On 10/22/04 my wife and I attended our very first Transgender event in Pennsylvania called the Erie Gala. It was held at the downtown Ramada Inn and they rented eighty plus rooms for the event during the week. They also had a record twenty-one couples for the formal Saturday night buffet. My wife had only been out with me as Francine four times previously in the past three months. Little did I know that this event would transform our marriage and also shape the future for us.

The Gala was held on Wednesday through Sunday morning breakfast during the third week in November. I had previously arranged for Francine to attend alone and had to make adjustments and plans for Barbs last minute decision to join me. We arrived on Friday afternoon and stayed through Sunday breakfast. During our travel to Erie my wife expressed her apprehension as she had butterflies.

Upon reaching our destination I went into the Ramada Inn and checked in and also checked in both of us at the Gala Registration while she waited in the car. We then parked and went to our room. We made numerous trips carrying in the many bags for two women…. And you know how women pack! You would have thought we were staying for a month!

By the time we finished it already was 3:30 and I knew we had to get going. I decided to take a shower and get ready and convinced her to go down to the Gala registration and meet the folks there while I got ready. With some mild apprehension she left and returned 20 minutes later with a big smile on her face. She said she met some really nice folks there and couldn't wait to get going. As she showered I finished and left telling her to meet me at the Gala room. Not 15 minutes later she came in and directed me to the bar. We hooked up with some good friends we knew from the Queen of Hearts and had a few drinks before dinner. My wife enjoyed it and was having fun.

As we headed to the dining room we soon found out that dinner was among the public crowd, formal, buffet style. We share a large table with several other friends all dressed to the hilt. The food was excellent and the entire staff and patrons treated us with the utmost respect. After dinner we attended a Gala auction and entertainment followed by a talent competition and then onto a dance club called Trance. We arrived at ten o'clock and the night was still young. We had a few drinks and chatted with friends and my wife took off for the dance floor with a new found energy for dancing. I later joined her and we danced the night away till 2:00 AM. Our chariot picked us up and returned us to the inn.

The next morning we woke at 6:30 AM and started the day. After breakfast we headed to the mall per my wife's request. She wanted to shop for some lighter clothes to go clubbing in…. something totally unexpected. Upon our arrival we walked into Penny's juniors department and right away she spotted a cute little black skirt and a red lace sleeveless top, which she purchased. We also went to Kaufman's and purchased another black skirt and a matching sleeveless top to match. This was totally unlike her! In the past 28 years of our marriage you couldn't have convinced her to do something like this…Especially in the juniors department. She was like a little kid shopping.

After shopping we went to the zoo and had a great time. We later went back and changed for the afternoon and evening events. Another formal buffet dinner took place and was immediately followed by entertainment by Eda Bagel and others. We later headed out to Trance and danced the night away. 12:30 we decided to go back and to the inn and meet with other couples for some quiet chat. We played pool and just had a fun time while relaxing in the quiet bar at the inn. Sharing our past with others and listening to their life experiences reassured my wife that this was not just some bad dream but a new life evolving for us. We were finding a way to include life and have fun with Francine in our lives. Francine even slow danced with Barb and while doing so she said she has never loved me so much as she did then. It made me feel good inside and that we on the right road to a happy future. Before we knew it the time was 2:30 and we headed for bed.

The next morning we drug ourselves from the bed and headed down to breakfast. We were the first ones there and as we ate… slowly but surely the entire place filled with husbands and wives in the everyday mode. We shared our table with new friends and it was interesting trying to place male faces with girls we had partied with the night before. For me this was one moment in my life when I really knew I was not alone. Seeing all the guys in guy mode and chatting about the past days events and the future. It made me feel good about who I am and where I am going. It also made my wife feel comfortable seeing everyone, not with a mask on, but in everyday mode.

We tried to make it a point to get up and meet everyone and say our goodbyes. Everyone was so friendly and it was difficult to have it end so soon. I think many of the wives felt the same way my wife did. They could see that their husbands were not off to become women and just wanted to express another side of themselves. Both of us were very sad to leave. As we drove home we discussed how much my wife's life had changed in the past few months…Especially the past few days. She had accepted Francine and was starting to live again as she once did way back in our college days. She said she couldn't wait until the next event comes so she can go and have fun again with Francine.

In a way our life has been transformed by this cross-dressing phenomenon. We have found a way to work it out and it is like reliving our lives all over again. We have made new friends and there is a whole new world out there waiting for us to explore. I would like to thank the Erie Gala and Erie Sisters for putting on such a fantastic fun filled event. It is an event I would highly recommend for anyone single or married to enrich their lives with fun and new friends.

God Life is good!



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