Vanity Fair and City I (1)

(Winter, 2009)

This city is a vanity fair. I like its vigor and modernization but not its invisible influence under which people change their natures.

Melanie is changing too. Born in a wealthy family, she didn’t know the hardship of life until recently. To be independent was her aim, so she left her luxurious home and came to this cruel city. For the past six months, she got low salary because she couldn’t finish her task. But she had to buy expensive clothes and make-up because her colleagues all wore expensive clothes and make-up…She nearly got mad. Her life was in a mess. Failure beat her so heavily that she became the girlfriend of her manager.

And she didn’t love that manager. She just used him to climb higher, or only to feel secure. She said: “If beauty can’t bring material benefit, can’t give you a better life, can’t win men’s love and appreciation, then it is meaningless.”

I stared at her, doubting if she was having a fever. In fact she needn’t do that. Yes she got low salary but her parents sent her money every month. I guess she felt ashamed for it so she wanted to demonstrate she was capable---and her manager boyfriend could help her climb higher and easily. Everybody wants to attach themselves to those in power.

Of course she has to pay the price…Who knows what the price is. I am not interested in it.

Six months later, Melanie is not longer the simple girl I met before. Sophisticated and vain, that can describe today’s Melanie, maybe that can also describe tomorrow’s Jan.