Bad.

Dear Carol,

As in your first story, the characters came, "alive," to me. My nail salon knows me in both modes as well as my, "beauty salon." I'm the one who brought her wife to the beauty salon. I've been in the food industry for over forty years and I know about tipping. I use my standards for the manicurists and make-up artists as I do for the the waiters and waitresses and then, perhaps more. At my Tiffany Club's, "First Event," last January my local salon did my first makeover and I treated myself to a Jim Bridge's makeover at the event myself. I saved for it all year long.

Keep up your writing. I'd love to read about another, "event."

Susan Pauline Bauer

This is a wonderful and sweet story.  I don't know about "typical" tipping habits of CDs.  Alas, all my salon experiences were in drab, albeit while getting my hair done in a shoulder length pageboy bob. I'd tip about 20%, and always felt welcome when I came back.

Carol,
You write beautifully.  If I had any criticism to make, it would be to try to make your dialog a little more "conversational."  Sometimes it's just a matter of replacing two separate words with a contraction.
TG fiction needs more like you.  Your work is meaningful, sensitive and fun.  Thanks.

Hugs,
Cait

There are a million stories at Batty's salon...   This could be a new universe, the "girls" telling their stories to Betty, or Betty telling Alice the stories of particular "girls".  Lots of possibilities.

I would differ with the comment on tipping; most of my CD friends and I are so grateful for being treated like ladies that we tip generously.

Carol,

I enjoyed the lightness of your story.  However, there was one element of fantasy that from personal knowledge and experience was just too extreme.

The hairdresser was thrilled because all of her new CD clients left "enormous tips".  I personally know a number of very fine service providers to the gender community.  For the most part, CDs are pathetic when it comes to tipping.  Either they are extremely cheap (as I suspect) or just don't realize that tipping a hairdresser or manicurist is the socially correct thing to do.  Just as you tip a waitress when you dine out, you should always give something extra to the person who provides personal services to you.

I was recently looking through a buyers guide our local Tri-Ess chapter had produced years ago to provide our members with friendly merchants.  Now, several years later, almost none of these people encourage CDs.  I took it upon myself to contact a few of these business owners to ask them "Why the change?".  Their answer was: most CDs just waste their time and never buy anything or they make appointments and then don't show.  I believe that if we in the gender community were as generous and accomodating as Lorene, we would have salon and boutique owners beating in the doors of our meetings trying to gain our business.

I go out occassionally as Jeanette for manicures, pedicures, clothes shopping and to eat.  I probably pass 50% of the time but I always dress and act like a lady.  I blend with the other ladies.  I always am treated with respect and gratitude because I pay for their merchandise or service and leave a quality tip.

One of my favorite experiences happened at a Tri Ess national convention in Houston.  Two other members and I were trying our best to close down this very nice bar located in the hotel.  Our waitress was a very sweet young lady who gave us great service.  She knew what we were (NOBODY passes at a CD convention) but never made a pronoun mistake.  When the bar closed at 2:00 a.m. she continued to bring us drinks in coffee cups so we couldn't have problems from the authorities.

She joined us for a last drink about an hour later.  I thanked her for her fine service and we gave her a very large tip.  She responded "I think ya'll are great!".  I asked her why she thought we were great and her response should be a creed for all CDs wanting acceptance in this world.

She said "You dress beautifully, you smell wonderful, and you still tip like men!".  AMEN!

This story is so wonderful! You show a lot of depth of understanding. Someone who wanted to broach the subject with a spouse could use it as a starting point. I just love it!

Another lovely story but I have a question? Where is her shop? Kisses

Carol,
     a very neat story, would do a lot of mainstream readers a bit of good too!!
Thanks,
Hugs Chrisl