Something about Lou

I never post about Lou, nothing happens to him.

Sunday my wife and I went to Pet Smart, I usually wear form fitting clothes, just like Louise. As I was getting into my car the guy sitting in his car next to ours said "you know for a white guy you're really built" (he was black). I said thinks for the compliment, but you should see my twin sister (I won't tell my age). I always have my man bag and pulled out a few Louise pictures. The first thing he said was she's not your twin, she's much younger, like about 35. I said she has to be my age, she's me.

He looked again and again, then he said, Hun, if that's you I want some.

The Bouncer

I mentioned a new place I've been going to. I've seen this bouncer a few times there, he's polite but definitely not the type that would be interested or even want anyone to think he was accepting of the likes of me.

Apparently after being introduce to the owner by a local assembly man the owner gave the staff an OK with me.

I was sitting with 3 lady's who I began talking with and asked me to sit with them while they ate. I realized that after a curtain time when dinner hour is over they clear the tables and make a dance floor. We were the last table and the bouncer came over and dragged me and my chair out to the middle of the dance area playing with me, I was pretty surprised.

I was walking around the bar to leave when I met 2 other lady's I know and they offered me a drink, as we were talking the bouncer comes over and wants me to come outside, I though, Oh boy, he wants me out. We go out to the porch and he has someone there with a camera, he wanted his picture with me. The big Lug, what a softy.

The Plumbing Supply

Last week I had to get a new Flush Valve for my toilet, I stopped into a plumbing supply house that primarily deals with the trade. The counterman seemed friendly after he asked me how I was and answered "short and ugly", he said this guy has a sense of humor.

The valve I needed happened to be a spacial type for one piece toilets, he gave me the price and I was sort of shocked (125.00), I had seen them priced for under 30.00 at Home Depot and Lowe's, but as I said it was supposed to be special.

I decided to tell him I wanted to bring back the exact model of my toilet to make sure before I put that much out.

I checked online and found that I could get one for about 95.00 dollars but with shipping it was about 110.00, I figured for 15.00 bucks I'd stay local.

The next day I wanted to dress early and figured these guys needed a little excitement at the supply house, so I stopped over. When I entered there were 2 plumbers standing at the counter and 3 more came in, I'm a little person (5'3 tall) and most plumbers are pretty formidable guys, I got no strange looks or remarks.

My turn came up and the counter man politely said "how may I help you miss", I said my twin brother had stopped in about a flush valve and showed him the printout, he looked and said, well yesterday you were ugly, but today you look pretty good. With that he said I'll give you a better price, it was 5.00 more than the online price.

Moral, pretty people get better treatment.

Friday 04/16/10

I've been going to a different restaurant/lounge over the last couple months. It's not really the type place I'm real comfortable in, any time you need 6-8 bouncers on duty projects some type of aggressive attitude by adults who don't act as adults.

As I walked in the owner was looking at me and because he seemed apprehensive of me when I attempted to introduce myself to him about 2 months before I just decided to acknowledge him without conversation. I sort of pressed my way past a group of people and because everyone is much taller than me and the guys back was to me I didn't look to see who it was. I ordered a drink and tried to stand against the wall to stay out of traffic.

A moment later I heard someone calling my name, I looked over and it was from the person I pushed pass, it was Assemblyman Amadeo, we've known each other casually for about 15 years. As I came over he reached out and pulled me into him and started to hug and kiss my cheek, he was with his wife and an older couple who he introduce me to, I had met his wife before.

I was very surprised at the fuss he made over me, we are at best just casual friends be he made out as if we were the closet of buddies, why is that, as Lou he would have been polite but as Louise he was extremely gregarious.

As we talked I mentioned I had attempted to introduce myself to the owner so he would be comfortable with my presence in his establishment, but felt he was afraid of me. With that John the Assemblyman looked over his shoulder to where the owner Don was and called him over, he said I want you to meet an old friend of mine, I've known Lou/Louise for almost 50 years (wow, that long?). The owner said I'm happy to meet you, I know you've been coming in the last couple months, I hear your wife dresses you, I said, I'm a big girl, I can dress myself, but she does do my makeup. That was enough to break the ice, he said you're more than welcome here anytime, I'm glad you chose my place to come to. It goes to prove, it's more about who you know than what you know, John gave me a fast track in, I could have eventually gained this mans trust, but this was with a respected persons guarantee I was OK.

Thank you John, you get my vote even if you are a Republican.

A unhappy Wednesday 04/14/10

I received an email from a friend who was the very first CD we helped come out, he was here on a conference staying at Harras, he no longer dresses.

Over the last couple years he has been posting that he has had some pain in his legs and has been to numerous doctors in an attempt to find out the cause, he even had a couple of vertebra fused in his lower back. All miss diagnoses. It turns out, he found out last week that he has an incurable disease called (don't laugh) Stiff man syndrome, you can google it. It's very rare and one of the most painful conditions you can imagine.

I wanted to see him again due to it being almost 5 years since we last met. I picked him up, he was struggling to walk with his cane, his voice was so strained he sounded 90 years old and he's only 40. I took him to Good Fellows a nearby restaurant where they have Karaoke, we both had hamburgers but he could hardly hold his sandwich, his finger tips actually turned blue in front of me. He was in so much pain we only spent about an hour together before I took him back to the casino hotel.

He is British and kept the traditional "stiff upper lip". I think this may be the last time I see my old friend, I cried thinking of this highly intelligent, beautiful en-femme and male person I knew and at how he has degenerated into this unfortunate state.

My dear friend David, my heart, prayers and best wishes go out to you with the hope you don't suffer long from this tragic condition.

Affectionately, Louise

Epicurean Part 2

Now for the rest of the story. As I was leaving Morton's I decided to use the restroom (men's). There were two people using urinals so they didn't notice me as I walked into a stall. I knew someone was on the John next to my stall and he said, hey lady, this is the men's room. I replied in my Lou voice "don't worry about it", he became a little forward and said "hey, I've got something for you", I replied, "I got something for you too if you want to get smart". I finished my business and left.

A very busy week

I've mentioned my wife and I are members of an Epicurean group in South Jersey. This past Monday 04/12/10 we had our monthly dinner at Morton's at Cesar's Casino in Atlantic City.

I always go as Louise and even though the group has a flux to it many of the people know me (as Louise). Monday we were asked to share a table with 4 other women so 2 seats were still open when another couple came over, surprisingly it was a person who owns a real-state business who I race bicycle with and his wife. Another big surprise was his wife's mother is the person who brought my wife down from Vermont to meet her brother, who happened to be gay, so Millie met me instead, sorta like out of the frying pan and into the fire.

After the dinner someone mentioned Tom Lamaine was there. Tom happens to be a meteorologist for KYW-TV in Philadelphia and got his start in Atlantic City as a radio DJ hosting the Bunny Hop at the AC YMCA where I used to go. I was very popular in High School and all the kids and Tom used to chant for me over the radio to come up there. He also was the announcer at the Pleasantville drag strip where I used to drag race. I approached him and asked him if he remember the chant and my drag racing and then said "will I'm Lou", he was pretty much taken back, but either he had to much to drink or was in shock to react with more than a wide eyed expression.

The picture depicts the occasion.

The April Birthday

Last week I was at my doctors office and a couple of the patients are friends and were discussing their birthdays which all happen to be in April. The nurse was also invited and asked them to invite me, but she was the only one who knows of Louise. She put them on the spot so they asked me to come too.

The nurse happens to be pretty attractive, but I never saw her our of her uniform which does nothing for her figure as I found out. I called her to confirm they were at the Red Square at the Tropicana Casino and got there about 9:30. I called as I was walking towards the entrance for her to come out to meet me, she had only seen a few pictures of me, but in person, I'm told the pictures do me no justice. She greeted me with a big hug and kiss on the lips and became very touchy feely. We went to the booth where everyone else was, 7 people in all and slid me into the middle where she pushed right next to me and kept her hand on my thigh and hugging me that way.

I have to admit I was really taken off guard by her acceptance and over whelming assertiveness towards me as Louise, remember she knows Lou too and confessed to me she was sort of stand offish and uncomfortable with Lou and said "I just love Louise" and gave me a BIG wet kiss right on my lips.

One other thing, one of the men there also owns the wine store there and we had talked in the doctors office the day before for an hour, when I went to sit in the booth he had to stand up, he had the biggest smile on his face as if her had fallen in love at first sight, about 30 minuets later he came back and said, OMG, someone told me who you are. I said, yeah, you met my twin brother yesterday, he laughed.

Investment meeting

Last Wednesday night my wife and I (as Louise) went to an investment seminar about new IRA and tax strategys, very informative.

We were the 3 rd couple to come in so there were some open tables. We ordered our drinks and another older couple came in and weren't sure where they wanted to sit, I motioned that the seats at our table were available so they sat with us.

Just before we were served dinner, my friend who owns a local slot machine manufacturing company came in with his wife, we went to school together, I was very surprised that he came over to me to say hi, we had met a few months before in a much different environment than this, so it took some courage. Many people feel guilt by association, no matter what their motivations are.

We started with some general conversation with the seated couple, names and so on (I introduce myself as Louise when en-femme). We continued our conversations as to where we lived and then type of occupations. Our food came and we just chatted on. I then mentioned that many people in the area didn't do what I did, I had assumed that after talking together for almost an hour they realized my gender. The lady asked "what do you do", I said I'm a cross dresser, she looked a little surprised and said "what, I thought you were sisters"

What else do I need to say?

Louise

A straight man hits on me with his wife watching

Friday night I was at karaoke in Absecon, NJ. I go about once a month and the crowd is very accepting of me, sometimes to much. I've had a number of men who are alone want to become very friendly, but on occasion a married man will become talkative with me after they've been introduce, but try to be some what discrete about their feelings.

Well Saturday night this guy couldn't have been more noticeable if he had a flashing neon sign and bull horn, he was on me like white on rice.

Fist off I wanted to walk over to the other side, he was standing at the end of a table and there was a very narrow space for me to fit, you would think he would at least go to the side of the table, so I had to squeeze between the bar stools and his belly to get past him. He looked down on me with a BIG grin on his face.

I finally settled at a side bar about 10 feet from him, his wife and their friends another couple, he was just turn on his seat staring at me very obviously to his wife and friends.

I was called up to sing (if you want to call it that) and when I came back it gave him an opening to approach me and compliment me on my (lol) ability. I really don't know what feeling my butt had to do with my singing ability though, I can say this,without reservation, he had other things on his mind than my voice. I think he got more than he expected when his and his wife were alone, she wasn't a glamor girl and I'm sure she was embarrassed and PISSED.

Millie & Louise on CBS 3 TV

On Tuesday the 9Th of March, Millie and Louise were asked to be guests on CBS 3, Talk Philly with Pat Ciarrocchi (hostess). The reason for our appearance was due to Millie making up a News Paper reporter, Chuck Darrow. Rather than describe the event's I will post the article and videos here. The vidio is at the end of the artical. Pumped up...and ball-gowned too, my day as a cross-dresser in A.C. By CHUCK DARROW Philadelphia Daily News darrowc@phillynews.com 215-313-3134 ATLANTIC CITY - A byproduct of my many years in the newspaper racket is that I have occasionally found myself in unexpected situations. There was the time I was publicly - and sarcastically - scolded by Sir Paul McCartney for speaking while he was answering a question at a Veterans Stadium press conference. And the time I nearly crippled actress Kathleen Turner with an errant chair leg. But never did I imagine that I would one day sashay around the stage of Boardwalk Hall dressed as a woman. Cross-dressing has never been on my to-do list - although to quote comedian Jerry Seinfeld, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that being a transvestite, like being a shark hunter or ice-road trucker, is something to which I never aspired. But then came an offer I couldn't refuse from the Miss'd America Pageant, the drag queen beauty contest that takes place Sunday night at Boardwalk Hall. For the uninitiated, the Miss'd America Pageant was staged for years on the evening after the Miss America Pageant. One of the major events for Atlantic City's gay community, the extravaganza was discontinued after Miss America left her ancestral home for Las Vegas five years ago. Now it's been revived. To publicize the open-to-the-public gender-benderama, event organizers were looking for a male media type with the kind of unadulterated shamelessness that would allow him to dress like a girl for the entire world (thank you, Internet) to see. Asking me if I wanted to do it was like asking a politician if he wants a campaign donation. Which is how I found myself in a Boardwalk Hall dressing room last Thursday afternoon being feminized by Millie Tate, owner of Millie's Jewelry in Ventnor City, and, apparently, a favorite among Shore transvestites. As she started the 90-minute or so process by shaving my chest (so my gown would lie smooth) Tate - whose husband, "Louise," has been a public cross-dresser for years - noted that male transvestites are typically straight, not gay. Among the dozens of men she's worked with, there have been "judges, lawyers, boxers and hockey players," all of whom were heterosexual, she said. She also pointed out that such famous macho men as movie icon John Wayne and FBI legend J. Edgar Hoover are believed to have been, if you will, TV stars. Not that any of this mattered to me. All I knew was that by dressing as a woman I could make people laugh. To me, that's the greatest thing any human being can do for another. As Tate pruned my chest hairs, it was decided that I needed a drag name. Given my profession, a takeoff on a female journalist seemed in order - something along the lines of the already-taken "Diane Voyeur." I decided that "Nancy Graceless," a nod to HLN sob sister Nancy Grace, was perfect. Once I was plucked chicken-clean, my transformation began in earnest. For the next 45 minutes or so, my face became a canvas upon which Tate painted her, um, masterpiece. As she wielded her powders and paints, she explained what she was doing and why. For instance, she didn't use blue eye shadow because my eyes were too dark; other hues, including green and lavender, would be much more attractive, she said. (Had to trust her on that. With my back to the mirror, I couldn't see the step-by-step process.) Sitting through the ordeal of eyeliner and mascara application left no doubt in me that the cosmos got it right when I was born a non-cross-dressing male. I would never have the patience, not to mention the steady hand, to do this. The false eyelashes felt like big insects flitting around my face. Once the makeup was applied, it was time to choose a wig. My natural inclination was brown - my color when I actually had hair. But the consensus among the audience (various pageant, Boardwalk Hall and public-relations types) was that brown wasn't becoming. Much to my surprise, a short blond mane turned out to be quite flattering. Finally, I was allowed the big reveal. I gazed in the mirror and, between belly laughs, realized I pretty much looked like one of my aunts when they were my age. Oh, well, there's no getting away from genetics. But I loved how Tate's cosmetic magic eliminated my excess chins. And some of the folks watching commented on how pretty my eyes looked. (I bet they say that to all the girls!) But we weren't done. Tate led me to the adjoining bathroom, where, with her help, I put on a pair of navy-blue silk panties, then hula'd my way into light-gray pantyhose and a black one-piece body briefer that gave me a more feminine shape. For the coup de grace, Tate wedged a pair of breast gel inserts into the hollowed-out cones of the briefer. I guess it needs to be said here that wearing feminine undergarments was pretty much a nonstarter for me. I didn't mind them, but neither was I excited, psychologically or otherwise. I then put on a sparkly, black strapless gown with a matching jacket (a size 6 - eat your hearts out, ladies!). The final touch was a pair of pumps with 3 1/2-inch heels. I am most proud to say that I rocked those shoes. There was no wobbling for this glamour gal. I strode around as if I'd been wearing them forever. To tell the truth, I was surprised that, thanks to Tate's artistry, I didn't look as comically horrendous as I had expected. Did I make a particularly attractive woman? I don't think so. But neither did I look cartoonish or, worse, frightening. Still, I knew I'd accomplished my goal when Valarie McGonigal - Boardwalk Hall's marketing director, whom I've known for many years - walked into the dressing room. When she saw me, she fell down laughing. As we walked onto the Boardwalk Hall stage for more photos, the urge to channel my inner Barbra (Streisand) and Judy (Garland) took hold. I threw my arms out to the side and spun around as if I'd just finished a particularly thrilling version of "People" or "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I felt simply divine. I'm sure there will be plenty of teasing and insults from friends and strangers (thanks again, Internet). But I say bring it on! In the film "A Bronx Tale," Robert De Niro plays an honest bus driver trying to keep his son from falling under the spell of a Mafia don. One scene has De Niro telling the kid that gangsters aren't tough guys, that the working man who runs the rat race every day to provide for his family is the real tough guy. Well, for anyone (especially male) who has a problem with my cross-dressing experiment, I say this: The tough guy is the guy with the guts to dress in women's clothes for the whole world to see. And if you have a problem with that, I challenge you to a footrace - in 3 1/2-inch heels, of course. Then we'll see who the real man is

Interesting Happenings over the last month

Last Friday I had some minor surgery to repair a hernia, due to it's location I asked if I could have a nip and tuck at the same time, surprisingly the doctor agreed to do it under my insurance, so now I think I'll have a nice tight package.

I was released Saturday with little more than some swelling and minor discomfort. Saturday night I received a call from a friend who comes from NYC who said he was here for the Classic Auto Auction and had passes for Millie and Louise (me), I said great and felt well enough Sunday to go.

We walked into the Convention Center and I wanted to thank Millie's friend for his generosity. Millie was talking to him and I stayed close taking pictures of some of the cares that I had at one time owned myself. As I was walking back to her an older, very distinguished, white haired, gentleman acknowledged me, I stopped to ask if he knew me and he said no, but I noticed you when you walked in and followed you. I thanked him for the compliment and introduced myself and he told me his name was Tim. We chatted a few moments about where we were from and then I looked over to see if my wife was finished talked and notice she was standing with one hand on her hip looking at me in like a perturbed way. I thanked Tim for the conversation and said I have to go, my wife looks annoyed. Tim sort of got a surprised looked on his face and said "oh OK" take care.

Yeah, it was amusing, I'm still not sure if he thought I was a woman or just didn't care.


I'll post pictures later

Another day in Philly

Doctor's, what an obnoxious bunch. I originally made an appointment with a specialist but it took about a month because he was coming home from vacation the day before I went to see him, that was about 10 days ago. He scheduled my surgery for 3 weeks, guess what, he canceled because he's going away again.

The scheduler likes me and is trying to arrange another surgeon who is more dependable and maybe better, so I had to do preoperative checkups yesterday and followed the schedule as if I'm doing the surgery as scheduled.

The Lab used initials to call people because some names are to difficult to pronounce but they have a general description of the patient, age and sex. The nurse calls me and I'm sitting right by her entrance and I acknowledge her, she looks and calls again (just like last week with the other nurse), she gives me a once over and says "Louis", yes I am. She was really nice, we talked more than she checked me out, she really thought I was a woman when she called me. she was nice lady.

Afterwards I wanted to get something to eat and walk South St, but it was very slushy. I stopped in a shoe store to see about a pair of boots, even though my feet are small they're wide and nothing fit. The sales girl was Chinese and very curious about me, she said she used to dress and make up her boy friend so he could sneak in her dorm, she said he was very thin and passed, thin young usually does.

Since I was in Philly I called one of my friends I race bike with and picked him up on the corner by his shop, we went to his home and just pored a wine when his wife came in, she knows all about Louise. We talked and I finished my drink and snacks and was off to home. Very tiring day with little done according to my notes as to what shopping I wanted to do, but I'll be back again.

Doctors Visit in Philly

Last Monday I had a doctors appointment in Philly, if just so happen the Epicurean group I belong to was having their dinner that night and Millie and I like to go to a piano lounge Monday night also.

I always go dress to the Epicurean and lounge and knew I wouldn't have time in between the Dr appointment and dinner to dress so I dressed early.

We got into the doctors office at our scheduled time and we're sitting in the waiting room after I filled out the tons of paper work you need now before anyone even sees you. The nurse came out and called me by my first name "Louis" my wife and I acknowledged her by nodding but before I could stand she called for "Louis" again, I said I'm "Louis" and again she called for me, I finally was all the way up and stood in front of her and said "I'm Louis". She looked with a surprising expression and said OK, follow me. We went into the smallest exam room I ever saw, my wife could come with me because of the size. The nurse asked me to sit and turned and look into my eyes and said "I'm confused are a man or a woman" I said I'm a male, she replied "and you're here with your mother", well needless to say I started to laugh, I said she's my wife. She only got more confused, her last statement was you look terrific.

After my examination my wife came into help my hook up my body briefer straps and I told her what the nurse asked, Millie went out and stood with her arms across her chest and said "I'm his mother!". the nurse was at a loss for words and Millie started to laugh which allowed the nurse to laugh too.

The picture is at the Epicurean dinner with my wife and a friend, her husband Love's me and just retired from the State Police.

Millie & the Drag Queen Daily News Reporter

Last Thursday morning 1/21/10 my wife (Millie) received a frantic phone call from a friend who is helping to bring back the Miss'D America Pageant back. The Miss'D America is a parody by gay men that is held the day after the real pageant that Atlantic City lost to Los Vegas.

The problem was the person who was supposed the do the makeup bailed out and this News reporter was coming from Philly to help promote the event by allowing himself to be turned into a DQ.

I decided I wanted to be dressed so it was a mad rush to get myself ready and then throw what we felt we needed into a bag with 6 wigs and clothes for someone we had no idea what they looked like. I asked a shoe size and said they'd need to buy some 12 woman's.

We had no idea what to expect, it turned out there were about 15 spectators, a video camera and photographer watching my wife shave down the VERY hairy man and then turn him into a woman. It took her about an hour and a half and she did one hell of a job.

I can't post pictures till after the 27Th when it's all publish in the Philadelphia Daily News, but I may just post the link for press article and video.

A day in NYC

Last Sunday my wife and I went to NYC to see "Hair", our son gave us tickets for Christmas.

We parked in West NY right on River Dr on the Jersey side of the Hudson and took the bus to Port Authority. I needed a restroom and remembered that Port Authority does not fall under NYC rules as far as TG/CD people using the restroom of their gender expression so I used the men's room. All the stalls were in use and the room was divided between the sinks and stalls and urinals. I waited by the sink area near the entrance. A tall guy came in, I don't know if he noticed me or not but he sorta turned his back towards me at the first urinal to pee, a moment later a cherub looking person came in with a ruddy complexion, he started to pee and looked towards me and said "you know this is the men's room" I replied with my deep male voice "don't worry about it, but thanks for the compliment". the other guys shoulders were shaking because he was laughing so hard.

The weather was pretty bad and about a half hour after we got out of the bus station it started to rain. We stopped to eat and watched a pizza twirling show, this guy punched the dough a few times and thew it up 2-3 times and made a perfectly round shell. The whole process took less than 1 1/2 minuets.

By now it was almost pouring and I needed an umbrella, well it's NYC so there were umbrella sales people walking the streets, 5 bucks did the trick.

The play started at 3 PM, we were about 15 minuets early so were lucky to be in the vestibule out of the weather. Our seats were all the way up, about 6 rows from the back of the balcony, we could see but between the location and story I doubt I'd ever pay that much for tickets.

After the play we had dinner and then caught the bus back to Jersey. We got to the car by 8 PM, called our kid to make sure Louise would be welcome and drove about 1 mile to his home.

Our Grand Daughter was still awake when we walked in, when she saw me she said "Pop Pop, you have new hair", she sat on my lap and played with my necklace and asked where I got it, I told her her Na Na gave it to me for Christmas. It's amazing to see how accepting kids are before some adult who should know better poisons their minds with "Holly rhetoric".

I'm the Walmart Cell Phone Advertisement

I shop at Walmart evey few months as Louise. The last time I was there the gentleman who has the cell phone concession asked if he could have his picture with me. Not that I have a aversion for the front side of the lens I accepted his invitation, I figured he had a boring job and the least I could do were to put a smile on his face.

This past Sunday he told me he had posted the picture on his Face Book account, I asked what the responses were . To my surprise the worse one was about the size of my hands.

To me it just shows that if you present right and people are not dealing with on site peer pressure most people will act or speak the way they really feel. He sent me the picture yesterday and I just needed to post it.

Kiss on the lips at a Semi Red Neck bar

I don't often go into this bar because it's mostly younger people who are mostly trades men (pickup truck types), and rather than expose myself to ridicule or someones Bravado, I just by pass the place by.

Friday I went in after about a year and was greeted by a few woman who had never met me before but became interested in my persona. One woman was a Philadelphia Detective who was there with a girl friend. A big guy who looked very "Red Neck" turned out to be a newly sworn in counsel man and ex prosecutor who also happens to rent an office above a lawyer I ride bike with. He said he had heard of me but never met me. He was a total gentleman. Goes to show you you can't tell a book by it's cover.

I like to walk around when I'm in a lounge and over in a corner were a few people I knew for years as Louise, they're like groupie's. The one person who is like the leader and VERY straight grabbed me and kissed me right on the lips. I was really taken by surprise especially him being with about 10 of his close friends.

My comment to him was, Bob, you never kissed me before..................in public. It was funny.

Camera Club

Last Wednesday I went to my Camera Club meeting as Louise, I've done that about 6-7 times. One of the interesting things I've noticed about this club is there's a large membership but only a core group of about 10 people who always show and the others including myself seem to come and go.

Last Wednesday when I came to the meeting more than half the 30 people had never seen nor met Louise, but the ones who had welcomed me so warmly it made it much easier for the new people to be comfortable with me, so much so that one woman seemed to be more than just conversational and wanted to do my makeup for me.

An old Classmate

A few weeks ago I went to a local lounge where an old classmate of mine was. This guy made it REALLY BIG time. He supplies most of all the casino's in the world with equipment. His father was also the German #2 boxer in the world during the second world war, but Hitler wouldn't allow him to compete because of his nationality.

The first time my friend saw my picture he was a little apprehensive, about 2 years later he saw me at an Epicurean dinner, but even though we acknowledged each other I didn't want to hang around him because I could feel he was still uncomfortable. The last time it was at a mixed lounge, he was with his wife and he waved me over. We had a nice conversation and hopefully he's more at ease.

I asked if he wanted his picture with me and he accepted so here he is.