Monday, July 25, 2011

CRUEL SHOES

Woman who have never met before are approaching each other in parking lots, talking urgently, and exchanging phone numbers and e-mail addresses. No, this is not espionage. They are not swapping names of Botox docs in exotic countries. It is part of a frantic search for shoes! Shoes that actually fit and shoes that might be kind to feet already damaged by shoes that didn’t fit.

One of my best friends reported a month ago that she had walked into and out of some of her formerly favorite stores thinking: Where are my shoes? Those of us with atypical feet have been wearing the wrong shoes for years and now have a set of damaged little toes and damaged big toes.

I've worn the dumb shoes, partly due to budget concerns, partly because I couldn't find any that fit, and I have the damage to prove it. I can’t have pedicures now, partly because of fear of more damage, and partly because a pedicure won't glamourize what’s left.

Face it, many working women cannot afford over $200 for the shoes designed by a podiatrist. And, remember, one shouldn’t wear the same shoes every day, so we’re talking maybe $500 for TWO pairs right off the bat.

Barefoot at my particular job is pushing it.  Well, actually, it's out of the question . . .so what do I do? What do YOU do?

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