Shopping for Shoes

Wasn't looking forward to this. I always have trouble when it comes to buying shoes, because of my short, wide, high-arched feet. It seems to take days of wandering malls and shoe stores, until I find something half decent looking, and that doesn't hurt either my feet or my wallet.

Not today, though.

First store I checked was one of the big department stores in the mall. Not much to choose from. Most shoes had some kind of rubbery soft non-skid kind of soles, good for sneaking up on someone, I suppose. Not what I want.

They had one style with a leather sole, that was reasonably slappy on the tile floor, but not in a size that fit well.

Out into the mall, then. Wandered down one side, ducking into three or four shoe stores, seeing what they had. One had something that looked perfect, but outside of my comfort zone, price-wise.

At the far end of the mall, in the other big department store, I find a couple of possibles. One is pricey but 30% off, and I'm doing the math. The other is about what I wanted to pay, and I try that one first.

Jackpot!

Black slip-ons, with a hard, slappy (and slightly slippery) leather sole, slightly spongy heel (nothing's perfect, I guess). I had great fun strutting on the tiled floor, stiking on the heels and smacking the soles down hard - ka-SMACK, ka-SMACK!

Bonus points - great fit and comfy! A much better feeling shoe than I expected to find in my price range. They'll be a great everyday shoe when they retire

Further Research

Home with a cold today. Didn't sleep well at all through the night, but made up for it this morning. Finally got up about 1:00, and after a shower and shave, I call the dance school about this tap class.

I ask about the shoes, since they could be the showstopper if they cost too much. Turns out there are several options:

1. Full blown bonafide tap shoes - about $400 - *eep*

2. Maybe find some used - about $70 - bet the market for used men's tap shoes is non-existent.

3. Just buy some shoes and have the taps put on. Taps are about $15 a set, but the shoes have to be able to take them. Now we're talking. (She said one of the dance company's members buys Adidas and has taps put on)

4. Just buy some shoes with a hard leather sole. For the first few lessons, that's all that's needed. - I'm in!

She said they have to have never been used outside, and they have to be scrupulously clean on the bottom. In other words, like new.

The barriers just fall away, until there's nothing left but my willingness to take a deep breath and just try it.

I'm gettin goosebumps

Initial Investigation

The dance school replied to my email: "You don't need experience, just enthusiasm, and tap shoes."

At lunch, I walked to the address where the school is, just to see how long it takes to get there from my work. It's about twenty minutes one way. Two times twenty, plus a fifty minute lesson - ninety minutes. Wonder if they'll notice if I take an extra long lunch on Tuesdays.

Consideration

Sent a message to Nony, "Wuddaya think?"

"You gonna sign up?" she asks.

I sent an email to the address in the original message, "What would I need?"

"Wonder how much are a pair of tap shoes?" asks Nony.

"Can't be much of a market for used men's tap shoes," I say.

Now Nony is coming up with names of dancewear stores. I'm looking them up on the net to find out what I can, but not finding much. I'll have to do some phoning.

Sounds like I've decided to take the plunge. Nony says "That's kinda what it's sounding like to me... question is, will needing the shoes hold you back?"

"Not gonna be shoes that hold me back," I say. "No, what would hold me back is what always holds me back - lack of confidence, and permission to make a mistake and make a fool of myself. So, right now, I'm giving myself permission to try, to fail maybe, to not be very good at it, and to just have fun."

Nony says, "I think that is TOTALLY cool! You go for it!"

What am I getting myself into?

Genesis

Got an email from a dance studio in town that somehow got my address. They don't often send me stuff, maybe a couple of times a year, so I don't mind.

Winter workshops and classes. Brazilian Samba. Lunch hour classes, tap. $100 for ten weeks. And a phone number and email address - hmmmm.