Fringe Benefits

I spoke with a number of people on Fringe Day.  A couple were just random people either talking to me or me talking to them.  Most were people who either had to interact with me or were talking to everyone.

The first I can recall was someone who was at the entrance to one of the shows.  I thought that was

All around the water tank
waitin' for a train

where we get our tickets, and asked.  He said it was around the block, on the other side, so off we went.  We had already walked at least a half-dozen blocks, and now we had to backtrack a bit.

The next was a man handing out postcards plugging his show while I was on line waiting to get my tickets.  I also spoke with a couple of other people on line, just to pass the time.  I chatted with the person giving us our tickets, and went to the ladies' room there (single seater but the door didn't lock so I was ladylike).

We walked to the theatre, gave up our tickets, found seats.  I don't recall if I spoke to anyone before the show; I know I spoke with one or two people while waiting for the doors to open at different shows; after one show, we waited to go to another show at another stage in the same building.  After confirming that the teenage boy leaving was indeed one of the main cast members I tapped him on the shoulder and told him how much I enjoyed the show.

On the street, a man stopped us to try to get us to donate to the SPLC.  It's a worthwhile organisation, but I don't trust people I meet on the street like that.  He made a point of mentioning that they help gays; he made a point of not mentioning trans.  Or maybe he just conflated them; many people still do.

We ordered lunch at Fuddruckers; I tried to make a point of chatting a bit with people who Had No Choice but to talk to me ~ ticket takers, cashier, and so on.

I saw someone on the street who I'm pretty sure was trans as well.  She just walked past us; we walked past her.

After the last show, "A Lesbian Belle Tells," the monologist was returning to the stage to do a Q&A.  An impromptu receiving line appeared, and I joined to tell her how much I enjoyed her show.  She, not surprisingly, thanked me but I think I saw a bit of surprise on her face.  I think community members (and I'm reluctantly merging LGB with T) are more... something.  Aware maybe? of other community members.

Nobody cared that I might not be what I seemed.  No questions, no funny looks, no remarks or odd tones....  It gets easier (except I do need to remember the dozens of mannerisms, and especially my voice, at all times).  I do need to loosen up; it's against my nature but much more feminine.

It was... uneventful.

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