The New Shoes

I’d like to think that three weeks away were due to some important, life-changing set of circumstances that will help fill the page here for months. But alas, no such luck. April, May and June are shaping up to be overwhelmingly scheduled with Events–yes, those momentous occasions that cause titles to be capitalized–and that leaves the weeks in-between as times to refresh and retool, and not to sit and try to unload thoughts onto the computer.

But I’ll try.

My wife has regaled the family with the story, so now it’s my turn…Along with some minimal defense.

But keep in mind that I tend to buy my shoes from Target. Or Famous Footwear (where we have a frequent buyer card). Or somewhere equally cheap. And why do I buy cheap shoes? Because I have big feet, and big shoes tend to cost more and are harder to find. Because I don’t spend money on myself simply as a matter of course–I buy what I need for myself and don’t tend to go for extravagances so that there’s more to go around for the family. And because I’ve pretty well decided that I can live my life with three pairs of shoes: winter boots, tennis shoes, and a dress pair. When one of those wears out, then I “need” another pair.

I don’t hold the same thought when it comes to my family. “Need” has different meanings there. If I can afford it in the budget and they want to buy something that will serve a purpose in their life, then it’s as close to a “need” as I can get. So when Jenni decided that she needs new Birkenstocks because I can’t remember the last time we bought the pair she has, I did honestly consider that a need. And since we’ve become big fans of Schuler Shoes, we go there for a lot of our shoe needs.

So on Friday, Jenni and I headed to Schuler to get her sandals. And while I had been thinking about needing to fit in a purchase of new tennis shoes for me, it still wasn’t fully on the radar–my tennis shoes didn’t have holes, were moderately comfortable, and served the purpose of covering my feet whilst out in public.

But the hitch in shopping for shoes at a good shoe store with actual knowledgeable salespeople is that our sales guy looked at my feet and began lecturing–or selling, or explaining…take it as you will–about how the support I wasn’t getting from my two-year-old tennis shoes wasn’t worth anything. So we looked at shoes for me.

I came away with a dress pair–which feel as comfortable as almost any shoes I’ve had for a long time–and a pair of tennis shoes.

But they aren’t just tennis shoes: they’ve got extra support, a “roll bar,” cushioning, breathable fabric, a 12-volt power system, roof rack, and fog lights. All they need is an airbag.

And for the first couple of days I wore them, they hurt. My feet, unaccustomed to how actual podiatric support was supposed to feel, were uncomfortable with the extra attention, and came out sore. But today, the comfort is noticeable.

So now I’m thinking about sandals. After all, it is almost summer. But then Jenni will need something else, too.

See you tomorrow.