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Jochen Wolter - Shoes are made for walkin’
“Big shoes, you’re steppin‘ in to!“ - Who hasn’t heard that phrase when occupying a new work position and replacing someone else who did a good job and didn’t want to leave. No doubt, it’s helpful and makes sense to know the size of the shoes you are dealing with. It gives you an idea what kind of challenges you’ll have to face in the future and what people expect from you. But honestly, like it is with toothbrushes – who likes to wear somebody else’s shoes?
Life in Manhattan requires solid and lasting footwear. How many blocks can you walk until you catch a cab or enter a subway station? The number rises with growing rush hour traffic on the streets and in the metro tunnels. For many newcomers in the city – or “againcomers” like me - it all begins with a stroll through the many shoe stores in town. You can get good deals and good quality here, if you look carefully.
Filene’s Basement was the place where I got caught in the shoe department just days after my arrival in New York. A pair of Florsheim penny loafers for a very good price was my choice. What a feeling – good looks and no blisters the first day I wore them! But to get into the stiff shoelaceless leather boxes was a little difficult. When the helping fingers hurt after a while I began thinking of a supporting instrument for the daily dressing procedure.
The comfortable and well-equipped hotel room offered a minibar, Internet access, a hairdryer, a flatiron, bathrobes and toiletteries but nothing to please my feet and shoes. The concierge in the funky lobby understands what I am trying to explain with my hands and gestures but she doesn’t know the proper English word for it either. “I’ll ask,” she says with a big smile and walks away. Her smile is even bigger, when she returns: “A shoe horn is what you want!” she announces proudly. “Do you have one for me,” is my desperate question now. “I’ll ask,” comes her reply, before she disappears again. The answer is a “no” with a shoulder shrug — and no recommendations where else to look or ask.
The drug stores at every other corner, selling everything you can imagine, don’t have shoe horns either. “We don’t carry them anymore,” is the stereotypical answer. Not Anymore? What has happened to the feet and footwear of New Yorkers? Sneakers don’t need the help of shoe horns, I suppose.
Passing a shoeshine place near Grand Central Station I stop, turn in, and try again. “Shoeshine, Mister?” is the offering question. “No thanks, but …” “Yeah, we have some,” is the reply in a businesslike tone. The man grabs a torn cardboard box containing a collection of used shoe horns in all sizes. I choose a short one with a big loop to hang it. I am relieved and pay one dollar for it. “And a shoeshine?” The voice sounds hopeful again. “No thanks, you helped me a lot – next time, definitely!”
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