2nd close call in a week. Will there be a third?

[Cristi]

Last week I posted about running into a person I know in a store... minutes after changing back into drab. That was a close enough call.

Well, today I had another. I headed to a mall over an hour away to do some last minute Christmas shopping (in drab). When I got done, I didn't have time to do much but I did do a 'quick change' in the car and step out for a quick trip back into the mall. I didn't even need makeup, since it was so cold (10 degrees) that many women were wearing hats, scarves and dark glasses so nothing really showed of their faces.

I wasn't really planning on doing much, just walk into the mall a bit then back out, perhaps stroll around the busy parking lot a bit. It was really chilly out even with the long skirt and tights. Though long, the skirt was really thin and cold and I didn't have a slip on under it, so every time the wind blew my legs got colder.

Well the outing went off without a hitch. The trouble came when I was almost back to my car. I glanced one row over to see a man also walking toward his car. I was shocked to see that it was somebody I knew. I dropped back a bit so I wasn't in his line of site then kept an eye on him. I wanted to make sure I didn't get too close.

Well sure enough, he got into his car that was right behind mine! My car has a few distinctive bumper stickers on it, so between that and the out of state plates I knew that even with the 'disguise' I had on he would still recognize the car and put one and one together.

I stood between two cars getting colder and colder. He turned the car on and didn't leave! I figured he must be waiting for somebody who was still shopping.

I got a surprise when at one point a car that was going past slowed down and a man asked 'Are you OK? You've been out here for a while. Do you need help?' I'd seen him sitting in his car a while ago. I guess he noticed that I was standing outside for the entire time he was there waiting for his wife and though something might be wrong. I didn't want to speak, so just shook my head 'no' and gave him a wave in thanks.

I was getting colder and colder by the second. After about 20 minutes of walking around the parking lot and looping back to see if he was still there, my legs couldn't take it anymore. I went back into the mall and the first uncrowded store I came to. I browsed through the lingere section for a good 20 minutes but couldn't even buy anything since my wallet was in the car! When I went back out thankfully he was gone.

I'm just happy I happened to SEE him get to his car. If he'd gotten in it before I noticed him, I would have walked right up to my car without noticing him and been busted.

So this is the 2nd close call. What next? I guess it is time to start being a lot more careful for at least a little while.

[cdLainie]

Got to be careful out there. Just think of it this way you got to spend a little more time dressed so not to bad a turn out. I bet your heart was racing the entire time (I know mine would be).

[donnatracey]

Well, I've heard that things come in "3s" so better be careful..

Amazing that you're an hour away from home and someone you know parks right behind you in a busy mall lot???....mmmm......

[Nicole Bishop]

Maybe its time to come out then you wont surprise them or be living in fear of them as it seems your luck might be running out

[Cristi]

Got to be careful out there. Just think of it this way you got to spend a little more time dressed so not to bad a turn out. I bet your heart was racing the entire time (I know mine would be).

Now that it is over, I look back at it as being a little bit of an adventure. For that 45 minutes or so, I had no choice but to be dressed. I had no access to my clothes to change and no way to get away from the mall. I found myself thinking a lot less about how I was dressed and mostly just about how I was going to get back to the car unseen. Toward the end, I was walking past dozens of people at a time without even thinking about what I was wearing.

Amazing that you're an hour away from home and someone you know parks right behind you in a busy mall lot???....mmmm......

The odds are slim, but if you add up the number of times I've been out along with the number of friends I have, even with slim odds something like this was BOUND to happen sooner or later.

The mall was an hour away... but on the other hand it is the CLOSEST mall to where I live, so anybody I know who it going to hit the mall for last minute Christmas shopping would go to that one.

Plus, a few things tipped the odds a bit. He gets out of work at the same time I do, so it was a more probable time for each of us to head to the mall, and the mall entrance was to a store we both shop at a lot, so it was the most likely lot for him to park in. I've got to watch things like that in the future!

Maybe its time to come out then you wont surprise them or be living in fear of them as it seems your luck might be running out

Yes, when I'm NOT about to be found out my attitude is "I really don't care who finds out". But when it comes right down to it and I am moments away from being busted, I suddenly change my mind and want my dressing to stay a secret.

[Karren H]

Third time's a charm!!!

[Brandi Wyne]

Cristi,
I think your quote from Heinlein say it all. I guess we're only free in here till we free ourselves. It's like being in jail and the jailer with the key all at the same time. Glad it worked out for you.

XXs

[MissKara]

Yikes, that is a bit of a close call. But atleast he didnt come over to you and start talking.

Lots of Love,
Miss Kara

[JulieC]

Close call indeed! But, I wouldn't worry so much. You can't control what every person you know does. People have run into people they know thousands of miles from home. You can't control it. If you want to get out, get out. Doing so far from home is a good idea, but don't let chance encounters ruin your desire and chances of getting out.

[KarenEdwards]

You'd be amazed (I was) at how unobservant most people are. I was in Atlanta - my favorite city in the U.S. - a few years ago and decided to go to a nice restaurant/bar in the downtown area for dinner as Karen. I ordered and sat there "people watching" while waiting for the meal to come. Now, I had been "out and about" a gazillion times so I wasn't afraid or nervous about going to the restaurant. But....

My sister, who had no idea about "Karen", and her boyfriend came in and sat down not 10 feet away and, to make it worse, she was facing me! What are the odds of having that happen? I thought I would die! This was it; the whole family will know! However, after a few minutes of seeing no reaction, I calmed down a bit, ate my dinner when it arrived and, before it was over, I was really enjoying the experience. I learned quite a lot that night...

[Cristi]

You'd be amazed (I was) at how unobservant most people are. ...My sister, who had no idea about "Karen", and her boyfriend came in and sat down not 10 feet away and, to make it worse, she was facing me...

Now that it is all behind me, I really want to find out if he DID notice me, or even saw my car. That way, if he did I'll have a chance to talk to him before/if he is going to be spreading any stories.

The next time I see him, I'm going to tell him I think I saw him at the mall that day and ask if he was there. If he says 'yes' but doesn't say anything about seeing my car or me, I'll know that either he really didn't see me... or he did see me dressed but isn't willing to talk about it.

If he did see me dressed and has anything to say or ask, it will give us a chance to talk.

[jenna_woods]

sure was a close call be careful it comes in 3's

[sherri52]

If I drove an hour away from where I am now I would be on someones farm in the middle of nowhere. Wait a minute that's where I am now.

[trannie T]

Cristi, you might think about making some plans on how to deal with being outed.

[Cristi]

If I drove an hour away from where I am now I would be on someones farm in the middle of nowhere. Wait a minute that's where I am now.

You are in the MIDDLE of nowhere... I'm in the suburbs of nowhere. I can get to 'somewhere' in an hour or two but things are pretty darn quiet where I am.

I've driven through REAL 'nowhere' many times and wonder how people can stand it... hours of driving just to get to a movie theater or any kind of live entertainment. I guess we all get used to the environment we are raised in. Most city people would say I was in the middle of nowhere (closest traffic light is over 15 miles away), but I know better.

[Sally2005]

I've thought about getting magnetic bumper stickers to make my car distinctive when I'm enfem...sort of CDing for your car, but most people don't really notice what you drive and they are not going to look for your car in a mall which is far from home so you are probably fine. I wouldn't go digging for info because you might confirm what he saw or add 2 + 2 etc...

If it helps, I've mostly run in to people I know around this time of the year because eveyone is out doing their shopping in places they usually don't go so I thing the odds are better than usual.

[Cristi]

I've thought about getting magnetic bumper stickers to make my car distinctive when I'm enfem...sort of CDing for your car

That is actually a REALLY good idea. One thing that really gives my car away is that I have two distinctive bumper stickers that all of my friends would recognize the car by instantly. Otherwise it is a very generic car.

For that reason, I even worry a bit when driving down the highway in my local area. I can imagine somebody I know driving up behind me, thinking 'Hey, that is ****' then driving up beside me and seeing me as Cristi.

But if I get two magnetic bumper stickers that are totally different from my male personality and use them to 'CD' the car, then I'll regain my anonymity when driving.

I'm off to search for something now. I'd love to find something with a real feminine vibe. Any suggestions (other than 'girl power' )?