Drag Queen Grifters

Chapter #25

In the new burgundy velvet dress Mel marvels at his reflection in a full length stand alone mirror, "Oh my goodness Joan this truly is gorgeous. Wow!" Mel does a quick little spin animating the dangling glass beads, "I LUV it! And it fits like a layer of soft skin. Oh!" Gyrating hips Mel watches the beads in the mirror, "Gorgeous! Gorgeous!"

"Thank-you Mel," smiling warmly Joan luvs how perfectly it fits him, made seventy years ago on a whim and no one's ever worn it, not even to try on, "one of my favorites."

"I'm sure," The soft material hugging the torso so comfortable Mel doesn't want to take it off, "I can't wait to show off your gorgeous dress tomorrow. It'll make many green with envy I'm sure."

"Hold on," Joan gestures to wait before digging deep into a hidden pouch in the skirt of the dress.

Impressed Mel recalls that the benefit to the dresses. Curious to what she's routing for Mel begins thinking it might be some magical piece to complete the dress and ensure their win, "whatcha got there?"

"Ah there it is," Joan pulls out a new [PLACE MANUFACTURES NAME AND MODEL # HERE] cell-phone, "let me get a couple pics to post later."

"Okay," humored and humoring her Mel poses a few ways.

"Perfect," She puts the phone back, "thanks."

"You're welcome," Shaking about Mel slips behind the change curtain.

As he returns to remove the dress and get back into street clothes Joan waves the dress good-bye, "be free now."

Changing Mel inquires, "how many of these outfits on the floor are yours'?"

"All," She fondly smiles to the collection, "by right. I'm not sure exactly one hundred, maybe two?... Yes just over two hundred I crafted. My mother and hers made most of the others," she turns to view another section of the material collection, "many are from performances and unwanted theater garb."

"Really?" Mel's curious to peruse her collection, "intrigued in here."

"Another time perhaps," Joan moves behind the work counter opening a cardboard box.

Gently hanging the dress on a wood and metal hanger Mel stokes the materials, "it really is just gorgeous." He hooks the hanger on the colored rope suspending the curtained change space, "were any of your garments previously owned or made for any one I might know?"

"Oh yes most of the known actors of the old silent movies before it became an industry," Thinking of a person Joan sets a black plastic garbage bag on the counter then shuffles over to a circular rack peeling up the dust cover to find a dress, "One my mother made for a woman who deserved better credit for her contributions to entertainment."

Tucking the shirt into pants Mel's considers Hollywood Starlettes, "who?"

"Trixie Smith," Joan turns the old squeaky rack, "there it is."

"Trixie Smith?" Sounding like a porn name Mel's still curious, "who was she?"