Shoes Tell the Story

My shoes.

They are Manhattan shoes, Bronx shoes, Brooklyn shoes...New York City shoes. Flats that I slip on and cruise out the door with, easy to walk in, easy to walk on, easy on my feet, soft leather, no socks or stockings or tights or anything needed...just my shoes on nicely pedicured feet.

Suddenly, I'm back to wearing my cowboy boots more and more. Sturdy, comfortable, well worn, scuffed heels, needing new soles, tan leather boots. I'm not in the all the time wearing them state yet, but, it's headed that way.

The boots I wore to L.A. last year, walking around West Hollywood, the ones on my feet when I sat parked in Norma, on a 90 minute call, leaning back on the seat, my legs in said boots dangling out of the window... it's tough getting comfortable in a small car when you are talking on the phone.

I did get more than a few looks.

Manhattan shoes don't cut it here. I walk the terrier out to do her duty, and I'm stepping over piles of hay, around piles of shi..manure, walking on rocks and gravel and it's just not working. In my cowboy boots, I stride easily over all of these obstacles, knowing when my walk is done, I can scrape them on the boot scraper outside my door, and if worse comes to worse, I can swish the soles off in a puddle of water until they are clean again.

They fit my feet perfectly....I sit and pull them on with a satisfying 'plunk' when my heel goes past the shank at the back. I wiggle my toes in their cotton socks, stand up, stomp my foot to settle my jeans (that once dropped nicely around my cute flats) and I'm off.

There is something to be said for cowboy boots... you walk with a freedom not found in heels or flats. The pitch gives you comfort after long hours on your feet. You feel a looseness in your walk, a strength in your glide, and your hips automatically swing.

I wear my boots in the winter in New York. They were put away in April, when we thought it might/maybe/perhaps become spring.

They are back out, happy to be of use again, and I'd forgotten the nice sound they make when you walk. You know you are going somewhere when you have on cowboy boots. The click of the heels on concrete or flooring tells you so.

The flats remain for nice places to go, but, the boots are slowly moving back in place for everyday where.

I guess I really am settling in for the month... next thing you know, I'll be wanting to eat Funeral Potatoes and green Jello salad, and, yes, I'm saying "Oh, my heck!" all the time.

It doesn't take long to switch shoes, attitudes or a way of life.