Thursday 22 May 2008

TransLondon

I met up with Richard in the courtyard of the V&A and we drank tea and ate buns and rehearsed our reading; decided that an off-the-page dialogue was feasible, and ran with it.



What a great place the V&A is. The courtyard was like being in Italy, but without the scooters and shouting. And without the heat, brrrrrr. But hey.... And then we wandered around a bit and turned a corner and blow me if it wasn't Trajan's Column. Right next to the tympanum of Santiago de Compostella.

The V&A is now officially my fave museum.

Now then, to business.

So we met up with Charlie and ate pies in a Bloomsbury pie shop, and arrived at Gay's The Word to find it thronging, and extremely welcoming.

The reading and the Q&As went well, and then just about everyone packed into the pub over the road and we all stayed up Very Late Indeed.

There was a really good buzz that evening. Everyone seems so happy about the book, and the new perspective it offers. Richard got a round of applause. They even gave me one, for that little victory over P&O. I valued that more highly than I can express.

It was so nice meeting people I've only previously known as internet presences. And meeting people I didn't know. And meeting a few old friends too. And just for the evening, we all became that nebulous and peripatetic thing, the trans community. It rocked.

8 comments:

  1. If I could have clapped twice as long and twice as loud for your victory over those apes at P&O, I would have done.

    It was lovely to meet...and it was a special evening :-)

    (Though I sensed as Richard walked in his eyes became very...wide...indeed lol! Still he, and you, played a blinder. As they say.)

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  2. Sounds like you were very well received. In the photo you look very relaxed though Richard looks a little less so... I hope he had a good time too.

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  3. It sounds like you had a great time. And it sounds like a good place to be, too.

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  4. Dru, after Jo's glowing recommendation, I want to read your book now!! :-)

    And you're a Bristol girl? That makes 2 of us. I miss our fair city terribly sometimes..

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  5. It was a great place to be. And I wish I'd caught Richard's expression when we went in. He was rather more apprehensive than he was letting on, but ended up having a great time too.

    Thanks, Chandira. Yes, Bristol by adoption. I was cycling through one day and thought, "Must live here"...

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  6. hello Drusilla,

    it was so good to see you at the meeting. Wish I could have chatted more but I am a bit 'on duty' at those occasions.

    I had thought I was interrupting the flow by making a noise when you mentioned the P&O victory, so glad you heard our appreciation..

    I saw a look of apprehension on Richard's face when I hugged you and turned to him ROFL.. actually I dont hug many men (except TransMen and Italians)

    fantastic night, thank you so much Dru!


    Michael (Translondon, Transgender Outreach)

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  7. ...and thank you, Michael. Poor Richard, he was trying very hard...

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