Red Running Shoes

They were the best runners he had ever tried on.  Red, durable the comfort was much more like a pillow wrapped around his feet then a pair of running shoes.  He tried them on, perfect fit.  Looked at the price, took a sigh.  "Again"  he thought to himself, I can't afford them and never will be able to afford them.  He expressed his excitement about these shoes to his friends.  His friends became much like a band of Cheerleaders, wanting him to have and own this pair of shoes, the ones he saw in the window, the ones he tried on for size, but could not ever afford them.  His joy right then was contagious, as he lit up as he went on about the stitching on the seems, the colour, the tread.  No one in their neighbourhood could ever afford those runners.  "Wait for a sale, or wait till something better comes along"  Were the about the only options for these runners.

He told everyone about them, hoping somehow the light would shine down on him for once and he could actually buy something of his own, for him and no one else.  He was tired of old hand me downs, they cluttered up his dressers drawers, cluttered up his closets and these hand me downs cluttered his style, his uniqueness.  He wanted them, he thought long and hard about how he would go about getting them.  At least before someone else passes by and grabs them up.

He thought in frustration racking his brain.  He thought what he could do to own his first a pair of runners, the red ones, with the cushiony feel.  He knew he was handy and smart.  He knew people in the near neighbourhood could perhaps use some help.  He wasn't sure how or who but he knew as much as he wanted those shoes, was as much work that he would have to do own them. 

He walked up to Missy, his good friend from his block, she jumped at the chance and said she would help him.  He wondered why, but thought the more help the better-he needed these shoes.  Missy had an idea to sell jewelry that she had made last summer at camp, so she went trotting along, every day after school selling her crafty bracelets and hair pins.  She did not get a lot of takers, but did sell Seven of them by the end of the week.  Missy was excited for him, I think she wanted to see the shoes on his feet as much he wanted to sport them.  He decided to cut lawns of ladies that his Mother was friendly with, there were Five lawns that he tended too and Money was adding up.  He decided to buy Missy a pop on the way home from school and thought that was a nice way to show his thanks. 

He talked about these shoes so much it seemed the whole two blocks now knew about them and the work he was putting forth to gain them.  They were all cheering him on, his spirit for these shoes was spreading. 

He talked about it at night to his sisters and brothers.  They too wanted him to have them, then one of them thought and said "Maybe they too could make some money to buy the same exact pair of shoes and do the same cutting of lawns-perhaps work with him right along side him, so that they could have the very same pair".  "GASP"... He did not like this idea.  He wanted just once to have one brand new item meant just for him, for himself, and only himself as it was his idea and in his mind his shoes.  He was so sick of the cluttered hand me downs bunched up in his closets and thought, he better get these shoes quickly or everyone would have a pair.  If that were the case and that did happen, he knew all too well that he would be stuck with a pair of hand me downs YET again and the whole idea of shoes with a pillow cushion meant for only him would be dampened. 
Yet, he knew how it went, one person in his family would by them, then he would get them a year later and would really just have to be happy with any outcome. 

Over glorified shoes now is all it was.

He called Missy, and told him of his brother who was after the same pair...she listened and recalled how excited he became, how excited his friends became and how excited the whole 2 blocks were as they rallied behind him.

She thought how much she wanted to be a part of her best buddy owning his first pair of runners, ones that he picked out and ones that he worked for.  She was ready for action, thinking to double up on her bracelet making and hat pin selling.   She knew it had to be something more, something better then raking leaves, or making a scarf or two.  She went to the store window one late night, looked at the shoes, gazed at them-thinking how smart and stylish they would be on her best friends feet.  She knew something would come up, a sale maybe would do the trick.  Something else though would have to come about, it did not look like these one of a kind shoes were going on sale anytime soon-especially with all the buzz about them now.

She knew and he knew, they were now in a race for his one glorious pair of red sneakers.  Hating the thought of hand me downs.  They counted their pile of bills and change over and over again.  She wished she did not let him buy her a pop that day; knowing that money could have went for its intended use-the shoes. 

She kept his spirits up and came up with ideas full of endless possibilities to gain the last bit of change.  They needed $9.50 a couple more lawns perhaps.  On their travels they were walking through the city center.  At this point he did not even want to look at the shoes, thinking of what a horror this has became.  He walked in the store with Missy, as she was NOT about to let him give up now.  They walked in the store.

An older man stood at the cash, wanting to return a few items.  They waited patiently as the lane ways in the store were blocked.  They scurried behind him and Missy saw the older man with the red runners, holding them by the laces, he held out his receipt as he was trying hard to return them as well.  Missy looked at her buddy and gave a smile he knew all too well.  Missy had an idea.  One of the reasons he liked hanging out with Missy is that she would not let him give up and loved her thinking of "if their is a will, their is a way"  She smiled, all knowing of the bantering that was about to occur.

Missy jumped into the spotlight, "Oh HI are you returning those red runners"?  "Yeah, he said shrunkenly  "I'm wanting to, but they won't take them back, they said their policy is not to take back running shoes, but they don't fit me as well as I would have liked"  "What Size"  Missy piped up.  She looked at her friend with the gleam in his eyes litteraly, watching his dream unfold right before him.  "Size 8" He muttered, "but they won't take them back, they are useless to me".  She nudged her friend, almost screaming that they were his exact size.  He then pounced "I have $63.00, $9.50 short of what they are worth, I can give you that to you, for those red sneakers.   He was grinning ear to ear, the man was thrilled more so, to be rid of them, and to actually get most of his money back. 

Home they went red shoes and all, walking down the street him jumping her skipping.  He ran through the door of his home... "Look, Look-I got them I got them...oh you'll never guess"  And he continued to tell of how he was able to almost magically score his brand new pair of runners.  Missy was right behind him, jabbering away about how it all came down and how she witnessed a Miracle. 

His brother was in the corner pouting, of course he mentioned that it was great, but knew now he would have to wear the hand me down and hated the thought just as much.  Although he did not put forth any effort or any of the thought.  Everyone gasped with joy, some with envy.  Missy was about to walk home and headed out the door.  He stopped her and asked what she was doing later?  "Nothing" she said in great surprise.  He continued..."I wanted to stop by later.  "OK" grabbing at the chance.  She loved his company.

Later that night he went for a bike ride off to Missy's to spend the evening.  They got a long really like to peas in a pod, she guessed that this was some of others jealousy when it came to the two of them.  She felt the glares, she felt the daggers.  She did not care, she was on his side, team ONE to her!  He rasped on the door, Missy belting out of her front doorway and on to the porch, she tripped but then laughed it off.  He was in a great mood as well, he handed her a bag, she did not understand.  It was the pair of shoes, the red ones, the ones with the cushion much like a cloud.  "Here"  he said and passed her the brand new shoes that was the talk of the town by now.  She looked at them, what, why are you giving me these...don't they fit?  Don't you like them? why, what's going on, they are yours. 

He spoke "This is the second pair I bought, these ones are yours! I bought my pair a week ago with the money we made and added my savings for the second pair, your pair.  I wanted you to have them".

"Really", gasping but happy.  "What about your brother who wanted them".  "Look, he said brightly,  "they are yours, you liked them too I could tell, so I bought my pair with some savings and your money and the lawn cutting money went to these ones...so really they are yours.  He continued "Unless you mind us wearing the same shoes, in the same colour and the exact same size?.  "WOW, Thank you" As she rushed almost jumping in his arms to hug him close.

The two quit cutting lawns and selling jewelry for the rest of the summer, as they had new shoes to show off and bikes to ride.