The Secret Life of Mel a.k.a Melanie
Mel was a long time stock broker and a well known character on the trading floor. His voice resonated through the trading crowds like an auctioneer, and the floor shook as he excitedly started jumping up and down in the heat of trading, beads of sweat rolling off his nose. Mel was a big man – over six feet tall and just as wide. Everyone knew him – you simply could not miss the man.
Mel’s known interests ranged from Star Trek – and yes, he went to as many conventions as he could – to Star Wars and flying rockets. Each year before his big vacation to the desert where he would get more an more distracted from his job, trading the wrong series then trading out of errors backwards. His mind always wandered to the rockets he was building and the big competition that lay ahead. And boy, when he returned from these trips he was wound right up. Market Makers would try to trade 15 contracts with him and instead of splitting it up 8 and 7 for instance, he would sound off, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” The Market Makers expected this from him and would simply resplit the trade for him as no one cared to trade only one contract.
Well, as interesting a personality as Mel was, it took me some time to hear much else about Mel’s home life. I knew he was happily married as well and had no kids, but that was about the extent of it. One day however Mel came to work wearing earrings and makeup. Now plenty of men wear earrings, but these were blue stars and truly looked like something my five year old daughter would wear with one of her princess dresses. The blush was a bit questionable too, but what did I know.
Then one of my co-workers told me the real story. She had been out with Mel and his wife on several occasions … but, when they went out, Mel was often Melanie. Yes, Mel liked to cross dress in his spare time. Wow, I could not believe it. He was a big man and I could not imagine, among other things, where he would find women’s clothing to fit his over-sized pear-shaped body. Then one day I saw a photo from Halloween. And here was this big man in a leapord print top and mini skirt, sporting a black wig, and high heels! Wow!
The story got even more interesting as some of the traders caught wind too. And then one day a new trader started, a cute young female named Melanie. And guess what, she was in Mel’s pit. Anytime he would call out Melanie’s name to trade with her, the crowd would chuckle, picturing Mel a.k.a. Melanie in full drag!
