Travels With Rachael
by Rachael (Hong Kong)
Southern Comfort (Part I)
Heading for Southern Comfort, the world's largest transgender conference, I flew in to Atlanta from Hong Kong. It was a great flight, although I was in drab, not wanting to brave international immigration and customs as Rachael. I'd managed to use my frequent flyer miles to upgrade to business class, so I had a very comfortable journey--the business class lounge in the Tokyo airport is really amazing!
When I arrived at the hotel, I discovered that they'd lost my reservation. There was another person with the same surname at the conference--an M.D. who was presenting, and I wondered if they hadn't cancelled my room thinking it was a double booking. Fortunately, and probably for the last time in Southern Comfort history, another room was available. The thought of coming all the way from Hong Kong only to have to stay at another hotel was starting to both terrify and infuriate me. After I got checked in, I Naired myself all over and went to bed. The time change and excitement had me awake at about 5:30 am. Other than registration nothing was happening until 6 that evening. I wanted to look nice for my first meeting with the SC crowd, and one of my Transgender Forum chat friends had told me about a Merle Norman studio that did makeovers for TG people. I had looked in the phone book and couldn't find a listing, but she had told me what road it is on, so I went in search of a makeover.
I dressed in my new Lands' End royal blue dress--it is short sleeved and below the knee, and added my white jacket I had tailor-made here in Hong Kong. I don't know why, but the jacket really helps my feminine image. Gold hoop earrings and a gold necklace completed my look. I left about 9 o'clock and drove to the appropriate street, which also happens to be very close to my in- laws' home, so I was kind of nervous. Fortunately no one I know saw me; unfortunately I didn't see the salon. In my searches I came upon a shopping center that looked pretty interesting, so I drove in. The shopping center was in two separate buildings, one housing most of the shops, and the other, smaller building with some restarants and, on the second floor, a nail salon that looked very nice, very out of the way, and open. I decided I'd give it a try, at least walk by and look in. Inside there were no customers yet, and all the nail techs were Asian! I took this as a sign from heaven. I just had to do it, so I went in and asked if they would do my nails. My voice wasn't great, and I'm pretty sure they read me, but they were totally cool about it. I wondered if one of the other SC girls had contacted them, because they asked if I had just called--I told them no, but they said okay and asked what I wanted. I had thought to just get nail tips, but they did acrylic nails and they looked wonderful. Lisa, the woman doing my nails, talked to me a bit--because of my voice I felt somewhat uncomfortable but she was doing such a great job I started to relax. She complemented me on my hands--that they were so soft. I got a bright red polish and rounded nails, not terribly long--they really lengthened my fingers visually though and helped a lot in the femme presentation. I was not out of the salon for two minutes though before the polish, which wasn't quite dry, got marred. I went back in and Lisa put on a quick layer of top coat which completely fixed the problem. I went back to my car and listened to the radio for a long while as the polish set, and from then on I never had another problem with it. I was totally delighted with my manicure-- it was one of the highlights of a trip filled with highlights.
At this point, and in fact starting as I left the salon the first time (which is why I marred the polish in the first place), the laws of gravity started exercise (or perhaps I should say exorcise!) undue influence on my underwear. To hold in my tummy I was wearing a corsolette, and to give me a more feminine figure I also had padded panties over my panties. Over those I was wearing control top panty hose and I'd pulled them over the tops of the corsolette to help hold it in a bit too, which left the pantyhose stretched out and with nothing to hold them there. The panty hose were heading south at an alarming rate! I couldn't fix things in the car, so I headed for the nearest safe haven--a Border's Bookstore. Thank heavens I was wearing a long dress, because the top of the hose meandered down to my knees by the time I got to the store. Men can hitching up their pants in public at will, but it isn't at all ladylike to hitch up your pantyhose! And wouldn't you know it, I had a hard time finding the restroom! I had to sit down for a bit and assess the situation before I could hunt for it, but finally I managed and readjusted the padded panties over the pantyhose. God, the things we have to learn!
Feeling much more confident, I looked around the bookstore, bought a few books, and then checked out the rest of the shopping center. There was a huge shoestore in which I spent well over an hour, trying on all kinds of shoes and boots. I didn't find any that were terribly comfortable, though, so I didn't buy anything. I then went over to a small sandwich shop for lunch, and there was quite a crowd. I was in close proximity to a lot of people for the first time this trip, but no one gave me a second glance. Then I walked over to Walmart, where I thought I would check out their rings--I was interested in finding a nice diamond, or failing that, perhaps a nice cubic zirconia. After finding that the largest ring size they had was a 9 (I needed an 11) As I left the store one of the salesgirls clocked me in a very obvious way. She called out to her friend across the way to come over and they started giggling at me. That wasn't good, but I was already out of the place, so I didn't let it bother me, and I went back to the car to try again to find the Merle Norman studio.
Eventually I came upon it, tucked away in a smaller strip mall, but for some reason couldn't bring myself to go in and talk to them in person. I found a pay phone and asked for Savannah, the woman my friend had recommended. She told me that although she'd be happy to do a makeover for me, she didn't have any opening until Friday, so that was off. With the rest of the afternoon free, I headed for Perimeter Mall, a nearby mall that I knew well from my days in Atlanta.
I hadn't given up my quest for a ring, and wanted to look in Penney's. I knew they had larger size rings in the Delta Burke collection. Wouldn't you know it, on the way to the jewelry counter was the women's department? Hanging there, enticingly, was a beautiful skirt I loved, and a nice sweater to match. I picked them up and looked around for some help. I'd never gone into a women's fitting room before, and so I was quite anxious about trying them on, but I really wanted to do so. A couple of indivdual handicapped fitting rooms separate from the main rooms seemed to be the perfect solution. But now the dilemma was that I didn't want to go over to the regular fitting rooms and ask to use the handicapped fitting rooms, as I figured that would definitely cause some suspicions that something was amiss, so I hoped that I could find a saleslady to come to me. Just then, my contact lens adjusted itself uncomfortably, and as I clutched at my eye a saleswoman came up and asked if I was alright. The lens shifted and fixed itself, and I said I was fine, thanks, and could I use the fitting room--waving in the direction of the handicapped rooms. She told me that those were locked, but that I could come over and try them on in the regular room! In spite of the fact that nothing I picked was even close to fitting, that bit of acceptance put me on cloud nine for the rest of the day, and gave me an enormous amount of confidence. I did go find a lovely ring at the jewelry counter--faux emeralds in a gold setting, and then I went off to Macy's.
In the women's department at Macy's I found a gorgeous sequined blouse in blue, purple and deep green in my size that coincidentally looks wonderful with my new ring, and a lovely mid-leg black skirt with a chiffon over-skirt. I'd been wondering what I would wear to the final night of the conference, and now I'd found it. I also found a businessy looking maroon dress that was very flattering, and I didn't even try to resist. No problems in the fitting room, and I had a nice chat with one of the saleswomen. I had asked if the blouse was on sale (the skirt was marked down and then half off!) She told me jokingly they were holiday blouses, and since the holidays weren't here yet, we had to pay full price. Time to pay up came, and I didn't have enough cash, so I was going to pay with my drab credit card. They offered me the opportunity to get 10% off if I applied for a Macy's card, so I did--in my drab name. Should have asked for a second card for Rachael, but I didn't.
After putting a significant milestone on my credit history I went to the Estee Lauder counter where I wanted to get a lipstick. While I was there, a wonderful older woman who gave me the nicest smile when I was watching her was getting a makeover at another counter. Inspired, I asked my saleswoman if she could give me a makeover. She was very nice and did so, although why everyone insists on giving me lipstick that is far too dark for my face I don't know. She was very sweet to me throughout, and as I left told me that I looked very pretty. By this time it was getting close to 6, and I had to rush back to the motel to register for the conference and catch the bus to the dinner.
Dinner was nice, a kind of silly participatory mystery dinner theatre, and the Southern Comfort crowd made everyone else's night. The others in the place really warmed to us and there was lots of mingling and acceptance--really a great experience for everyone. I met a couple from the conference--the wife had never been to a gender event before and seemed somewhat shy at first, but we had a nice chat, and I spoke with her occasionally throughout the conference. It was her first gender event and I was proud of her for coming. Her willingness to do so seemed to me a real testiment to her love for her husband.
After the dinner we went back to the motel and I crashed...I had had a great time, but I just couldn't stay awake any longer. The next morning I was up by 6 and ready to go, but that story will have to wait for another day.....
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