Oh my gosh, Frances - it's always hard to have to say "bye" to a friend. You sound like you were a caring, considerate, and good friend to this girl for so many years. I had no idea you were a sci fi fan!?! I probably know some of those who you attended conventions with. Deedee reminds me of a young lady I went to college with. I did not have a lot of money and I worked hard to pay my college bills. My friend first got a job typing papers for the famous professor Peter Drucker at Claremont Graduate School. She subcontracted the work to me (because I was a fast typist and always needed money to pay my tuition & bills). This is so funny I am going down "memory lane" with my Deedee. "Julie" I will call her. So Julie subcontracted this to me for a couple of months until she got a question she couldn't answer - because she hadn't done the work! - being asked who had done the work, to her credit, she said that I had. So I got that job, for a good wage of $10/hr at the time. When we came to senior year, I had a pair of real black leather boots which I had saved for and watched on sale, just the way I've heard you describe with clothing items you wanted. I also had bought a (size 4) black minidress from the late, much lamented Judy's store in So Cal. Oh, how I wanted to model for Judy's! No, I never made it. Anyway, "Julie" said she was going to a party and as we wore the same size of clothing and shoe, I thought nothing of lending her my prized $200 boots and my minidress ... guess what she wore for HER senior picture? MY CLOTHING. Flash forward years later and "Julie" bought my first collection, which contained a story called "Jenny, With the Stars in Her Hair." This story (written in 98 or so) was about a young woman addicted to extreme cosmetic surgery who blackmails a rich man until she realizes she's hurt his children and wife and her surgeon, who really loves her and is an honest guy, makes a play for her at the end and she decides to go with him. "Julie" believed the character in the story to be based on her. In reality, it was one of the first things I'd written about my own feelings about the issues you raise in this story - the 80s backlash, your worth is only about your looks, you are only worth something if you can get a rich man. I am tearing up now, Frances. Racism is real, if we say we don't see color we're saying we do not see others. I consider you a friend, have a beautiful day, I'm glad I read this story and you were a good friend to Deedee ... too bad she didn't realize and reciprocate.