[uplifting brass music]
- Sissy Goodwin: I knew I had to hide my behavior,
so I tried to be very macho, as you know.
The second or third date I took you on, I rode in a rodeo.
But do you remember when I first told ya that
I wore women's clothes?
- Vickie Goodwin: It was after we were engaged,
and I thought, "Well, that's not a big deal."
But one of the hardest things was that
people made fun of this person that I loved,
so I wanted to protect you.
- Sissy: Remember when I was beat up in front of our house?
The guy kicked my teeth in.
To have your kid have to witness that was pretty terrible.
- Vickie: Yeah.
- Sissy: Remember the neighbors we had?
He came out with a knife one day
and threatened to castrate me.
I call those people fashion critics.
But the younger generation, they don't care what I wear.
- Vickie: I remember the time that all your students
dressed up for you.
- Sissy: They all had pink shirts on
and either pink or purple hair ribbons.
The whole class!
That told me a lot.
Did you ever think to leave me 'cause I was different?
- Vickie: You and I talked about it, but I loved you,
and I wanted you in my life, and I wanted you
in our children's life.
- Sissy: I know, early on, you were embarrassed to be with me.
and I felt so bad for you,
because now I'm not the man you married.
- Vickie: Well, we've been married for over 46 years,
and I love the person that I have become because of you.
- Sissy: You didn't know you was marrying
a fashion horse, did ya?
- Vickie: I didn't know that I was marrying someone who
was gonna take up two-thirds of the closet.
- Sissy: I coulda easily lived like my dad, become alcoholic.
And I had tried suicide before I met you.
But it's because you, I went to school
and got my bachelor's degree.
It was you makin' me look in the mirror and sayin',
"You're a good person."
Where do you think we'll be in 20 years?
- Vickie: Oh, probably walking along with our little canes,
holding hands, you in your pretty dress
and me in my jeans, being happy.
- Sissy: One thing you've taught me, honey,
is you taught me how to love.
Because I didn't know how to love.
I've learned since that you have to love yourself
before you can love others.
And the greatest gift you've given me
is the gift of how to love.
["Surly Bonds" by Blue Dot Sessions]