In Fearless Crossdresser 1 I left off with me reaching for the door but omitted that the meeting had already started because and I was late. Not being proficient at makeup was one thing but false lashes really kicked my butt and keeping them on was like wrestling match. I used too much glue so it took forever to dry and lifting was a big deal. Many times the last minute check before going out the door revealed a missing lash usually found on my cheek or breast but sometimes other fascinating places. Then there was the fingernails which had to be glued on with Super Glue after applying two coats of base coat nail polish. Impatient me always put too much on then it allowed the nails to move around sometimes falling off.
Usually the decision to go for the door was based on the time running out as in the meeting would be over before I walked the 50 feet to get there. That created some stress but once that decision had been reached there was the next obstacle. Because the hotel was next to Interstate 10 people traveling from parts east that could not drive the extra 25 miles into LA stopped and got a room at all hours. I can understand not driving when you are exhausted but whey did they have to yell to each other from the ground to the 3rd floor above me. Also, why did they have to unload the truck dragging the luggage up the stairs banging all the way?
Now being shy about meeting new people while dressed as a woman and considering the moron dragging the corpse of his mother in law up the stairs in a steamer trunk might not be accepting. I listened very closely to the noises coming from the parking lot hoping to find enough of a lull to scamper down the sidewalk. Sometimes it took several attempts to leave because every time I heard somebody talking it was back into the room for me. Sometimes I actually had one foot outside the door and was in the process of shifting my weight to it when I had to abort the launch.
When I finally went for broke and just did it walking the 50 feet down the sidewalk to the meeting room I was relieved to see about 30 CD’s inside chatting. They ran the gamut from very accomplished to needing lots of work with their presentation but all were friendly and welcoming. It is sad but I don’t know of anything like PPOC today where everyone was invited and you did not have to know somebody. Just walk in the door pay your 10 bucks and hang out. Over the years as I evolved and moved on. It was fascinating to learn how many crossdresser’s I have met in CHIC and other local clubs that got their start at a PPOC meeting. I came back for more meetings when I could work it in but the group was constantly changing and sometimes you never saw the person you talked to a couple of months ago.
It was frustrating to meet and talk with with a crossdresser finding out you have a great deal in common and really enjoy the evening. Then saying goodbye without exchanging phone numbers out of fear they will think you are hitting on them. It is much safer to just wait until you see each other again then work it into the conversation. It was a pretty good strategy that did not work because in those days people could only get away 3 or 4 times per year so sometimes they went to the meetings you missed. Being it was in California there were also many distractions like summer when people were doing outdoor activities and vacations. Meetings between May and October were usually not well attended as a rule. So you got to meet some really nice crossdressers then never see them again.
It was at a PPOC meeting that I first heard that there was such a thing as a crossdresser convention where my kind of people gathered. I was very much interested and gathered all the information I could so I could pitch my wife on letting me go. Remember there was no internet so you had to get your hands on some printed material where you could find a phone number and the call the organizers. Sometimes you called and got their answering machine and they called back and got yours. If you were very unlucky your message tape was full and you did not get any information. That meant you had to do it all over again with a new tape installed.
Armed with all the information on the event I pitched it to my wife I invited her to go with me. To my surprise she said sure we don’t know anybody in Texas so I will be comfortable. It was called the Texas “T” Party and it was in San Antonio Texas and started out originally as a home BBQ for members of the local club. So many people showed up they had to move it to a hotel in San Antonio for the next year. I made the arrangements and we went to our first crossdresser convention that February.
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Did you notice that they did not tell you where the party was until you registered? Did you think they were being mean with the comments about scaring people off? Not at all if you had attended you would know that was just Linda’s great sense of humor. T party’s were always fun with no politics and no preaching agendas just good old fun and Texas hospitality. That part I really miss.
CONTINUED IN PART 3
