Shoe Shopping With Girls

I am not a high maintenance girl. At least I didn't think I was until I went to buy shoes for work. I'm on my feet eight hours. I lift people who weigh twice as much as me and in some cases twice as me plus. Comfortable shoes with good traction are a requirement. I could try finding cute shoes but really what's the point? I headed to Lady Foot Locker in Kenwood Mall to buy sneakers. 


I was immediately drawn to a pair of hot pink Reeboks. Cute, girly and comfortable to boot. Sold. I left the store with my head held high. Hot pink kicks on my feet, the smell of Starbucks in the air. All was right with the world. (See? Low maintenance.) For about ten minutes. That's how long it took me to realize something was amiss with my awesome new footwear. My little one looked at my face and asked, "What's wrong?" "I think I got the wrong size or something." "Well, go exchange them."...The logic of children astounds me. Take back my pretty pretty shoes? Never! A few more minutes of walking in them I decided her idea had merit. I went back to Lady Foot Locker. The two sales associates had different opinions on my dilemma. The male tried convincing me I shouldn't go down a half size, the girl said, "Honey they're your feet, you know what feels good." Solidarity sister! I got the smaller size and again wore them out of the store. Fifteen minutes later, with my head hung in shame, harboring the sneaking suspicion that I may not be as low maintenance as I'd always thought, I walked back in to Lady Foot Locker. The male associate said, "I told you." "Yeah, yeah." I replied, "You don't have to gloat about it." He laughed and after a dissertation on toe boxes gave me back the original size. 


We strolled through the mall a while longer. I was sipping a coffee and contemplating buying some really decadent cookies when I had to admit the terrible truth. I hated those shoes, no matter the size, no matter the hot pinkness of them. They hurt my feet. My daughter naturally found this amusing but I was having a true crisis! Go back to that store a third time and admit I don't have a clue what feels good on my own feet? I don't think so! I'd return them tomorrow. Tomorrow...When neither of these folks would be working. Great plan. Until I walked in the next day and found the male associate working. Sigh. He was a great sport about the whole thing. I tried on about eight different shoes. I finally settled on the above pair. They are extremely comfortable and I've gotten more compliments on them than any other shoes I've had. In case any of you other high maintenance girls posing as low maintenance are interested they're the Nike Free Run 2.