Shoes and socks
As I walk the bridge, I seem to fall back into the same old habits, working too much for too little, and making that my life, which it most definitely should not be. I have had moments when I was not sure where I was going to sleep the next day, and some days I have gone without food. One day, my shoes gave out, and I only have one pair. I did not have enough money to buy another pair of cheap shoes. How pathetic is that? Here I am, an executive for corporations, in business my whole life, and I could not afford a pair of cheap shoes. (why I am broke is in another post) A very good friend loaned me some money and I bought some shoes. I felt great joy having a simple pair of shoes. Almost as much joy as when I bought some extra socks. I had only one pair of socks with me when I started traveling (ok, I thought I had packed more). We sometimes make fun of the memories where grandmothers or grandfathers give us a pair of socks for Christmas, but I can 100% appreciate that after this experience. I cannot tell you the joy a simple pair of socks gave me. The shoes too, though they were only a simple pair of tennis shoes, they made me feel a lot more human again. My oxfords, which were lovely shoes, got to the point where they were starting to feel like I was becoming a transient. There was a moment I was even considering gluing them or taping them together. At that moment I realized I needed to get another pair of shoes otherwise I was entering a slippery slope. So as I said, it has been a learning experience, you appreciate life so much more.
I was rather fond of the black oxfords really, I will have to buy another paid some day. I bought them when I needed to meet a job opportunity in New York about a year ago. I was going to splurge and get a real pair of shoes. Good leather, hand made, stitched, leather soles, Goodyear Welted, I did some serious research. I found a place that I could get a pair that would last me a lifetime for about $400, they were a newer company, and the equivalent shoe from a traditional brand would have been more like $1000. (It’s so easy to toss these numbers around, but right now? $400 would feed me and house me for 2 months.) I had read that I needed to let them dry for a day after wear, so I thought I will buy 2 pairs, but thought I would just buy a cheap pair of oxfords to wear if I needed as well. I found a decent pair online, with a special, and a coupon, and free shipping and managed to get the cheap pair for $25 which was hard to believe. When I got them, they were really very nice and looked amazing. I decided to maybe wait for a bit on the $400. Though I could have pulled it off, $400 is still $400 🙂 I wasn’t that rich. So, I have got tremendous usage out of my $25 shoes, but, alas, they finally gave up the ghost. I even went to a shoe repair place and they said they were unfixable. THIS is why I should have got the $400 shoes, as they are always repairable, and will last. ah well 🙂 so I am in cheap tennies and I am happy for now anyway. When I have money agian, I will treat myself to GOOD shoes again 🙂
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