After meeting and talking to me/us, I thought they'd be confident that we were a traditional couple under our clothes. However, a number of women were friendly with me, seemingly chattering to me much more than they typically would with a guy. And an as-yet-upcoming (but still unbeknownst to me) event would cast doubt on that "traditional couple" statement...more in a later post. (I didn't have time to write at all during our absence...)
Early in the week, our group entered into a museum in Ohio. My wife and I were addressed as "ladies" by the greeter when we went in, but we had already our tickets. After alerting the ticket clerk to our presence and showing our tickets, my wife went into the gift shop while I waited for her by the ticket desk.
Then management decided to give everyone little stickers to show we paid....
The girl gave me mine, but asked sincerely "Did your partner go into the gift shop?" Wow, that's a first - my wife being seen as my "partner!" I looked into the gift shop window and saw that she was heading my way, so I was honestly able to say "She'll be here in a minute" without making any specific comment about her gender. But it's a good thing she didn't hear that exchange, as she has mentioned to me a couple times in the past that she isn't a lesbian.
The following day, we were "ladies' a half dozen times, and only once was I addressed as male - even though I wasn't trying to "pass" on this trip. My attire was typically casual - jean capris or women's shorts, men's polo shirts with logo, and fisherman sandals, with Mom's necklace, my long hair and nails, shaved legs, and purse. No makeup or lipstick. (Could I have adopted feminine ways that show, no matter what clothes I wear????)
This kind of fun (though I'm not sure my better half would describe it as such) kept on happening, but that's for another post.
Enroute, we detoured to a Maryland town with an unusual name. Accident. That's right, no joke. It's Accident, Maryland, out in Garrett County, our far westernmost (and highest elevation) county. How did it end up with such an unusual moniker? Sort of by "accident?" (Sorry about the pun...)
In their Wordpress blog "I think it'll be fine" a blogger quotes: "In her book Flowery Vale, local teacher Mary Miller Strauss describes a different potential history of the naming."
In 1774, Lord Baltimore, Proprietor of the Maryland Colony, opened his lands “westward of Fort Cumberland” for settlement. Among the speculators who hastened to western Maryland with their surveyors to secure choice tracts of land were Brooke Beall and William Deakins, Jr., both of Prince George’s County.
William Deakins and his brother Francis had warrants for several tracts, and on April 14, 1774, they surveyed a fine tract of 682 acres between the branches of Bear Creek, including an old Indian camp ground on the trail to Braddock’s Road. But when the survey was completed, Brooke Beall and his party appeared on the scene and Beall claimed that he had selected the same tract for his survey, calling attention to his axe marks on the trees to prove his claim. Deakins replied that it appeared that they had selected the same land “by accident”. Since he and Beall were friends and land was abundant, [Deakins] proposed that Beall take over his survey already made. To this Beall agreed. John Hanson, Jr., Deputy County Surveyor, made out the survey to Beall, and they named the tract Accident.The blogger also points out other theories, and unfortunately, due to the passage of time, nobody will ever know for sure. But it's fun to speculate! And meanwhile, the name lives on. Very nice little town...
A couple of pictures to prove Accident actually exists:
That's all for now...
Mandy
PS: Allegedly the residents of Accident are know as Accidentals....(maybe TMI???)
As you present in an androgeneous mode it does seem that more often than not that the folks that meet you for the first time tend to favor the female form of address than the male. I suspect that there are many that do not know and chose not to guess but it really seems that on first blush, even if you are not wearing any, that the first image that new people have to you is that you are female.
ReplyDeleteThat could indeed be the case. Though it doesn't happen 100% of the time yet...it's often enough to be a distinct possibility.
DeleteI'll never argue...
Mandy
It sounds like another great trip.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Pat - you being identified as a woman as often as you are when you are in your casual androgynous mode is so nice to hear :-)
Yes, it was a fun time. I've been relatively successful as an androgynous casual female. There was a ruffle during this trip, though. A post will follow about that - but no "spoilers."
DeleteStay tuned....
Mandy