Sometimes two companies at the top of their field shouldn’t be doing business together. Like back in the day, well okay late nineties to earlier part of this century McDonalds was in WalMart when they weren’t trying to offer their own unique cafe. WalMart recognized earlier on that people weren’t interested in their own cafe, but I thought that McDonalds was doing okay. Before you realize it though Subway was in most of those WalMart locations.
To the casual observer it could have been a case of WalMart wanting McDonalds to sell the double cheeseburger for like 85 cents. But considering that obviously is not the case with the Subway franchises, who appear to have the complete menu offered in their freestanding restaurants (unlike McDonalds when it was in WalMart) the truth may be more complex.
It brings up another issue, like if what is percieved to be number one at what whomever does best can get along with someone elses number one at what they do best. New York and California. Apple and Microsoft. Jay Z and Nas; I think you get my point here. To do so requires having somewhat of an open mind and a compromise of sorts. It also says that those at the head of the camp recognize that doing so is best for both parties, though those at the bottom of the camp, on the fringe may not necessarily feel so.
So I am trying to make it here without loosing who I am, in essence, and I think that I have pulled it off. I have been afforded opportunities I wasn’t getting previously, and am trying to work those into what I do best. Like the other day I was in the store and saw what must have been at least at one time, a $50 Nautica Jeans shirt for like $1. I don’t even have to tell you what I did. If you read my other work, you know I left the area for a bit to check out the inauguration. In the middle of the ‘hood, my mind not in the right place as usual I figured I would people watch to pass the time.
People were wearing more Black, and less flair than you seem to have at the Beach with those who are fashion obsessed. Is the wild technocolor hip-hop clothing that seemed to be order of the day no longer in style? Arguably people could have been from anywhere in the country, and it was cold so all you may see is a jacket. But there was this prevalent sense of a rough, industrialized nation type of approach to style that goes against what seemed to be happening at the Beach. No loud jackets, an occasional animal fur here and there, but mostly depressing black and grey.
On some level though I think whether or not you emphasize the monochromatic look has somewhat to deal with your own personal state of mind. Like there are days I don’t feel like the lighthearted fun stuff either, and just want those dark blacks, deep navy, white and grey of some type. But I couldn’t do that all the time, every day. Perhaps it kept me warm thinking about it.
But by the time things got started and I had to walk tens of blocks to get to the Mall I had quickly forgotten about all of that. In fact it did seem as though fashion would not play the same role as it does where I am now, where things are not quite as fast and a bit more laid back. I’ll have to return in the summer to truly see where things are at. Of course nothing compares to being in New York and seeing that in your face yet sophisticated yet confident and arrogant look all at once. When everything is in the details and you can’t hide behind color, or the absence of it, when you really need to be on top of your … Fun times indeed.
