of shoes and men (part two)

I raise my hand to salute all the women who can pull off walking in three-inch heels.

This morning I went to Dusit Hotel to attend the Population Congress hosted by UNDP and the Population Comission. It was the first time that I wore my three-inch navy pumps which I bought on sale from Wade last month. I am not too keen on high heels but Lloyd and Vane egged me on to buy 'em. Anyway, at first I was strutting on feeling very confident but I had a sick feeling the confidence won't last long. I was right.

First, I had to walk from my tita's condo to the kanto to ride a jeep. I had to walk about two blocks and it was even raining. Then I had to board a shuttle and because it was 8.30 already, the line and the wait were long. Then I made the stupid mistake of not asking the driver whether or not he'd reach EDSA from Ayala. The shuttle turned left at Mandarin and so I had to walk from there to Dusit. By the start of the Conference I already had blisters and my calves hurt.

The conference wound on and I tried to listen, keeping in mind that I might be able to use something for an article eventually. I finished covering the morning session, had lunch and then decided to head back to the office. As usual, my kakuripotan surpassed the discomfort I was feeling so I took the mrt to cubao then I took a taxi from there to ICSI.

Inside the cab, I got on to thinking, for the second time, that shoes aren't any different from men. Aside from the impossibility of finding the perfect fit (see previous post, just scroll way down), shoes are also like men in that most goodlooking ones don't treat you right. You'd just wanna show them off to emphasize certain assets or to mask particular flaws. But then, when nobody's looking, you kick them off under the table to rest your gnarled feet. And then you go back to pretending you're happy with them. You raise your chin up and try not to look worried or pissed.

The most comfortable ones, those that you choose wearing over and over again are the ordinary looking kind. They've been with you at work, when you go shopping at divi, when you go for out of town trips. They may look grubby and overused but they're very dependable and can be trusted. To you they're very special.

Now there are also attractive shoes that are really comfy. When you chance upon something like these, grab them because you might not find anything like it ever again! Buy them, that is if you have what it takes to afford them. Usually, these kinds are very rare and pricey. Often, you're required to save up and shape up for it. Dapat bagay ka rin para dito.

Hmmm...Funny how I appreciate shoes and like window shopping for them but never really buy them. I know all their kinds and how they are called. I know where the really bad ones are. I know where to get the cheap but comfortable ones. I know which stores are high in style but low in quality. I know where to get shoes with the best quality and the best styles. And yet, and yet I don't really buy them. I just look and scrutinize, not really being able to wear them. Wait...I just had an epiphany (think: ray of light spilling upon my shoulders).

I don't know squat about shoes! I can't categorize some things as this or that without ever wearing them, without experiencing them, can I? Hmmm.. Troubling thought. Especially if shoes were really like men. Come to think about it, I don't know squat about men either. I can't categorize them as this ir that wothout ever being with them, can I?

Maybe it's time to quit this window shopping business and really get into it.