by Angela Kerns

Created on: September 29, 2008

As you read the following account, you may be tempted to say that can't be for real' but I assure you, it is. Maybe not every tiny little detail, but for the most part anyway.

At the time in question, I was working at a K'Mart. Yes, I understand it's not technically a grocery store, but I hope you can overlook that tiny detail. After all, it could have happened at a grocery store. It just happened to be at a K'Mart.

I was working in the checkout lanes, and nearing the end of an overly long shift. Having worked there for quite a while, I was used to seeing all kinds of people from all walks of life go through the store. The weirdest ones usually came through my line. I think they informed everyone that came through the door, "The girl in line 7 is your best bet if you want to tell someone your entire life story. And don't worry about holding up the line to finish. Just root through your handbag like you're looking for your money. I'm sure no one will mind."

Knowing this, I shouldn't have been surprised with the next person that came through my line. He was a tall, attractive black man dressed in a knee length red dress and heels. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I quickly covered my shock with a welcoming, but somewhat vacant, smile and started to ring up his purchases. I listened politely as he began his story, toning most of it out by paying more attention to the register than was really necessary. But every once in a while, a sentence or two seeped through to grab my attention, and the next was nothing if not unexpected. "I have my gender reassignment surgery in two weeks." He said in a falsely high voice.

Suddenly one of his purchases began to take on a different light. The bras and silky underwear I could understand, given his current state of dress. It was the tampons that took me by surprise. I silently shook myself and continued. Surely he couldn't be thinking what I thought he was thinking. The doctor had to have explained things a little better than that. After all, the surgery would only change his outward appearance, not the organs inside. (Don't ask how I know this, I just do.) He had to be buying them for someone else.

He paid for his items and turned to leave, almost forgetting a bag at my counter. Yep, you guessed it. That bag. "Oops, you almost forgot one." I smiled politely, holding it out to him.

"Oh, thank you." He smiled gratefully. His next words would have made me laugh, had it not been for the honesty with which he said them. The combination stunned me so completely that I couldn't speak, let alone react. He said, "I'll definitely be needing those soon." And left.

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