A Parade of Shoes
No Longer Invisible!
Shoes! So many shoes! Worn, black running shoes bounding past; shiny, red stilettos tap, tap tapping on by; white slides gliding along; steel toe caps clomping back in the opposite direction. Numbly I gaze at my feetā¦ hunched over, my head a leaden kettlebell propped between my clammy handsā¦ elbows resting on skinny knees.
A kaleidoscope of colours parade past, before my downcast eyes.
āAre you okay young fella?ā
I blink. Focus reluctantly returns. I blink again. Gnarled feet clad in open sandals are planted firmly in front of me. Silence.
My mind wandersā¦ Itās been two long years since anyone thought I was young for a fifty-year-old. Back thenā¦ back when I was married! When I had a life; a family; a home; a jobā¦ even a car!
Nowā¦ now I have nothingā¦ I am no one. Iām washed up on lifeās desolate shore.
āI asked, āAre you okay?āā
Surprise washes over me. She canāt be talking to me! Iām invisible. Nobody sees me anymore. Time stretches across several heartbeats. Those sandals sure donāt seem to be going anywhere. Exerting a massive effort, I inch my head and eyes upwards.
There stands a petite grannyā¦ wearing a concerned frown, enveloped in a silvery halo of fluffy hair. I stare mutely. She contemplates me patiently, as if time is of no consequence.
My disused voice is barely a croak. I cough.
āYeah,ā I mumble.
āIāve heard some rubbish in my time and that sure is rubbish!ā she fires straight back at me, with dizzying speed. My head spinsā¦ thought takes flight.
Unable to fend off such genuine concern, she completely disarms me. āGrannyā eases down onto the shopping centre bench, next to me. Iām vaguely surprised to find I feel neither threatened nor judged. Itās been an eternity since anyone has seen me, let alone spoken to me. Unbidden, forgotten tears spring to my eyes.
Her kindly face, gentle tone and searching eyes are my undoing. Somehow, this pint-sized granny has slipped behind my defences.
Before I realise itā¦ Iām no longer even sure howā¦ I find myself timidly following her into a large hall full of people, gathered around a veritable feast. Happy faces; laughing voices; scrumptious aromas wafting around me. My angelic acquaintance eases me towards the group gathered around the tableā¦ smiling reassuringly.
Utter disbelief floods my being! Why would strangers care; help or bother?
My heart fluttersā¦ beating more rapidly nowā¦ hope balloons within me. Sure, itās just one meal and a night off the frigid, dank streetsā¦ the promise of a miniscule measure of security.
My worn, grubby shoes shuffle forwardsā¦ towards the table and welcoming peopleā¦ towards a brighter future. The next chapter of my life.
******************
Inspired by a Talk-Back chat on commercial radio, as I travelled to work. A man told a similar story, where an elderly lady took him along to a winter shelter run by the charity group, Lifeline in conjunction with local churches. Each church hosts homeless folks one night weekly, to keep them off the streets. Support workers assist with reconnecting them with life and society.
This one encounter transformed this manās life. It brought tears to my eyes.
About the Creator
Angie the Archivist ššŖ¶
Addicted to reading, especially fiction and poetry.
Personality of a Labrador
Attention span of a gnat! š³
A Parade Of Shoes: Top Story March 2024
Painting Pandemonium: Top Story February 2024
"Look Out... Sauerkraut!": Top Story December 2023
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Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Comments (18)
Congrats on Top Story!š„³š„³š„³
Congrats and thanks for sharing this outlook.
Congrats on Top Story!!!
Well done!
What a wonderful and endearing piece! It's quite touching how you were able to depict the protagonist's hardships and the grandmother's unanticipated generosity.
Great job! Keep up the fantastic workācongratulations!
Love this story and even more so since it's based on real life circumstance as heard on the radio! Good job!
Angie this is so beautiful!! I adore this so much!! Great piece and congrats on Top Story!!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! šššššš
Beautiful Angie!!! Very well written!!!
So very well done! Loved it! Congratulations on Top Story!
This is INCREDIBLE- love the shift from shoes-only people to the wonderfully detailed character sketch of the 'granny.' A really compelling and so thoughtfully crafted piece, thank you for sharing! And congrats on the Top Story! :)
Such a beautiful story. Congrats on the TS.
Ah, Angie! This is bloody great! Love it!
Thank you for sharing this!
Awww, this was so touching and heartwarming! Thank you SO much for sharing this story!
Absolutely beautiful! This really made an impression. The start with the shoe particulars really was a perfect opener to convey his feeling of being invisible.
Powerful stuff. Well done!