Where to start...
I guess I should start with what I do for a living. You know when you go into a cellphone store and someone gets your name and number and gets you signed in for the next available rep? That's me. Well, that's only part of my job, but since that is what I was doing at the time, Ill just leave it at that. I am also totally out in my workplace. My uniform is female attire, I wear makeup, paint my nails, wear feminine hairstyles, and all that. Yes I get looks every single day. I have stopped caring if people stare. I am 4 months into transitioning and cannot hide what my body is doing anymore so I have accepted that I am in between genders.
I was working in the back room of my store when my manager comes back there and says, "Hey, we're getting busy out there and I need you on the floor greeting." I grab my Ipad and head to the floor.
First person signed in...great. Second person signed in...awesome. I get to the third set of people (a couple) and ask for their name to get them signed in. The woman, with a thick Spanish accent, gets up close to me...closer than people usually do unless they've got a problem with you and are intentionally invading your personal space. She lowers her voice and says, "can I ask you a question?" I didnt even have a chance to sign them in yet, but being the customer service person that I am, kept up a cheery attitude and said sure! She takes a step closer and says "What are you?" All the while staring me straight in the eyes. It wasn't a question I was prepared for. I had several different thoughts pop into my head but I decided to simply go with the honest one. Staring back at her into her eyes... "I am a woman".
A grin appears on her face and she nods. After half a second, she says, "I see you..." She took the last step into my personal space and gave me a big hug and kissed me on my cheek. Still holding me, she whispers in my ear. "My brother is like you. You are beautiful."
I wanted to cry. Right there. I had totally forgotten about all the people standing around on the sales floor that needed to still get signed in. She broke the hug and said...ok, lets get signed in. I finished signing her and her husband into the system and got everyone else signed in as well. Once that was done, no one else came in so I was free to socialize with customers. I of course went back to her. At this point, her husband was being helped and she was just standing around. She asked me all kinds of very personal questions like how long I have known, when I started transitioning, what my parents/family thought, if I had a support system, and so on. She explained that with her brother, her parents would not accept him and she had to be the one to talk to them to get them to realize that this truly was who he was.
She was so incredibly bold and forward with her questions but at the same time, had this amazing gentleness and compassion that I felt like I had known her my whole life and could speak freely with her. Maybe it helps that she has a masters in psychology. Towards the end of our heartfelt conversation, she said, "would you mind if I gave you my number? I want you to be able to have someone to talk to if you ever need to." I agreed and she gave me her number. It wasn't in any way a come-on or anything like that. She was genuinely concerned that I had support. She was in her early 50's maybe, and her husband was probably around his late 50's early 60's. She had that motherly heir about her. Something I certainly haven't received from my own mother.
It was just such an amazing experience that I cant stop thinking about it. After they left, I left the sales floor and went into the bathroom and cried. I just simply couldn't keep it together. She had touched me in a way no one else ever has. What an amazing woman....
Talk about a diamond that shines brightly!
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Ten Years Living 24/7 as a Mature Lady
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