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.