After ages I decided I owed myself a treat. I've been doing some extra work and I'd just been paid a nice tidy sum, not enough to save up but quite enough to indulge myself; a kind of reward, or if you like, just a pat on the back from me to me.....
Having lunch with a friend on her birthday at a familiar, cozy restaurant, tucking in to delicious kebabs, while it poured outside, made for a wonderful afternoon; and since the rain had washed everything clean by the time we stepped out, we decided to go on a little jaunt for the rest of the afternoon.
Shoes. Of course it had to be shoes! This was one weakness we had in common even though she preferred gladiator style high heels whereas I swung between strappy sandals or low heeled pumps. In the middle of a sea of shoes I suddenly remembered accompanying Ma on one of her shoe buying sprees, maybe 30, no, 40 years ago! For the life of me I couldn't remember what shoes she was trying on but I do remember a wizened old Chinese lady in navy blue flowered pyjamas, yes pyjamas, calling for more and more shoes, and shoe boxes hurtling down from the ceiling!
Did Ma wear Pumps or Box heeled Sandals? Or Stilettos? Why couldn't I remember? I tried transporting myself back to her walk in closet where she must have stored her footwear but all I could see were my dad's shoes, all polished to high gleam, neatly arranged on the sloping rungs at the bottom.
When I was a little girl, I loved watching Ma get ready for a party. Much like most little girls the world over. She had a really quick routine though ~ quick dab of moisturiser, bright lipstick, spritz of perfume and she was ready. On occasion, a tiny touch of eye liner and a red bindi did the trick. I don't remember her going for a hair Spa or a Facial, though she did go and get her bouffant done for the really important bashes! Beautiful paisley silk sarees, or crisp Tussar ones in the cooler months were replaced by crisp cottons, chiffons or Dhakais in summer ~ always beautiful, always elegant! But what the hell did she wear on her feet?
I figured I would ask my sisters since this was really beginning to bother me. Maybe they would remember. Hang on, I was getting something.......navy blue...low heeled.....dammit, those were the Dr Scholls she wore in her older years. Nope, not what I was looking for......somehow I couldn't picture her teetering in stilettos....hmm, let the process of elimination begin......
Pumps or Mocassins? I think not, unless she was traveling; Floaters? Definitely not! Wedges? Doubt if they made Wedges back then, in India; Block heels? Hmm, maybe, not too sure; how about Platforms? Nah, not Ma; oh oh I remember a pair of Maroon Court Shoes....2 inch heels....yes, though they were called Cherry in those days.....and low heeled Mules....yes, soft soled Black ones and Beige ones - identical in every way; also a brown one with wide straps across the foot; oh my god, also a white one with a slightly higher heel with straps that buckled around the heel!!! I remembered them!
So what the hell was I doing looking for Nude Pumps in high and low heels? Why wasn't I looking for shoes like Ma wore?? Ok, not the Block heels or the Wide strap ones, but what about the other ones? The Mules and stuff?
Nah, I had looked at at least 40 pairs by then and none of them made my feet sing. I was going with the first pair I had tried on....a pair of Nude pumps with a bow - they were comfortable as well as pretty! And versatile too!
Very pleased with my gift to myself I walked out - a tiny bit wistful, a tiny bit nostalgic about my Mom's shoes......but maybe it was just as well..... her shoes would have been too difficult to fill anyway......
Having lunch with a friend on her birthday at a familiar, cozy restaurant, tucking in to delicious kebabs, while it poured outside, made for a wonderful afternoon; and since the rain had washed everything clean by the time we stepped out, we decided to go on a little jaunt for the rest of the afternoon.
Shoes. Of course it had to be shoes! This was one weakness we had in common even though she preferred gladiator style high heels whereas I swung between strappy sandals or low heeled pumps. In the middle of a sea of shoes I suddenly remembered accompanying Ma on one of her shoe buying sprees, maybe 30, no, 40 years ago! For the life of me I couldn't remember what shoes she was trying on but I do remember a wizened old Chinese lady in navy blue flowered pyjamas, yes pyjamas, calling for more and more shoes, and shoe boxes hurtling down from the ceiling!
Did Ma wear Pumps or Box heeled Sandals? Or Stilettos? Why couldn't I remember? I tried transporting myself back to her walk in closet where she must have stored her footwear but all I could see were my dad's shoes, all polished to high gleam, neatly arranged on the sloping rungs at the bottom.
When I was a little girl, I loved watching Ma get ready for a party. Much like most little girls the world over. She had a really quick routine though ~ quick dab of moisturiser, bright lipstick, spritz of perfume and she was ready. On occasion, a tiny touch of eye liner and a red bindi did the trick. I don't remember her going for a hair Spa or a Facial, though she did go and get her bouffant done for the really important bashes! Beautiful paisley silk sarees, or crisp Tussar ones in the cooler months were replaced by crisp cottons, chiffons or Dhakais in summer ~ always beautiful, always elegant! But what the hell did she wear on her feet?
I figured I would ask my sisters since this was really beginning to bother me. Maybe they would remember. Hang on, I was getting something.......navy blue...low heeled.....dammit, those were the Dr Scholls she wore in her older years. Nope, not what I was looking for......somehow I couldn't picture her teetering in stilettos....hmm, let the process of elimination begin......
Pumps or Mocassins? I think not, unless she was traveling; Floaters? Definitely not! Wedges? Doubt if they made Wedges back then, in India; Block heels? Hmm, maybe, not too sure; how about Platforms? Nah, not Ma; oh oh I remember a pair of Maroon Court Shoes....2 inch heels....yes, though they were called Cherry in those days.....and low heeled Mules....yes, soft soled Black ones and Beige ones - identical in every way; also a brown one with wide straps across the foot; oh my god, also a white one with a slightly higher heel with straps that buckled around the heel!!! I remembered them!
So what the hell was I doing looking for Nude Pumps in high and low heels? Why wasn't I looking for shoes like Ma wore?? Ok, not the Block heels or the Wide strap ones, but what about the other ones? The Mules and stuff?
Nah, I had looked at at least 40 pairs by then and none of them made my feet sing. I was going with the first pair I had tried on....a pair of Nude pumps with a bow - they were comfortable as well as pretty! And versatile too!
Very pleased with my gift to myself I walked out - a tiny bit wistful, a tiny bit nostalgic about my Mom's shoes......but maybe it was just as well..... her shoes would have been too difficult to fill anyway......
