Jan032007
The Shoes that Provoked a Comment
Today as I walked down a brick sidewalk to get lunch, a man approached me and said, “Those look like nice, comfortable shoes you’re wearing.”
“Thank you,” I said, not sure how else to respond, and we continued walking our separate ways.
His remark stunned me and I have to question why. No stranger has ever commented on the level of comfort of my shoes outside of a shoe store. But why should someone voicing their opinion feel strange to me just because I haven’t made their acquaintance? Why should it feel odd or “random” when strangers communicate with each other on the street? Maybe it shouldn’t be strange, but the fact that it rarely happens makes it so?
The thing is, these are incredibly comfortable shoes that I’ve worn for years and have even repaired twice because they are too good to toss out. They’re great for walking, dressy enough for work, and easy to slip on and off for convenient indoor/outdoor transitions. But at first glance, do these shoes really scream extreme comfort? I wonder if this man would have made the same comment if I was wearing sneakers, or if that would be just too obvious, leaving us to walk pass each other without a word.
Raindrop Parade
