I had to visit a friend and client the other week I had not seen in almost two years. We had kept in touch with the odd phone call and e-mail but our schedules never meshed.
I finally pinned him down for a lunch meeting.
At his facility I met some of his employees I had also not seen in some time. I wore a suit, I combed my hair in as masculine a fashion as possible. But I didn’t look the same, the hormones have subtlety changed my face, my hair is longer than I ever had it before, I have lost weight. I guess it is a good thing I didn’t get my ears pierced yet.
We had a good meeting and seemingly picked up where we had left off. In a follow up call today he told me that my new “look” was the talk of his office, that he preferred my old rockabilly hairstyle, that I looked CONFUSED, a phrase he repeated a number of times. “You know” he went on, “in this industry you want to have a certain look, you know how car guys are”.
I laughed off his critique and did my best to steer the conversation back to business. Inside I was panicking, He Knows, they know OMG….he can see it!!!
I have lived so long with my secret to have it written on my face is terrifying. I don’t believe it will affect his decision to do business with us. However, clearly I need to tell my boss soon as possible.
That is another worry, my relationship with my boss is closer to that of a friend and I am afraid my eventual revelation will be seen as a betrayal.
And I thought I would have nothing exciting to write about today.
