Ran into someone I know while dressed pretty

[jjjjohanne]

I wear skirts and dresses sometimes in guy mode. I never feel like a girl and never present as such.
Almost no one knows I am a crossdresser, and my wife wants to keep it that way.

I left work this week and put on a gray sweater, a black knee-length pencil skirt, nude pantyhose, and black androgynous ladies' flats.
I went to a pharmacy and bought something. Then I started driving toward home. I started wanting to go to a grocery store near where I grew up. (I have crossdressed in this shopping center before and ran into one of my brother's friends, so I know it is not a "safe" place to go.) I debated with myself while pulling into the parking lot. I drove past the entrance three times and decided to park my car.
I walked toward the entrance and suddenly there were a lot of people coming and going. I turned and walked toward another entrance. I passed it and decided to walk on the sidewalk that lead to other business entrances. I discovered an employee seated on the sidewalk having a break. I must have been rather panicky because I turned around and went into the grocery store.
Inside, it wasn't too densely crowded. I walked along and relaxed because no one was looking my direction. I started trying to find what I was shopping for. I eventually walked down an aisle to the back aisle. I was avoiding occupied aisles and I was looking for people I knew. I found the correct aisle and entered it. I guess at this point that I turned off my brain. I don't remember thinking about the people on the aisle. I was just looking for my cereal. I got to where it should be. I saw the less tasty variation, but there wasn't what I was looking for, nor was there a place for it. I've been abandoned by my cereal maker!! Then, "They let you come here?" was said.

I looked to see who it was. It was a man that goes to church with my mother. He has a son my age and we were friends when I was a teenager. I have known this man almost all of my life. He and his wife are very sweet people who love me and I love them. He is roughly 80 now. His wife was behind him, riding on a store scooter. His shopping cart was between them and me.

I started talking to them. Surprisingly, I did not panic. I tried to consciously keep the cart between us. I watched their faces to see if they noticed I was wearing a dress. The top I was wearing looked like it could be a men's top. I was also wearing a winter coat. I saw no obvious indication that they were aware that I was crossdressed. But, that can be hard to know. No one commented on me wearing shorts in such cold weather.

I had no idea how I could exit this aisle without exposing my whole self to them. I talked to them for a couple of minutes. I held my box of cereal in front of my skirt. Eventually, I walked around his cart, passed behind him. I made eye contact with his wife and smiled and patted her shoulder saying it was good to see her as I walked by. She responded likewise. I was out of the aisle and hurried to the checkout. As far as I could see, both of them only looked at my face as I went away

All of the cashiers and self-checkout lanes were busy. I got in line. Eventually, a self-checkout kiosk became available. I went to it and checked out. A young female employee was standing nearby watching the customers. She was looking at me while I checked out. I finished and walked past her and said, "Good-bye" and she said something appropriate, such as, "Thank you".

I don't know what will happen next......
Joey

[Marketa]

I think besides the beginning panic you handled it well, Joey.

What can calm you down is, that people don't care much. Maybe they think something for themselves, but except few Karens nobody makes anything out of these. People have enough on their own plates already, so it's not necessary to add something else, when there's no point in it. They will most likely keep it for themselves if they noticed. If it was close family member, that would be probably different story, but with these folks? Nah, it's fine.

[Stephanie47]

Most people don't care enough to make a comment may be true, but that does not stop gossip that may occur from any adventure. I'd be more concerned if it got back to your wife, if there was either an explicit or implied agreement that you would not take your cross dressing on the road.

[BrendaPDX]

Thanks for sharing, there's a certain thrill and/or excitement that comes with the potential risk of someone recognizing you and realizing your en femme.

[bridget thronton]

Thanks for sharing - hope things go well moving forward

[docrobbysherry]

I don't dress androgenous, ever, JJJ. Even home alone.:battingeyelashes:

And, I've seen/met 1000's of people when out dressed.:daydreaming:

But, I don't dress out within 15 miles of where I live. So, my chance of having to deal with what u did is less than one in a million!:eek:

As I read how worried u were to be seen/caught I couldn't help wonder how a box of cereal was worth all that trauma?:straightface:

[Bea_]

That sounds like a stressful outing. I'm glad it turned out to be fairly anti-climactic.

[Robyn n TN]

I have ran into many people who know me in male mode and even talked to a few while in full girl mode. It is very stressful but you seemed to handle it very well. So far, knock on wood, I have been recognized but it still can be scary. I go out in the town that I live in so I know that I will run into people I know I just try to not go where I know a lot of people I know will be, certain bars, nightclubs, and restaurants... Good luck and job well done.

[Sallee]

I've had that happen several times I've never exchanged greetings Mostly I went the other way. I seriously doubt they would have recognized me but I wasn't staying around to find out. I one had a friend ask as I left my alley "who was the woman driving your car". I kind of ignored the question.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi JJ :hugs:, Sooner or Later your luck will Runout, >Orchid**O:daydreaming:O**

[Joanie CD]

I go out a lot in my small city. Every time I've been dressed and run into somebody I know, they have immediately known it was me. This has happened four times that I can remember: once in a bar (friend of my wife), once in a museum (very good friend and his girlfriend), once in a free trade store (friend of my wife), and once in a thrift store (friend of my wife). In all cases, they were slightly surprised, then "Hi!", then normal conversation. So I don't even think about it now. If I run into someone, so it goes.

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

recently I was working in the basement wearing leggings and a cami. I heard my wife talking upstairs, figured she was on the phone. I got done and came upstairs, the stairs are right by the front door, and there was our neighbor just inside talking to my wife. I stood there and we all talked for a bit, I was very self-conscious about my spaghetti straps especially, but nothing was said and it appeared (although I think this is impossible) that she didn't notice. I wonder if she went home and told her husband that I was wearing a women's shirt, but I'm pretty sure I don't care.

Joey I wonder if the couple you ran into also had a brief conversation but also really didn't care.

[JulieC]

At the end of the day, it ultimately doesn't matter if a given person cares or not, or if they said something about you after you parted ways, etc. What matters is the impact to you. Does anything change? Sometimes that can be very hard to gauge.

[jjjjohanne]

@docrobbysherry asked what cereal was worth all of that trauma. Fiber One flakes! They taste good and they do good things for this aging man!!! :D

I think the big risk is that my mom might hear that they saw me in a skirt. These people are dear friends. I kind of doubt that they would risk mentioning it. We'll see. I'm OK with whatever, I think. I may regret it eventually. But, it would be nice to have mom know the truth about me.

Joey