by Kayla Weller

Created on: January 24, 2012

I must have walked past that particular set of windows hundreds of times without noticing. I certainly wasn't alone though. For the past 62 years, somebody at Fam's Department Store had arranged each item in the windows so that they all fit together into a perfect scene. But, of the hundreds of office workers, shoppers, tourists, and transients who walked past the downtown store each day, maybe ten people actually looked at the display. And even fewer were actually lured into the store to purchase something.

But, last Tuesday, I was one of them. And I can't say there was anything particularly fascinating about the window that day. Nope, it was purely chance. My head happened to turn at the right moment and my gaze fell in just the right position to bring the dress into my line of vision. Once I saw it, I stopped mid-stride. Behind me, I felt more than heard a woman gasp as she stopped herself just before walking straight into me.

"Sorry," I said, more out of reflex than actual apology.

The woman glared at me with a hateful expression as she scurried past.  Normally, I would've been a bit embarrassed but I was far too interested in the dress to give her much thought.

‘It’s perfect,’ I thought.

Five minutes later, I was standing in front of an immaculately dressed and made up salesgirl.

“Do you have that black dress in the window in a size eight?”

“I’ll check.”

Moments later, I stood in the fitting room and admired myself in the mirror. It fit perfectly. The fabric lightly hugged my body at the hips and cleavage but remained loose enough around the waist and legs that it didn’t come off as provocative. The hemline stopped right above the knee and the spaghetti straps held everything in place. I had been looking for the perfect little black dress since high school and now it seemed my search was over.

I slipped it off and slipped on the outfit  I had entered the department store in. The cash register displayed $71.49 and I returned to the office and slipped my boxed treasure under the desk.

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