Tom had always had issues with his feet. His feet had been operated on, put in casts, been braced, etc. It was an endless source of focus for him. After all the surgery, bracing and casting, he had one foot that was pronated out to the right and the other that was pointed straight ahead. You could see it very clearly if you were walking behind him and saw his non-normative footprints in the sand.
He would always have some minor foot problems, but once he got in control of the major ones, his attention shifted toward his shoes. Thousands of dollars trying different shoes that would work for him ended up in very specifically reliable selections. He had Brooks Glycerin 20’s for his regular walking, Brooks Catamount 2 for trail hiking, and Merrel Jungle Moc slip-ons with custom orthotics for every day walking around, and he was never without them, except for today, of course. And there is only one explanation for the fact that he did not have the right shoes with him: He was love-drunk.
With almost as much trial and error as had been involved in his shoe selection, Tom had finally found the perfect partner. He was happier than at any time in his life. He was besotted. He was enraptured, enamored, and enthralled to the extent that he forgot about his feet. There was no room in his heart and brain for anything other than her………..which brought him to this previously unthinkable situation: Tom was wearing someone else’s shoes!
Coretta, the object of Tom’s affection, had invited him for the weekend at her family's mountain cabin. It was between Christmas and New Year and Coretta had the week off. The weather looked good and at the last minute the cabin had become available, so it was a split-second decision to go. Tom grabbed his overnight bag. He was wearing his Brook’s Catamount 2’s which should be perfect for the mountains and they were off. They picked up Champagne, deli treats, good bread, and wine and were excited to greet the new year indulging in each other’s presence.
On the second day of their escape, the weather turned, the skies opened and two feet of snow fell in the mountains. It was beautiful, and down the now snow-covered path was a wood-fired Sauna waiting for them to enjoy, but to get there the path was up a hill and the snow was steep and Tom’s Catamount 2’s would do nothing to keep his feet at all dry or protected. Coretta encouraged him to use her brother’s boots so they would not miss this Sauna/Champagne adventure.
Tom had not worn anyone else’s shoes in eons but his feet would freeze before they got to the sauna if he didn’t so he squeezed his feet in the unapproved footwear and out they went. Along with being quite uncomfortable, there was not much in the way of tread on the bottom of the motorcycle boots and the result as they tried to climb the hill was that Tom kept slipping and falling and each time he fell, Coretta exploded in delighted laughter. Coretta looked like the most transcendent being he had ever seen when she laughed, so he almost did not mind his constant slipping. His feet minded, but the whole of him was love-drunk and they finally made it to the sauna, fired it up, got in, and let their skin turn into a bright red shimmering surface of happy perspiration. Then they walked out into the snow, champagne in hand, and toasted each other.
By the time Tom got back to the cabin, his feet were on fire. Coretta had to help pull the boots off. She brought out large felted slippers and made hot buttered rum as Tom once again stopped listening to his feet talk to him. Rum and love chemicals took care of any foot pain caused by the unapproved boots that would never again meet the bottom of his helplessly happy feet.
— DanielSouthGate
He would always have some minor foot problems, but once he got in control of the major ones, his attention shifted toward his shoes. Thousands of dollars trying different shoes that would work for him ended up in very specifically reliable selections. He had Brooks Glycerin 20’s for his regular walking, Brooks Catamount 2 for trail hiking, and Merrel Jungle Moc slip-ons with custom orthotics for every day walking around, and he was never without them, except for today, of course. And there is only one explanation for the fact that he did not have the right shoes with him: He was love-drunk.
With almost as much trial and error as had been involved in his shoe selection, Tom had finally found the perfect partner. He was happier than at any time in his life. He was besotted. He was enraptured, enamored, and enthralled to the extent that he forgot about his feet. There was no room in his heart and brain for anything other than her………..which brought him to this previously unthinkable situation: Tom was wearing someone else’s shoes!
Coretta, the object of Tom’s affection, had invited him for the weekend at her family's mountain cabin. It was between Christmas and New Year and Coretta had the week off. The weather looked good and at the last minute the cabin had become available, so it was a split-second decision to go. Tom grabbed his overnight bag. He was wearing his Brook’s Catamount 2’s which should be perfect for the mountains and they were off. They picked up Champagne, deli treats, good bread, and wine and were excited to greet the new year indulging in each other’s presence.
On the second day of their escape, the weather turned, the skies opened and two feet of snow fell in the mountains. It was beautiful, and down the now snow-covered path was a wood-fired Sauna waiting for them to enjoy, but to get there the path was up a hill and the snow was steep and Tom’s Catamount 2’s would do nothing to keep his feet at all dry or protected. Coretta encouraged him to use her brother’s boots so they would not miss this Sauna/Champagne adventure.
Tom had not worn anyone else’s shoes in eons but his feet would freeze before they got to the sauna if he didn’t so he squeezed his feet in the unapproved footwear and out they went. Along with being quite uncomfortable, there was not much in the way of tread on the bottom of the motorcycle boots and the result as they tried to climb the hill was that Tom kept slipping and falling and each time he fell, Coretta exploded in delighted laughter. Coretta looked like the most transcendent being he had ever seen when she laughed, so he almost did not mind his constant slipping. His feet minded, but the whole of him was love-drunk and they finally made it to the sauna, fired it up, got in, and let their skin turn into a bright red shimmering surface of happy perspiration. Then they walked out into the snow, champagne in hand, and toasted each other.
By the time Tom got back to the cabin, his feet were on fire. Coretta had to help pull the boots off. She brought out large felted slippers and made hot buttered rum as Tom once again stopped listening to his feet talk to him. Rum and love chemicals took care of any foot pain caused by the unapproved boots that would never again meet the bottom of his helplessly happy feet.
— DanielSouthGate
Coretta is certainly a keeper! I had to remember the difference between a hot tub and a sauna. I do not frequent these situations. Once I figured it out, I re-read the story. Because, hey, I have foot problems too! A very special holiday has been described here! ---Macoff
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