So, when, Phillipe asked me on my second day if I would be willing to work a special event, I immediately said yes. He told me that the night before he received a phone called from GM China, asking him for drivers for Fashion Week. Uh oh, I was beginning to regret my uncontrolled eagerness to work. Before I could take it back, I was slated to work for the weekend as a driver for a Chinese model, taking her to fittings, shows, and castings, here, there, and everywhere.
As we zipped to New Jersey in yet another sparkling new car, Phillipe took the time to ask me how well I knew my way around the city. I hesitated, afraid of showing what I newbie I was in town. He took the silence to continue his question with, "well, how well do you know Soho? If I gave you an address downtown, could you drive me there?"
I could feel the sweat beading up along my hairline.
Then I had a bizarre out of body experience as the words came out of my mouth ...
I said, "well, fake it 'til you make it, right?"
Oh, no. If it wasn't enough with the lying, the anorexia or the fact that I'm just an unnecessary employee at this time, that line surely just got me fired. Phillipe is going to kick me out of the car right now.
Phillipe laughed. Oh, thank goodness.
His response: "yes, I guess you're right. And there is navigation in the car. Use it."
Yes, sir.
Friday night, at around 10 pm, I received an email, saying my call time would be 8 am the next morning. It would be early, but that wasn't what I freaked out about. I didn't have a copy of the schedule! I was told I would be given the schedule the night before. I had every intention of studying the addresses and times, knowing which lefts and rights to take, which streets to take in which direction and which to avoid. This was all part of my grand "fake it 'til you make it" plan! Phillipe sent me a text saying, "your model will give you the schedule tomorrow. Good luck! And try not to cry." Oh, no.
Phillipe had warned me I would cry on my first day, but I thought my plan ahead and study secret would keep the tears at bay. Now, I was not so sure.
I arrived at the garage a little after 7 am and arrived to the model's apartment in plenty of time in my awesome Cadillac CTS. Can you say suede steering wheel?
When I called her at ten-to-eight to tell her I was downstairs, I woke her up. Look at me, already failing! She told me in broken English that she didn't need me until 9. Well, luckily I brought a book to read and there was a parking space nearby.
When my model got into the car at around 9:30 she had a videographer with her. I asked her where we were going, and her response, "oh, you don't have szchedure?" And, look at me failing again! She found the email on one of her three iPhones, showed me the address, and we were off. Well, first I entered it into my telephone's googlemaps, but then we were off.
While stopped at one of the lights, she emailed the szchedure to me, and we made it to her first appearance without a hitch.
I spent the next 14 hours learning to drive in NYC. I learned how to keep up with cabs, how to pass cabs, how to park illegally, and how to trick the traffic police into thinking you aren't parked illegally, by simply driving around the block.
I saw Anna Wintour! (Editor-in-Chief of Vogue)
And, I didn't read very much of my terrible book.
At around midnight I finally made it to a bar to meet up with Liz, McKenzie and Jen. When I explained to them what I had spent the day doing, they all laughed. Yup, I'm a cabbie, I just have a much cooler ride.
Jen then asked me who I had driven around all day. As I started to say her name, Sui... Jen interrupted me. "Sui He?! No way! She is super famous! She was on the cover of the Ralph Lauren look book last season!" Well, shows you what I know about fashion.
Jen asked me if she could come along for the ride the next day, but I knew she wouldn't be up for my early morning call time. I headed home, just in time to not get my schedule for the next day again. I would be back to fakin' it.
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