An evening out in Winnipeg with "Diane from B. C.".....
When
my friend Diane Knox from BC wrote to say she would be visiting Winnipeg
again during the week of June 27, 2005, I looked forward to her visit and
on the Wednesday we had a free evening to get together and go "Out & About"
in Winnipeg! I was fortunate enough to be done work early enough that I
didn't need to rush getting ready and by 8:30 PM I was on my way to Diane's
hotel! Wearing a blue blouse, black leather mini skirt, tights and heels,
and finishing off the look with my black PVC jacket! Yes, I like "Shinny
stuff"! Diane wore a nice above the knee skirt with a top and boots completing
her look with a black leather jacket! And of course since it was raining
she was carrying her brand new umbrella!
Diane and I had talked about going to the casino some day and now that Chantal and I had already been there Diane really wanted to go now! Parking in the south lot we walked through the rain under Diane's umbrella about one block to the McPhillips Street Station!
For so many of "us" girls we had grown up worrying about what people would think of us. Would we be accepted by society. Now when you think about it if a crossdresser was going to have a problem being accepted then the casino with all the security presence would be the place to test that worry. Yet when we walked in, just like when I went with Chantal, we were welcomed just like anyone else. And the topper was the female security guard at the door who right away spoke to us with a smile commenting "Oh I love your jacket!" Not only acceptance, but now she's jealous because she wants my jacket:-)
Diane and I enjoyed walking through the main level, feeling so good about simply being out and about enjoying life as we want to. No pretending. Just out being the girls we are! After taking the staircase to the second level we bought some quarters from the customer service girl and began playing the quarter slot machines!
Rather
than just sitting at one machine playing until I was broke I preferred
to be walking from machine to machine putting coins in at random. Not being
a 'hard core" gambler I wasn't too serious about trying to win, I was just
enjoying walking around the casino in my leather mini skirt and heels!
I did notice a couple of women taking a second, third and fourth look at
us. To which I simply gave them a polite look with a big smile, just to
let them know I'm happy being me and that yes, I know they are looking:-)
They joined a couple of guys a few minutes later and they had their look
as well. I certainly didn't mind at all. Besides Diane and I both looked
much sexier than either of the two women they were with who, by the way,
were "Crossdressed!" in typical "male" attire!
After I ran out of coins and watched as Diane spend the past of hers then we took the staircase back down to the main level and took a stroll through the area where the gaming tables were. Deciding not to give the government any more money we made our way to the exit and stopped outside to get a few pics of us in front of the McPhillips Street Station!
After so many years of dressing alone thinking I'd never be able to go "anywhere", to now going "everywhere", it amazes me how accepting people really are in the mainstream venues like McPhillips Street Station.
After leaving the casino we went to Windows Sports & Entertainment Lounge in the Sheraton Hotel. Which by the way, is right across the street from Gio's, a "TG Friendly" bar. As we are finding out, just about anywhere in Winnipeg is "TG Friendly". All you need to do is give them a chance to be:-)
We first checked out the restaurant in the hotel, which was closed, so we made our way through the lounge and got a table near the bar. There were a few guys at the bar who gave us the "Check them out" looks, which I of course just LOVE to get :-) Our waitress and waiter were very nice and very pleasant making it such a wonderful way to spend an evening out.
Diane & Sabrina enjoying the evening at the
Windows Sports & Entertainment Lounge
Yes, the night club scene with the loud music is fun, yet it is also very nice to be able to sit and enjoy conversation without having to yell across a table! As it neared midnight it was time to head back to Diane's hotel since we both had to work the next morning. Even with it being a rainy evening, it was a great way to spend it...in a mini skirt and heels!
It was a wonderful evening, yet the day after was a very stressful one. Since I live with my "unsupportive" girlfriend I tend to keep my girl-time to myself and she just doesn't know I'm doing it. This leads to the "sneaking around" that may of us can relate to. I can't and don't dress at home and have to change in my van just to get my much needed girl time. After the evening out with Diane I carried my things into the house the next morning while my GF was still asleep and hung my PVC jacket on my office door while I hung the rest on hangers under a winter coat in my office closet. Off to work I went and to make maters worse, I was working out of town, over an hour away! With distractions like the dog wanting outside and rushing to get out of the house and off to work, it wasn't until I got to work that I couldn't remember if I had hung my PVC jacket hidden away in the closet or was it still on the office door!!
Instant panic! I had no time to go home, check and get back to work. That would be at least 2 and a half hours! It drove me absolutely nuts all day long! I had come out to my GF in 2001 hoping to avoid the lying and sneaking around and that didn't go over too well. So she never knows when I'm out as Sabrina and the last thing I wanted was for her to find my clothes after I had been out late the night before when she would have thought I was "Working late!" Since I had told her in 2001 that I did have my clothes in my office I felt that if she ever found them, at least I had told her that much. And besides, she would have to be snooping anyway.
All day long it bothered me. My GF didn't call my cell, which would have given me some idea by the tone of her voice, and I wasn't about to call her and get into an argument on the phone. On the drive home the stress got worse and worse. What was I going to walk into?? I was so relieved when I walked into the sunroom and found her sitting there all smiles reading her book. But I just had to get downstairs and check!!....YES, I did hang it up out of sight! My stress faded real quick and after 13 hours I was finally able to relax!
I shared this last part here to show that just because I do get out into the real world and enjoy my girl time as Sabrina it isn't always easy.
For more pics of our evening out check out my Photo Album page!
Thanks for reading my story,
Sabrina
E-mail me at sabrina_markes@masquerade.ca
Member of the Winnipeg support group - "Masquerade"