The Noodle Bar

   He took a shower close shaving twice then hair and makeup. Slipping off his bathrobe he began dressing first the new panties next came a suspender belt and some fifteen denier barely there stockings, he added small falsies to his already heavily padded bra. 

Rowan took the flowery patterned summer dress he had bought especially for this day from his closet, stepped into it then zipped up the back then he had a final check in the mirror and smiled as the pretty woman smiled right back.

Rowan decided that with care he would go unnoticed and enjoy a special treat on his birthday.

Walking past The Gzder Noodle Bar had always made Rowan feel hungry, the food must surely be as good to eat as it smelt he thought as there are hardly ever even a single empty table and most days a queue at the take away counter during lunchtime as well. 

Rowan had wanted to eat there ever since the law relating to people like him had been changed, discrimination had become illegal and the old signs forbidding people like him from entering so many places had been removed, even so he still felt nervous of actually going in and sitting down. The commitment of ordering a meal and having to sit there for the time it would take for his order to be cooked and then eaten would be a massive first for Rowan. He decided that with care he could go unnoticed and enjoy a lunchtime treat and had been practising for a few weeks just to be sure.

Rowan was taking even more care than usual in selecting an outfit, it was the result of several shopping trips. It was his birthday and he intended to make a visit to The Gzder Noodle Bar the highlight of his special day, perhaps even the highlight of the whole week. 

He took a leisurely shower, close shaved twice then drank some coffee before doing his hair and makeup. Slipping out of his bathrobe he began with new panties, next came matching suspender belt and some fifteen denier ‘barely there’ stockings. He added small falsies to add a little more shape to his already heavily padded matching bra. Nice new matching undies always gave Rowan extra confidence and confidence in spades was exactly what he needed.

After a final peek through a gap in the closed curtains to confirm the forecast of a warm sunny day Rowan took the flowery patterned summer dress he had bought especially for this day from his closet, stepped into it then zipped up the back. 

Rowan smiled when he thought back to just over a year ago when wearing women's clothes for the first time had seemed so scary, now he would feel that same nervousness at wearing mens clothes. He slipped a purse to match his shoes over one shoulder then checked for cash, cards and keys as he stepped into mid height heels. He took a final look in the mirror and smiled as the pretty woman who looked back smiled as well. 

With every check box inside his head ticked in violet ink he walked out into the hallway to wait for the lift.

The Gzder Noodle Bar was a leisurely ten minute walk away across town, he checked his watch 12:15, no need to rush. Plenty of time for window shopping and smiling back at any admiring glances that might come his way. 

It would be busy at The Gzder Noodle Bar, Fridays always the busiest day…all the better to go unnoticed. 

The shopping streets were busy and Rowan enjoyed the occasional admiring glance from a passerby, he checked out his reflection in a shop window one last time.

One row of empty tables were roped off in The Gzder Noodle Bar and Rowan had to share a table with two workmen who sat opposite. Rowan noticed that the two workmen were checking out his bust and nudging each other when they thought he was not looking.

The cheerful and chatty waitress had said that a group of school children visiting the museum had booked the roped off tables for their lunch. Rowan asked for a glass of Oolong Tea and ignoring the specials board ordered his favourite Cong You Ban Mian.

Soon the empty tables had filled with very well behaved children and their associated teachers. Probably early teens all of the children had mobile telephones. They seemed to be in some sort of a group texting conversation and occasionally one would crane their neck around to nod at a friend on a table behind. 

The waitress put Rowan’s Oolong and Cong You Ban Mian in front of him as two other waitresses were putting dishes of noodles in front of the teenagers and teachers. He was pleased that he had remembered to use his left hand to take the offered chopsticks that the waitress had taken from the chopstick pocket in her apron. He was also pleased that the teenagers had not taken slightest notice of him.

Rowan’s noodles were steaming hot and correctly using his right hand Rowan sipped his Oolong while enjoying the aroma as they cooled slightly.

The teenagers and teachers were noisily slurping as they eagerly ate their noodles with chopsticks in their left hands of course. Rowan picked up his chopsticks in his left hand, ripped open the paper wrapper and pulled them apart. Unwrapping his chopsticks had confused Rowan a little, without a seconds thought he began eating in a more ladylike and quieter manner.

Movements slowed on the tables opposite and the teachers began glaring in Rowan’s direction. They had ‘made’ him, now he had no option but to brave it out and ignore the unwanted attention while he finished his lunch. Rowan was thankful of the recent change in law before which the police would have been summoned and he would have been quickly arrested and taken into custody. 

A waitress threw an angry look at Rowan as she walked past only to return shortly and noisily slap down the check in front of him even though he was still eating.

There was some giggling and much typing by the teenagers who, having realised what Rowan was, had now lost all interest in their food. By trying to control the teenagers the teachers were making Rowans discovery obvious to other diners. 

Instead of enjoying his birthday lunch Rowan just wanted to leave, he dropped a twenty on top of the check. Without waiting for change Rowan left his half eaten lunch, made for the door and the safety of the street. But before he could reach the door he heard the waitress begin talking loudly…

“I am so sorry you had to see that, we never used to let them in but now the law has changed we are forced to serve them” 

Someone else said “she did not look as if she was…then right in front of everyone, as bold as brass, she had her chopsticks in her right hand”

“And in front of children as well. Those righties have no sense of shame” the waitress said just as Rowan stepped out onto the sidewalk and the door to The Gzder Noodle Bar swung shut behind him.