Hole In My Shoe
Yesterday my shoe collapsed. In a squishy air-filled fallump, it suddenly felt much bigger. Looking down I saw the tear, a huge split where the leather upper had worn away from the sole. My favourite shoes: a pair of black Max Maddens slip-ons.
This was early doors, the start of the working day. It hadn’t even gone 9. It was an important day, a top meeting with the Big Cheeses where I was the key presenter. Me and my dodgy shoe. They say you can judge a man by his shoes, if so I would be judged as an old much-loved man, one who was literally coming apart at the seams.
By End of Play I was having to curl my toes to keep the shoe from falling off.
Today is the last day before my well-deserved summer break. This blog may go quiet unless I find an Internet connection and a quiet moment.
Whatever did happen to Nigel Planer?
Yes, Spanish shoes – not yours I presume – had always been noted for being trustworthy, not to leave you in the ditch, but recently I’ve had problems with two apparently new pairs. Soles divorcing between them and the upper part were the cause. It was unthinkable decades ago. Should we blame the non-dictatorship for it?
Enjoy your Summer hols, Zhisou. Polish your brains to be ready for next season.
Jose
August 13, 2009 at 07:16
Is that THE Max Madden?? the former MP for Sowerby? Wow
janejill
August 13, 2009 at 23:32
Jose, they were American shoes. Sadly the Spanish shoe industry has become a shoe importing industry with cheap Chinese shoes. In general I like American clothes because they are cheap but don’t look cheap, but fall apart quite quickly so you get to buy new stuff and have a change.
I am really looking forward to my holidays this year, I have decided I deserve them.
zhisou
August 14, 2009 at 07:35
Janje, not sure it’s the MP, I think there was an American sports star of the same name.
zhisou
August 14, 2009 at 07:35
Iberian footwear is not was it once was, indeed, neither is Italian. That said, my current faves are a pair I picked in Rome when the rain did awful things to a pair of Camel Actives. Active my arse.
tyger
August 21, 2009 at 21:46
And then they say that China is rising while we, the West, are declining in trade. If “Spanish” shoes, and former British articles are made in China, how possibly employment is going to be maintained here? That’s what globalisation is meant for. To keep the costs of production as low as possible so that those-you-know make more money.
And there is a new angle to the “crisis”: what those-you-know are after is to make employment so absolutely necessary that the costs of production are lowered this end, too.
Jose
August 22, 2009 at 06:47
Update, just bought a pair of Spanish slip-ons for the Autumn season. No holes yet. The previous pair were American. I love American clothes and footwear, looks great but falls apart quite quickly so you get a chance to change stuff around.
I’ve got an old raincoat from 10 years ago. Still like new. The damn thing is too well made. I’m so bored of it but can’t get rid of something in such good condition.
That’s the problem with quality.
zhisou
August 24, 2009 at 11:49
That’s why we grow old, Zhisou. Imagine the people around us seeing the same faces and bodies, mainly if we are the onlookers.
Jose
August 24, 2009 at 13:31