Shoes to Fit  

 

        What I know about shoes you could fit into Cinderella’s little size 5 glass slipper. Well in my mind she wears a size 5. I mean have you seen those little feet in the animated movie? 

Personally, I am from the Earth Shoe age. These babies were supposed to be the do-all end-all of all shoes. Invented in the 1970s by Danish yoga instructor Anna Kalsø, the design mimicked walking downhill or in sand to promote natural posture. They came out as the best thing since the Saddle Shoes of the 1950’s. But. Yes, an ingrown toenail “but.” In reality what the Earth Shoes did, for me anyway, was to shove my foot in the toe of the shoe with each step. Cramming toes into an obviously bad position. Placing tender toes into places they should never be. Causing what is now known as physical injury or trauma from weird fitting shoes. Yes, that is about the extent of my shoe knowledge.
 
            I had the opportunity once to go into a shoe store with a friend who knows all about shoes. This gal can pick apart a pair of shoes like picking apart an eyelet on the eyestay of a shoe with a dull needle at a hundred paces. It was amazing. As I stood there in my 4-year-old sneakers, with my mile-worn holes in the sides and my ever-present neon pink laces looking so haphazardly tied, she asked the salesgirl to bring her no less than six pairs to try on. I sat down for the show.  It took about forty minutes for her to decide that none of them were what she wanted. The salesgirl smiled. Oh, but if looks could maim her feet, my friend would not have needed shoes ever again!  I did learn this. I can now measure a foot to the nth-degree with those metal foot sizers that are in shoe stores. Suffice to say, I am NOT a size 5! 

            The shoe industry really has gone too far in my opinion. I sometimes watch a TV show where people buy the contents of storage units that are sold when people don’t pay the rental fees. Sometimes it’s entertaining, most of the time it’s garbage to watch. The buyers always seem to find some hidden treasures. Funny that if I were behind on the rent of a storage unit and I had hidden treasures, I would at least go in and get the treasures before all the contents get sold to the highest bidder. But that is TV.  Moving on.

There have been times when the lockers have held shoes. Athletic shoes. Some of those shoes sell for thousands of dollars. Who!? Who has thousands of dollars to spend on shoes—that they NEVER wear. Foreign to me. I cannot get all giddy about shoes.
 
            When I was younger and traveled to the city for shopping, I would sometimes find myself in upscale stores. Never bought much more than a pair of socks. Oh, one time I was in Bloomingdales in New York City and I did buy a t-shirt that was -well still is—blue and has BLOOMIES embroidered across the chest. I was much younger and it was cute. Who knew that now, over 40 plus years later I would find it hiding in the bottom of a bottom drawer. Yes, I still wear it. If it had been a pair of shoes. Oh, who am I kidding, I would never have paid the prices high end stores ask for shoes. I do remember looking at shoes in Bloomingdales in the early 1980’s. I picked up a shoe on the display rack and they were priced at over $225. In my entire life I really don’t think I have paid that amount for all the shoes I have worn.
 
            I am sure that I will cross over that amount next time I have to buy shoes. Which should be in the near future. My working, outside shoes are looking pretty holey and worn. So the other shoe is about to drop for me.
 
            I will soon have to go into a store; a few steps up from the big box store because their shoes just smell funny. No I will go into a store that has a shoe department with and actual salesperson, try on a few and buy a brand-new pair. Just like the ones I am replacing. Just, you know, new! Last pair I bought were less than thirty bucks. Pretty sure the replacements will be closer to at least $75.
 
            But! I will not have to be measured. I got that covered. Size 8 or maybe 9, depends on the time of the day! 

Trina lives in Diamond Valley, north of Eureka Nevada. Contact her at itybytrina@yahoo.com or Trina Machacek HC 62 Box 62101 Eureka, Nevada 89316