When I was a little girl, I went with my mom by bus to downtown Chicago when she needed a new pair of shoes. She always went to the same store – Joseph’s – and usually came out of that store carrying several boxes of shoes tied together so she could carry them easier.
One afternoon when I was old enough to voice my opinion, I begged her to buy a pair that I literally had fallen in love with. They were navy-blue suede with sling back high heels, little cutouts on the top and narrow ties meant to go around her ankles several times. My mom usual wore simple pump-like styles so these suede shoes would be a big departure from those. But she said she didn’t plan to buy them. They were too extreme for her.
Well, I had a crying fit. I was determined not to let her go out of Joseph’s without the suede shoes tied to her package.
And the crying worked. The more I cried the more she backed down until she bought and carried the fancy ankle strapped suede shoes home too. And wouldn’t you know, every time she wore them and got compliments on them, she said I made her buy them, that I wouldn’t let her out of the store without them.
That was my first realization that shoes were very important in my life. As a youngster I was made to wear brown oxfords to school and were they ugly and uncomfortable. Later I was allowed to wear saddle shoes with white socks pulled high on my legs almost to my calves. I loved them. I polished the white parts so they looked like they had never been worn and I got them replaced at the beginning of every school year since my feet were still growing. Later on, when saddle shoes went out of style I switched to loafers. For some reason I didn’t have to wear lace-up shoes anymore.
And I still wear loafers today after wearing high heels in all styles – I have a pair of black patent leather ones that are the most comfortable shoes I own. I hope they never wear out.
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