This is why I wear converse.

Anyone that knows me or has perhaps looked at this blog, knows that I have a thing for converse tennis shoes, specifically Chuck Taylors. It all started back in college when I bought a pair of  white hi-tops. They seemed to be the perfect shoes.  They were classic, comfortable, but most importantly they were cheap. Since then my collection of chucks has grown. At last count, I have about 30 pairs of converse raging from classic white, to hounds tooth, plaid, even alligator skin. (hmmmm.......I see a future blog theme on the horizon "Chucks of the month.") 

Anyway, you might be surprised to learn that excluding the converse and one notable pair of Doc Martens, I have pretty boring taste in shoes. Simple oxfords, or loafers in black and brown and perhaps a sandal, will just about do it for me. My best friend, on the other hand, has shoes in every color and style imaginable. Conveniently, we often wear the same size. So when she decides to clean out her closet, I'm generally the recipient of her gently worn, yet greatly loved cast-offs.  Recently, after a visit to T's house I found myself the new owner of about six new pairs of shoes, including one pair of bright red Mary Janes.

Last Friday as I got ready for work I contemplated my shoes selection. I was dressing somewhat dressy. The outfit was not chuck appropriate. I was going to be wearing basically all black, but I'd also be wearing a red raincoat. "I know! I'll wear the Mary Janes." Which I did, and for once I can actually say the outfit was cute. So off to work I go.

While making the long trek from the parking lot to the office, I noticed that shoes felt funny. I chalked it up to the fact that they had been broken in by someone other than me, but then later as I walked to lunch it seemed to be worse. And, the weird thing was that one shoe was now significantly worse off than the other.  I reached down to feel the sole of my shoe and to my surprise I found a large chunk of it missing.  After lunch I looked at the other shoe, only to find that it too seemed to have bits breaking off the rubber sole.  

As I walked back to my desk I noticed tiny bits of black runner all over the office.  Apparently, I was leaving a trail everywhere I went, very much like Hansel and Gretel. My co-workers got a good laugh out of that one.

Around 2pm my shoes looked like this.

By this time it had started to rain outside and given the fact that the shoes seemed to be melting off my feet, I thought it best to save what was left of the shoes for the walk back to the car. So the rest of the afternoon I ran around the office in my socks. (Luckily these socks didn't holes in the toes like most of mine do. Talk about embarrassing.)

I did manage to make it home with some shoe still intact and without major incident, however I did almost slip when I lost my footing (literally) as a large chunk fell off somewhere between the UK Fine Arts Building and the President's home.  

At the end of the day my cute Mary Janes looked like this.

They were  cute... for about 2 minutes; that is the amount of time I suspect they remained in tact. When I got home from work I had to laugh when I found little bits of black rubber sole on my front porch and sidewalk, left there from the morning.  Yep, my guess is about two minutes.  

After this all I can say is, that I've never had this trouble with my chucks.