Sorry about the long script, but I don’t post often.
I’ve just spent a full two days as Rachael.
My wife Em and I decided to take a long trip in our RV visiting friends and family all over western Europe, so I packed a small wardrobe for Rachael as we intend to be away for a month or more and Em has been much warmer towards Rachael in recent months.
On the third morning, in southern France, after shaving and showering I decided that Rachael should get to know some of the technical things about the RV. So I put on a denim mini (not too short), black knee length boots, a black and white layered sweatshirt and a denim jacket before stepping out into the overnight camping area to top up the water and empty the waste etc. There was nobody close enough to notice me.
Em was just coming out of the shower room herself as I came back into the RV. She saw what I was wearing and simply said that if we went shopping, as planned for that day, that people would probably notice what I was and that I would have to do the talking. (Em speaks very little French). Well, I took this as an invitation to stay dressed all day, so I said that I intended to wear a longer skirt and lower heels plus full make-up and a different wig, so that I was less conspicuous.
Em helped me with my make-up and we drove on, heading for a hypermarket where we could pick-up provisions and fill-up with fuel. Em pulled into the filling station, which was quite busy, and I got out, now wearing a calf length denim skirt. I was not aware of any attention being paid to me, even though I stood at over 6’ 2” still wearing my boots with 4” heels. It was “pay at pump”, so I did not need to pay an attendant. The tyre pressures needed checking, which I did at the end of the forecourt in full view of all customers leaving.
Height restrictions meant that we had to park furthest away from the store entrance. I changed my boots for a pair of shoes which I knew I could walk in all day and headed across the car park with Em. Em was aware of a couple of older men glancing at me as they walked past with their wives. We reached what I thought was the store entrance to discover that the store was actually within a mall, so we had to walk all through a crowded mall in broad daylight. I became aware of a couple of second glances, less so than Em who told me later that she just gave a beaming smile to anyone who stared and usually she received a smile back.
The only audible reaction came from two teenage girls in the hypermarket who giggled and doubled back around the aisles to see me again and again. Em wanted to say something because she hates that sort of thing, it is just as well she speaks no French, but I just told her that the girls’ behaviour was not bothering me.
We picked up what we needed in the hypermarket and headed for the tills. I saw the queues and suddenly realised that I would have to stand still amongst several lines of people. I was headed for the almost deserted automated express checkout area when a checkout supervisor beckoned me over to use the “Store Credit Card Holders Only” till, I pointed to the sign and she just removed it. I am not sure if she had become aware of my dilemma or was just taking normal measures to ease the long queues. For the first time I had to speak in French as Rachael. My “bon jour” and “merci” seemed softer and I even found myself telling the assistant that I had some lose coins which would make the change easier.
Boy, did I feel good, so much so that we took a less direct route out of the mall and even stopped to do some window shopping.
I remained as Rachael for the rest of that day and all of the following day, although the only real contact with other people after that was at filling stations.
One thing the mall visit taught me is that “not passing” is not a problem because in everyday situations people may be shocked, surprised or even entertained by a cross dresser, but they are rarely hostile or rude.
I also have to hold my hat up to Em, who has never been out with Rachael in such an environment. I realise that whilst I was oblivious to most reactions, she had to face them full on.
The next couple of weeks will be mainly in the company of others, but I expect to do a bit of shopping so that Rachael has a larger wardrobe for the next long leg of our journey. I’ll keep you posted and may be include some pics of my purchases and any other outings.
Luv
Rachael
