It's a Girl Thing!

It all started when I was in 7th grade and had my first out of town field trip to Williamsburg. One of the evening activities was to be bowling. After a day of walking around Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown, I remember thinking about how much I looked forward to something other than a history lesson. It was also the first time I had gone out of town with both girls and boys. We arrived at the bowling alley after dinner (I remember this like it was yesterday). We all went up to get our shoes and the clerk behind the counter asked me my size. I remember saying I wear a Size 10 and all my “friends” looked at me like I had 2 heads. To make matters worse, the size of the shoe was sewn in a stripe down the back of the shoe so every time I went to bowl, everyone started laughing at me because I was a size 10. Being a “10” in some things is a good thing, but being at that very impressionable age when you don’t want to stand out as anything different, it just wasn’t right. I remember coming home and telling my parents how much I hated having big feet and then looking at their feet and realizing I was just the product of good stock. From that day forward I decided that whatever shoe I wore on my BIG feet was going to not only be a size 10, but a killer shoe as well.

When Bob and I got married, he was always looking in my closet and telling me to count my shoes. I didn’t want to bring any extra attention to the 50 plus pair I have, so I just busied myself ignoring him. Over the years I have been married, I have obviously collected a few more pairs, which are in perfect cubbies so I can always grab the right shoe for the right outfit. On my last trip to South Carolina I promised Bob I would only spend 5 minutes in the famous Bob Ellis Shoe Store on King Street. To Bob, 5 minutes was way too long to shop for shoes, but for me, the very skilled shoe shopper, it was to be short and sweet. I passed the pole dancing shoes with 5 inch heels at $960.00, skipped the Prada section, and ended up with good old Donald Pliners for $310.00. These new tortoise shell shoes would be at home next to my zebra and python sandals. I was in and out in a flash and Bob was done for the day.

When we arrived home, Bob was telling folks at the Saturday ride about how ridiculous it was to spend $310.00 on a pair of shoes. I then asked Bob how much he spends on his Sidi cycling shoes and I think it was in the ballpark of $400.00. I just can’t imagine spending that much money on a shoe that doesn’t have a cute heel and is all sweaty inside. Bob totally gets his purchase and I totally get mine. I guess it’s a “Girl Thing.”