Week at the Beach

Last night, in the wee hours of November 6th, I sat on the floor of a hotel suite. I was removing the polish from my toenails. I was wearing a low-cut black dress, and I had ditched the stockings and corset. Nearby, Karen did the same to her toes. Ten other gurls were in room 123 at the Beauty and the Beach hotel enjoying drinks, jokes and conversation. It was late, the bars were closed, but we had Ketel One and Captain Morgan, so we were fine. It was the last night of the event, and this was its wake.

Beauty and the Beach was held November 3-6 in Rehoboth, Delaware. Nearly sixty people attended. This one had a bit higher initial price tag than I’m used to, but as it is “all inclusive” and there are many opportunities to win Cash Prizes, it seemed like a good deal. It didn’t help that I was staying alone, either.

I was a little more nervous of this one than most. I have a lot of family in southern Delaware (where Rehoboth is located), including my parents. Not that any of them would recognize me as Sophie, but . . . well, you get the idea. Add that to the usual lies to my family and both jobs, and I was a mess.

I arrived Wednesday, and I felt better once I got in and changed. It was a beautiful day to walk the boardwalk, and I did with only a couple of second looks from people. A pedicure helped as well!

People kept arriving, most of whom I didn’t know. I sat with some of them at dinner and they were a lot of fun. One was even from California, and she’d flown all the way out here for the event! That night after dinner, I went with these new friends to a place called Blue Moon. Small but nice and walking distance from the hotel.

My routine was simple over the next few days. Wake up, breakfast, get changed to Sophie, play trivia at 1 p.m. (cash prizes), lunch, makeup appointment with Amanda Richards at 4, dinner, then whatever the night held.

Thursday night there were two costume contests, and I brought my gown and tiara for my Evil Queen. As the contest wasn’t until 9, I wore an LBD through dinner. I managed to borrow an apple from the front desk person, and offered it to many, many people, but had no takers. You’d think I’d poisoned it or something! I came in second to a great costume of the Little Tailor who killed Seven With One Blow (Fuyoko from Pittsburgh, Pa.). The other contest was “Miss Trash” won by Suzanne from Michigan over some tough competition. That night it was back to the Blue Moon for Karaoke.

Next day was the Miss Legs contest. My skirt was very short and I made the finals. Lost that one too, to Misty from Morristown, Pa. There was supposed to be a Big Hair contest as well, but no hair reached a qualifying altitude. Both Friday and Saturday was a very hard and cold wind blowing which meant most of us stayed in the hotel, lest we be chasing our hair down the street!

Saturday morning the Princess and her court were named. Christy from Lake George, N.Y. was the princess, Kate the “Skinny Bitch” from Baltimore was Miss Congeniality, Janet from California was Miss Ingénue, and Karen Stewart was Miss Sophistication.

Saturday meant three things to me: hangover, drama, and triumph.

I was hung-over like crazy (and if you see pics of me fully dressed in a hot tub from Friday night, I deny everything!) Then Drama! I bumped into a cousin while off getting money from the ATM. I was in drab, but I was very shaken. After all, I wasn’t supposed to be in Delaware that day. I was north on business! We had lunch nearby, and I told her the truth — except for the part about being in a dress. I was in Rehoboth to get my head together away from my wife and kid. She said she wouldn’t mention my presence to anyone.

That rattled me. What if I WERE dressed when she saw me? What if she called my wife? My tower of lies would come crashing down. I felt sick. I packed up my room and was prepared to just go home as my heart wasn’t in it anymore. In fact, I just wanted to sleep in my own bed and suffer. That’s when a good friend called and asked me if I wanted to talk. She was in room 123.

After an hour, I felt a little better. We talked about the pain and weight of lying and the stigma of crossdressing. And I didn’t go home. I went upstairs and took a nap.

That night was the Fantasy Follies, our little talent show. I signed up to do stand up comedy. It would be the same routine as I did up in Albany a year or so back, but shorter and tighter. I had my makeup done, and saw myself in the mirror. I’d been drab all day and now I saw Sophie looking back at me. That always helps. Calms me. I smiled.

The show was planned for 90 minutes after dinner (at 9:30), and some us (including me) took that time to go back to our rooms and pack. Maybe twenty minutes before the show, I came back to the lounge. There was a quilting convention at the hotel and we’d invited them along to see this and the place was packed.

There would be two halves of the show. I’d be fourth in the second act, following Amanda Richards lip synching and before the professional Ann Margaret impersonator. No pressure! The show went smoothly and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Then came my turn. I couldn’t see anything due the spotlight in my eyes, but I went through the routine as I had rehearsed it, improvised a little, and people laughed! I felt great! Got off stage, and went to the bar for a quick drink. Only had two that night.

The show ended and people dispersed. Some of us went to the Purple Parrot, which was packed and stifling hot. We closed the place. Walking back, some drunk guys got a look at us and said “Look! Draggies!” Whatever, dude.

So we all ended up in suite 123, just like all the nights before. It was a big room and our late night HQ. We were all subdued. Some people drank. Others just talked. I cleaned my nails. It was surreal. I knew one person in that room previously, and now we all shared a common bond, and the next day we would go our separate ways. We didn’t want it to end.

But it did. And I went home with more questions than answers. What next? How will I solve the issues with my wife? Will there be a “next year” for Sophie?

No answers. Just pictures and memories.

(Click on the first photo. It will open in a larger size in a floating window. Use the navigation arrows on the bottom left of that window to view all of the photos.)

Tags: conference, featured

Category: Transgender Body & Soul, Transgender Fun & Entertainment