Firing up the engine, heater kicks-in. Now that's better, significantly better. Click, window smoothly slides down. I need a smoke...
Where am I ? Trying to focus on the navigation screen, Effectively, On a parking lot nearby the highway. On a parking lot I never drove to. Yet indeed I am here. On a parking lot I had pulled out to from the highway.
That deal was not a piece of cake, Nerve racking meetings, calls, mails. Success came at a price, 8 more hours and I would be home. Tanking-up, 'home' button on the navi, soda bottle and smokes at hand, yes, we're going.
And now I am here, at a truck stop without any memories on why and how I pulled out from the highway. Gas ? Not really, about 3/4 full... Bathroom ?
Ok, girl. Home we go. Shifting to 'D'. Handbrake alarm ? Unusual. I never set the handbrake on purpose. Shifting to 'P' does it all by itself. Never mind, let's hit the release button.
"You are going nowhere tonight girl. That means nowhere, do I have to spell it ?
Shifting back to 'P'. "Fairy dear ? How come ?"
"Nowhere I said, shut all NOW !"
Reluctantly reaching for the engine switch.
"Voila Fairy dear, your wish is my command. Now what ?"
"Good girl. Now ? Tomorrow you'll buy me a present for driving you off the highway when you fell asleep at the wheel."
"Say you, that's why I am here at this lot ?"
"Precisely. You're exhausted sugar, I watched you suddenly fall asleep then it was my turn of events."
Weird ! Now I understand. How silly...
"Thank you Fairy, I appreciate the contribution. It could have been really bad."
"A slaughter, that transportation of yours is not a sore excuse of a throttle !"
Another smoke. I'm not cold anymore.
"What is the plan Fairy dear ?"
"Out, get a room in that motel then tomorrow morning you'll buy me a present."
"Of course Fairy dear, what could reward you at best ?"
Warm coffee. I feel so damn good ! Playful morning sun chases puffs of whitish airy mist.
Pick the phone, yes, we got the deal, it's all signed, all filed, no I'm not coming today, yes, I was shot tired and slept over, sure tomorrow we'll celebrate. Office is all set. That was the easy part. Now comes the real challenge.
Grin. Fairy has been demanding. She requested a matching black bra set to go under her new dress. Easy ? Not quite so.
Ma Fairy had explicitly requested something classy, not the usual big store or mail order stuff.
Slowly crawling in the waking-up small city. Delivery vans here and there, housewives on their grocery walk. Careful. That spot looks appealing. Parked. Temporarily relief.
I am to undergo my first dress fitting. A man is about to walk in a dress shop and request to be fitted with unmentionables and a dress... A man wearing pantyhose, girdle and bra under his business suit. An underdressing cross-dresser. Me.
Ding-Dong. The door chime sounds welcoming. Small city shops have their charms.
An ageing peppy sales lady, probably the owner, materializes from the back-office. "How can I help you Sir ?"
Time to be brave. Time to be true.
"I would like the third from the right dress on your shop-window please."
Is she smiling at me or is that a normal commercial attitude ? "What size please ?"
The moment of truth. "My size if you don't mind madam."
Easier than expected. All at once I feel liberated. Confident. Affirmative.
Showing the way: "Oh I see, would you please proceed to the fitting room, I will join you in moment to take your measurements."
Hanging my jacket. In the mirror I can clearly see the outline of my bra straps under the bright electric lights. Front view. Cups as well. Run away ?
She comes in with a tape measure hanging from her neck and a surreal friendly smile on her face.
"Oh, that dress model is rather fitting, I would need to take exact measurements, I so hope you won't mind taking off your shirt and trousers."
My hands ease my tie. Unbutton my shirt. It's so easy. Normal. Am in a state of trans ?
"All done madam." She reappears from the curtain. Smiling. Standing in front of a man wearing pantyhose, girdle and a rather constraining minimizer bra.
The tape measure feels cold against my shoulders. Eyes fixed at the corner, not willing to take chances with the mirrors.
"Please rise your arms, thank you !" Tape measure around the chest over the bra lower line. She mumbles some umbers. The band moves over the cups, waist, I can feel it tickling my hips thru the tightness of my girdle. More numbers mumbling.
"Back in a moment !" Her cheerful voice adds a further dimension to the already eerie situation.
"Heere, that should be a good fit, care to try it on please ?"
"Let me help you with the zipper, would you ?"
The satin insistently caresses my body as the back zipper closes.
"All set, to my opinion it falls really nice on you, could you please turn around ?"
Clad in a dress. Smiling sales lady in front of me. Unsure how to hold my arms. Feeling easy, all too easy...
"Oh that's quite a success I would say, it falls really well on you, please take some steps."
Moving around, oh my, am I trying to swirl the flaring skirt portion ?
"What a good fit we have here, it's really made for you but.. but a detail if you don't mind."
"Not for the slightest Madam, your advice is more than welcome." My voice sounds so distant...
"Thank you madam, I'll appreciate if you could help me with that too." Cool. Relaxed. Nothing surprises me anymore, not even hearing my own eerie voice.
Ticking cash register. My purchases swiftly clad in a stylish paper bag. "Would that be cash or credit card ?"
"Card please."
Reality. I just had a dress and lingerie fitting. Purchased my first ever professionally fitted items. All too easy, all with a smile. Too easy ?
"Madam, please, if you don't mind, can I take the opportunity to ask you a question ?"
"Sure go ahead, glad to be of help !"
"Madam, I mean, it's highly unusual I guess that a man or whatever I am, you are so nice, how could that be ?"
"Well, I sell clothing and accessories, precisely what you came to buy and I am long enough in the business, it's not unusual at all, your interest is genuine, I am here to help !"
"Thank you once again Madam, could I have your business card please ?"
"Absolutely, pleasure meeting you is all mine, have a nice day and, you are always welcome, better in the morning, we have more time to properly care of details."
History has it that I came back. Quite often indeed. We socialized and I brought chocolates of which she shared while chatting in front of a coffee in the backroom.
No one answered my call. I'll drop by surprise.
The once classy shop-window hosted now a characteristic smelly take-away joint.
A lazy ice-tea dispensing machine and a heated rack of pale pizza slices stood where ribbons, satin and lace were queens.
Risk a coffee ? Why not. Could harvest clues.
Quite not. The local was for hire, they seized the opportunity. As simple as it gets. What about the former tenant ? No idea. I could ask the real estate agent.
Didn't finish that coffee. Not very keen to rubber tasting beverages with extra oily flavor.
Nor did I inquiry by the real estate agent.
Each time I pass in the area I pull out and drive that street. Thank you Erika, to me you are a friend, confident soulmate, one of the very few to know, one of the fewest who helped.
You couldn't win against the crab Erika dear and, now that you are a Fairy, I know, somewhere, a sister is happy to call you her Fairy.
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