This is the story of how Emery Walters became whom he was supposed to be.<br><br>I knew I was male at an early age, something that was a societal no-no in the 1950s and still is in parts of the country today. Burying my male identity, I strove to be the best woman possible. But after raising my four wonderful children from two debilitating marriages, I found myself alone and nearly penniless. That was when Emery asserted his identity.<br><br>Life became better with the shift from female to male, a third marriage, and a wife who, herself, transitioned from male to female.

Some Fine Day

When I heard Patti Smith sing, ‘Life is full of holes’, in ‘Horses’, I understood how that was me. At times I feel like I’m still just playing a role; after all, I still have no guidebooks but I missed the long boy-to-man training period as well. But what I said to that therapist, I am my own role model, that’s all I need to remember to find my way. Maybe like Hansel and Gretel, I’m picking a path of twigs and dropping them along the way to mark my path, although unlike them, I am never going back.


Chapter 113