Thursday, August 10, 2017

In a dress again... day 6 finale.

 

Here's a selfie I retrieved from the camera, inside the Chicago Metropolitan lounge:


It was a long day of waiting in the Lounge for my evening train back to DC.  Several women from the Capitol Ltd recognized me, so it wasn't a boring wait... I had a number of folks to talk with.   Basically just girl talk.  But it was fun.
 
Though it's a bit out of sequence, I'll add the following here: 

I experienced one of the Chicago station's legendary problems:  a panhandler, during a walk in the station itself (not the lounge.)  This was when I was getting my lunch.  He obviously thought "the lady" could be intimidated into giving him some "food money."   (Yeah right - more likely some "drug money.")

My answer was "no," several times.  He persisted in following, and trying.  So just before hunting down a police officer, with the panhandler following close behind me, jabbering about my giving him some food money, I took a chance, turned around and used a loud, fully male voice (right in his face, of course), as well as male posture, to give him a not-so-gentle reminder that I couldn't be shaken down.

That astonished look he got on his face was priceless, and it apparently worked - he hastily retreated, skulking off toward a nearby station exit.  I would have preferred to NOT go to that extent, but had to get rid of "my shadow."  And those around me, to whom I obviously "outed" myself, got a chuckle out of it.  Since I didn't know any of them and would never see them again, it was OK.  It gave them a fun little dinner-time story to tell their family, about the "guy in a dress" getting one over on the panhandler.  

Back to the proper sequence;

The Cardinal actually arrived in DC ahead of schedule, which gave me the opportunity to catch an early commuter train to BWI.   That was an adventure in itself:  riding an early rush-hour train with a thousand other passengers, doing it in a skirt (well,  actually a skort), and hauling two suitcases....

I managed to get on board, and when looking for a place on the floor to stow my bags, a girl moved her two smaller bags into the luggage rack so I could park mine there.  (Space was limited, commuter trains aren't blessed with storage space for heavy bags.)   I thanked her profusely.  I wonder if any of the men would have eventually gotten off their butts to help if I had tried lifted the bags (one 33 pounds and one 42 pounds) into the luggage rack?    In reality, probably not.

Then, sans bags, I looked for a seat, and found none.  A twenty-something girl actually got up and gave me her seat!  None of the men did...which surprised me.  Chivalry must be dead - at least among the male riders in that car.  (Again, profuse thanks, girlfriend.)  Turns out the girl was traveling with her friends who were stuck standing, thus she didn't really mind...while giving an elderly woman a place to sit.

It proves that there still are a few nice people around in DC, despite the political mess down there!

Last installment to follow...

Mandy



9 comments:

  1. Nice dress.
    There are advantages to being a guy. Nice move getting rid of the Chicago panhandler. They can be aggressive.
    It also seems like you were given nice treatment by the women on the commuter train. I tend to think that women are more tolerant of us than men. I sense that women feel as if part of us wants to join their team and that for many men they just do not know how to react to us and they tend to be uncomfortable. Again, with most women we are OKAY as long as we are not their mate.
    Seems like a great trip in all regards. I am still at a loss as to the 'why' of the trip. Was it just to get away and spend some time riding the rails.
    Pat

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    1. Hi Pat,

      Thanks for the kind words on my outfit!

      On the panhandler, I was close to seeking a policeman, but gave it the college try, and to my surprise it worked. In a well-populated and relatively secure (?) area. I'm not sure what would have happened out on the street, and hope I never find out.

      I was quite pleased with the treatment by women on the trip. Was I clocked? Probably. But the women all reacted well, and decided I wasn't a threat. You are so right that they accept us as long as they're not married to us.

      As for the purpose of the trip, it initially was a long-planned outing to ride the tourist railroad in Utica, and with the budget discussions ogoing in DC, I decided to add the Chicago round trip to cover both routes (Capitol Ltd and Cardinal) with one round trip from/to DC... So, yes, you were right...it was to spend some time riding the rails...and it was fun!

      Plus I couldn't beat the hotel price at my hotel at BWI...

      Mandy

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  2. Like Pat says, nice move with the panhandler but you were able to do it. What do genetic women do in such situations? Again like Pat I always feel way more comfortable when with 'other' women but I have been so better treated by men when out as a woman than I ever would have been as a man. As Stana says, so it goes. Love Linda

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    1. Linda,

      DIdn't click reply. I may never learn...sorry!

      Mandy

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  3. Hi Linda,

    I would think a gg might have gone to find a police officer before any possible confrontation. And had I been "on the street" I think that I might have gone into a store to ask for help. But the chances of doing what I did being successful are exponentially raised by being in a relatively secure (?) area with lots of folks around. So that's what I tried, and I was lucky.

    I totally agree with you about better treatment by men when out as a woman, than I would have been as a man. Before I appeared so womanly, I always had to hold doors for myself, and haul my own bags, etc. As a woman, these occurrences are much less frequent.

    Even in everyday life, since I have so many feminine cues, I'm often seen as a girl, even when I'm not specifically trying to. I had a clerk at the auto parts store volunteer to install wiper blades on my car to protect my always-pink finger nails. My wife is getting used to us being addressed as "ladies" when we're out together. And those are both good things.

    Love back at ya!

    Mandy

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  4. You do have a lovely time travelling en femme (apart from incidents like the panhandler) and it's always nice to read about your adventures.
    Well done on being in the Top 100 Transgender Blogs. Well deserved.
    Love, Sue x

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    1. Thanks, Sue...yes, I enjoy my travels...and do it as often as possible. Glad you enjoy my posts!

      Ummm...being in the Top 100 TG Blogs? What's (where's) that? News to me...is this somewhere on line? Please enlighten me!

      Love back at ya!

      Mandy

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    2. Anuj Agarwal of Feedspot posted a message about it on my blog. Maybe he wasn't able to on yours or hasn't got to it yet.
      http://blog.feedspot.com/transgender_blogs/
      Sue x

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    3. Sue,

      Yes he posted on mine too...found it this AM and have replied! I'm so happy...thanks for the response!

      Mandy

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