I love living in New York City and working at a restaurant/bar in Greenwich Village. There are things I consider just "normal doings" that would raise an eyebrow or two almost anywhere else.
Here is an example. One of our "regulars" at the bar goes by the name of "Linda". Linda is a retired (male) firefighter who dresses as a woman when "she" goes out once or twice a week. Linda always wears a conservative business-type suit, sensible brown wig, not-too-high heels, and conservative gold jewelery. One of our old managers once called her "The Daywear Drag Queen", and it stuck.
Linda is married (to a woman), and the wife supposedly has no idea about this part of Linda's life. As far as I can tell, Linda is not attracted to men, doesn't flirt with men, and doesn't dress to pick up men. Back in the day, Linda would have probably been known as a "cross-dresser" - but she prefers the term "drag queen". Linda and a group of other drag queens rent an apartment in Queens (natch!) where they keep their clothes/wigs and go to dress/undress. A few years ago their old landlord didn't offer to renew their lease, so there was considerable drama in finding another apartment building that didn't mind a group of middle-aged men coming and going in their finest cocktail outfits. But they persisted and found another place - again, in Queens. Linda goes to great trouble and expense to dress as she does - and obviously has a passion for it. Some people fish, others dress like Barbara Bush at a charity board meeting. It takes all kinds, bitches.
Linda is also a sweetheart. Although dressed from head-to-toe as a woman (she wears EXPENSIVE, if understated, stuff - and puts her makeup on flawlessly), Linda still walks and talks like a fireman. She has a big, booming voice - and is constantly talking about her wife and adult son. Linda has no problem in starting up a conversation with anyone, and is a lot of fun to talk to. And Lord, don't let a fire engine come whizzing by - Linda gets all excited and likes to tell the other bar patrons which hook and ladder company just passed.
One of my absolute favorite things in the whole world is when I have a student group booked in the restaurant for dinner, and Linda is hanging out at the bar. I LOVE the sideways glances that these students (from Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina, or wherever) and their chaperones give to our Daywear Drag Queen. You can just see them wondering ... "is that a man?". It's a "New York Experience" those kids won't soon forget...
Here is an example. One of our "regulars" at the bar goes by the name of "Linda". Linda is a retired (male) firefighter who dresses as a woman when "she" goes out once or twice a week. Linda always wears a conservative business-type suit, sensible brown wig, not-too-high heels, and conservative gold jewelery. One of our old managers once called her "The Daywear Drag Queen", and it stuck.
Linda is married (to a woman), and the wife supposedly has no idea about this part of Linda's life. As far as I can tell, Linda is not attracted to men, doesn't flirt with men, and doesn't dress to pick up men. Back in the day, Linda would have probably been known as a "cross-dresser" - but she prefers the term "drag queen". Linda and a group of other drag queens rent an apartment in Queens (natch!) where they keep their clothes/wigs and go to dress/undress. A few years ago their old landlord didn't offer to renew their lease, so there was considerable drama in finding another apartment building that didn't mind a group of middle-aged men coming and going in their finest cocktail outfits. But they persisted and found another place - again, in Queens. Linda goes to great trouble and expense to dress as she does - and obviously has a passion for it. Some people fish, others dress like Barbara Bush at a charity board meeting. It takes all kinds, bitches.
Linda is also a sweetheart. Although dressed from head-to-toe as a woman (she wears EXPENSIVE, if understated, stuff - and puts her makeup on flawlessly), Linda still walks and talks like a fireman. She has a big, booming voice - and is constantly talking about her wife and adult son. Linda has no problem in starting up a conversation with anyone, and is a lot of fun to talk to. And Lord, don't let a fire engine come whizzing by - Linda gets all excited and likes to tell the other bar patrons which hook and ladder company just passed.
One of my absolute favorite things in the whole world is when I have a student group booked in the restaurant for dinner, and Linda is hanging out at the bar. I LOVE the sideways glances that these students (from Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina, or wherever) and their chaperones give to our Daywear Drag Queen. You can just see them wondering ... "is that a man?". It's a "New York Experience" those kids won't soon forget...
