Not A Fashion Statement

I needed steel toe boots. In order for me to visit my soon to be renovated building during the renovations I needed to have steel toed boots by law. I could borrow a hard hat as the construction manager has some around and they are flexible in size, they can be adjusted. Boots however, are not hanging around and even if they were, they are not adjustable in size.
I used to own a pair years ago, which I gave to the Goodwill. They were a “bargain” I picked up new for $15 and never had any reason to wear. I do go for the bargains as always.

I have to start out be explaining that over time my feet have grown, probably in direct proportion to my weight. However, what matters is I wear either a 13 wide or a 14 regular, although there is nothing regular about a size 14 foot! One can either find a great bargain like my $15 pair, or find a very expensive pair of shoes in a large size area or specialty store. I wished to avoid all this, especially because these had limited usage, unless I choose to continue to wear them. All I knew was that I had to have them and they need to have a green triangle visible on them to proclaim their steeliness!

I looked on line, and while I could find them, I wanted them sooner than waiting for the mails to deliver them. The bargains, if there were any, were in the States and that meant a whole lot of potential problems with additional taxes and duty, and they would not be a bargain in the end.

I went over to Mark’s Work Warehouse to see if they had them, and of course they did. But they were expensive and the size I needed were available on line and not in my local store. When I looked on line I found that Factory Shoe had them, and my experiences there have always been good so I thought I’d try them. They were close and did carry large sizes.

I arrived the morning after the large snow storm, and I was the first customer as the parking lot was just getting cleared. I was actually the first customer in two days because no one came out in a blizzard to buy shoes and they closed after a short while that day.

The sales staff was only too happy to wait on me. I explained my problem and they had at least 4 or 5 pairs that would work. I tried on the first pair of 14’s, and they were great. I put my orthotics into them and tried them on and everything was correct except, I was sad to say, they were $169.99. That would have been more than I had ever paid for shoes in my life and seemed like a waste, however, I would do it of necessary. The saleswoman continued to check and she came up with these. They were a winner. They had everything I wanted plus they are usable as snow boots as well. Not that I had to have snow boots, I have several pairs, but they could have a life beyond construction.

They were high up on an upper shelf, but she spotted them. They were a 13EE, which worked and were a more reasonable $139.99. However, upon closer inspection by the sales woman, they were clearing them out (who needs a 13EE?) for $85!

My day was made! The boots are great and are even made by Sorel, my favorite snow boot people.

OK, it’s definitely not a fashion statement in my world, my daughter did make fun of me when I appeared wearing them later in the day, but they worked!