A Prejudice Against the Gala

“There ain’t no sky today.” I hear the words spoken behind me, and turn to see a man that is so obviously a cowboy you could spot it a mile away. This fragment of speech caught my attention mainly due to the fact that in New York City, the lilt of a Texan accent isn’t something you normally hear. The gloomy sky reflects my dower mood as I close my laptop and gather my things. As I exit the coffee shop, I look down the busy street towards my destination. My place of work is currently overshadowed by the event happening tomorrow evening. When I took the job to coordinate the incoming exhibits and oversee the changes, I never imagined that a whole two months of my job would be taken up by the MET gala.

It’s been my dream job to work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art ever since I walked past as a little girl hanging off my father’s arm. Those steps were seen as a position of power in Gossip Girl, but they hold a different power for me. The conversations I’ve had eating lunch out of my Jasmine themed lunchbox are what led me to pursue a degree in museum studies. My father was an art history professor at NYU, so on the weekends we would walk around and then head to his office. Growing up, I can’t imagine it was easy for my single father. But he made those weekend lunch times worth it. No one has to search far for the cause behind my chosen profession. Weekends at his office were never boring for me, looking at the different books and displays featuring historical events. Not that any of his students know this, but more often than not I was the deciding factor in their presentations grades. I don’t know if he ever kept the grades I gave the presentations, but when I was with him the little numbers marked on my little scoring sheet were final. The few times we wouldn’t go to sit on the steps of the MET for lunch were because of the preparations for the gala. As a kid, I never understood it, which I believe resulted in a deep rooted prejudice against the gala.

I half jog up the steps, by passing the metal grates and tents being set up. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool to see all the intricate outfits different celebrities dream up. It’s even cooler to see them in person as they arrive. But it does make me wonder if any of them have come to look at the everyday exhibits outside of this event. People may know the museum simply from this elaborate event, without taking a look at what the exhibits hold and mean to those who take the time to appreciate them. For me, the exhibits tell an almost magical story, with intimate details that deserve to be studied and admired. For me, this museum displays my life’s work, within the flow of the exhibits, in the intricate placements. The ornate building holds much more than just a celebrity event.