So, that Oscar de la Renta place on Madison Ave in NYC. Yeah, I know it. Or, I used to walk past it all the time, anyway.
Had this job for a couple of years, just a few blocks over. Total grind, barely made enough to cover my tiny apartment share out in Queens. Every morning, I’d walk down Madison on my way from the subway, and every evening on the way back. And bam, there it was.
Man, those windows. It was like looking into a completely different world. Dresses that probably cost more than my entire year’s salary. Perfect lighting, looked like a museum exhibit half the time. You’d see these super elegant folks, sometimes, slipping in or out. Looked like they stepped right out of a magazine.
And there I was, usually speed-walking, probably spilled coffee on my shirt, worrying about getting chewed out by my boss for being two minutes late. It was such a crazy contrast, you know? On the same sidewalk, you got people buying thousand-dollar dresses and people like me just trying to make rent.
It wasn’t like I was mad about it, not really. Just… weird. Made you think. Like, what kinda city is this where these two things exist side-by-side? Felt kinda unreal sometimes.
I remember one time, they had this absolutely insane gown in the window. Bright red. Took up the whole display. I stopped for a second, just staring. Thought about who buys that, where they wear it. Seemed like a fairy tale thing.
Funny thing is, I don’t work anywhere near there anymore. Left that job, moved on to something totally different, way out of Manhattan mostly. Haven’t walked down that specific stretch of Madison in ages.
Probably hasn’t changed much, though. Still fancy. Still got those dresses I could never afford. It’s just a street, just a store, but yeah… walking past it every day for a couple of years definitely sticks in your head. Makes you realize how many different worlds are packed into one city.
