Quickest Best Friend Ever
Recently, I found myself in the shoe department of a local retail store with my daughter. I was sort of shopping for a pair of shoes, but then again I wasn’t really shopping because my distain for shopping left me unwilling and uninterested in asking the sales clerk for my size in any shoe. Instead, I directed the salesperson to my daughter who seemed to know exactly what she wanted.
My attention was drawn to an older woman sitting in a nearby chair who slipped her foot into a shoe that totally caught my eye. The shoe was stunning. Imagine if Keds comfort met Jessica Simpson bling in a shoe design studio; the result would be just what this elderly woman was sporting. The bright white thick-soled, silver sequence flat certainly caught my eye.
“Oh my,” I said to the woman. I just couldn’t help it. “Those are fabulous!”
Such an insertion of my unsolicited opinion into this stranger’s shoe choice led to a delightful conversation. It’s as if I assumed the role of a best friend for just a moment, and I totally leaned in. I came to learn the elderly woman was in the market for a pair of waterproof walking shoes. No, she wasn’t embarking on a trip abroad, nor did she need a good pair of walking shoes for any other reason other than they would be very useful if it rained. Simple as that. I loved her matter of factness.
“Do you think these shoes are too much?” Now she was asking my opinion, and I became totally vested in facilitating the perfect match between this woman and those shoes. They are bright and very fun, I told her. I also told her she will feel like a million bucks every time she put them on. And, I reminded her, they are waterproof.
We laughed as pointed to the silver sequence shoes and noted they would come in quite handy in case it was raining and she needed to get the mail from the mailbox at the end of her driveway. I contrasted her practical need for puddle-proof shoes with my tendency to be caught in the rain not only without waterproof shoes, but usually without an umbrella on hand as well. This purchase, I agreed, would be the most fashionable and practical way to get the mail on a rainy day.
Our interaction lingered a bit longer as she walked around and paraded her feet in front of the multitude of mirrors. I could see her affection for the shoe growing and self-conscious doubts deflating. I wished her well and took my leave alongside my daughter who was quite happy with her own purchase.
Random encounters with strangers are one of my favorite things about being human. It’s as if we all share common space in a field of tumbleweeds. Depending on the ways of the wind at any given moment, you can find yourself brushing up against another in a chance interaction. Whether at the grocery store, post office, soccer sideline, or waiting room, the opportunity to connect with others is always a possibility. Yet, sometimes the catalyst for a temporary bond comes from simply being open to observing and willingness to meet another person just right where they are. I’ve been on the receiving end of such connection generosity, and such a “brush up” can leave us all a bit better in its wake.
The next time it rains, I’ll be thinking about my shoe shopping friend with a smile. She and her shoes, no doubt, will bring some much needed brightness to her driveway and to my recollections of her as I slosh about thinking of her very fancy waterproof shoes.