Sweet Feet

Ohhh my God, my feet hurt And they seem like they may be swollen - God, I hope not because that's more pain I mean, who likes pain? You know, these are my favorite pair of shoes. I discovered them while on a business trip at this sunny blue boutique downtown. And I remember entering this little boutique, with chimes alarming me, I'd open the door to accessory and before me lay thee...a pair of shoes, this pair to be precise. It had been anticipating my arrival; It lay alone atop a delicately carved, unfinished, uni-body zingana wood display, which framed the shoes' irresistible poise between a warm wooden aroma and a strikingly bold grain pattern.. There was no label or price tag, or perhaps the sight before me had left me impervious to my senses. I approached it with a combination of comfort and excitement no less than that of a bride as she walks down the aisle. As I leaned in, the heel of the right shoe bowed on one knee and declared, "you want to marry me." I do...I do...I do...I had to have these shoes. They seemed perfect. The quality of leather projected longevity. The heel was balanced yet sharp; it promised to support yet stimulate. . And who would've known that the sole was impressively reinforced with a rare substance that would provide ultimate comfort in the most uncomfortable of settings. This was my shoe. I proudly swiped my debit card, walked out, and tightly clutched my new interest without a hint of regret as the sound of the chimes and the aroma of the beautiful display faded away... Ohhh Jesus, my feet hurt And they feel like they're inflamed Lord, I hope not because that's more pain And I mean, who likes pain? These shoes were never tried...on, that day it changed. It really changed. I carefully put on these shoes, secured the strap, and before examining the fit; I took off in extreme bliss. I was happy, confident, joyous, and every other adjective that could measure what I thought to be perfection. And let me tell you, I wore these shoes with every concoction of attire! They made every outfit look outstanding. I appeared taller which, by default, improved my posture. I even found myself assigning titles like "gurllll these are one-of-a-kind" and "yes honey, they're exclusive" to the shoe only because of its perceived originality... Not merely because of its origin. Annndddd that's where I went wrong. I couldn't run in these shoes...skip in these shoes...shop in the shoes...preach in these shoes. Heck, I could barely fit these shoes! And my toes never hesitated in reminding me that this was a huge NO NO! See, this pair of shoes was designed for display...photo-ops...closet enhancers. The asthetic perfection belied the slow pain that now defines it. I'd always find it amusing how my friends un-doubtfully noticed them while searching through my closet. They even look good to you, right? Yeahhhhhh, but they hurt. Initially, they gave the impression of the "perfect fit". Provided great support, sturdiness, designed with a degree of excellence and looked amazing on my feet. And just like my other shoes, I thought as time progressed, a "breaking-in" would occur. You know...That moment where you and your shoe become one...where a level of comfort is established and everything gets better. That never happened. My feet began to hurt within the first month of wearing the shoes. I would find myself attempting to drive (as I normally do in most shoes) but the pain and pressure of trying to walk in a shoe originally designed for display carried pain...intense pain. The kind of pain that would lead you to the doctor.asking Him once again to mend a broken heart. I mean, a tender yet enlarged bunion. And this wasn't nearly half of it. I learned that the shoe should not have been on display, neither for sale. That particular shoe was manufactured improperly and deemed defective two months prior to me walking into that little boutique. God said, I mean the Designer said, it was a counterfeit version of what was scheduled to be released 7 weeks later. He said he attempted to reach out to the owner of the boutique to relay the message but discovered the store was no longer in existence. Surprisingly, it closed the day after I purchased these shoes. I was set up to see up. And now I stand up, stronger than I was before.wondering how I even managed to allow my haste to wear on me like paste, tasting all over again, the lust of my chocolate skin.