About mid afternoon of August 6, 1958, I became my grandmother’s granddaughter. I do not feel that it would be accurate to say that I became a girl that day. Nor that it would be correct to say I became my parents’ daughter. It is best to put my new life, at least initially, in the context of my relationship with my grandmother. In a previous post, I discuss the family meeting that led to my new life as Veronica.’
SISSY: August 3, 1958 — The Day I Became Veronica
There are two dates from my childhood that I will always remember — August 3, 1958 and October 6, 1967.
Once the issue was decided, once everything had agreed — and to varying degrees accepted — Grandma had me to to my room to change into one of my Veronica outfits that she had left on my bed. My parents knew of my Grandmother’s plans. However the move would not be for four more weeks. They felt they should have their son for those two weeks. “This is for the best, Fred,” replied my Grandmother. “This will give everyone time to adjust. For instance, her name is now Veronica. Everyone needs to quit using the name Glen.”
On this first day, I cannot say that it felt much different than several days I had had with my Grandmother. It felt not unlike the dress up game we had been playing. But it was different because my Mom and Dad were present. They tried to be — the only word that comes to mind is understanding. However it was very clear that my Granddad did not like what was happening. As for my brothers, Bruce was a bit indifferent to everything but not surprisingly Mike was excited for me.
About Mike
Mike was the oldest of our family. He died during the closing months of the Vietnam — a helicopter accident on a rather routine mission. Whenever my Grandmother took me out for a day of shopping etc, she always include Mike and Bruce. Cheri normally was dropped off at our other grandmother, my Mom’s mother. As he was four years my senior, Mike was given the task of holding my hand so I did not wander off while in a store. He was also old enough that he knew this as only a game and he was quite content to play along with the game. He came to understand that these outings were special to Grandma and she was willing to make they special for her grandchildren. He learned there could be rewards coming each time he refered to me as ‘his little sister’ or called me ‘Veronica.’ He felt it was so cool that I would be able to spend a whole year as Veronica as he knew how much I loved spending time as a girl.
While Mike was older than me, he also was only nine years old. He still saw the world in rather simple terms. He sensed that Grandma was happier and more generous whenever Veronica was around and that more often than not worked for him. I do not feel it would be incorrect to say that over the last year some of his best experience — movies, fair rides, root beer floats, new clothes — had all been in part to being a ‘big brother’ to his ‘little sister.’ At the same time, I also felt these Saturday outings brought us closer together. When the decision was made that I would spend the next year as Veronica, he truly felt good for me.
Now would be as good a time as any to mention, that by this time, I am sure Mike like me more as Veronica than he liked me as Glen. To a certain extent this is probably due to the fact that I like myself more as a girl than as a boy. While it is true that he was only nine years old, when I think back to those early years of my life as a girl, it is not difficult for me to conclude that Mike like Veronica — in ways that would become increasingly apparent as we both grew older.