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7. Beauty
Ms. Jai Owe left the Drag Race in full face, as she always did. Why destroy the illusion? Braden and Efraim were the perfect entourage of friends, but she just needed to be alone with her thoughts. She sure was making her splash into the drag world, but something was missing. Barely a month in and it was already starting to feel old hat.
She sucked down a Virginia Slim as walked down Halsted. She wandered aimlessly soaking in the humid June night.
"You're beautiful!" called a young voice behind her. Ms. Jai Owe turned around to find a young transgender girl in plain clothes watching her sashay by.
"Why thank you," Ms. Jai Owe said.
" I wish I was as beautiful as you."
Jai Owe looked the young one over. Hair in braids. Nice skin. But very plain. Surely, Jai could give back to the community.
"I'm Jai Owe," Jai said, graciously offering her hand.
"I know," said the young one. "I've seen you on posters all over Boystown. I'm LaTrice."
"Well, LaTrice, we can certainly make you over. What's your gimmick?"
"My what?"
"You know...what makes you different from the other queens?"
"Oh. Um, nothing, really, I suppose."
"Well we can change that. With some new hair, fresh face..."
"Oh I can't afford that."
"Beauty costs my love."
"But I'm saving for hormone treatments."
Jai looked at the earnest face staring back at him. This wasn't some queen trying to get their kicks performing. This wasn't performing and glamour. This was this young one's life.
"I don't want to be on stage or anything crazy like that. I just wish...I was as beautiful a you."
Jai sat down on the curb and motioned for LaTrice to join. Jaison took off his wig. "Baby, at the end of the night, I take off this wig, wash off the face, and go back to being reguar ol' Jaison Owens. Sure, I come to life every now and again, under the lights, in all the fabulousness. But in my heart, I'm just plain ol' Jaison Owens. You, LaTrice...you're doing you, all the time. You know who you are...that's..."
Jaison smiled at Latrice and took her hand. "You'll never be as beautiful as me. Because you're more beautiful."
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She sucked down a Virginia Slim as walked down Halsted. She wandered aimlessly soaking in the humid June night.
"You're beautiful!" called a young voice behind her. Ms. Jai Owe turned around to find a young transgender girl in plain clothes watching her sashay by.
"Why thank you," Ms. Jai Owe said.
" I wish I was as beautiful as you."
Jai Owe looked the young one over. Hair in braids. Nice skin. But very plain. Surely, Jai could give back to the community.
"I'm Jai Owe," Jai said, graciously offering her hand.
"I know," said the young one. "I've seen you on posters all over Boystown. I'm LaTrice."
"Well, LaTrice, we can certainly make you over. What's your gimmick?"
"My what?"
"You know...what makes you different from the other queens?"
"Oh. Um, nothing, really, I suppose."
"Well we can change that. With some new hair, fresh face..."
"Oh I can't afford that."
"Beauty costs my love."
"But I'm saving for hormone treatments."
Jai looked at the earnest face staring back at him. This wasn't some queen trying to get their kicks performing. This wasn't performing and glamour. This was this young one's life.
"I don't want to be on stage or anything crazy like that. I just wish...I was as beautiful a you."
Jai sat down on the curb and motioned for LaTrice to join. Jaison took off his wig. "Baby, at the end of the night, I take off this wig, wash off the face, and go back to being reguar ol' Jaison Owens. Sure, I come to life every now and again, under the lights, in all the fabulousness. But in my heart, I'm just plain ol' Jaison Owens. You, LaTrice...you're doing you, all the time. You know who you are...that's..."
Jaison smiled at Latrice and took her hand. "You'll never be as beautiful as me. Because you're more beautiful."
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