Here's the latest, for those who haven't gotten tired of my stories:
My wife participates in trivia contests on Tuesday nights in a retirement community not far from where we live. I'm a pretty trivial person myself (we never miss an episode of Jeopardy), and she's been after me to join her team. Since I started living full-time, and she hadn't told any of her friends about my transition, I was nervous about going. Well, she told the two other people on her team about me a few weeks ago, and they assured her they had no problem with it and wanted to meet me. So tonight I went.
And I had a great time. The guy on her team couldn't make it, but the woman - I'll call her "S" - showed up and was really cool. We had a wonderful, respectful conversation about the transition process, and then went on to the trivia as a three-woman team. At one point we were in first place, but ran into a few stumpers that knocked us out of the running. Afterward we ate dinner, and at one point I told S that I was worried about getting clocked. She was confused by that, and told me that there was little chance of that. She said some really nice, complimentary things about how I was presenting, and about my facial features when I mentioned FFS. It was all very affirming from someone who had only met me once or twice in my old role, and was a real boost to my confidence.
On the way out we ran into a table full of more of my wife's friends. None of them had met me before in any persona, and I was simply introduced as Stephanie. They said nice to meet you, and the conversation went on. One gregarious lady was standing right in front of me as she told a story to my wife and S, and at one point, after noticing that I was wearing another one of my scarves and my cardigan, asked whether I was visiting Florida from up North, or whether I lived here. She guessed that I lived here because I was dressed warmly in 68 degree weather. And the conversation went on from there.
These retirement communities are like little worlds of their own, with everything within reach by golf cart, and always some kind of group social thing going on. Tonight there was a band in the square, with jewelry and other vendors set up in tents along the periphery. We wandered around enjoying the evening - me especially. You see, it was in this community that I'd had a major meltdown only three months ago, when while we were there having dinner I saw all the women out walking in the warm evening, in pretty sundresses and other comfortable clothes, and I was absolutely convinced that I would never ever get to a point where I could pass. And here I was, very early in transition, walking around just like I'd seen those women doing 12 weeks ago, with no questioning looks at all - and knowing, since it is so early in the process, that it would only get better. Don't pinch me. I don't ever want to wake up from this dream.
Eventually S decided to head for home, so I thanked her for being so cool. She got a big smile, gave me a huge hug, and told me she was happy to see me.
And surprisingly, I was happy to be seen.
Steph