Shopping

Once Kamesha and I got to the stores. I definitely felt like I had entered the Emerald City. First, people looked me in the eye instead of up and down. No one asked me what I was doing there. No one followed us around the store. Let me repeat that, no one followed us around in the store (you know, to see if we were going to steal something.) One girl brought us tea…tea! The sales people walked up to my sister and asked her how her day was. Not “eh-hem, can I help you?” My sister, who was totally oblivious due to being blinded by sparkly objects told the lady that she was looking for a cocktail dress for an upcoming gala. The sales person actually believed her! (I mean it was true, but still.) Continuing to shock me, the sales lady even paid attention to my sister while she was describing what she was looking for in a dress instead of looking past her at the white customers figuring they will spend more money. The sales people also showed us a few dresses and when we said we didn’t want to pay that much for a dress she responded “yeah, I think it’s a bit on the pricy side too.” Usually when I say I don’t want to pay $1600 for a dress, I get scoffed at and then shown either to the door or to the clearance rack. Instead she took us to a special room in the back where they keep a stash of the best-quality best-priced garments for their favorite customers.

“This is where we keep the special finds that we don’t want just anyone to get.”

There was a room full of lovely clothes. My sister did all she could to restrain herself as she picked out three items that she was interested in.

“Great, would you like to try them or would you like me to have Michelle put them on for you? She’s built about the same and has a similar skin color so you can see how the dress hangs without having to bother yourself with getting undressed.”

My sister agreed, and we both looked at each other because we’ve heard the phrase “similar skin color” before. We had no idea who was going to come out of the dressing room.

Sure enough, here comes Michelle. She is the same height, weight and yes, skin color as my sister. As she comes out of the dressing room, a few other women come into the back room, who I gather are fit models as well. It seemed like they had a stand-in for every type of customer who could arrive. I wondered how this was financially possible, but I suppose in this new America, investing in diversity really does pay off.

My sister picked out a darling little sequined red dress for just under $800, half of what we were shown in the first showroom.

“No wonder white people have held onto their money for so many years.” My sister said as we left the store with her dress wrapped and boxed and tied with a silver bow. My sister had once bought a Gucci purse but hung it on the door of her condo incase she had to take it back so that she could pay her mortgage. “I won’t even have to return this dress next week.”