There are a lot of good things about public transportation: It's affordable, environmentally responsible, good for people watching, cheaper than owning a car. There a couple of bad things about public transportation: It's slow and you often have to spend a lot of time in the cold or rain walking to the bus stop or waiting for the bus. Maybe the responsible rider is lucky and has a subway stop in front of his doorway, but not so the hero of this story.

Our hero lives in a soulless apartment complex that was plopped in a formerly residential neighborhood by buying up the small homes and tearing them down, then pouring tons of concrete over tons of steel, then slapping a couple of inches of Styrofoam insulation over the resulting blockhouse. Finish it off by spreading some kind of tinted concrete slurry over the foam to look like stucco and you have a cellblock modern apartment. With rents so damn high what can you do?

By walking four long blocks our hero is able to reach the dying trendy neighborhood that used to be loaded with small shops, restaurants, boutiques, bars, boot shops and such. Naturally, once the neighborhood got a good reputation the greedy types started plopping a plethora of soulless apartments in it. This raised the taxes and rents so high no one can afford to live there any longer unless they are some high muckity-muck at a tech firm or merchant bank or some such megacorporation.

You can take it our hero is not in the best of moods as he wends his way to the bus stop. Granted you might consider him a low muckity-muck at a tech firm, but he really likes the neighborhood and doesn't want to move.

The weather is threatening, but it still hasn't made its mind up as to rain. For a wonder, there is a seat under the shelter still open, so he quickly claims it. As it does every morning, the shop window by the bus stop made him smile.

His morning smile comes from the sign built into the window that still reads 'Menswear Since 1860.' Out-of-control gentrification and the trend to more casual clothing had done them in. After a few months of being vacant, a ladies wear shop had taken it over. This morning the window has four manikins adorned with only bra and panty sets.

1860, eh? He could just imagine what a passer-by in 1860 would think of the current display in that window. For that matter, he didn't think bras had even been invented in 1860.

Actually, there was a bittersweet edge to his window shopping. Seven months ago he had passed the portals of that establishment and tentatively inquired about a bra and panty set for his girlfriend. The lady inside had been very kind, and was pleased he even knew the girlfriend's size - 34C bra and six panties. (He did actually check the tags while she was in the shower.) Pretty yellow roses with bright green stems, adorned with just a hint of lace on the bra straps and the waist of the panties. Helping her put them on and adjust the straps was fun. Helping her take them off was even more fun.

The bra and panties looked far better on his girlfriend than on the manikin, but two weeks ago they had split and she took her present with her. The only evidence of her presence was a pair of plain, white panties that had gotten tangled in the sheets at some point and forgotten. Still, looking at the window was more interesting than checking his e-mail on the phone until the bus got there.

Seven PM. Getting dark already, the sky is still sullen, as were a couple of his customers. There is a aphorism in the IT business - actually any business that deals directly with customers - that no matter how well you idiot-proof something they keep building better idiots. Like the customer that didn't have an 'ENTER' key on his keyboard, just one that was labeled 'ENT'. At least these days the virtual demise of the CD had eliminated the notorious 'Cup Holder Malfunction'.

The bus groaned to a stop, the doors opened and our hero exited. Two steps later there was a flash and boom and the skies opened up. Without thought our hero jumped to the shelter of the doorway of the defunct menswear shop and stared balefully at the curtain of water trying mightily to imitate Niagara Falls. He spent maybe thirty seconds staring at the deluge when once again Zeus or Jupiter or one of those ancient Thunder Gods got frisky and the streetscape lit up and he was shaken by a deep, resonant boom! less than a second later. That was close!

What the hell? He opened the door and entered before he was soaked to the skin.

"Lovely weather we're having, aren't we?" asked the pretty lady in the shop.

"You don't carry swimsuits, do you?" he asked with a grin.

"Now I just happen to have some lovely bikinis in stock. You could wear one home and not worry about getting your clothes soaked."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen."

"Perhaps a raincoat and a Pooh-bear umbrella? Pair it with a nice pair of knee boots and you'll be very fashionable."

"You must be desperate to make a sale. You did notice I'm not a lady and this is a ladies wear shop."

"Details. A couple of falsies and the right bra and you'd be dynamite."

"Jeez! Did that lightning knock me into another dimension or something?"

"Honey, anyone who spends as much time window shopping in my window while you're waiting for the bus just might have a personal interest in my stock and trade. After all, the sign out there does say 'Menswear' even if it's out of date. I have quite a few men who buy for themselves, you know."

"You do?"

"Not a whole lot, but certainly some. I had no idea when I rented the place that that 'Menswear' sign would attract crossdressers like a magnet."

"I wonder if they have crossdresses at the North Pole."

"I suppose they wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors seeing them in their frillies."

"Frillies?"

"Now tell me, did you buy a plain, white bra for your girlfriend last time you were here?"

"You actually remember me?"

"Of course. I wondered how long it would take you to actually come inside and not just stare at my windows."

"Am I that obvious?"

"Hey - if you can stare into the windows then I can stare out of them. There can be some pretty boring stretches waiting for a customer."

"Oh heck! I do like seeing what you have in the window. It's not like I get to see such things every day."

"What happened to Miss 34C, or shouldn't I ask."

"She kinda just faded away. I spend too much time at work, she liked the bar scene more than I did; what can I say?

"I suppose I should say I'm sorry for asking."

"No problem, we still talk, the spark just faded."

"So if I'm going to keep you as a customer I'll have to convince you that a nice pair of frilly panties is just what you've been longing for."

"Uh, I usually long for those panties to be filled with a girl, not with me."

"Such a shame, I think you would look pretty good crossdressed. You have the face and the hair; heck you even keep your nails trimmed."

"Blame my mother - she was pretty strong on personal hygiene. Keep the hair washed, keep the nails trimmed, brush your teeth, clean underwear in case you end up in the hospital."

"An admirable woman. A lot of men don't give a hoot about keeping their long hair looking decent. I bet you even use conditioner."

"Of course."

"So what would happen if I sold you a pair of pretty panties and you ended up in the hospital?"

"Easy, they'd take a scissors to them and cut them off, they don't mess around in the ER. I have a friend who's a nurse in there and she tells me you wouldn't believe what some people are wearing when the arrive. Good thing HIPAA makes them keep it to themselves."

"Actually, I knew that. One of my crossdressing customers found out the hard way one night. At least they let him unhook his bra before he got carted into surgery for a broken leg."

"Just how did we get to talking about this kind of thing?"

"You asked about a swimsuit. I only sell ladies wear and I told you you would look good in a bikini."

"So you did. Would I look good in that multicolored set in the window?"

"Try it on and I'll let you know. Do you know your size?"

"Only my collar size."

"Come on back and I'll give you a bra fitting."

"Don't take this wrong, but I think you need some chicken cutlets."

"Don't you need to go to a butcher shop or maybe a restaurant for such things?"

"Trade jargon. Not every woman is satisfied with their natural endowment."

"Don't tell me you get breast enlargement e-mails like I get penis enlargement e-mails."

"Unlike the fantasy they're trying to sell you guys, we women just slide a little silicone blob into our bra cup and instant enlargement. They feel kind of like a chicken breast, so the name stuck."

"I hope they haven't been breaded and deep fried."

"You are one strange puppy."

"I'm standing here in only a bra and panties and you haven't figured that out yet?"

"You still have your socks on."

"I stand corrected. Also a bit chilly."

"Just stand there a minute while I get your poultry."

"That's cold!"

"Give them a minute, they'll soon feel quite natural. You can put your T-shirt back on now."

"Uh…"

"How else are you going to see what the new you looks like? You're only an A cup. Of course, you could get some embroidered jeans if you want to feel a bit more girly."

"High-pressure salesman, are you?"

"An artiste! I knew you'd look good as a woman. Besides, a girl's gotta make a living somehow. Too bad I don't carry shoes, you'd look fabulous in high heels and a short skirt."

"Good grief! I only came in to get out of the rain."

"And look how your life has changed. Where's your sense of adventure? Tell you what - you spring for the lingerie and I'll spring for dinner. I've been dying to try the Ethiopian place that just opened up and what better way than to share it with my new girlfriend?"

"Deal. But I'm not going to order chicken!"