Passing on the torch...

.

Well, this has been weighing heavy on my mind for several days now since our good friend, Buck, posted a deal about finally having to move on from his beloved house shoes.  Just so happens, that I was in the same "crisis" deal at just about the same time.

Update:  (Buck done got his new house shoes)


Yep!  I have had the same house shoes for about a gozillion years (well, at least five or six...maybe 8...not sure.  I remember well that I bought them on December 24 of some calendar year in the past.  The Mrs. had NO idea what to give me for Christmas, so I went to The Walmart, and picked them up while I was buying her something to unwrap on Christmas Day.  Don't remember what she was so excited to unwrap the next morning...but I'm pretty sure it was something good...and she even wrapped them in gift paper when I got home, so I'd have something really cool to unwrap on Christmas Day).  

They have served me well, and I've worn them down to a nub.  Truth is, I really LOVE them.  Heck, I wear them almost everywhere (except to work, or funerals)...I mean, The Kroger, The Walmart, The Super1, The Dollar General...even to The Fred's Discount.


I call them "moccasins," because us (1/16th) Injuns can get away with wearing "moccasins" where house shoes really ain't all that appropriate.  The Mrs. would give me grief for wearing my "moccasins" around town.  But, she just did not understand.


It's hard being a (1/16) Injun, married to a white woman.

Just sayin'...

I think the reason I love to wear house shoes everywhere has something to do with my personal structural anatomy.  I remember an episode back when I was a competitive long distance runner (this was in about 1989).  I was on a bus with about 30 other long distance runners, being hauled up to the "start" point of the race, from which we would start, and then we would finish (if we lived) down there where our cars and loved ones were waiting.  (One guy had his faithful black lab on the bus...he always ran with his faithful black lab, so the bus driver let the pooch on.  She was pretty, too.)


I was listening to all the other "runners" talk about their aches, knee pains, plantar fasciitis, sciatica, and other stuff that were consequences of long distance running.  I just happened to pipe up (hard to believe, I know), and mention that I'd never had ANY problem...pains...ailments, etc. that they were talking about.  

So, some young runner chick says to me, "Take your shoes off!"


She was pretty cute, so I did.

Chick looked at my feet, and said, "My God!  I've never seen flatter feet!"  Then, the whole bunch of 'em started discussing how folks with no arch in they foots can run forever with no pain, and how flat-footed folks are of the devil, and all.


I kinda felt out of place then, so I put my shoes back on and just shut my mouth and listened.


Won a trophy in that race, too.


Just sayin'...


Anyway, I think I love wearing house shoes everywhere I go because I'm flat-footed.  Plus, you can take them off pretty quick.


Where was I going with this?  Oh yeah...


Anyway, about a week ago, it came time to start mowing grass here at Andy's Place.  I looked everywhere for my trusty lawn mowin' shoes...nowhere to be found (I'm pretty sure The Mrs. threw them away.  She does stuff like that).  So, I decided to go ahead on and cut the grass in my beloved "moccasins."  I think I did 'em in for ever wearing anywhere else.

Truth is, it's probably time to just mow grass in 'em.  I mean, there's old paint stains on the toe of the left shoe.  The tie on the right one won't stay tied.  And, The Mrs. seemed kind of embarrassed the last time I wore them to The Red Lobster.


So...I had to go to The Walmart this morning to pick up some Diet Sam's Colas, clothes hangers, socks, and two tubs of "Move Over Butter," and decided to see if they had some house shoes in that store.  Sure enough they did.

And, WAS I EVER IN FOR A SURPRISE!


No, they didn't have exactly the same shoes all these years later.  But, it was even better.  The Walmart had "High Country" slippers for 5 bucks.  REALLY!  Regularly $19, for FIVE STINKIN' BUCKS!


I bought me a pair (really...you get both the right and left for five stinkin' bucks).


And, they just fit like a foot in a house shoe should.

Sadie likes 'em, too.  I guess they've got that "new shoe smell" that dogs just can't resist.


So, we done passed on the torch to a new pair of house shoes moccasins.  I like 'em!  (They kind of clickety-clack when I walk on the oak floors here, because they've got some tread that needs wearing down.  But, trust me, I will.)