Shoes -1

What is it with shoe shopping that makes it so hard? Being part of a country with two billion and more feet, should make it easy. The law of averages would say so, wouldn’t they?
Not when the great Mumba devi has her way. This is what happened when I last went shoe shopping….

Fresh from the Bangalore trip, I was flush with funds. My dear Aunt had given me some money specifically to buy shoes. She knew Blore did not have much to offer in terms of shoe fashion, so she left it to my devices on how to utilise the funds.

The day finally arrived. With a match in progress in our great city, I was sure of empty roads and lots of parking. Taking mom along, I went out to buy trousers. Not shoes, but trousers. The destination was a big bargain place, The Loot, where you get good stuff for about 30-40% of the price. After shopping, (successfully) when I was being billed, my eyes fell on the shoe display. Immediately, I felt like buying a pair. So browsed around and selected a design. It was one I had never before considered and usually never bought. But was feeling, what the heck, it looks good so might as well. So asked the friendly shop assistant to get me my size. The shoe on display was my size and I tried it on. It felt good too. So while I was waiting for him to get the other pair, I was looking at other shoes too. One foot in floaters and the other in one of pair of formals. So hopping oddly around, I had come to the conclusion that no other shoe looked as good.

Back to the bench, seated and patiently waiting for the guy to come with the missing shoe. Then he comes. At last I think, well was thinking wrong. I look at his expression, an admixture of sheepishness, chagrin and embarrassment. Hoping against hope, I ask him what’s wrong. He says “Sir, it seems there has been a mix-up, one of the shoes was wrongly kept in another sized box and that box is missing, presumably sold.”

As it was getting for lunch and mom though sweet, did not really like me missing lunches on holidays at least, was waiting. So I asked him to look more thoroughly, maybe it was here, but misplaced. He agreed to do so. I told him I would be dropping by in the evening.

Came home, had lunch and a discussion on the merits and demerits of my trousers with me dad and left again. This time, I went to Colaba to look over there. I did not mind paying more as long as I had what I wanted. But, the great Mumba is nothing if not thorough. The shoes were unavailable anywhere. Desultorily I tried shopping, but my heart was not in it. Returned to the Loot and looked for the assistant. He saw me and immediately started looking chagrined, disappointed and all that. So I assumed no go again. He volunteered to look for it once again. I said ok and busied myself in picking out the best of the rest. The display was poorer by that one shoe though. Picked up three different styles, that were acceptable, hoping to ward off earlier type of luck.

The guy came back and told me no go. So I pointed these pairs instead and told him to fetch these in my size. He immediately brightened up at this chance of redemption and left for the loft where they store the shoes. After an inordinate delay, he came down with the look that seemed to have taken up permanent residency on his countenance now, chagrin, embarrassment and disappointment. What to say, Mumba is great. Has got a funny way of showing that she’s got an eye out for me, but I guess a deity with a sense of humor is better than one without. Especially if you have to live in it’s city.

So sadly I left, did not even pay attention to his explanation, till he offered to call his other stores and order the shoes for me. I already knew by now, that the gods were against me, but he seemed like a nice guy so let him try it.

Now, I have one more believer.