Tidbits, Pt. I

Just thought I'd write about some  fun/nice tidbits from the past few days while I work on three (yes, three) other posts. I am a glutton for punishment. :c)

Anyway, here's the first, about my most recent electrolysis session on Tuesday evening. :c)

My electrologist, M, is having some surgery in mid-March that will keep her out of the office for a month or so. (Nothing serious; she will simply need time to recover before resuming her duties.)

When I arrived for my Tuesday session, she asked if I would mind if R, one of the fill-in electrologists she hoped to use, attended our session. 

That was fine with me; if she thought highly of R, that was all I needed to know. She told me she had a 15-minute session scheduled before me, and that R would arrive at some point during our session. Since I had a few free moments, I decided to pick up a few items at the drug store up the street.

When I came back in, M was nowhere to be found, and a young woman, who I assumed was M's client, was sitting in the waiting room. We quickly struck up a conversation when I commented on her tan (a rare sight in the Boston area in early March), which led to a nice chat about her recent vacation. After 10 minutes or so the front door opened, and M walked in, taking off her coat.

"Oh, wonderful! You two have already met!" she said. I realized this *was* R, and vice versa, and we both laughed. M's 15 minute session was running late, as it turned out.

When we went into M's office, M asked if I minded waiting until she finished that session before starting mine. I didn't mind; M is worth the wait. But I added that if R didn't mind working tonight instead of observing, I was OK with her handling the session, particularly if that would help speed things up.

They were both surprised, I guess. M asked me if I was sure, and I said I was if R was. 

End result: R *did* take the session. 

It was interesting to see how different it felt to have someone new working on me. She was very nice about explaining how she worked, and why. She even had some suggestions on how to speed up the process using some equipment she owns.

I was the first transexual she had ever met; so, as I always do, I told her she could ask me anything she wanted. We jumped around from topic to topic, but it was fun. She was easy to talk to, and kept apologizing when she would use my male name. (I have to go in boy mode, as I go straight from work, which leaves me no time to go home and change.) 

I assured her it was fine, that I don't get upset about that when people simply forget (especially when I'm not presenting as myself). She confessed that she had been worried she would say something offensive without realizing it, but I told her she had nothing to worry about, that she couldn't possibly be expected to know about such things.  That helped her relax even more.

Before we knew it, M walked in, coat in hand, and jokingly threatened to shut off the lights because she wanted to leave. 

It turned out our session had lasted well over two hours! M only wanted to charge me for a single hour, but I told her flatly that was not going to happen; she provides me with a service, and I pay for all of the services I receive.

As I pulled out my checkbook, M suddenly reached over and grabbed my hands. 

"Doesn't Cass have the most beautiful hands, R?" she said, holding them out. 

R did a double take and said, "Oh my God, she does!" 

"And look at her nose!" M added. "I'm jealous of her perfect little nose too!"

(She knows how embarrassed I get when she does this... which, of course, is precisely *why* she does it. At least she didn't bring up my "baby boobies" this time, I suppose. lol)

R examined my face for a moment, nodding. She then turned to M.

"OK, I officially hate her now," she said, mock-serious.

We all laughed, and then M insisted I show her pictures from before I started HRT. 

When I did, R gasped.

"Holy s***!" she exclaimed. "When were these taken?" 

"Six months before I started HRT," I replied.

 "Bitch," she said, shaking her head and trying - and failing - to keep a straight face.

"You look SO different now!" she said. "It really is incredible! Once you get your eyebrows trimmed..." Her voice trailed off.

"You totally need to do that, Cass. Like, NOW. Do you wear contacts?"

I shook my head.

"Get them," she said. "Seriously. Do both of those things, and you're going to be amazed at how much of a difference they'll make. Even if you don't wear a lot of makeup, and even though you still need more electrolysis."

I thanked her, feeling more than a little self-conscious.

M said that R could handle my sessions going forward until her return if we both were comfortable with that. I certainly was, and R, after joking that she was now "wavering," said she would also love to continue.

As it turns out, R is a fellow fan of The Hollows series, which my friend Kelli turned me onto last year. R has only read the first book, so I'm bringing in the next seven books in the series next week, since I'm read them already. That alone gives us plenty to talk about. :c)

So not a bad day at all.

Two-plus hours of electrolysis in the books. 

*And* a new friend in the bargain. 

Pretty sweet!

***

Coming next: my adventures in lunching, with guest appearances from my friends S and B, and a special visit from my manager L. Stay tuned!

***

A long-time favorite, Boz Scaggs, released a wonderful new album this week titled Memphis. As you might guess, he recorded it in, yes, Memphis, with production duties handled by Steve Jordan. 

The material ranges from soul classics like "Rainy Night in Georgia" (originally performed by Brook Benton) to a great version of Steely Dan's "Pearl of the Quarter," from Countdown to Ecstasy, their classic second album.

Here's his version of Wily (Mink) DeVille's "Mixed Up Shook Up Girl":

And the original, courtesy of Mr. DeVille:

Last but not least, my favorite Boz Scaggs song, from 1976's Silk Degrees:

 

Sigh... such a romantic song! Good as Rita Coolidge's cover is, I cannot fathom why he gave it away, when his original is THIS good!