Fan Girl

I’ve been in a bit of a writing funk and had somewhat of a hiatus from dressing (some travel, some lack of opportunity), but I hope you’ve enjoyed the Dee-peats.

In 1984 I was roaming around the western US in a VW Campervan, having resigned a job with a public audit firm to travel the US. While spending a couple of weeks in Rocky Mountain National Park, I listened to the Colorado State University College radio station. They were playing this song “Radio Free Europe” by R.E.M. and I became an immediate fan.

Forty years later, still a fan, even though they hung up the shingle.

A tribute group called Dead Letter Office played recently at the City Winery in St. Louis. Needing an R.E.M fix and a dressing fix, I bought tickets and went.

One aside. A couple of days prior to the concert, I told my wife I was going to the concert. She asked if I was going with anyone. I told her no, that I had asked our adult son if he wanted to go (he’s a R.E.M. fan too), but he said no. She then said you didn’t ask me! I answered I didn’t think you’d want to go. She said I was a liar and that I wanted to go dressed. I didn’t respond (mainly because she had nailed it).

I enjoyed the show. I knew all the songs but one (which was from Dead Letter Office, their long ago album of rejected songs). I also survived having someone at my table talking during the show, without having to strangle her (I hate people who are rude and won’t shut up at concerts). Being dressed, I wasn’t going to make a scene, so I found a seat a little farther away so it was less of a distraction. 

Given my son (who lives with us) was home (and I don’t like dressing in front of my wife), I dressed at my friend Michelle’s salon, so I took the opportunity to get the photo in the chair.

A second aside. The next day boy me went to the salon to mow the lawn (Michelle was paying a lawn service to cut the small lawn, so last year I told her I’d do it and save her the money). I saw that Michelle’s Bronco was there–it’s zebra striped, so hard to miss–and went inside to say hi, as we hadn’t seen each other for about six weeks. 

She wasn’t available because SHE was getting a massage (instead of giving them), told to me by one of her chalet renters. I was getting ready to go when I heard my (boy) name. It turns out I knew the customer in the chair–I’ve played tennis with her in the past, and I also know her son. We chatted a bit–her son is getting married, and she was getting some prep for the wedding. I then went out and mowed the yard.

Needless to say, I didn’t confess I had sat in that very chair the night before after getting pretty.

My outfit was a black R.E.M. t-shirt (a present from my son), paired with a gold sparkly skirt gifted to me by Sandi, a fellow member of our crossdresser forum, who is on a break (perhaps permanent) from dressing. I received a couple of compliments on my choices, always nice to hear.

The Friday before the Sun-Dee night concert, I had an out of town overnight hotel stay, in advance of a Satur-Dee morning sprint triathlon. Of COURSE I took the opportunity to dress.

I hit a deserted mall–with limited stores–but it had a White House Black Market. I receive a ton of emails from WHBM, so I have a pretty good idea of what they have to sell. I’ve also had good experiences with the sales angels at WHBM, and this time was no different.

The store itself was closing an hour before the mall itself, so I arrived only fifteen minutes before it was closing. I found three dresses on the sales ($49.99) rack and asked for a change room to try them on. The SA Shannon said sure. I said I would hurry because they were closing, and she said not to worry.

I instantly fell in love with the white summer dress on the sale rack and once it fit, I decided to buy it. There was a second dress I really liked too–I had tried it on previously, and liked it then too–but the size 14 didn’t fit better this time, as it had not the previous time I tried it on. Shannon checked the system, but it was only available in a 14 (which unfortunately I knew because I had cyberstalked the dress on the WHBM website).

After I made my decision, I stuck around and suggested items for Shannon to try on. She was looking for something to wear, and I saw a dress and top that might work for her. The dress didn’t, but the top looked great on her (she was tiny; a size zero). She asked if it was to young for her. I said no, but then again, I’m a guy who likes to wear dresses so I’m probably not the best judge. She said she’d put it on her pile of possible buys.

Afterwards I went to din-din at Smoky Bones, and then afterwards did a try-on for option #2 for the concert, a black skirt, another gift from Sandi. I still thought the gold was a better look, and glad I went with it.

Enjoyed my weekend oasis in my dressing desert and looking forward to another chance reasonably soon…we shall see.