Missing Shoes!

Where were my shoes?

I had just exited the swimming pool to retrieve my towel from my locker. But, my New Balance runners were missing! I looked around the room. The Moms and Tots swim was taking place right now.

I saw tiny shoes. I supposed a little one may have put my shoes in a locker. I opened every locker around me. I saw a pair that looked like mine from the back, but nope, not mine.

Now, I started to think the worst. My shoes still looked new despite being purchased on Boxing Day. Did a Mom steal them? Really, how would she explain that to her little tot? To her husband?

I decided there was nothing I could do about it. I was going to be barefoot. My socks had been tucked into my shoes. I asked the lifeguard if any shoe covers were available that visitors to the pool would wear. She had none but we went to the main desk and told the checker the issue.

“It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person! That’s terrible!”

That was awfully kind of her to say. She didn’t make me pay the one dollar fee for the shoe covers, either. The lifeguard assured me that someone might have taken them home by mistake. Hmmm…there wasn’t a similar-sized pair remaining in the room. I had my doubts.

I put my shoe covers on. They looked just like the OR booties we wear at work. A fellow nurse was walking by, heard what happened and offered me a pair of size 8½ runners to drive home in. They were too big. I told her I’d be fine in my booties.

It was 0º C. I had parked at the extreme far end of the parking lot because I had taken a photo of what I thought was a feather cloud and I didn’t want the cars in the photo. The photo didn’t even turn great.

It was going to be a long, cold walk!

I was thankful I had the booties.

I chuckled all the way across the parking lot. It just felt so funny to be practically barefoot. When I started driving, well, that’s when I realized how much height my shoes added to me. I had to slouch down in the driver’s seat a bit to reach the gas pedal. My toes felt weird on the gas pedal. It made me chuckle even more.

I texted my family about losing my shoes. At least I didn’t lose my sense of humour.

One of my daughters did not think someone else needed my shoes more than I did.

I started to problem-solve. Assuming it was a Mom who took my shoes, I believed the shoes wouldn’t fit her. They were a size 7 EE. How many people require that size? How hard is it to even find that size? Well, for me, right then, it was very hard.

I searched on Kijiji. Then, I got smart! I set up an alert so I would receive notifications if an ad appeared with New Balance runners in it.

When I told Mom I was checking Kijiji, she suggested I post an ad looking for New Balance shoes. Fish out the bad person! Mom’s pretty sharp for 91 years old. It must be from all the mystery books she reads.

Two days later I drove to the pool, wearing an older pair of running shoes. They fit last spring, but after wearing sandals all summer, I found they pinched my feet now. If my feet got wider each summer, I’d soon have clown feet. It made me laugh again!

I entered the pool area. I searched the Lost and Found until I got to the depth of a soaking wet towel. The stench was overwhelming. A lifeguard saw me. He remembered me and relayed that my shoes hadn’t popped up yet.

“But, they will! This happened once before…someone took them a pair home by mistake and they brought them back.”

I usually can keep a positive attitude but this time I really didn’t think that was what happened. I figured it was my fault for not putting them in my locker. Lesson learned.
I decided to check the lockers again. Whoa! What do we have here? My shoes!

My orthotics and socks were still there too. I was happy.

I texted my family again. This time with additional great news!

I don’t know if a little one hid my shoes or if a little one scolded her Mom for taking my shoes. My shoes have tongues but they’re tight-lipped about the whole matter.

All I know is I have my shoes now. I’m happy! And, my feet are doing a happy dance once again!