KimberlyS
04-16-2007, 11:35 PM
I am on a business trip to Philly. I thought I may have a few hours of free time tonight, so I asked my wife if it was ok to bring my femme things along. Well Sunday I did a quick packing job, double checked to make sure I was not missing anything for my meeting and double checked to make sure I had all of my femme clothes. Then off to the airport to fly into the storm they were having out here in NE USA. Well about 3/4 the way to the airport I have a sinking feeling. I remember I forgot a couple of minor things, but that is not a problem. Then I remember I only got clothes and shoes. No wig or makeup. Oh well I could not turn around as I would miss my flight. So on I went kind of bummed. But I could still dress in the room and under dress well for any outing I went on.
Well I get up early and leave extra time to get to my meeting as the tv is saying the traffic is terrible. Well my all day meeting was 1 hour. So it is 11:00 am and I am done for the day and to not fly out until the next morning. So down town Philly here I come. Time to play tourist for the rest of the day.
Well back to the room to change and I decide to bring my femme outer things with just in case. I get directions and head out. Well some how in route I take a wrong turn, but know I am close. So I just keep driving looking at the city and slowly circle in on my destination the historical district. I am in male presentation so I can not ask for directions. The narrow one way streets with parking on both side are a new experience for me and there is lots of traffic. But I do not mind as I get to stop and check out the houses and businesses on the way. And as I am getting close to my destination what should I see but a sign that says WIGS. No way I think. Just happen upon a wig shop. But I start to scope out a parking place and there is nothing for parking and has been nothing with both sides of the streets have been packed with cars and trucks. Traffic starts to move on and so do I thinking oh so close, yet so far away. But to my surprise in the middle of the next block is some one trying to pull out. A parking spot.
Well park and head back down to the store. I walk in and there is all wigs and only wigs. This must be destiny. I am greeted warmly and asked if I was looking for anything specific. I say yes and generally what I wanted and she starts showing me different wigs. Remember I am in male presentation but I do have my femme flats on. Well after we get a few options she says to me that I can try on as many as I want. I just need to buy a wig cap, $1.00. An OK and she says I can be seated at the table and mirror and we start trying on. And I soon have a nice wig at a decent price. She asks if I want to wear it or to bag it up. I say I will wear it. Several other people were in and out and no seemed to care or notice me. I was just another person they went by during their day.
Well out the door and head back to the car and what would be across the street. A beauty supply store. I go to check it out and they have what I need. I decide on a limited stock. So I stick to just what is needed. Foundation power, lipstick, and nail polish. And now back to the car. The people and cars are just flying by so I decide to put on makeup right there. No seem to notice me except one car who wanted my parking spot. The foundation gave me decent coverage but still could see beard shadow.
Well with makeup and wig on, I move towards my destination. I end up parking in a ramp near by which worked great because I was wondering where I was going to change. Unlike Karren, I did not know where all of the uni-sex bathrooms where in the area. I thought I was lucky to come across a wig and makeup. I found a darker out of the way spot and finished my transformation.
Out side the ramp I become a tourist with very gusty winds and varying degrees of light rain coming down. I get to Independence Hall. And there is about a dozen of people taking pictures. That is what I forgot at home, the camera.
Starting to rain a bit more and head to the Liberty Bell which is inside. Inside the door it reminded me the the airport. Too late to turn around as there is already a crowd behind me also most like also trying to stay dry. I start my pre-security drill. Watch, keys, coins, cell phone, umbrella, and other metal into my back pack. Yes I said back pack and not purse. My purse was still home with my makeup in it. Well I am down to my rings and glasses when I get up there and he says to just leave them on. I put my back pack on the belt and wait to be motioned through. And I set it off. What did I forget? He says is your bracelet metal? Oh yes, and magnetic also. Opps forgot about that one. Then he says is your belt metal? Well maybe all of the rivets are. Try two and I set it off again and get waved through to get wanded. A quick check and I am good to go. I think wow, now I know what some gals go through at the airports. Then the engineer in me kicks in and wonders what set it off. Hummmm, four rings, glasses, bra hardware, shaper hooks and boots with zippers up the back. Ahhh.
I follow the crowd through looking at the different exhibits. The normal, how and why it was made. What made the crack and attempts to fix it but mad it worse. They then went into the famous people that have come to see it. But what got me was what was next. They talked about the different causes beyond just the American revolution that have come to the Liberty Bell. Martin Luther and other civil rights movements. There were many different sit-in protests around the Liberty Bell, including the anti-war, 60's, and others. By the time I got to the bell I just stood there and thought all of that proceeded me there leading the way to give rights to others. Rights to me to stand there and be me. No one seemed to notice me or care. People were looking, talking and taking turns getting their pictures taken in front of the bell. But no one seemed to care, or notice that I was there. If they would look at me instead of the crowd they could see or at least question who I was as others had along the way there.
Well I decided to move on to the Independence Hall tour. Well as I exit the building and head that direction I see several buses of kids are in the process of unloading ahead of me. So I decide to defer that tour. And besides the wind was picking up again and it was starting to rain more. So I just decide to take a different route to the car and see if I can find that warm and dry mall someone told me about.
I will not go into the detail of the rest of my afternoon and night. Found the mall. Walked around. Did some minor shopping. Walked around. Had supper at a TGIFridays. Came back to the room. Called my wife since I called her from the restaurant but could not hear very well so told her I would call back. Checked my mail and this forum and wrote this post. Now time to pack and see if I can get this nail polish off. Remember back to shopping. Polish remover was not on the list. Opps.
Well I get up early and leave extra time to get to my meeting as the tv is saying the traffic is terrible. Well my all day meeting was 1 hour. So it is 11:00 am and I am done for the day and to not fly out until the next morning. So down town Philly here I come. Time to play tourist for the rest of the day.
Well back to the room to change and I decide to bring my femme outer things with just in case. I get directions and head out. Well some how in route I take a wrong turn, but know I am close. So I just keep driving looking at the city and slowly circle in on my destination the historical district. I am in male presentation so I can not ask for directions. The narrow one way streets with parking on both side are a new experience for me and there is lots of traffic. But I do not mind as I get to stop and check out the houses and businesses on the way. And as I am getting close to my destination what should I see but a sign that says WIGS. No way I think. Just happen upon a wig shop. But I start to scope out a parking place and there is nothing for parking and has been nothing with both sides of the streets have been packed with cars and trucks. Traffic starts to move on and so do I thinking oh so close, yet so far away. But to my surprise in the middle of the next block is some one trying to pull out. A parking spot.
Well park and head back down to the store. I walk in and there is all wigs and only wigs. This must be destiny. I am greeted warmly and asked if I was looking for anything specific. I say yes and generally what I wanted and she starts showing me different wigs. Remember I am in male presentation but I do have my femme flats on. Well after we get a few options she says to me that I can try on as many as I want. I just need to buy a wig cap, $1.00. An OK and she says I can be seated at the table and mirror and we start trying on. And I soon have a nice wig at a decent price. She asks if I want to wear it or to bag it up. I say I will wear it. Several other people were in and out and no seemed to care or notice me. I was just another person they went by during their day.
Well out the door and head back to the car and what would be across the street. A beauty supply store. I go to check it out and they have what I need. I decide on a limited stock. So I stick to just what is needed. Foundation power, lipstick, and nail polish. And now back to the car. The people and cars are just flying by so I decide to put on makeup right there. No seem to notice me except one car who wanted my parking spot. The foundation gave me decent coverage but still could see beard shadow.
Well with makeup and wig on, I move towards my destination. I end up parking in a ramp near by which worked great because I was wondering where I was going to change. Unlike Karren, I did not know where all of the uni-sex bathrooms where in the area. I thought I was lucky to come across a wig and makeup. I found a darker out of the way spot and finished my transformation.
Out side the ramp I become a tourist with very gusty winds and varying degrees of light rain coming down. I get to Independence Hall. And there is about a dozen of people taking pictures. That is what I forgot at home, the camera.
Starting to rain a bit more and head to the Liberty Bell which is inside. Inside the door it reminded me the the airport. Too late to turn around as there is already a crowd behind me also most like also trying to stay dry. I start my pre-security drill. Watch, keys, coins, cell phone, umbrella, and other metal into my back pack. Yes I said back pack and not purse. My purse was still home with my makeup in it. Well I am down to my rings and glasses when I get up there and he says to just leave them on. I put my back pack on the belt and wait to be motioned through. And I set it off. What did I forget? He says is your bracelet metal? Oh yes, and magnetic also. Opps forgot about that one. Then he says is your belt metal? Well maybe all of the rivets are. Try two and I set it off again and get waved through to get wanded. A quick check and I am good to go. I think wow, now I know what some gals go through at the airports. Then the engineer in me kicks in and wonders what set it off. Hummmm, four rings, glasses, bra hardware, shaper hooks and boots with zippers up the back. Ahhh.
I follow the crowd through looking at the different exhibits. The normal, how and why it was made. What made the crack and attempts to fix it but mad it worse. They then went into the famous people that have come to see it. But what got me was what was next. They talked about the different causes beyond just the American revolution that have come to the Liberty Bell. Martin Luther and other civil rights movements. There were many different sit-in protests around the Liberty Bell, including the anti-war, 60's, and others. By the time I got to the bell I just stood there and thought all of that proceeded me there leading the way to give rights to others. Rights to me to stand there and be me. No one seemed to notice me or care. People were looking, talking and taking turns getting their pictures taken in front of the bell. But no one seemed to care, or notice that I was there. If they would look at me instead of the crowd they could see or at least question who I was as others had along the way there.
Well I decided to move on to the Independence Hall tour. Well as I exit the building and head that direction I see several buses of kids are in the process of unloading ahead of me. So I decide to defer that tour. And besides the wind was picking up again and it was starting to rain more. So I just decide to take a different route to the car and see if I can find that warm and dry mall someone told me about.
I will not go into the detail of the rest of my afternoon and night. Found the mall. Walked around. Did some minor shopping. Walked around. Had supper at a TGIFridays. Came back to the room. Called my wife since I called her from the restaurant but could not hear very well so told her I would call back. Checked my mail and this forum and wrote this post. Now time to pack and see if I can get this nail polish off. Remember back to shopping. Polish remover was not on the list. Opps.