Sunday, June 22, 2014

"That don't impress me much."

Interesting observations - in hindsight, from this past week's fun excursion...   

At the gas station where I filled up the car between two of my errands, a younger (40something) man kept making small talk with me, across the gas pump island. And I may have inadvertently kept it going, by chatting with him (or more appropriately, listening attentively to him talk) about his Chevy Van and two Toyota Priuses.  

The more I think about it, he probably was flirting...and I blush at the very though of it!  My generic responses may have been interpreted as an interest.   Either that, or he clocked me and was being a (and I dislike the term, but can't think of a better one off-hand) - "tranny-chaser."  I guess I'll never know for sure, but if I had to put money on one of the two, I'd go with "flirting." It's something Mandy probably will have to become accustomed to.

Then there was the 20something guy in the tall, beat-up and noisy pickup truck in the left turn lane at a light, as I arrived in the right-turn-on-red lane.  He was sitting behind the line on the pavement.  I pulled up to the line, and being in a small car, could see the oncoming traffic just fine.  He pulled up enough to cut my view off.  I pulled up a bit more, and when he saw that, (I looked up to see him glance at me first) he pulled up some more, to cut off my view again.  The second time I moved forward, I saw him look down at me as he did the same thing again.  A-ha!  Definitely intentional, not a coincidence. 

But this time, before he completed his drift forward, I could see that nothing was coming, and was able to successfully "make like a shepherd and get the flock out of there."  That left him stuck with his nose now "way out in a lane of traffic."  Whether this all was because he was "playing macho with the little girlie in the red car", or had clocked me in the drivers seat (15 feet away) and was trying to antagonize a T-girl, it serves him right...  

To quote Shania Twain's song from late 1998, "That don't impress me much."

Then, something amazing was added to the week's mix...

I visited Mother in the nursing home on Friday.   On her nightstand, in a heap, was a cute hot pink nightgown (or so I thought.)  Since I occasionally put her things away, I picked it up and said "nice nightgown."  She said "It's not a nightgown, it's a dress, and I don't know how it got there, it should be in the closet."  "Your label is on the inside, so it's yours.  If I thought it was a nightgown, bet the aide did too, got it out, and when she found out it was a dress, just left it there."  She said "I doubt that, someone probably was trying to steal it.  But in any event, it's one of my old sundresses."

So I picked it up, put it on a hanger, and held it up to my front, like girls do when they are checking out new clothes.  We both chuckled, as I said "I don't remember seeing you wear this...but it's a really cute dress, and still looks nice" as I turned around to hang it in her closet.  She surprised me with "No, don't do that...hold it up to you again."

So I did, and stood there like that.  Her comment (after a minute or so of looking at me):  "If it fits, my sundress would be perfect for you during this summer's warm weather, and you'd look really pretty in it!"   My response was "Thanks, Mom. I'd like that!  I'll see what I can do about it.  After all, Halloween is coming."  I put her dress back in the closet - and promptly changed the subject.

She's seen pictures of me in my feminine finery before, and seems to be ok with the idea of my wearing dresses, though once in a while (mostly when she lived in her house, but not lately) I shave heard "only around the house."  But with her memory issues, she forgets thoughts, ideas, and even whole discussions, before I reach the end of her hall on my way out.   So, I can't be sure.

Now my curiosity is piqued... since she doesn't wear her dress, I'm going to have to try it on, one day soon.  Before I ended up in capris and sandals all summer, I wore her hand-me-down stirrup pants, and probably will once again this fall.  So it wouldn't be too big a stretch of the imagination to find myself wearing her dresses...

I'm hoping Mom's dress turns out to be my size, thus one of the very few "escapees" from our "big charity purge" when we moved her to the nursing home.  I've wanted to buy a sundress for a long time.  And, I think the experience would be a lot more more meaningful for both of us, if I could spend some of my visits with her this summer, wearing her cool and comfortable sundress!  Alas, I fear it's too small.   But if it fits, leaving it in her closet at the nursing home when I'm not actually wearing it, may be the safest way to keep it out of harm's way at home!

And I'll have to see what other gems may be hidden there!

9 comments:

  1. It would be a special moment if the sun dress fit and you were to wear it while visiting your mother. Both you and your mother are from a generation that did not have a lot and hated to waste anything. Sharing the dress would be a act of bring you closer with your mother much like wearing her stirrups. If for now you wore it during your visits I think you and your mother would be at peace with your appearance.
    Good luck
    Pat

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    1. Hi Pat,

      Her sundress truly is a size 20 - a post is coming about how I found that out. But you are so right about both of us sharing that dress bringing us closer, like wearing her stirrups does.

      Now I have to figure out how to lose at least one dress size...and based on past experience, that won't be easy! Have tried before, and failed....

      Mandy

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  2. My closet has sizes from 18-24. Most of the size 18 dresses and skirts were bought with the dream of dropping 20 lbs that never happens. The 20s are snug and I seem to float in the range of 22-24 which makes for a very large woman.
    I may get a chance to get out tonight. If I do it will likely be to an LGBT friendly bar for a drink. One of the two places that I go is scheduled to have drag bingo so that is a possibility. Both places are 40-60 minutes away so I cannot stay out too late.
    Pat

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  3. I'm not counting on shrinking my figure enough to wear Mom's dress in public...at least not for some time to come!

    I hope your plans to get out and about tonight actually come to pass, even if it is only for a little while. Please let me know how it goes...

    More later,

    Mandy

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  4. After considering going with a top and skirt I opted for my plum sleeveless jersey knit dress with pantyhose and brown pumps. I topped it with my black blazer and my blond wig.
    I missed the first round of drag bingo but stayed for the final three and actually won $15. I had my two beers and was home between 11-12. A pleasant night hanging out while dressed. While it is primarily an LGBT bar most of the people know that I am just a simple CD out for a drink or two and not looking for anything other than that.
    Pat

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    1. Is it true that blondes have more fun? Your outfit sounds lovely...glad you had a good time. Was your wife OK with your curfew?

      I've been in the size range of 20-24 for several years now...doubt I'll be able to do much about it.

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  5. My wife tends to be OK with my dressing around the condo as long as I stay in, make myself useful in the kitchen and the shades are down. She does not like me going out and fears that someome will see me dressed. As I may have mentioned we have a second small house down in Jersey a few miles from the shore. The only times that I can get out comfortably are when she is down there but this means that I do not get out until after dark and since I get up very early to go to work I cannot stay out that late.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. You seem to be coping well with the situation...glad you do have some freedom to be "you." That's a good thing.

      A week or so ago I mentioned something to my wife about wanting a purse with both shoulder strap and handles...and her comment was "No way - you'll look like a GIRL!" (Accent hers.) Go figure... Everything I wear is from the women's department, and we hear "ladies" when out and about. I already look like a girl!

      So once again, I put off any thought of bringing up discussion about skirts at Halloween (or any other time.) Since I wear makeup, and can put most of it on at home, it's not really that hard to change in the car...and I have a number of "excursions" planned in the upcoming months. Works for me....

      Mandy

      PS the prior response was deleted as a part of a sentence was left in the wrong place! My bad...

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