able to accept himself as a TV.
He is a new man now and I only regret that he wasn't like this when we first met, we could have avoided so much heartache.
As I said in the beginning, all his new found TV friends have told him he is very lucky to have friends like my wife and me. He almost lost us, not for being a TV but for the drinking which we couldn't ac- cept. Now that he has straightened himself out we are very good friends. We help him in any way we can with an understanding heart. My wife alters his feminine clothes and is even making him a dress for his feminine counterpart.
Bernie's TV friends wanted to meet us and see what makes us the type of people we are. We met two of them, one night, in dress and I was told it was very unusual, for a TV to entertain two other TVs in dress in his apartment with two "straight" people included. I was sur- prised to hear this and still find it hard to believe "straight" friends are hard to find. Don't get the idea my wife and I are going out to put on a campaign to put a TV in every friendship, we aren't the soap- box type, but there are a lot of people like us in this world and the only way to find them is to look for them. Maybe some of your friends are like us and only fear and shame prevent you from finding it out. If your friends and family truly think anything of you, they should acc- ept what you are. If not, I wouldn't want any part of them.
Our friends are not limited to just one TV and his wife but include all types of people. We don't look down on anyone unless they try to hurt us. Our motto is "Live and let live and the hell with society". We don't like it when people try to psycho-analyze us to try to find out what makes us tick. We enjoy life, appreciate our good fortunes and love people. One of the secrets of accepting an oddity is to ask yourself how you would feel if you were in their shoes? What would you expect from a friend? I wonder how many TVs would accept a friend with a problem greater than his.
Ed. Note! This is the kind of a friend to have, and there are more of them around than most FPS realize. Some of our number have, during the past year told of their activities to friends. When they were able to do so without apology and guilt but with interest and reasonable explanation they were usually successful. Many have written in about these experiences. One must use wisdom in selecting the friends to tell and some moderation in the telling, but it can be done and it is much more fun to have some understanding friends around.
35