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fashion industry； and clearly one of the most prominent magazine
editors in the world。 The world！ The chance to work for her； to
watch her edit and meet with famous writers and models； to help her
achieve all she doeseach and every day； well； I shouldn’t need to
tell you that it’s a job a million girls would die for。”
“Um； yeah； I mean yes； that does sound wonderful；” I said； briefly
wondering why Sharon was trying to talk me into something that a
million other people would die for。 But there wasn’t time to think
about it。 She picked up the phone and sang a few words； and within
minutes she’d escorted me to the elevators to begin my interviews
with Miranda’s two assistants。
I thought Sharon was starting to sound a bit like a robot； but then
came my meeting with Emily。 I found my way down to the seventeenth
floor and waited inRunway ’s unnervingly white reception area。 It
took just over a half hour before a tall； thin girl emerged from
behind the glass doors。 A calf…length leather skirt hung from her
hips； and her unruly red hair was piled in one of those messy but
still glamorous buns on top of her head。 Her skin was flawless and
pale； not so much as a single freckle or blemish； and it stretched
perfectly over the highest cheekbones I’d ever seen。 She didn’t
smile。 She sat next to me and looked me over； earnestly but with
little apparent interest。 Perfunctory。 And then； unprompted and
still having not introduced herself； the girl I presumed to be Emily
launched into a description of the job。 The monotone of her
statements told me more than all of her words： she’d obviously gone
through this dozens of times already； had little faith that I was
any different from the rest； and as a result wouldn’t be wasting
much time with me。
“It’s hard； no doubt about it。 There will be fourteen…hour days； you
know—not often； but often enough；” she rattled on； still not looking
at me。 “And it’s important to understand that there will be no
editorial work。 As Miranda’s junior assistant； you’d be solely
responsible for anticipating her needs and acmodating them。 Now；
that could be anything from ordering her favorite stationery to
acpanying her on a shopping trip。 Either way； it’s always fun。 I
mean； you get to spend day after day； week after week； with this
absolutely amazing woman。 And amazing she is；” she breathed； looking
slightly animated for the first time since we started speaking。
“Sounds great；” I said and meant it。 My friends who’d begun working
immediately after graduation had already clocked in six full months
in their entry…level jobs； and they all sounded wretched。 Banks；
advertising firms； book publishing houses—it didn’t matter—they were
all utterly miserable。 They whined about the long days； the
coworkers； and the office politics； but more than anything else；
they plained bitterly about the boredom。 pared with school；
the tasks required of them were mindless； unnecessary； fit for a
chimp。 They spoke of the many； many hours spent plugging numbers in
databases and cold…calling people who didn’t want to be called。 Of
listlessly cataloging years’ worth of information on a puter
screen and researching entirely irrelevant subjects for months on
end so their supervisors thought they were productive。 Each swore
she’d actually gotten dumber in the short amount of time since
graduation； and there was no escape in sight。 I might not
particularly love fashion； but I’d sure rather do something “fun”
all day long than get sucked into a more boring job。
“Yes。 It is great。 Just great。 I mean； really； really great。 Anyway；
nice to meet you。 I’m going to go get Allison for you to meet。 She’s
great； too。” Almost as quickly as she finished and departed behind
the glass in a rustle of leather and curls； a coltish figure
appeared。
This striking black girl introduced herself as Allison； Miranda’s
senior assistant who’d just been promoted； and I knew immediately
that she was simplytoo thin。 But I couldn’t even focus on the way
her stomach caved inward and her pelvic bones pushed out because I
was captivated by the fact she exposed her stomach at work at all。
She wore black leather pants； as soft as they were tight； and a
fuzzy （or was it furry？） white tank top strained across her breasts
and ended two inches above her belly button。 Her long hair was as
dark as ink and hung across her back like a thick； shiny blanket。
Her fingers and toes were polished with a luminescent white color；
appearing to glow from within； and her open…toe sandals gave her
already six…foot frame an additional three inches。 She managed to
look incredibly sexy； seminaked； and classy all at the same time；
but to me she looked mostly cold。 Literally。 It was； after all；
November。
“Hi； I’m Allison； as you probably know；” she started； picking some
of the tank top fur from her barely there leather…clad thigh。 “I was
just promoted to an editor position； and that’s the really great
thing about working for Miranda。 Yes； the hours are long and the
work is tough； but it’s incredibly glamorous and a million girls
would die to do it。 And Miranda is such a wonderful woman；
editor；person； that she really takes care of her own girls。 You’ll
skip years and years of working your way up the ladder by working
just one year for her； if you’re talented； she’ll send you straight
to the top； and 。 。 。” She rambled on； not bothering to look up or
feign any level of passion for what she was saying。 Although I
didn’t get the impression she was particularly dumb； her eyes were
glazed over in the way seen only in cult members or the brainwashed。
I had the distinct impression I could fall asleep； pick my nose； or
simply leave