On "Pretty..."

He approached the microphone ferociously and to everyone's surprise had placed a high speed fan at the foot of the stage on the floor. When the song hit the first chorus of "Since You Been Gone" his version of Kelly Clarkson would have blowing locks of music video hair as an exclamation point to the song's message.

The crowd went wild with screams and applause. The fan was the essential element to the performance, and it blew the audience away, sweeping them into the concert hall he had created in his mind's eye. His nerves slipped off of him every so smoothly and the remainder of the song's performance was a rousing success. As a matter of fact, he won. He wasn't aware the evening was a competition and not just a staff talent showcase, but by surprise he took his place in line while the audience decided the fate of he and his other talented employees. He was the manger of the club and politely claimed his title while handing over the top prize to his runner up. His debut in drag performance and a winner. Not too shabby.

He looked pretty. That's what everyone said, anyway. And if you could get past the idea that you knew who he was, he truly did. The makeup was done by a professional ex-Mac make-up artist turned Drag Queen of The Year! The hair was made up of two wigs piled on top of each other. What a heavy load that must have been. The outfit sickly replecated that of the Kelly Clarkson smash hit video. His body was lithe and lean with muscles lightly casting their lines along my exposed arms. There was work involved in this transformation to pretty. A few people crowned him as "K.C. Sunshine!"

But, It's all about the fan. His beauty and success wouldn't have such impact without the fan. The Fan solidified it for the audience. From the speck of glitter serving as a nose piercing all the way to the fan. This Queen was going all the way and leaving no detail unnoticed.

He didn't feel "pretty" per se. He felt funny. He felt frisky. He felt oddly sexy, but, not pretty. He accepted his accolades and awestruck looks with a flair of diva-ness and an air of modesty. He wasn't used to this attention regardless of how many people "knew" him. This pretty thing had it's perks. Being "pretty" was a good thing. People give you things. People dote on you. People fondle you. People even get out of your way.

It wasn't until a month later when he doned a dress again that it dawned on him that this is how it must be for the pretty boys too. He began to realize that the pretty boys he worked with everyday knew they were pretty and life was easier for them. For one imparticular; his right hand man. His right hand man was more like a left hand man. Awkward, sloppy, untrained, frustrating, difficult but less used and abused than the right hand thus...prettier.

His assistant is pretty to most people, sexy to some, hot to others, and icky to few.

But he is pretty to all the right people. He can get what he wants or better yet, get away with what he doesn't. It's infuriating to many but particularly the manager. It's as if this assistant has been blessed with the fan. A fan that works a lot like K.C. Sunshine's fan did in the performance. Just when you least expect it he turns on a switch and he looks radiant and beautiful to those he needs to manipulate. Everyone is blown away and swept into the land of distraction. Their heads nodding yes to questions they don't hear. Their mouths gaping open to eyes that can not see. People moving out of the way for him and giving him all that he wants and doesn't.

I do it too, sometimes. I see how the other's treat him and I follow suit.
My prettiness was put on. One shot deal. I have tried carrying around that fan. It does nothing for me.

His is part of his make up. He's increasing his personal load by carrying around a fan to help lighten his professional load.

What a lot of work being pretty is.