I think I have to throw out my walking shoes.
“Whaa … but they’re so comfortable,” my Feet said.
But they’re old and ragged. The insoles are worn and the under-sole is coming apart. There’s a tear in the front and it gets soggy when it rains.
“But we fixed that, remember?” Feet said. “The cobbler across the street, at the HDB sidewalk? She used an old fashioned needle and hook to sew it up. You waited crouched on a 10inch high plastic stool and we wore borrowed flip-flops. Surely you remember? For $9 it was a deal!”
But the shoes are at least five years old and I’ve bought a brand new replacement pair.
“And what a five years! We’ve traveled to more than ten countries. Tramped through concrete jungles and tropical rain forests. We’ve toed them on & off at over six hundred temples. We’ve trekked through mud, dirt and dust roads in Chang Mai, Bali and Vientiane. We’ve battled through waist high briar bushes to get to perfect sunset shots. We’ve clambered over thousand year old ruins to take incredible pictures of Angkor temples and Buddhist monks …”
Yes, Yes. All this is true and we can do it again, with a new pair of shoes. To all good things comes its time.
“But can’t we wait a little longer? Just for one more season. Before we return to the land of mukluks and winter boots?”
Well, I suppose one more season won’t hurt. The new shoes will not spoil and these old ones are truly comfortable.
Hmm. I think though, I might need a new hat.
“Whaa …!”
Singapore. April 2017
The Sandy Chronicles 