The Former Traveling Spotlight

The tales of a "30" something gay former stand-up comic living in NYC who is searching for his soul mate or soul...which ever comes first.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Buyers Remorse

Since I worked in a financial aid office, I've been a very strong believer in needs vs. wants. Students would constantly complain that they didn't have enough money to pay for their car payments, tanning salon visits, spring break trip. My counter to the argument was "do you need it?" Most of the time, the answer would be pretty lame (I "need to be tan"). Most expenses can not be justified as a life or death expense. Medication, food, housing, utilities are necessary (although I did go without electricity one summer in college).

I've gone without a lot of things over the past year, mainly because I didn't need them and I couldn't afford them. The paychecks go to rent and bills, and what's left over buys food for the week.

But sometimes, things become a necessity. Before last week, I only owned two pairs of shoes.

Before

The black shoes were 5 years old, and were my bartending shoes/dress shoes/work shoes. The soles were worn away at an angle, and if I wore them for longer than 8 hours, I would limp from foot pain.

The lighter shoes are my running shoes. The arches had collapsed and my feet would ache if I ran any further than 6 miles (of course, so does everything else if I run further).

For both shoes, I had purchased inserts to make them last longer. The black ones had both arch supports and insole supports. The inserts were over a year old as well.

I couldn't take the pain anymore, so I did what any self respecting homo would do. A pilgrimage to DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse) was my only option, and to insure that I actually bought shoes, I threw out the black pair before making the trip.

A wise woman said that "all of life's problems can be resolved with a good pair of shoes". I think I solved the Middle East's crisis.


After


Each of these shoes were in the clearance section. Do you think the student loan people will understand why I might be a little late?

Patrick - 1:34 PM -

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