Thank you for your wonderful comments on the first part of this story, and after a bit of encouragement, here is the rest of the story (my apologies, for taking so long, as that was not my intent).
I left my bedroom feeling as though I was way above Cloud Nine, and the tell-tale sound of my two-inch heels clicking and clacking on the floor were giving me tiny little thrills about the decision I had finally made to actually let Arianwen experience life in the physical world. While I would have preferred to have a wig with red hair, that was the only negative thought going through my head during this two second passage out of the bedroom and towards the dining room/kitchen area. My son and step-daughter were having breakfast in the dining area and were very vocal about the unpleasant surprise I gave them walking into the room dressed up as Arianwen. I knew that they were not reacting to my amateur application of makeup, and their reaction was foreshadowing of Arianwen's future.
Being the affable person I normally am, as well as feeling an exhilaration in how I was dressed for the day, I jokingly referred to my "costume" as a one-time thing and that as a Halloween costume it turned out to be scary for the kids. Although I usually dropped the kids off at school in the morning, I had made arrangements with my spouse, W, to take care of this, so I bade everyone in the house a good day and proceeded to my car. As I was walking down the driveway (again, with the wonderful click-clack sounds trailing behind me to remind me that I was not wearing M's usual clothing), I took those few seconds to worry about what might happen if I was stopped along the way to work. The optimist in me refused to believe that this would happen on this day, and I stuck the key in the ignition and moved on to the next part of my day.
The thirty-minute drive in to work was uneventful, and I really have little memory of any specifics during this time. For all I know, everyone who passed me by on the highway just saw a dark-haired woman driving along with them on the road. The place I worked at this time was only a few seconds off the highway interchange, so when I entered the off-ramp, I took those few seconds to prepare myself mentally for that day's adventure. I was definitely in "I Don't Care" mode as I exited my car, put my "purse" on my shoulder, and strode towards the office complex.
Fortune was on my side this morning, as I was able to walk straight to my office cube without anyone noticing how I was dressed. After firing up the computer at my station, I discovered an e-mail from our HR director which outlined the official events for Halloween -- there would be lunch provided for all staff, where costume awards would be awarded for best overall costume, best women's costume, best men's costume, scariest costume, and best original costume. A few co-workers walked past my cube and passed on their distracted, "Good Morning" statemet without noticing anything out of the ordinary and I just sat there for the few seconds it took for it to register with those who had just passed by. It was almost comical as one of those who had just passed by stopped in her tracks as though she had just run in to a brick wall, and called out, "oh my God!"
I then proceeded to have the first of about twenty variations of the same conversation -- where did you get that dress/outfit; you're pretty brave for dressing as a woman; are you wearing panties underneath -- and these serial conversations seemed to be all that I did that morning. Each of these coversations did nothing to discourage Arianwen from getting out in to the physical world some time in the future, and I was just filled with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Before I knew it, the announcement was made that lunch was ready and everyone was to assemble in the conference room where the buffet was set up. The HR director was taking individual photos of everyone who had participated in the costume event, and then a couple of group photos prior to releasing us to get some lunch.
About twenty minutes later, the HR director came into the conference room and announced the prizes to be awarded needed to be altered drastically in order to make it fair for all -- it turned out that one person had ended up being voted as first in all categories, so a few honorable mention prizes were awarded. When the actual results were reported, the winner in a landslide in all categories ended up being... me! Being able to be Arianwen in public was thrilling enough for me, and this "award" just made it even better. What a day this had been, and I didn't want it to end!
Stuff: Spring Cleaning
8 hours ago
Arguably you should have been disqualified, as Arianwen was not in costumn ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wondefull affirming experience. I look forward to reading a lot ore about Arianwen's adventures.
Only I knew that Arianwen was not in costume, and I was enjoying the experience too much to say otherwise. I harbor no false impressions, in that I do not and never can make an attractive woman; however, my desire in allowing Arianwen out into the physical world has nothing to do with aesthetics, and more to do with expressing outwards a glimpse of what is on the inside.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. My first real outing was a Halloween years ago. I haven't looked back and get out regulary now.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Graewulf (Heather)! It would appear that while we may have had a similar initial outing, our paths have diverged greatly since that point (and I'm a bit jealous of where you appear to be).
ReplyDeleteWhen Meg went to the office for Halloween, I was surprised that I didn't get any "and your boobs are...?" questions. Did you?
ReplyDeleteIf I presented myself as you did (just sneaking into your cube) I might have responded to costume comments with a puzzled look and "costume?" And maybe "all of my regular clothes were in the wash."
At least you had company. When Meg went to the office she was the only one in unusual clothes. :D
Since everyone there was more familiar with M than with Arianwen, they all knew that they were fake. It was interesting, though, that some of the "macho" men there were quite willing to try and get first-hand knowledge of how the boobs felt.
ReplyDeleteEven then, though, I was too far in the "I Care" side of the spectrum to even think about joking that my other work clothes were in the wash. Sounds, though, that you were the more accomplished of us two, since you had to go it alone, while I had a few witches, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and Zorro to keep me company that day.
Wonderful post and sounds like a good day.
ReplyDeleteGot to ask, where does the name come from .... and the flag?
Becca
Few of us are able to look in the mirror in the early days and believe it possible for us "to get away with it"
ReplyDeleteSeveral years later you look back and curse that the mirror held you back for so long....
@Becca, yes it was a good day, thanks! The name, and the flag, are celebrations of my Welsh ancestry. M, (my male self), got to spend over a year living there while going to college, so the country is near and dear to my heart. The first name is actually a cross between Arianrhod (silver wheel) and Bronwen (fair beauty), which were girl names my spouse and I were considering when our only child was about to be born (turned out to be a boy, so like myself, he was named after my late father). The last name is a play on a common Welsh surname.
ReplyDelete@Caroline, were it not for it being Halloween, I still would be afraid of being able to "get away with it." I knew that my time at that company would not be much longer, since it was one that was meant to be temporary. This factor was, by far, the major component swinging my decision to go ahead with the plan described above.
Thought that might be but there was always the chance you had an interest in Dragons :-). I like Welsh names as well - but my wife, blessed with a very welsh middle name, is not so keen
ReplyDeleteWe go so often to Wales I feel that we know every inch of the M4 .... London - South Wales - London every few weekends.
@Becca, as I was a student at the time, my only familiarity with the M4 would be whenever it was in view from the train. I would walk quite close to the A40, though, since the pub I frequented was very near there. Thanks for the unexpected and most welcome trip down memory lane!
ReplyDelete