The Love of a Good Shoe

I'm wearing a pair of walking shoes that feel like the loving embrace of a strong man: firm, structured, supportive, tender.

I don't like to go clothes shopping. I never have.
I especially do not like shoe shopping.
I do not particularly care about shoes one way or the other.

I just had a wonderful time buying shoes -- and I am in love with not one but two pairs of shoes.

I went to Shane's Foot Comfort Center, one of the 3-Day outfitters. Their 3-Day listing offered a 20% discount on shoes and socks for 3-Day walkers, and their own web site promised that long-time shoe professionals would ensure a great fit.

They were right.

I'd never met a shoe geek before -- but Ron was an utter shoe geek. A soft-spoken man in his sixties, he helped me find the recommended two pairs of walking shoes, then helped me try on a dozen office casual shoes. His knowledge was amazing, as was his concern for ensuring that my non-matching, wide feet were perfectly cared for.

As the opening line of this post indicates, I'm giddy about the shoes I'm wearing now -- and the other pair, still in its box, is just as wonderful.

Tonight's training walk is going to be a very different experience than all the rest.