The following morning, Jamie took the train back to Soho. He was due at the nightclub at ten o'clock, but he arrived about nine-thirty. He stood around on the pavement for a few minutes, then decided to try the door, and it swung open. He walked into the gloom inside.

“Can I help you?” said a voice, and Jamie jumped. “Sorry love, didn't mean to startle you.”

A middle-aged woman appeared out of the darkness, holding a broom. “I'm the cleaner, can I help you love?”

“Err yes. I'm starting work here today.”

“Well no-one's here yet, They work until about two in the morning, so they don't arrive until ten. Why don't you wait in the restaurant?”

Following her advice, Jamie walked into the club's main room where he had auditioned. He sat there until, just before ten, Donny walked in.

“Hi Jamie isn't it? So you decided to come back.”

Jamie started to worry. “You did offer me a job didn't you?”

“Of course I did, but some people change their minds,” Donny said with a smile. Just then two young men walked into the room, said 'Hi Donny' and exited through a door at the side of the stage. They were followed by two very pretty young women in beautiful dresses, stockings and heels, who were animatedly chatting with each other.

“Hi Donny,” they trilled as they passed him, and Jamie's jaw nearly dropped as he realised that they were part of the troup. For some reason it had never occurred to him that some of the 'girls' might chose to dress full-time.

The next arrival was dressed as a young man and he looked decidedly nervous.

“Ah, Frankie isn't it? Come and meet Jamie, he's new today too,” said Donny, and the young man walked over and shook hands with Jamie. “Hi, I'm Frankie Vaughan, not the Frankie Vaughan you understand.”

Jamie grinned as he shook Frankie's hand.

“Uh,uh,” said Donny. “Women hardly ever shake hands with other women, remember that when you're dressed. Speaking of which, I'm going to take you down to Wardrobe and Makeup so that they can dress you in something to make you feel more at home.”

So saying, he got up and led them through a door and down a corridor to a room which he entered without knocking. When they walked in they saw a person of about sixty years and indeterminate gender, sorting through some costumes on a rack. He or she turned to look at the new arrivals.

“Eddie, here's two new cast members; can you fix them up with something so they don't stand out in the crowd?” he said. Eddie nodded and Donny left the room.

“Well darlings, welcome to Paradise,” Eddie said in a deep voice, and both Jamie and Frankie realised at the same time that despite the rouged cheeks, red lips, curly hair dyed an improbably shade of red, women's trousers and blouse, Eddie was certainly not born a girl. “This is Patsy, she does makeup and hair, while I do the costumes,” she said, pointing out a young woman who stood in the corner of the room brushing a wig. In this place of gender fluidity, neither Jamie nor Frankie knew if Patsy really was a genuine female, and it didn't seem polite to ask.

“Right, I want you to strip down to your bra and pants,” said Eddie. “Don't be shy, we're all girls here.” They both did as she asked and stood there feeling a bit awkward despite Eddie's reassurances.

“Do you know your dress size?” she asked.

“I'm size ten,” Jamie replied in answer to her query, and flushed. In response to her raised eyebrow he confessed that he knew because that was his sister's size. The implication was obvious.

It seemed that Frankie didn't know his size, but Eddie's expert eye suggested that he would be a twelve. She handed them both a suspender belt and a pair of nylons and said to put them on while she looked for something suitable.

Jamie could hardly believe that he was putting on stockings, not in secret, but right in front of three other people. The sensuous feel of the nylon against his newly-shaved legs was as thrilling as ever.

After rummaging through the racks of clothes, Eddie, produced two half slips and two cotton dresses which they could easily wear in the street, and they were told to put them on. “Here's some padding for your bras,” she said, handing over some 'enhancers'. Next Patsy took over, wiping over their faces with a damp cloth to remove any oil, and then sitting them down one at a time in her chair, while she applied some makeup.

“I'm just giving you some foundation, blusher and lippy for now,” she said' “I'll do a proper job on you this evening.”

Patsy looked like a young woman and even sounded like one, but both Jamie and Frankie wondered, if this was true, what was she doing in this club where all the women were really men?

Next, she produced two wigs, one blonde which she expertly adjusted on Jamie's head, and one brunette with long curly hair for Frankie

By now, Eddie had appeared with a selection of shoes, all of which had three inch heels.

“Try these now,” she said. “You can graduate to six inch heels later.”

Both girls (well you could hardly call them boys now) stared in amazement at themselves in the full length mirror. Two pretty girls were looking back at them and smiling.

Eddie sighed: “And to think that I once looked like that too,” she said. “Alright, take yourselves off to Donny and see what he thinks.”

Both Jamie and Freddie now looked serious. Suppose Donny was disappointed with the result of their makeover. Would they get the sack instantly? They needn't have worried. Donny actually gave them a low wolf whistle when he saw them.

“We're not going to throw you in at the deep end. You'll act as drinks waitresses for a couple of weeks, and graduate to doing an act later. All you have to do is take the patrons' orders, relay them to the barman and bring them back to the tables. Remember to smile at all times and if anyone pulls you onto their lap, go with it, even if he puts his hand under your skirt, that way you get extra tips. Speaking of tips, you hand them in to the barman as you get them and they're pooled and divided equally amongst all the girls.”

Talk of money reminded Jamie that he hadn't asked what they would be paid.

“What did you get at your last job?” asked Donny.

“Eight pounds a week,” said Jamie, promptly, nervously blushing. This wasn't true, he had been paid five pounds but thought if he inflated it a bit, he might get more from the club. It seemed to work.

“Alright, I'll give you both ten pounds plus tips while you're waitressing and you'll get more once you start performing. Now sit down and watch the rehearsal.”

Both Jaimie and Frankie sat down and crossed their legs, feeling really feminine. As it was a rehearsal, not all the cast on stage were in costume, although the two Jamie had seen previously in skirts, stockings and heels, revealed a glimpse of their stocking tops and panties when they spun round, and their skirts flared out as they went through all the moves as they sang. After a solid ninety minutes of rehearsing, Donny told them they could have their lunch break.

“Before you go, girls, I want to introduce two new members, Jamie and Frankie. I hope you'll look after them.”

The troup came down off the stage and all said 'Hi' to the newcomers as they passed, but only two stopped, the pair wearing dresses..

“Hi, I'm Cheryl, and this is Tina,” said.one. “Would you like to come to lunch with us? We usually go to Lou's Café just down the street. She knows all the girls and looks out for us.”

Jamie and Frankie were only too happy to go along with girls who 'knew the ropes'. Ironically, Soho was one of the safest places in London for 'trannies' to walk abroad as it was a very cosmopolitan area and the inhabitants and most of the passers-by were very tolerant of diversity. Just going out dressed as women was a novelty for them both, especially Frankie, who, it turned out had never walked the streets in a dress before.

“I can't believe I'm doing this,” Frankie whispered to Jamie as they walked behind Cheryl and Tina to the café. They were duly introduced to Lou, a woman in her sixties, who looked the type who could keep order just with a glance. The food was basic but nutricious, and after a meat pie, chips and a cup of tea, they returned to the nightclub where they were introduced to Antonio the chief barman who instructed them in their duties for the night.

The nightclub had a number of small bedrooms up a broad flight of stairs, the chief purpose of which was not explained but could be guessed at, but they also provided somewhere for the girls to rest after rehearsals since the club didn't open to customers until eight in the evening and really didn't start to fill up until about ten when the first of the shows took place. There was a second performance at midnight, and the club didn't close until at least two o'clock, sometimes later. Jamie and Frankie as newcomers were naturally drawn to each other, so they shared a bedroom and after taking off their dresses, lay on the bed and after the excitement of the day so far, were soon asleep.

They were woken up at six o'clock for a sandwich and coffee, and after that went to see Eddie and Patsy once more, to change into their costumes for the evening. This time, Eddie introduced them into the art of 'tucking and taping' in order to get a smooth, more feminine profile 'down there', after suggesting they go to the 'little boys' room' first.

“It's all about fantasy, darlings. The customers know you're not really women but they like you to look like one and a bulge in your panties rather spoils the illusion.”

Their costumes turned out to be classic 'French Maid' outfits with short black satin skirts trimmed with white lace, worn over white ruffled knickers, black suspenders and fishnet stockings. Eddie provided four inch heel black pumps this time, as a trial with six inches had seen both girls nearly fall on their faces.

Now it was their turn with Patsy, who cranked up the makeup, with eyeshadow, mascara and deep red lipstick. Both girls were fitted with long blonde wigs, and when everything was complete they could hardly tear their eyes away from the mirror.

“Right girls, go out and slay 'em,” said Eddie with a smile. They presented themselves to Donny who gave them a nod of approval.

“Ok, go and join the other waitresses. Estelle is the senior waitress, she'll look after you. Oh, one other thing. Some of the clients may want to spend private time with you in one of the bedrooms. If you are ok with that, check with Rudi the barman and he'll tell you which room is free. He'll handle the money side too, and remember 'it's not on if it's not on'.”

Jamie blushed scarlet on hearing this. She'd had no idea that they might be called upon to provide other services and wasn't sure what was expected and if she could handle it. Frankie seemed surprisingly calm about the idea.

The club's clientele started to arrive after nine o'clock, and when the regulars saw two new faces, both Jamie and Frankie were soon rushed off their feet with drinks orders. As the alcohol flowed, so did the familiarity of the customers and more than once each was slapped on their bottoms to encourage swifter service. They had been told to accept this without protest, and did as they were told.. Donny had been right, they started receiving a number of tips in bank notes which the patrons generally tucked into their cleavage. All the money was handed over to the barman to put in the tips jar.

As Donny had predicted, eventually one of the patrons who was very drunk, pulled Jamie onto his lap and started stroking her thigh and eventually feeling under her skirt. She resisted the temptation to slap his face and kept on smiling even when it became obvious that he was becoming aroused. Eventually, catching Donny's eye, she slipped off his lap, saying in an atrocious French accent. “Monsieur, I 'ave to go and serve zee ozzer customers.”

“I'd love to give you a serve, love,” was his slurred response, but he did give her a ten pound tip.

The evening wore on and Jamie began to wonder what the time was because there was no clock on the wall which might make customers aware of the passing hours and encourage them to leave. The midnight show finished, and eventually, some people did get up to leave, and just like at a party, once one person leaves it tends to generate a general exodus. A few of the patrons waited at the back of the room, and some of the girls from the show and still in dresses, left with them.

When the last customers had left, the rest of the girls came out to sit at the tables, chat, have a coffee, and in some cases a cigarette before leaving for home. Jamie noticed that some were still dressed as women whereas some were now dressed as men again, including Jamie and Frankie. Obviously it was a matter of individual choice.

Even though it was past two o'clock in the morning, the street outside the club was still quite busy. One of the club bouncers accompanied Jamie and Frank to the underground station. Frankie got off the train a few stations before Jamie who fortunately had only a short walk to his home. He went straight up to his bedroom, trying not to make too much noise, undressed, and in a few minutes was fast asleep. It had been an exhausting day.

To be continued

Next time: Jamie's steep learning curve