A Man Who's Fundamentally a Woman

 

A Man Who's Fundamentally a Woman

"Wearing a dress, I can give a speech to 750 people; but in jeans and a sweatshirt, I can hardly say hello to one person."  Paul bent down to tie his shoe.  "I can walk a straight line in high heels, but I trip myself when I wear Nike's. I just want to be myself and not be judged and condemned by what I wear.  Yes, I'm a cross-dresser."

Paul was twenty-two years of age and living in Oakland.  He graduated from a local high school before ever dressing as a lady in public.  Even then, he stayed indoors or with gay friends who did not judge and condemn him for being who he was.  His father divorced his mother and disowned him when he was fourteen years of age.  She died on his twentieth birthday.

His friend Sam shook his head.  "I don't know, Paul, what to say to cheer you up.  I'll just say, you're my friend.  You have a wonderful heart and are an honest man, an honest person, who has always been kind to other people.  We've been friends since sixth grade and we'll always be friends.  I'm not gay nor a transvestite.  I'm just a man and I know you are too; but if you want to dress up like a lady, then I'll treat you like the wonderful lady I see when I walk into a room and you are there."

"Thanks, Sam, you've always been a good and loyal friend.  I never take you for granted; I'm thankful for your friendship.  I'm a man who's fundamentally a woman and you're willing to treat me as a woman when you see me as one.  Now, let's go to the baseball game."  They went to Paul's Ford convertible and drove to the game. 

Paul was dressed in a wool skirt with wool sweater and wore a long-haired, pageboy wig.  His, her shoes were red ladies slippers that fit well with the dark-stockings she wore.  Sam wore brown dress slacks with a shirt and brown sweater-vest.  They stayed at the game for the full nine innings and cheered for their home team.

After the game, just before they returned to the convertible, a voice called out behind them.  "Hey Girlie, you walk like a sissy man!" Three men walking with the bully behind them laughed and added a few ugly noises.  They got into the convertible and Paul drove away.

"Sam, I'm sorry about that.  We've known for years that insults and assaults go with our way of life. You because of who you are; and me because I'm your friend.  I so want to battle all of them but that's just not possible."  Sam wiped sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief.

Paul turned left to go to their favorite  bar. "I don't expect you to, Man. I learned long ago that it didn't make any difference whether I rubbed their noses in the dirt or just walked away.  Now I know to just keep on walking and take care of my business."

"It's like my Dad always said, you can never change the mind of anyone who is determined to stay ignorant.  People choose how they want to be and some will never accept that others have a right to be unique."

"You're so right.  Some will never change their hateful or outdated attitude.  Others will and they're the people we want to know.  Let's go have a beer."  Paul opened the door and got out.

"Oh, by the way, Paul, you look beautiful today. You're one classy dame!"

They walked into the bar and ordered beers.