Boots...
No not the high-street chemist, the footwear.I know this won't ring true for everyone, but it snuck up on me and left me suffering a feels.
But I think I'm having to accept that even if my brow remains almost unfettered there's a squishy-feely bit inside, and right now that part of me is quite sad.
Why? Because of my boots.
History
Footwear is literally physically almost the furthest thing from my mind, being that the go on my feet.So... why the feels? Throw out the ruined boots, buy new ones and move on right...?
My Boots
There they are, Size 8, falling apart, the rubber soles have perished, the laces frayed, the upper leather is dry and cracked. They look like shit.
To most people. I look at these boots and when I think to myself, "time to throw these out" here's what flashes in my brain.
My first job.
I bought these for my first job as a responsible adult, and more than that they served me through 3 jobs over many years, I've sweat and bled and sworn and these boots were on my feet. In those roles I've met dozens of people some I held as dear friends, these boots were on my feet.My first love.
In that same time-frame, I met, fell in love with and had my heart broken by my first 'real' adult connection, the elation and the crushing sorrow of that first love, these boots carried me to and from.My family.
I make no bones about the sad fact that my parents both died early, but in that time when I would walk to their house to visit or offer help in their illness, I can almost certainly state that these were the boots that were on my feet.Emotional storage
So, there you have it folks, a ragged pair of useless boots, surrounded by the aura of half a lifetime of my memories, of hard work, of joy, of sadness, of a life lived and all that led to where I am now.
These boots didn't just help protect my feet, these boots have transported me into adulthood.
I will throw them out, it is silly to hold onto such things as useless boots, my memories are still there, I can still ponder those things without these shabby leather husks. But I'll still feel a little sad because of it.
Additional boots
As if one pair of boots wasn't enough... here's more!
Glad you asked.
Firstly - These are, by far and away, beyond all others...
THE MOST COMFORTABLE BOOTS EVER.
Seriously, walking in these was like a foot massage, that fact alone makes me rather annoyed they have to be thrown out.
Aside from that, ... oh yeah, These are the boots I bought at the moment I went to meet a girl, a girl I now call my wife :)
Oh, did I mention how fucking comfy these were?
