Did you hear the one about...

B called me this last Friday evening and asked me what I was doing Saturday.

I replied by telling him that I was going to an art fair in the morning and afternoon with some friends after that I had nothing.

So he asked me if I wanted to go out after I got home.

It took me a whole half a second to make up my mind on this.

"Sure!"

After this I discussed what my plans were and that I would call him when I got home, which should have coincided with when he would be getting home.

Plans set, we chatted a bit more and called it a night.

Saturday morning came around and while I was on my way to the aforementioned art fair. When B called to inform me that his day had been canceled at work as the other crews were not going to be there.

He simple told me to call him when I was on my way home so he knew when I would be getting back into town as he was going to be running errands all day. Plus he knew I had a forty-five minute drive to get home from the fair.

So after an afternoon of strolling around almost a mile of arts and craft displays. Making a few purchases, regretting not being able to take advantage of a few more and consuming four bottles of water in the crazy heat the area is suffering right now, I stopped for an early dinner then headed home.

I contacted B on the way and knew I was going to be getting home later then I attended but I would still have time to get ready and have plenty of time for a night out.

I wasn't getting home that late but I was going to need to shower the grim and sweat of the day away and change.

He was ok with it and I was in total scramble mode after I got home to shower, re-dry my hair change and prep to get out of the house as quickly as possible. Off I went.

I met him up at the first of three locations for the night and quickly we caught up. He asked me about the fair and my day.

Now this is a huge art fair for this region, one of the oldest and biggest. I had not been in a few years due to schedule and what not. I simply wasn't going to miss it this year.

After talking about it for a bit B looked at me and said:

"Well how come I didn't get an invite, I love art fairs?"

"Really? Well one you didn't tell me that until just now. Second I told you I was with some friends and it would have been awkward."

"Oh so now you are embarrassed to have me as a friend?"

I grabbed his forearm.

"B if you think that for even a second we are going to have issues. You are one of the best friends I have ever had. I love you dearly, and I am very proud to call you my friend. I have would have no issue with introducing you to any friends I might have. The issue is that you only know me, even when I tried to show you otherwise you still only can see me. Two of the people I was with haven't been told. It just would have created a lot of awkwardness for me. It has nothing to do with you."

I paused.

"The day will come he will be gone and I will gladly include you in any thing I do with any of my friends, if they are still around. If they have issues with you they will have to take it up with me. Besides if it came down to choosing you or them, if there even was an issue, I'd take you. You are a better friend to me then some I have known well over fifteen years or more."

One more pause.

"Now that I know you want to go, I promise to take you next year. It really is something to see."

He leaned over gave me a small hug.

"It's ok Kelli I get it and thank you for being such a good friend. C even told me after you left the other weekend to make sure I don't take you for granted as she loves me and really thinks highly of you. She said you were one of the better friends I have ever had and that I definitely need to keep you around."

With that we proceeded to have tons of fun the rest of the evening. We hit three bars, laughed about the parking attendant at one that was trying desperately to get my phone number. We encountered a group bus at a couple of the locations and had fun watching them.

The best part of the night though occurred when we got back to our starting location(as my car was there and he did the in between driving.)

We ran into a friend of his that he had not seen in a few months, and I have never met before, as their paths just were not crossing. With M, was E and Miguel. (hey he had a very Latino name and was visiting from California, so it fits. If I could come up with something clever for M and E I will.)

Now as we walked in I needed to use the little girls room. I mentioned this to B and told him I would find him inside, as the bathrooms are located right near the front. After taking care of that business I headed into the bar proper to find B.

I spotted him, walked up, wrapped my arms around him from behind and asked him who his friends were, as I peered over his shoulder.

Before he or I said anything else I heard: "OMG!!! This is your friend Kelli?"

As I pulled myself away B responded that I was. Which the response came: "Wow how did you manage to met this one, she's hot?"

B looked at me and asked if I wanted to tell the story. I said sure and regaled them with the crazy night I met B and his friend R. How cute and charming and they were and the mild stunt they pulled on me. (It is kind of saucy and mildly embarrassing but it was good natured and G rated. I won't tell it here but I do tell it in person. Think of it as my version of a 'This one time at band camp' story.)

They laughed when I finished and asked where this happened. I explained to them I was at another bar I used to go to on Saturday nights. Which as I have mentioned before is trans night.

E stopped me at this point, looked at me and asked if he could ask me a question. I confirmed that he could and he said.

"So why were YOU there?"

The confusion in his voice was so obvious I was taken aback and hesitated for a moment. As I didn't quite know what to say. B saved me.

"You know R and I thought the same thing when we first met her, what was a girl like her doing there. As it turns out she had a trans friend who used to go. She was there being supportive."

Clever response and they accepted it. They asked why I hang out with B and I said he is was just a really good friend and that we both just feel comfortable with each other. Also I only judge people on who they are not what. Plus he is cute, funny and just such a good person to hang out with. I also explained he only takes me to the tamer clubs that are pretty safe.

Still it was an interesting moment as they just could not fathom why I would even have been there to begin with to met B.

After that it was lots of fun. M and E are amazing and adorable. They have this shared moment deep conversation bit where no one actually says a word. It was utterly brilliant, I could not do it justice here you really would need to see it. I loved talking to both of them for the rest of the evening.

E even stated at one point that B needed to bring me around more often as I was totally adorable and lots of fun.

Hugs all around as we eventually had to part ways for the night. I was exhausted and so was B. We did promise to seem them again and soon.

B walked my to my car gave me a big hug and then told me. "You better get this over with soon. Look at what happened here tonight. They didn't even pause to consider you are trans. You are totally a girl to them and nothing else. Frankly he isn't there anymore."

"I know B. I am working on some big pieces of it right now so things should start moving soon."

"Good cause this version of you, really is you and I much prefer you."

Another big hug and we said goodnight.

It is indeed time to get this over with.

Fingers crossed it goes as well as everything else has.

Nothing to See Here, Move Along

I am aware it has been kind of quiet here lately.

I think even the tumbleweeds have moved on to more exciting venues.

I just haven't had much to say recently.

No the typewriter monkeys are fine. We are all getting along just splendidly right now. It might be because they are being far overpaid under the new collective bargaining agreement. (Really you tell me if I should be giving them daily banana smoothies??)

Nope there just hasn't been any good or full stories to tell.

At least not yet.

I do have some things coming up in the immediate future that I am sure will generate some posts. For now it is hard to write about them because they haven't happened yet.

I also have an interesting trip planned next month that I am sure will need to be talked about.

For now it is quiet.

It is almost like there is a big collective pause as I wait for things to happen or wait for others.

Still, in the mean time, I am here and doing fairly well.

I am sure things will start happening again and soon.

Notes from the Weekend

Helping B move into his new apartment on Friday. I swear that boy might have more clothes than I do. (ok, not really but I certainly made enough trips back and forth with bundles of them.)

Finally meeting two of B's friends that I had missed on countless occasions. These two were a lot of fun and total charmers.

Spending more time helping B unpack some of his boxes on Saturday. Friday was used mostly to get the last of this things moved over. (we made the boys do the heavy lifting of the couch and bed frame.)

I also promised to help him paint two of his walls. I know I am such a good friend. lol!

Catching up with C!!!! She was driving back from visiting family in a neighboring state while on vacation, so she made a pit stop Saturday afternoon to see B's new place and spend the night so she could break up the drive home.

Totally getting the thumbs up from her about the changes. She asked me to give her the details of what was done but before I even did so she noticed my chin, forehead and eyes. (I mentioned B told me I didn't look that different. C said 'Well he is a boy what do you expect? You definately look softer and cuter! I love it!")

Having a new story to tell about creepy guy at the bar who was hitting rather heavily on C and myself. Did I mention this was a gay bar? We are all still confused about that one.

Getting a high five from C because of my sweetly worded retort to creepy guy for being so over bearing by not letting anyone else talk. (she totally said she was going to have to remember my response.)

The three of us laughing so hard in the car at one point we were in tears. Why will remain between us but I couldn't even put the car in drive for five minutes.

French Fries @ 1am. I am such a baaaaaad girl!

Having a mock disagreement with C since it turns out we are both envious of each others figure. (Which is strange when you think about it as she is only about a half inch short then I am and just a little lighter, but she complains about her hips, and me my shoulders, yet we both told each other we were crazy for thinking so. We had a good laugh about it after.)

Staying out far later than I should have but not complaining one bit.

Having so much fun with two people who view me just as I am even though they know. C mention that since she first met me and until now she can't think of me as anything else. "Besides" she said. "You are smart, pretty, and fun to be around."

Now I just need to catch up on some sleep, whew!

Material Girl

A few years ago I met and befriended a seamstress.

For almost a year and a half she worked on various articles of clothing and did a few alterations for me.

However early last year we lost touch. She had to close her shop (thankfully she is still doing work out of her home.) and I got busy getting my transition going.

Not to mention I was working my cute little butt off at the end of last year.

(I don't care, I am going to say it is cute. Not that I get back there very often to look at it, but I get a lot of compliments on it so it must be. Even B has commented that I have a fantastic behind and still marvels that it is naturally mine.)

So sadly for a while I didn't see or talk to her much though we did play email or phone tag from time to time.

A few weeks ago I emailed her to see if she was still out there and doing seamstress work. She replied that she was and did. After a few back and forth exchanges, plus accounting for the holiday, we agreed to meet last night.

After I got home from work, ate, changed into just a tee some shorts and sandals. Unglued my hair, blew it out a bit and that was it. No makeup or anything else.

I pulled some things out of my closet that were not fitting right, though I could not find one dress that I thought I had set aside. I may have boxed it up.

Out the door I went.

Twenty minutes later I was at her door ringing her door bell.

Now remember, it has been about nineteen months since we last saw each other.

She opened the inside door and paused. I mean really paused. Then she said wow. After another moment things caught up to her and she jumped and opened the door.

She told me to 'come on in' took another moment then said this:

"Wow have you changed!"

"LOL! Good or bad?"

"Oh definitely good!"

With that she invited me downstairs to her work room. Where she sat me down and told me to spill.

I talked about what I had done since I last saw her. Noting that I continued to let my hair grow and that I had a little surgery earlier in the year. She asked me what and I explained what I had done. When I mentioned the forehead and hair line she told me it was the first thing she noticed(Finally, people often miss this but my forehead and hairline are far different then they were. I know I have seen the pictures.) and that she loved my hair.

We laughed and talked, I discussed the situation with my family. Mom is supportive, my brother is on the fence and my father refuses to see or talk to me. I told her what was up next and answered her questions regarding those things.

It was at she looked at me and said.

"Well Kelli, my honest opinion, you are a very attractive woman. You've come a long way and I can't wait to see you after the rest. You really have changed. Remembering you from before and see you here now relaxed and more yourself just tells me how right it is for you."

I smiled and told her thank you when she followed with this:

"You know I was thinking to myself before you got here 'how was he going to show up?'" (At this point I gave her a small look and she quickly amended herself) "Lol SHE! How was she going to show up." She looked at me one more time and said:

"Yep I am done calling you by that other name. I am just going to refer to you as Kelli now."

With that we went over the items I brought for alteration and started the process for a dress I saw once but is no longer available. Armed with a few pictures and ideas she is going to draw up the pattern tell me how much material and then I start hunting that down. Though she did give me a few really good places to go look and even one high end sewing store, where if I find something I like but not the right color to ask and see if they can order it. From there we get the material and she will make it.

After that and chatting for a bit we made our way upstairs. Where we discussing up and coming things along with asking me if I ever would consider being a model.

{I should point out that while being a very talented seamstress and was currently working on a wedding gown, her specialty is custom made corsets or dresses with corsets in them. While downstairs she showed me photos of a resent renaissance show she participated in with these beautiful period styled dresses with modern twists. Usually being the fabric and trim.}

I was totally flattered and said I would consider it. She got excited because she had some things that she needed a slightly taller girl for and with my figure I would look great in them. I laughed her off since I am only five foot seven. She shrugged me off and said that was perfect as I was a little above average without being really tall.

When we got outside she gave me a big huge and told me this:

"Kelli working on some of the things that I do, I meet all types of people. I just want to say again you are the first trans person I have ever met who, to me, really was a woman. You are going to do great! I love this version of you so much better than the other one."

Always unprompted, it is so nice to hear things like this. Even better it came from someone who me before a lot of changed happened.

She then gave me another big hug and sent me on my way.

With that I went home with a big smile for the rest of the night.

Happy Fourth!