Sunday, May 4, 2008

HAPPINESS IS A ...FULL SHOEBOX

Shoe-shopping makes my entire family happy. I get to spend money guilt-freely (SHOES come under the NECESSARY ITEMS-category), the kids love trying on new stuff and the maid loves the shoeboxes.

I prefer keeping shoes wrapped in clear plastic bags, so that I get to know what is inside. I used to throw away the shoe-boxes, till my maid came to stay with us. She resolutely hoards the boxes in an empty cabinet…and then they keep turning up in the most unexpected places.

There is one once-white shoebox (KITTENS, Size 20, blue booties with red-and-yellow laces for my younger daughter, outgrown and given away long back) crammed full of rubber/plastic rabbits/lions/puppies/cats, neatly arranged on my daughter’s toy-shelf, which is taken down when the animals are ‘bathed’.

One such grey rather-worse-for-wear shoebox (CATWALK, Size 40, black/bronze slip-on sandals for self, also rather worse-for-wear) is hidden in my clothes cupboard, full to the brim with various socks and scarves I hardly wear in sweltering Mumbai (but they walk me back to happy holidays in Darjeeling and Gangtok).

Another REEBOK-trainers-box (white-and-blue with red soles; my ‘comfort-shoes’) is a storehouse for discarded crayons, pencils, erasers and God-knows-what-else, which await a run-through by me before being delegated to the dustbin.

My maid keeps her own stuff (from hankies to hairclips) in a forest-green shoebox (WOODLANDS, Size 42, tan suede semi-formals for weekend-dressing).

Open any cupboard, search any shelf, and, sure enough, there’s a shoebox full of stuff 'packed' by my maid (she must have been a secretary with a filing-cabinet-fetish in a past life).

Yesterday, I took my daughters out to a nearby shop (THE SHOE FACTORY) to buy two pairs of grey- blue floaters. And, because there were discounts (Buy 2, get 20% off, buy 3, get 25% off), I gifted myself a pair of coffee-coloured sandals (I’m DEFINITELY caught in a black/brown/beige rut). The smart new shoes are gracing the shoe rack, and the shiny empty shoeboxes are waiting for my maid to fill them up.

9 comments:

Scribbit said...

I save shoeboxes too--usually for mailing things in as they're a handy size for that.

I love having shoes but dislike shopping for them, they never seem to have my size in stock.

Alexi Frest said...

Hello,
I'm glad to see you feel better (do not forget the mint or nettle tea)!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, something like that, unrequited love.
To be honest, I wasnt thinking about the metaphor behind it when I originally drew it.
Its more meant to be interpretive, but your spot on in your own way, if that makes sense.

Well thanks for stopping by,
Lots of Love,
Age xoxoxox

The Sparkling Thought.... said...

Hi , nice creation. thnx.

Piscean Angel said...

Came upon your blog from Mystic Margarita's.
U sure seem to have a shoe fetish ... not unlike me. :-)

Unknown said...

High five ! Love shoeboxes and what comes in them . You got me thinking and wanting to buy a new pair !

Moushumi said...

I love going to the shoe store but after numerous trips up and down the isle - I still cannot decide which one I want. If ever I'm able to make up my mind - I don't wear that shoe for long - usually once or twice after which I realise that it looks good no doubt - but is not all that comfortable. So I have shoes lined up in my cabinet but only a few that I actually wear. As for shoeboxes - I've started hoarding them after my son was born - just to make sure I have some available when the daily sheet from school indicates that there's a need for once for their upcoming craft project.

Unknown said...

ShoeBOXES...who would have thought of that spin on the topic? Love it. I love shoeboxes...they are the handiest thing before rubbermaid. :)

Daisy said...

I use them as gift boxes. My daughter won't let me give away any Converse boxes; she is as attached to the boxes as she is to the shoes.