Shoe-icide

Approximately 9 years ago I had a killer pair of shoes. They were black with a one-inch kitten heel, a pretty design on the toes and were so sharp looking. I wore them out dancing, to work and to church and these dress shoes were so comfortable. I just loved them. Yep: I loved them right up to the day I came home from work and Pumpkin, who was a puppy, decided to chew the toes off of both shoes. I was so mad at her! You know, for like 5 minutes because she was so cute and I shouldn't have left the shoes where she could get to them while she was teething.

So I have been looking for a pair of shoes like that for years. Just wanted a dress pump with a kitten heel. But you would think that I wanted shoes with actual kittens as heels because they were no where to be found: at least not affordable. So imagine how thrilled I was when I walked into Payless a few months ago and found: a dress pump with a kitten heel! My heart sang! Black, pointy-toed, strap around the back and they were affordable Christian Sorianos. No one in town was happier than I was.

Yep: happy right up until the day I actually went to wear them. Now I had tried them on in the store but walking around in front of the mirror is different than walking around all day in them. I have a bone at the base of my right big toe that protrudes a little bit; and the right shoe rubs against that bone. So sadly I didn't wear them.

Until I found myself back in the job market. So these became my interview pumps. I could wear them for the duration of an interview. That is, until I had a very important interview the beginning of August and I really needed to impress.

I got all dressed up and put on my flip flops to drive to the interview. There were several buildings so I went into the closest one to inquire as to where HR was. The receptionist said it was 2 buildings over. I debated wearing the flip flops until I got to the building and then changing into the Christian Sorianos. But heck: it was only 2 buildings over. So I went back to my car and put on the pumps.

I gingerly made my way to HR and whew: I made it. My foot was already starting to hurt but I had reached my destination. I was told that I would meet with the interviewer in 6 minutes and to have a seat.. Then she said, "I really love those shoes!" I wanted to tell her she could have the shoes, but fought down that urge as my foot started to throb a little. However, true to her word, in 6 minutes she said to me, "Okay, let's head over." Something didn't sound quite right with that sentence but I got up and followed her out the door. And out of the building. And on a short tour, since the interview was 3 BUILDINGS OVER! My right foot was like, "What are you doing????" But I managed to mince on over, like a geisha, to where the interview was taking place.

When I sat down for the interview I immediately slipped my feet out of the devil shoes and thankfully no one noticed. It was a wonderful interview and I felt like I'd be coming home if I was offered the job. At the end I surreptitiously slipped my feet back into the instruments of torture, shook hands all around and one of the ladies was going to show me how to get to my car. But FIRST she had to take me on another mini tour! The way my feet were feeling: if she had been a bigger woman I probably would have jumped on her back for a piggy-back ride! But finally I was pointed in the right direction to get to my car.

I was doing a slow hobble and seriously thinking about just taking off my shoes: even though I am NEVER barefoot. I knew my feet were slowly committing "shoe-icide" and it was my own fault that they were trying to kill themselves. But I figured I was almost at the parking lot until instead of taking a turn, I went straight. And that was the wrong way.I realized this when I saw the parking lot on a small hill, but there was no way to get to it. I seriously wanted to just drop to the sidewalk in defeat. Luckily a student saw me and asked if I needed help. I told her my situation and she said, "You're so close! Just go into this door at the back of the Student Center, go up the stairs, through the center and out the door. You'll be able to see your car from there."  Up stairs?? Oy vey! But I thanked her and limped away.

By the time I got to the car I wanted to take not only my shoes off: but my FEET off! I prayed and told God to please let me have the job so I would never have to wear those beautiful shoes again. God was listening and I started my new career August 15th. Hallelujah!

And I haven't worn those shoes since because I couldn't walk on my right foot for 2 days as it was so sore. I mean I was using a cane and cursing those shoes. However, they are still the cutest things going so I'm going to keep them as a reminder to love this job until retirement!