This year, Boxing Day Night was a Sunday, and Monday being a holiday, the turnout was sure to be good, so I made a point of getting out there.

I found myself sitting at the bar talking to a woman when another young lady approached me.

“Hi, I’m with two friends who would like to meet you,” she said, leaning over and pointing to two guys about 10 feet away.  “Are you interested?”

With apologies to my conversation-mate, I agreed to go with her.  She introduced me to the guys, and they each took my hand and introduced themselves.  Conversation came haltingly but along generally expected lines.

Hi and Bi

Fifteen or so minutes later, with the girl off somewhere, the conversation turned to familiarity with this venue.  I told them that I am there from time to time, and prefer to come on these “Bi-Nights” as I am more likely to find the right crowd (ie., translation: a crowd that is more likely to understand my type).

“Oh, I’m not bi!” declared the one.

“Hmm…” I thought…

“But, of course you are,” he said to me.

As a trans woman, I expect foolish comments like this, but I wasn’t entirely certain that he meant it that way.  “What do you mean?” I coyly inquired, trying to deduce what he knew, but wanting not to mess with the honesty of his coming reply.

“Oh, girls are all bi…. aren’t they?”

Wow.

While his understanding of genetic women was clearly underwhelming, the more pressing issue for me was that he thought I was one of them.

Clearing the Air

“Ok, darling.  We need to talk.” While I found it immensely gratifying that he had no clue about my situation, I have a firm policy of not letting any flirtatious encounter with a man go very far before the cards are on the table.  I’m entirely in agreement with the old Holiday Inn slogan as it applies here: “The best surprise is no surprise.”

When that was all cleared up (with both guys) we talked a bit about what had happened.  The one guy, bless his soul, did his best to act as if it was no big deal, but he was definitely thrown for a loop and didn’t know how to behave around me.  They both admitted that they didn’t have any inkling, that they had both thought me simply a hot gal, and had sent their female friend over to ask me to join them because they were a bit intimidated.

She had no clue either, even after having spoken to me for a while and shaken my hand. (Please forgive me if I smile inside.)

She was so surprised when her friend told her – in private, as per my request – that she and a girlfriend of hers “surreptitiously” walked by me twenty minutes later to check me out.

Well, that evening was certainly a feather in my cap!  I managed to intimidate two guys at ten paces, got hit on by both men and women, passed at close range, even after conversation, and the cherry on top?… one of the two guys I met was totally into t-girls.  His eyes brightened when he found out I was one!

After all, isn’t it always best to be appreciated most for being exactly what you are?