Come on Feet

I finally got to go back to New York for a visit a few weeks ago. It was great to see Hina and the kids. It had been a couple of years. We did many of the things we usually do when I visit. We went to a Mets game. We visited relatives on Long Island. And since summer was over the kids had school and Hin had work. So one of the days she dropped me off in the City.

I started off at MoMA (53rd and 6th). I hadn't been there since high school so I thought it would nice to see it again. I spent about 3 hours walking around in there. Then I walked over to Rockefeller Center (49th and 5th) and took the ride up to the observation deck. I'd never been up there so that was cool. Then I walked up 5th Avenue...I stopped at Bendel's (56th and 5th). I browsed around up to the 3rd floor, then I hit the street again and headed for the subway at 59th and Lex. I walked a total of 17 blocks, which is nothing in NYC. I got the train out to the Bronx and Hina picked me up. When I got off the train, my feet let me know that they were not happy. I guess sitting down on the train made it more obvious when I got back up. But I pretty much had to limp along the platform on the way to the station exit. When I got back to Hina's I shuffled around the house. My feet felt like the Incredible Hulk had picked me up and used me as a jackhammer. I seriously thought they were broken. Fortunately, my back didn't act up on the whole trip otherwise it could've been trouble. But it was enough. It took a whole day for my feet to recover enough for me to step without pain.

I thought I'd made a good choice of shoes. I wore sneakers. Not supportive athletic shoes, however. But my Kate Spade Saturday PF Flyers. Those flat casual type sneaks,  like Converse All-Stars. No support whatsoever, but they look cool. Bad Choice. The only other shoes I brought on this trip were my Dansko sandals which are pretty comfortable, but I was worried they might rub my pinkie toe as they sometimes do if I walked in them all day. I should have brought my Fluevogs.

Thing is, it's not just those particular shoes that give me trouble. It's every pair lately. Shoes that used to fit and be really comfortable. It's because my feet swell. I retain water like a pregnant woman. That and because of my weight I tend to walk funny, waddling around, wearing down the soles of my shoes on a slant.

My efforts to do more walking thwarted from two directions. If it's not my back, it's my feet. After returning from New York, I went up to Salt Lake City with George. We were there for a Muse concert.  We got a room for the night at the Metropolitan Inn on West Temple and 5th South. So we walked to the venue, Energy Solutions Arena (formerly the Delta Center). It's at South Temple and 3rd West. A total of 6 blocks. But these were Salt Lake blocks. My brother, who is a cop, and walks really fast, kept getting impatient with me. He did not see why I was struggling to make this walk. It was a long walk. Comparable in distance to about 15 NYC blocks. And my shoes kept coming untied. I guess because my feet were swelling, straining at the laces of my normally well fitting and comfy Fluevogs. For the way back after the show, I almost wanted to get a taxi. But I didn't. I'd never hear the end of it.

I actually gave away a bunch of my shoes recently. Some I'd never even worn or only worn a few times. It was so depressing just having them around. When I'm out shopping, I see cute shoes and have to remind myself, even if they fit initially, my feet will eventually render them unwearable. They simply won't cooperate. It's true that my feet are pretty wide, and most shoes that only come in medium width aren't going to fit. But there are some that run big enough that I can get away with it. I've had some that once they were broken in, fit quite comfortably. Otherwise the choice of shoes that come in wide widths is pretty limited. I hate being limited. I'm already pretty limited as far as clothes go. Shoes and accessories are the last refuge for the plus-sized. But lately, it seems like the only shoes I'll be able to wear will be orthopedic ones.