from Robin:
"Only by going mainstream will the general public start to have conversations like "hey, I saw a man dressed tastefully as a woman today at - - -Mart. I wonder what that was about?" around the dinner table.
Truer words were never spoken.
As I've said in other recent threads DearSweetWife and I just had an impromptu CultureWeekend in NYC - Friday was a delightful drive down with a quick sitdown stop at a MickeyD's in Norwalk, CT (as JJ wearing a black knit shirtwaist, with pearls and sensible, businesslike black 3 in pumps). BTW, there was a hand written sign on the ladies' room door that said "women only!". I figured that I qualified in this instance went in, peepeed, washed my hands, fixed my lipstick and left to meet DSW who had ordered the food - A young female employee left the kitchen and almost bumped into me as I left the restroom - she smiled and said "hello" - clearly not dispatched to chase the pervert from sacred ground.
We got to the hotel, checked in, and performed a not-so-quick change into fancy clothes and then the opera.
Planning Saturday night had been a problem - we were doing this on very short notice (Wednesday night) and our first several choices were sold out. But we read surprisingly good reviews for Kelsey Grammer in La Cage aux Folles and there were tickets available - what the heck. A little strange perhaps, considering how I would be dressed, but...what the heck.
As if by divine intervention my latest fix from Newport News was delivered that morning and included an absolutely outrageous dress - it starts with a separate pink slip, and the over dress is soft pink chiffon with embroidered flowers and lots and lots of sequins. The slip stops well above my knees, and the dress drapes below, handkerchief-fashion, although you can see through to the slip at any point. I modeled the new dress for DSW and she agreed that it was beautiful, but wear could I ever wear it? It was then that we decided on La Cage - and what else could a stylish, show-off CD wear to such a show?
Saturday night I wore the dress with a pair of metallic gold 3 1/2 inch strappy sandals, and a pair of pink (snowshow) earrings we found at a street fair on sixth avenue that afternoon. DSW combed out my hot-curlered hair and with her magic touch, I was absolutely gorgeous. DSW wore a bronze colored satin dress I had bought for myself years ago - I could never make it work, but it is perfect on her with her golden blond hair. It is parked in her closet now. I LOVE sharing clothes with my best friend!
It was a 4 block stroll from our hotel to the show - we got there early enough to allow us to visit the bar for our customary red wine and a trip to the ladies'. Smiles everywhere. When we sat down in our seats the two seats next to me were empty but a young woman and her somewhat older husband filled them without much delay.
"I LOVE your dress!", she said to me, "wherever did you get it?" It turns out she was from Virginia, (where NewportNews is located) and that this was her first Broadway play, and that she was really excited, and that they made her and her husband bring their drinks from the bar in "sippy cups" - her words. We had a number of quiet conversations throughout the play (softly, of course), and she pretty much spent her seat time (except intermission - she and husband rushed back to bar and returned with another pair of sippy cups) touching me somewhere (I tend to take up more that a whole seat). It didn't seem to bother her at all and when the play ended, she made an extra effort to say goodbye, holding my right hand and forearm in the most delightful two-handed girl-style. I could feel my ovaries swell...
One of the "nice" things of advancing age and enlarged prostate is that I get to check out a great number of ladies' rooms. I had to wait in line, of course, after the show and two more women admired my dress - one asked if she could borrow it for an upcoming reunion. I told her where she could buy one, but she looked sadly at my feet and then at hers - she was using a cane and walking sideways on one foot. "unfortunately, I really can't wear such beautiful shoes", she said. "Ah", said I -"you really could wear this with some fancy silver flipflops". "What a wonderful idea! Where did you say you got it again?" How freakin' cool is that - offering fashion advice to a stranger in a ladies' room of a Broadwy theater!
We walked from the theater to a little Italian restaurant we saw in our travels earlier that day. When it came time for dessert our waiter came to our table and drew pictures of the offerings on our (paper) tablecloth while telling us of growing up in Napoli (Naples) and of his mother's and grandmothers' cooking. And he never batted an eye at the very large, obvious CD in the very beautiful dress. BTW, I think that this place sets the record for extreme ladies' rooms - there must have been 25 candles and a half dozen fountains in this one-at-time facility. Peepeeing by candlelight...
Six blocks to home, past a dozen or so clubs with young people waiting to get in. Nobody said a word, nor snickered nor giggled in my earshot.
By the way, the play was outstanding - much, much better than we had expected. It was kind and gentle, and the obvious cross-gender related jokes were delivered with a wonderful sweetness. The Cagelles (dancers/singers) were incredible although my tucked up inside boyparts still wince at the flying splits they did. It is hilarious to see Kelsey Grammer trying to teach his gay/female impersonator/life partner to "Walk like a Man"
I could learn to like this!
-jj
