Monday 24 October 2016

New Shoes

For audio click here 

 The new shoes felt weird, like Joseph was wearing someone else’s legs. His feet felt clumpy, shooting out in all different directions, uncontrolled by Joseph’s brain. They made his feet look big too. He was already a size eleven, but these new shoes seemed to stick out in front of him like a pier into the sea. The autumn breeze was whipping up the leaves like waves crashing into his foot piers. The massive, unwieldy shoes were making him self-conscious. Were people pointing at his shoes behind his back and sniggering behind hands? Would a police escort soon arrive to escort the extra-long load and keep other pedestrians safe?  He couldn’t wait to get home, get them off and throw them away, or give them to a homeless person so someone else could have the ignominy of having planks for shoes. 
No, no this couldn’t be happening. That was the last thing he needed. Walking towards him was Gemma, the lovely, beautiful, amazing Gemma. Gemma, who Joseph had been dancing with by the light of the moon the night before. Well, not exactly by the light of the moon, more like by the lights of the disco, but still, it was romantic and lovely and it gave Joseph hope in his heart that she might actually be interested in him.
He looked around looking for an escape; Could he possibly get away without her noticing him? There was no way she’d pursue what little interest she had in him when she saw his massive, awkward clown shoes.  She was checking her phone, she hadn’t seen him, yet, the escape was on. He assessed his options.
Maybe he could dodge across the road and nip into Boots and she wouldn’t notice him, but the traffic was crazy at this time of day. Or perhaps he could duck into a doorway and pretend to do his lace up, keeping his head down until she passed.  But what if she saw him? What message would that send her? The wrong one. It was Hobson’s choice, damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
It was too late now anyway. She’d looked up and seen him. A smile spread across her face like melting cheese spreading across toast. He smiled back hoping his face wasn’t giving away his self-loathing. Please don’t look down, he willed her. please don’t look down.
“Hi Joseph, wow you’re a dark horse, who knew you had moves like that?” she said.
He smiled, thanking god that the salsa lessons he’d done as a kid had finally come in useful.
“You were pretty good yourself,” he said, avoiding eye-contact and still hoping the lovely Gemma wouldn’t look down.
“I don’t suppose you’ve got time for a coffee,” she said.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, that wasn’t right. This had to be a fleeting meeting. Just a quick hello / goodbye so Joseph could get away without his feet being spotted. Maybe he could say he was busy and arrange coffee for another day, but try as he might he couldn’t think of a plausible excuse.
“Yes,” he said wondering how he could keep his feet hidden.
Then disaster struck. Gemma looked down.
“New shoes?” she said a smile on her face.
“Yes,” Joseph mumbled.
“Bloody hell Joe, you could land a plane on them.”
That was it, that was it, that was it. She’d seen his oversize shoes and now no doubt she was thinking of an excuse to get out of the coffee and praying to god that she’d never set eyes on this freak again. Joseph knew the relationship was over before it had even begun.
“C’mon,” she said taking Joseph by the arm. “I know a lovely little place just around the corner and I think it is just about big enough for your shoes too.”




1 comment:

  1. how good it must feel not to have been rejected

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