The Extra Mile

Choosing Shoes

New shoes, new shoes,
Red and pink and blue shoes.
Tell me, what would you choose,
If they'd let us buy?

Buckle shoes, bow shoes,
Pretty pointy-toe shoes,
Strappy, cappy low shoes;
Let's have some to try.

Bright shoes, white shoes,
Dandy-dance-by-night shoes,
Perhaps-a-little-tight shoes,
Like some? So would I.

BUT

Flat shoes, fat shoes,
Stump-along-like-that shoes,
Wipe-them-on-the-mat shoes,
That's the sort they'll buy.

I remember reading this poem by Frida Wolfe in one of my English readers in school when I was very young. I remember repeating this poem a lot. I had liked the poem because of its inherent beat and I could repeat it just like that without having to memorize it a lot. Also, the way the poet had described the types of shoes appealed to me as a kid, I guess. I had tried to recollect this poem but try as I might, I could not remember but the first few lines. Now, my main point in this exercise was because I had bought a new pair of formal shoes few days back. I have always had bad experiences with shoes. When it comes to shoes, I always make a mistake. Either they are too tight or they are too loose, don’t look that appealing or worse, they bite me. My predicament made my mother comment that my feet did not have the “right” shape and that even a child could buy a pair without a fuss. Now, I know she meant this in jest but I got thinking about how some kind of shoes were never meant for me. How difficult is it to say whether the shoes are good or not. Now, my point is, unless you walk a certain distance, the shoes don’t reveal their true colors literally and figuratively.

Well, I thought, I had learnt my lesson. In the shoe shop, I tried on all types of shoes as described in the poem, to avoid the mistakes I have made in the past. I finally bought a sensible pair of flat shoes for myself. At the time, I was very happy with my purchase and commended myself on my selection. Now, the day to wear them dawned bright and sunny. I took out my new shoes from their box and wore it. I was quite happy with the way they went with my clothes. As I started my long walk to school, the horror started. My new shoes were biting me!!! The shoes were not only uncomfortable to walk with; they also took off my main focus from what I was actually wearing them for. After all the effort I took in searching for the right pair, I felt disappointed that this had to happen. I just couldn’t wait to get out of my shoes and wear my comfortable sneakers. I guess I just have to reconcile with the fact that I cannot have a pair of shoes which are comfortable as well as good to look at. I feel like an idiot child who doesn’t know what she wants. But I’ve made my mistake and I have to bear with it and I admit, shoe-shopping is not for me. I too want pretty pointy, red, blue, strappy, cappy, bright, white shoes. Looks like they are not for me…I did not go that extra mile, I guess.