Shoe Swayed Blues

Brought to you by fiendish footwear.

I threw away a pair of shoes tonight. My pantsy blue loafers. I end up with a backache every time I wear the dang things, so I don't know why I've kept them so long. I also can't explain why I kept thinking "This time it will be different" when I had ample evidence to the contrary. I've ousted suitors for lesser infractions, so why spare the shoes? I don't know. I don't even know what it was about them that didn't agree with me. They just don't.

Well, tonight I finally broke the cycle. I wore the shoes to work, and between them and my punitive office chair, I left with my back nastily knotted. An hour in the car didn't help matters, either. When even T'ai Chi warm-ups and practice failed to loosen things up, that was the last straw. The shoes went in the dumpster. My heart lightened as they thunked to the bottom. I spent a few extra minutes stretching, and I think I'm on the road to recovery. Lesson learned.

Sincere request: Add to my "extraordinary acts by ordinary people list." Please! Tell me the coolest things you can think of about your best friends, spouses, children, parents, siblings, coworkers, and casual acquaintances. Even yourself. Reason? February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day. So be kind: Ditch the bad shoes, then e-mail me.