Wear your girly dress

One thing you dislike about your job is the uniforms the staff members have to wear. Even if you get promoted a notch or even two, you’ll still have to wear the same uniform. This does promote a bit of egalitarianism, but mostly it just annoys everyone who has to wear a uniform. And so you put on the cute, very feminine sundress you wore briefly last evening, over the same lingerie, and once you’re fully dressed to admire yourself in the mirror. The core of male self deep inside your Carrie identity has been a help here: the man you used to be didn’t like obvious makeup on women, and not only aren’t you wearing excessive blusher, you’re letting your naturally thick eyelashes let you do without mascara. The subtle, rather scant makeup you’re wearing today genuinely looks better than what’s usual for you. Your Michael Kors handbag hanging from your wrist has the Costume Set in it. It actually feels normal to carry a purse — but why wouldn’t it? (Okay, you know perfectly well why it might not.)

A short but fun drive brings you to the bank branch where you have your safe-deposit box — fortunately you’d remembered the key just before you’d gotten in your car. Signing in, you automatically produce a Caroline Ma signature: you’re pretty sure that you couldn’t produce your former self’s signature now. Soon you’re in the little room where you can examine the contents of your box in private, adding or removing things as necessary. You take the Costume Set’s case from your handbag, open it, ensure that the “pens” are inside.