"The limestone and brick building towered 47 stories above the street, a monolith to money and the things it could buy. Outside doormen adorned with gold colored epaulets opened car doors and assisted guests in and out of the building. Flags from a foreign land flew above the entrance while shoeshine boys and newsies kept a respectable distance, hawking their wares with a knowing nod rather than the irritating chatter they used in our part of the city. We walked into the building as if we belonged and tried our best not to gawk at the marble floors and ornate bronze and wood decor. Scattered throughout the lobby were delicate antique chairs easily flummoxed by human weight and brightly colored oriental rugs that bore no evidence of the foot traffic they endured on a daily basis."