Annie Rhiannon

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

The Trouble with Shoes

I have to buy a pair of shoes and I don't want to. I don't understood the point of them — I like boots. Yes, I know, it's not the nineties. But what happens when you find yourself in a fight all of a sudden and need to defend yourself and/or run away?

Not that I'm planning on getting into a fight this weekend. It's that poetry awards thing in Cork and then it's Conor's film premiere in Galway. It's not a weekend for fighting and/or running away; it's a weekend for art and culture; and "shoes" I suppose.

But the shop windows are full of heels and straps and open toes and I can feel panic set in and wish I could just buy a pair of big old lace-up boots and be done with it all.

Well, maybe I forgot to switch my telepather to silent, or maybe Conor just knows me well enough by now, because he points out a pair of black military boots and says hey, what about those, and I feign disdain and say hey, it's not the nineties y'know.

But really I am pleased and happy, and I buy the boots and feel better about life and all its possibilities. Then we get in the car and drive across Ireland; head for the horizon til we get to West Cork.

13 comments:

  1. Anonymous5.8.09

    Trotter here Annie, good choice, "these boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do" etc.

    Nothing better than tramping over the fields in muddy boots with bayonets at the ready, makes you feel alive as you are ready to kill don't you know. Anyway, the stilletos really cause me blisters. Toodlepip

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  2. Boots are brilliant.

    That is all

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  3. Really, I've found that Docs work for every occasion, in any decade.

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  4. Docs are 'orrible. Leave 'em to the punks.

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  5. Boots are good, boots are wise - and if it's got anything to do with poets - they are dangerous. Boots vital.

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  6. As regards defending yourself, my old karate teacher used to teach the women (and any men thus sartorially inclined) a technique of putting your shoe heel through an attacker's foot, pinning it to the floor.

    "Then," he added, "you can nick HIS wallet."

    There is nothing more painful on God's good Earth than a well-aimed stiletto heel.

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  7. Don't fool yourself about 'civilized' art events. A few years back we went to a Damien Hirst opening. If my wife wasn't wearing boots a knife wielding Parker Posey would have killed us.

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  8. I'd be disappointed if a poet showed up to an event wearing anything other than boots. Good call.

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  9. Right, and let's not forget it was Galway after all, so everybody else was wearing patchwork dungarees.

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  10. Yay! is all I can say.

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  11. I know EXACTLY what you mean! My lowest point was being 8 months pregnant and only being able to wear crocs and slippers. Definitely NOT boots. Also I find it best to buy footwear when you see it by chance, d'you remember when I was staying with you in dublin and all I needed was a pair of shoes and I just couldn't find ANY!

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  12. You've already WON the poetry thing though?? You're just going to soak up the admiration and envy.

    Nice ;)

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  13. I'm a boot girl with the occasional Converse. I like suede boots, Go-Go boots, and Chelsea boots mostly. Boots kick ass on every level.

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