Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Focus on Shoes

When I go to people's homes to fix computers, I meet three types of customers:
* older people who don't understand computers at all
* upscale sorts who can't be bothered
* women who's husband will fix it "if he ever gets around to it."

One of the women in the third category, S, lives a couple of neighborhoods over.  She's maybe 45 but if I could look like her, I'd be very happy.  She also has two college age daughters who look Just Fine.

When I go over, there's always girl stuff lying around.  Cosmetics strewn on a counter, or a partying dress hanging on a coat rack, or a short short skirt sitting on a couch, all by itself.

In my younger days, I'd try to take a closer look and hope I don't get caught.  Now, I'm just tempted to take a closer look, and I can usually resist temptation.

But last time I was there, S wandered off to take care of something and I was done and there were these shoes just sitting there.  No, I didn't slip them on (well, I could see they were way too small) but I did pull out my handy droid and take the photo to the left.

Last Friday, I finished my hours for the week plus a couple.  I don't have anything urgent, so I tried to move a late appointment up so I could finish my day a bit earlier.  She couldn't move up the appointment, so I went to a nearby mall.

My main goal was to replace something I know I own but can't find.  A pant liner.  Something like this.  I looked in Macy's Bloomingdales, Gap Body....  No luck.  I haven't been wearing hose or anything else under my regular pants, and I wanted to rectify that.  I did notice that it's even hard to find slips these days.

As long as I was in the mall, I walked over to the Payless shoes and looked at my size.  I saw a few pairs of pumps that I liked, and it was BOGO (buy one get one half-price) time.  So I bought the shoes pictured below.  I apologise for the poor quality.  It's that handy droid once again.  The first have a small platform and higher heels than anything else I own except for these.  When I got home, the boys were home.  My oldest asked if I could take the other to his French lesson so he could go out.  I said sure ~ this meant shoe try-on time!

My next business trip will probably be about two hours from home.  Close enough to drive, far enough to stay away for a few nights.  More soon.  Here are the shoes.


5 comments:

  1. Nice mixed bag post.

    As a kid/teen I was often pressed into service as my father's helper. He was a tile man and often replaced bathrooms on weekends. It was hard, dirty, messy work lugging pails of cement, water, grout, tile. Often these jobs were in private homes and your post stirred memories of my looking into the closets of the women in these houses. I had no sisters and my mother's wardrobe was small and limited. I saw some of these houses with scads of dresses and shoes, cosmetics and assorted lingerie. Some of the bedroom closets in these homes were a treasure trove of all things feminine. Of course, I would not go near their stuff but thanks for stirring these old memories.

    Those photos of shoes, both the ones at your client's house and those that you picked up at Payless show your excellent taste.

    Nylon pants liners, both full length and knee length are generally available in Lane Bryant/Woman Within/Roaman's catalogs.

    Until the kids were out of the house my only opportunities for dressing were on business trips. Back in the pre-9/11 days it was not much of a problem carrying an extra bag of clothes on a plane but I always preferred those business trips within 4-6 hours drive so I could load up the trunk of the car with my various bags of gear.

    Good luck on your next trip.
    Pat

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  2. I too fix neighbor's computers, but don't always get paid. However, my driveway would often get mysteriously shoveled without asking.

    I too love a good pair of heels, often when i'm shopping I can spot them from a mile away, and find myself staring at them.. though not too long, otherwise the woman might think I'm a creep.

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  3. I often wondered what women think when a man says "FANTASTIC shoes!"

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  4. You know, Meg...you can probably find good pics of those shoes on Payless's website.

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  5. I have surprised a few ladies with the "Love the shoes" comment, there then is a bit of a pause, as they ask themselves is he just noticeing or is this a realy creepy chat up line.
    Great looking shoes, but how do you feel going out in high, high heels, at 5'10" I feel rather conspicous in heels, but wear them anyway.

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