1 week Anni and Tenner Shoes

Jaden loves these shoes. They are two shoes ago, meaning that he has a new pair AND a fall back pair before these need to be even thought about.

 

If it were up to me, they'd be in the garbage. The tread is gone. Holes have sprouted along with some bacteria, I'm sure. If I saw him wearing any of his shoes with out socks I reminded him of all the clean ones of different varieties waiting in his drawer. He declined.

 

If they came home wet, I told him to stuff them with newspaper to absorb the water and the smell.

 

Finally, I even bought new ones. And told him they could be retired into the mowing lawn shoes.

But they haven't. I believe it has something to do with summer and not needing to worry about sliding on the black top playground.

 

Either way, I  Couldn't understand the "pull" to these shoes when hehad a new pair.

 

Wulp, we read a short story/chapter from McManus' book:

 

 

 

 

and I found out.

These

Books were written by an avid sportskid since birth. He hails from Northern Idaho and has published several books and articles for outdoorsy people.

 

Pat.

 

 

 

(Annnddd indoorsy people.)

 

After having lived a life full of material for writing such exploits, he turned his attention to putting them on paper so we could enjoy them.

 

 

 My father and us would sit around the table and giggle while reading this signed book out loud.

I remember cramping up in my sides as I listened to stories of him his dog, Strange. He just understood what it was like to be camping in your back yard and needing to go to the bathroom, but being too scared to go into the house due to the enormous distance.

 

 

 

 These books have disappeared over their lifetime. Or Padre's. And it's caused a child or two to be removed from the will.

I know I once got the best one soaked, a signed version, no less. And it now has mold on it.

I wonder if Pat would replace it? Or the whole lot of books for my old man, so we kids could read them without being berated for losing his books or being left out of his will.

 

Those were just McManus threats by Padre. I'm sure he didn't mean it. I haven't even seen this so called "will" anways.

 

But last night, on the Eve of J's one week anniversary of getting his knee opened up, we read a chapter about shoes. 98 cent Tenner shoes, purchased every spring by the single mother of McManus.

 

They were a standard shoe that did everything. Scaled mountains, rode bikes, horses, cows, and walked in water. Went hunting. And even to church and weddings.

 

Eventually the shoe conformed to the kids' feet that wore them.

 

Half way through the heavily soaked sarcasm, J. said:

 

"Finally! Someone who gets it!"

He said this in a serious tone as he rearranged himself in his bed to find a comfy position before sleep came.

 

I am assuming he meant McManus and so I had to read in between the lines in this chapter to understand a kid's love and devotion to a very old, on its last thread, pair of shoes.

 

Essentially that shoe up above is conformed to J's foot- it is as if he is going barefoot. Any nuance his toes may make can then be read by the shoe and appropriately compensated for against the ground or whatever is beneath his foot.

 

McManus does mention that these shoes were also worn in sleeping bags... J can keep the smelly things but I have to put my foot down on them getting into any sleeping bags or beds.

 

I have to say this about writing.... I was afraid I wouldn't be able to after this last bout but look, I'm writing.