull? You're DATING..." Words failed him.

"Oh, YES!" Ray sighed adoringly. "He is just SO cute! And that UNI-form! So MACHO, darling!"

Benny pouted.

"Oh! Except when YOU'RE wearing it, NATURELLEMENT!" Ray eyed his guest nervously. It didn't do to offend Miss Benny. She could be such a bitch.

"Hmmm! That DREAD-ful uniform. So... so... MASCULINE!" Benny brooded on that fact for a while.

"Yes, but you must admit, the colour is just so SCRUMPTIOUS!"

"Well, yes..."

"So I thought..." Ray stood and tottered over to the closet in his six inch stilettos. He flung the door wide with a flourish. "What do you THINK? Isn't it just the most DIVINE thing you've EVER seen?"

Benny stared at the red, sequined sheath which hung, glittering on the inside of the closet door. It was the exact shade of Mountie red, and tiny sparks of red light glinted teasingly on its surface. His mouth began to water. He would have scratched Ray's eyes out to possess that dress, but it would never fit him. He resolved to go on that diet he'd been putting off.

"Don't you just ADORE it?" Ray gushed enthusiastically.

"Oh, YES!" Ray, his Ray, would just love to see him in something like that. Perhaps the shop had it in a larger size. It would hurt his pride, undoubtedly, but a girl would go to any lengths for a man like Ray... He swallowed. "Um... where did you get it?"

A tiny, triumphant, smile flickered over Ray's lips. "I borrowed it off Stella. She doesn't know yet. She'll be LIVID!"

Benny giggled. "Because it's going to look better on you!"

"Oh, MEEE-ow!" Ray giggled and made a clawing motion. "But what I REALLY need your help with..." He dived into the depths of the closet and came out with a wig in a stand, then another, and a third. "What hair should I wear with it?"

Benny inspected the three wigs critically. "Well, DEF-initely not the strawberry blonde. It clashes horribly, dear." He considered the mane of dark auburn curls, but that too had just a shade too much of the wrong red in it. "The blonde, I think. It always looks SO striking with red! You are SUCH a lucky girl! I can NOT wear blonde... it just doesn't suit my skin tones."

"Oh! POOR darling!" Ray kissed the air approximately two inches away from the surface of Benny's cheek. "But you look SO adorable in that red one. I'm sure Ray just LOVES it!"

"Ray loves EVERY-thing about me!" Benny smiled complacently. "In fact, I'll have to go soon. We're going shopping for lingerie. It's his way of apologising for his RUDE behaviour yesterday."

"Ooooh, darling! He REALLY is the perfect man, isn't he?" Ray was almost green with envy. How could he ever hope to find a man like that?

But Benny was rising gracefully, smoothing down his skirts, giving his chiffon scarf a little flick to settle it just so... "Well, it was lovely to visit. We must do it again sometime soon. It's been FAR too long."

"Oh, yes, and do bring Dief next time, he is SUCH a cutie!"

Benny frowned slightly. "He refused to come today. I don't think he liked that pink rinse we gave him last time."

Ray tittered. "Oh, but that was so much FUN! And he looked adorable!"

"Well, you know Dief... he's so... MALE! I've tried to talk to him about it, but he won't listen."

They both sighed happily. "MEN!"

After Benny had gone, Ray made his way carefully back to the closet. He'd already decided on the make up. He'd especially bought a lipstick the exact shade of the dress, everything was decided now, except for one tiny detail. He held up the two coat-hangers... Red leather boustier, or white lace? He decided the red was just a teeny bit off the shade of the dress. The white it was, then.