My Life Measured in Shoes

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Originally uploaded by hypno_bedhead.

They were brand new Nike shoes. The kind that cost more than his daddy makes in a year. Oh, he had to have 'em. Day in and day out, it was, "Daddy, can I please?" Promises were made involving cleaning dishes and taking out the garbage. Simple, easy things the village idiot scoffs at.

The shoes arrived weeks later since they were so expensive there was no convincing Daddy to pay for 2nd day delivery. Don't even think about Next Day. Two weeks and four days, that's what it took for the shoes to get there.

The boy misjudged how much he was likely to grow in two weeks and four days and when he tried the shoes, they fit, barely. He was in pain, but he had Nike shoes. Daddy meanwhile, worked extra hours to pay for those damn shoes. Well, not just the shoes, but the Xbox, the car, the gas, the bills.

But the dishes stayed dirty and the trash was still inside.

And a few days after getting the shoes, a brand new style came out. The boy started up again, "Daddy, daddy, please." All daddy could do to not smack the boy was throw the old pair of shoes onto the power line.

For those shoes, by his count, had cost him, twelve hours of his life.