Normal Again, with Wide Feet
March 17, 2011Okay, I have snapped out of it. No more whining!
Lemon has followed through on her physical therapy exercises. Not without grumbling, but grumbling is better than sobbing.
I took her shopping last night for the promised new sneakers. We went to City Sports because they sent me an email letting me know that most sneakers were 50% off. She also needed a digital, water resistant watch to fulfill her coxswain duties, and City Sports had told me that those, too, were on sale. Gotta love the open channels of communication that I have with major retailers.
Sadly for Lemon, I have contributed more than my fair share to her genetics. Physically, the child seems to be 70% mine … if not more.
Right down to the wide feet.
We’re in City Sports, looking at the Wall of Shoes, and I mention to her that since several pairs are 50% off, I’d like her to limit herself to those choices. So she – with a little less than full enthusiasm – chose a pair. We requested said pair in a size 8.5 and a size 9 (yes, seriously). I wandered the store looking for waterproof socks (as recommended by her coach) while she waited for the shoes. While I was gone, the 8.5s were deemed too small, and she donned the 9s. I came back and asked how they felt, and she said, “honestly, they’re a little tight.” I asked the shoe-person to check, because I was too disgusted thinking my poor daughter would be needing a size 9.5 shoe at the age of 14.
“No, no, it’s not the toe, it’s the FOOT. I have wide feet.”
The salesman – in all of his expertise and understanding of podiatry – responded with, “oh, they’ll stretch out.”
But I, as an owner of wide feet, persisted oh-so-unreasonably, by asking if they have any shoes that come in wide.
“Mmm. No.”
Then kicks in the 14 yo fear that mom will Cause a Scene, “Mom, it’s fine! These are fine!”
Fortunately, another clearly more experienced salesman overheard our exchange. Alas! There are shoes that come in a D instead of a B!
Shoes that are not on sale.
“Can we try them in a 9, please?”
“Mom, I said these are FINE!”
But these could be more fine … despite the fact that – of course – they are not on sale.
Less Experienced Salesman brought out a 9 in last year’s [barf green] model, because “they’re cheaper.” I guess trying to honor my pursuit of the cheaper shoe.
Despite the barfy green, Lemon tried them on. ”Oh, wow. These feel a lot better!”
And I thought — is the barfy green really worth the $14.03 that I save on purchasing last year’s model?
Answer, no.
We got the beautiful uplifting blue – this year’s model – that had the added bonus of pretty tropical flowers on the insole.
On top of 2 pairs of spandex shorts (so odd shopping for my stick of a daughter, searching for the XS side of the rack instead of my usual L or XL), one pair of spandex capri pants, a polyester long sleeve shirt, and the watch. Oh, let’s not forget the headband I purchased for myself, because it was Prana and pretty and would help keep sweaty hair out of my face at the gym.
I thought I was adding things in my head as we went, but I still felt like the final bill ($293) should have been about $100 less. Maybe $87 less, when considering my $13 headband.
Imagine if they had the waterproof socks?
Waterproof socks? I had no idea such a thing existed! I feel you on the wide feet thing. At least running shoes come in wide. You think Prada comes in wide? Hell no. I have to go a size up in shoes for them to fit, and sometimes they’re still too tight, but then the shoes are sliding off because they’re too long. Ugh. But running shoes… ahhhh. I have a marvelous pair of Brooks with lots of arch support. It’s like running on pillows. Well worth the price.