Some good shoes

    November, 2011, Friday afternoon. I bought them for two dollars, or a dollar a shoe. I was roaming around the Salvation Army on Grand and Milwaukee, looking for a blazer for a “fancy” dinner party that weekend, when they caught my friend Tom’s eye. He tried to squeeze his long ass feet in them, but they wouldn’t give. He tossed them my way. As every dumb 19 year old, I couldn’t give a damn about any shoe other than a Nike hi-top, but for two dollars, why the hell not. They were faded around the soles, but were nowhere close to falling apart.

    March 2012, a Thursday night. I wore blue jeans and a buttoned down shirt. I didn't want to wear sneakers, because while I was casually dressed, I wasn’t a casual. It was misting out, so I wasn’t about to break in my brand new Adidas’. So for the first time in my life, I wore dress shoes when I wasn’t explicitly asked to. Before heading off to a party, I stopped in my friend’s dorm room for a few beers. His roommate was a fashion major. He asked me what kind of shoes I was wearing. I took off one, looked at the sole, and told him Alan Edmonds. He nodded. He’d been looking for a pair like mine for years. I didn’t tell him how much I spent on each shoe until later that night, and he lightly punched me out of jealousy. I still don’t think he’s found his perfect pair.

    October 2013, the Friday night before Halloween. I’ve broken in the Alan Edmonds, through snow in wool socks, without socks and cuffed pants through humidity. It was a costume party a week early, I wasn’t aware, but I fit in as a twee professor. A lady came up to me, herself in knee socks and ankle boots with the zipper on the side. She was fascinated by my shoes, enough to come over to me. We talked the whole night. I was convinced these shoes were magical.

    November 2014, Sunday night, typing how I feel about these Allen Edmonds. I have other items of clothing. My dad’s 1968 graduation present Beatles jacket, made in Holland, when they used to make clothing in Holland, and when they used to call the country Holland. My green Levi’s skinny jeans, worn so much there’s a hole on each side. But I’ll never find shoes so respected, at a better cost, than the thrift store Allen Edmonds.