California Dreamin' is an annual event in San Francisco for the Transgendered Community. This year's conference will be from April 30 - May 3, 1998, with the theme The Western Transgendered Community: What Does the Future Hold for Us? Even though I have another unrelated conference to attend starting on May 1, I intend to divide my time between the two, and to spend all of the first day at California Dreamin'.
To start my preparation for the conference, I decided to have my legs waxed for the first time on Wednesday, April 29, the day before. I found a salon which performs this service in a discount coupon book which I received in the mail. I was familiar with the location; it is on a street which has many hair and nail salons, including two where I had had my hair done regularly over the years.
At 2:45 p.m. I called for an appointment, and was pleased that I could have an appointment an hour later. I arrived a little late, and found the salon without any other patrons: just the owner, another cosmetologist who did the waxing, and a manicurist. The waxing area is a table at the rear of the salon which is separated by the type of hanging curtains used in hospitals. I removed my shoes, socks, and pants, and lay on the table, which has a high head support. I was given the April edition of allure magazine to read.
The procedure began at 4:00 p.m. It consists of applying warm melted wax to an area of the leg, placing a strip of cloth over it, and then jerking the cloth to remove the hardened wax and the hair attached to it. The operator began on the front of my right thigh, proceeded down my right leg, then repeated the procedure down my left leg. Then came the time to play contortionist, as I positioned my legs so that the rear of them could be done as well.
The entire process took two hours. I can best describe it as having plastic bandages repeatedly ripped off of your skin. The procedure is fairly expensive, although the results are supposed to last longer than shaving or using depilatories.
I also had a pedicure, including the procedure of dipping each foot repeatedly in hot paraffin, letting it dry, then peeling it off. Finally I had a manicure as well. I left the salon at 7:30 p.m.
