Shoe Shopping

Do you know what saddle shoes are?


These.  These are saddle shoes.

Can you imagine me in saddle shoes?

Do try.

It's quite funny.

My mom always loved saddle shoes.

I always hated them.

ALWAYS.

But,

for many years as a kid, I wore saddle shoes.

I remember they had a really hard toe area, and I once catapulted off a set of jungle-gym rings and body slammed some kid to the ground while wearing those dreadful shoes.  It was a very Kung-Fu like maneuver and it was totally on purpose.

I don't always remember everything about my childhood, but there are glimpses of people, events... things. And I remember the first time I finally told my mother I didn't want a new pair of saddle shoes to replace the former saddle shoes.

Her response?

"Okay, honey.  You don't have to get them.  We'll get you something else.... I always loved saddle shoes... I think they're so pretty......."

I literally remember, in that moment at the shoe store, thinking "Why the HELL didn't I ever tell my mom I hated these before now????"

I could have saved myself the 'humiliation' of donning saddle shoes and perhaps saved that poor kid's kidney in 2nd grade...

if only....

Nowadays I am quite frank with my mom.

She will hold up threads in the baby store that she thinks is cute for my baby girl and glow and I'll scrunch my face and say,

in plain English,

"That's ugly."

No.  I don't miss those wretched shoes.  I do, however, miss knowing that it must have pleased my mom to see her youngest baby girl in them.

I spent my first years in elementary wearing those shoes, reminiscent of a 50's sock hop.  I must have been so worried about disappointing her. 

I never wanted to disappoint my parents...

I hope they're not disappointed.