Tuesday, January 11, 2011

You're Killin' Me, Smalls!

I remember watching The Sandlot as a kid and hearing my Dad talk about how much he missed the PF Flyers he wore as a kid. (Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez was the man!) And I tried to tell him how ridiculous he would look wearing those today. He said that I just didn't understand. And I couldn't understand why he felt that way.

But today, I know how he felt. I put my 10-year old Doc Martins boots into our garage sale pile last night. And although I haven't worn them since high school, I don't want to let go. I felt so cool wearing them. (They had bouncing soles!) And now I'll be selling them to some weirdo for like five bucks in our Spring garage sale. That makes me sad. I'm going to miss them. I mentioned this to my wife, and she didn't really sympathize with me. In fact, her response was to tell me that my And1 slip-on shoes were going next.

For those of you unfamiliar with And1 slip-ons (pictured below), they were essentially tractionless slippers that had no function except to make you look like a complete tool. But because of my wife's little insult, I'm keeping them. And I've been wearing them out of the house every chance I get just to show her that they still have use.

As you'd expect, I look like a complete tool. That hasn't changed. But I feel better about myself when I wear them, like I'm still grasping firmly (delusionally) to my youth. And one day I'll see them in a movie about the 90s and I'll tell my son how much I like those shoes. But unlike my dad, I won't be saying that I miss them. And that's because I'll still be wearing them... in 2025.  As usual, my goal will be to embarrass my kids and further embarrass my wife.

4 comments:

Leah Hollett said...

OH NO!!! Please! ANything from the 90's but THOSE shoes!

Anonymous said...

I had to laugh about those shoes, my husband has those and refuses to throw them out, even though they smell like something curled up in the toe and died from the smell that was allready there.

jenny Murff said...

I wore my Doc's today and thought about you this morning as I put them on!! I'm sorry you're having to lay yours to rest.

Laura said...

Oh they are pretty bad! Sorry! I remember back in the early 90's here in Ireland, letting the over sized "tongue" of your running shoes hang out was considered cool.

Love the blog.