For those of you that don't like overly-long posts or details, feel free to click the link below. At least you'll get something out of this post.
This weekend, my lovely wife took me on a wonderful trip to a city a few hundred miles away as a Valentine's Day present. We went to a wonderful bed and breakfast that we have frequented for years. It was just a short trip as our oldest son came home from college to watch the younger ones; we left early Saturday morning and came back Sunday afternoon. For us, short trips - even a trip to the grocery store together - are at least time spent together to rebond as a couple. We treasure those times.
While we were there, we saw a wonderful two-person play with two of our favorite actors. We went shopping, and walking, and talking, and just being the odd, crazy-in-love people we have been for nearly 25 years. Sure, we have our issues (OK, one issue - my crossdressing) that bring us occasional friction, but for the most part, we are very happy.
After our drive, my wife wanted to have a nap to rest up for the night. I took a book into the parlor of the B&B to read and relax. After about 5 minutes, I saw their housecat glide into the room, make her way to the couch I was sitting on, and hop up next to me. Next thing you know, I have a buzzing, happy cat in my lap with her head down on my leg, fast asleep. Now, those of you that are cat-people know that I certainly couldn't go anywhere with a sleeping cat on me. It just isn't done! So, I sat there and read and occasionally scritched the cat behind her ears.
After about 10-15 minutes of this, the, . . . what would you call the owner of a B&B? Proprietress? Innkeeper? Anyway, in she came.
I should explain a bit about this wonderful woman. She is the perfect person for a B&B - one part businesswoman, one part gracious hostess, one part mom, and one part social butterfly. She is charming, effortlessly engaging, wise, and just makes you feel at home. Over the years, we have essentially befriended her and her husband. They're really a wonderful couple.
So, she walks in, sees me with the cat, sits down in the chair next to me, and with an odd expression says, "That's odd, she usually only likes women!" The cat looked up at her, and then plopped her head back down. I said, with what I though was a touch of humor and bit of well-placed sarcasm, "Well, I guess the cat must know me better than I know myself." She looked around to make sure no one else was around, placed her hand on my arm, looked at me, and with her wise twinkling eyes said, "Now now, the cat's not the only one that can see you're allllll girl." Gulp! You know that warm, liquid feeling you get in your chest, like your heart skips a beat or something? Well, that's what my insides were doing. I don't know if I blushed or made any other outward sign of how her comment made me feel, but her smile got bigger, her eyes got twinklier, and she patted my hand and said, "Yeah, I kinda thought so." All I could say was a whispered thank you. She smiled again at me, petted her cat, and went off to the kitchen, leaving me seriously befuddled.
I tell ya - for someone desperately holding on with both hands to keep this vehicle in the median, I sure have a lot of roadblocks in the way, it seems. Cheerleaders to the left of me, friends and strangers to the right. How can I continue to convince myself of my own happiness in my station in life if I can't even convince others?
How about you? Do others see through the mask that you present to the world? Women? Men? Children? . . . . . . Animals?
Kathi
Originally Posted by Dana921
Your situation sounds alot like my wife and I! 
