In part five of The Lint Screen’s series examining the underbelly of the mannequin world, we give the floor to Epion (ES) and Pashi Salionne (PS), sisters who work the window of an exclusive Madison Avenue fashion palace.
ES: Most days are agony.
PS: Agony is a good day.
ES: Say something original, why don’t you?
PS: What? I can’t build on what you said for emphasis?
ES: You can’t simply rearrange my statement to try and make it your own.
PS: That’s not what I was doing.
ES: Right. Sure. You were the same way when you were a child mannequin.
PS: Don’t start.
ES: It’s true. Whatever I did, you copied.
PS: Shut up!
ES: I set the trends, you–– you just copied. Your name should be Xerox.
PS: Why do you have to be such a bitch?
ES: How dare you…
At this point, we had to step in and re-focus the sisters to talk about life in Manhattan working as mannequins. They settled down and continued.
ES: I yearn to live in the apartment building across the street.
PS: That would be a dream.
ES: I don’t know if it’s rent controlled.
PS: Probably isn’t.
ES: What? Now you’re a real estate expert?
PS: I never said I was an expert, I just meant there’s not a lot of rent controlled…
ES: Forget it. It’s a dream anyway. We’ll never escape this retail hell.
PS: Yes, we are caught in a nightmare of retailing.
ES: Way to soften my metaphor.
PS: Oh, so now you own all metaphors?
ES: Retail hell is much better than your lame ‘nightmare of retailing.’
PS: Says who?
ES: Says anyone with taste.
PS: Oh, so now you’re miss taste, too?
ES: I set fashion trends…
PS: As long as someone dresses you.
ES: That’s a low blow.
PS: It’s true. Let’s just leave it.
ES: Fine. We’ll return to your– what is your trite phrase– nightmare of retailing…
PS: You’re just upset you didn’t come up with that.
ES: Shut up.
PS: No, you shut up.
ES: Make me!
PS: Don’t tempt me, I swear…
This went on for six hours. We left. By the way, the apartment house is not rent controlled.