Rita's Reflections: Some shoes are made for walking about, others for talking about

I am an unabashed shoe freak. Before I stopped attending large gatherings, I used to come home and be able to describe all the shoes I fancied.

One day at the recycling center a relative was so focused on her mission, she walked right past Larry. I on the other hand could describe her shoes and what make of cars occupied the parking lot.

Women and girls especially should be more aware of their surroundings. Thieves and those with ill intent prey on the weakest and the most vulnerable.

When our sons were little, Larry was the sole bread winner and worked overtime, sometimes 16-hour shifts. It left Larry sleep deprived and me lonely despite having the boys to keep me company. To keep from going bonkers, I had to be creative with what I had to work with, mostly my imagination.

The other day, Josh brought up the one and only rumor I started. It didn’t go farther than our immediate family because the truth could not be denied. Since the boys and I were forced to do a lot of things without Larry, I joked that the actor Kurt Russell was Josh’s dad. Kurt was in a lot of movies at the time, and I like his dimpled cheeks.

The 1987 movie “Overboard” stars Kurt and his long-time love Goldie Hawn. Kurt’s character builds a revolving shoe closet for the obnoxious rich brat Goldie portrayed before she fell off her yacht and woke with amnesia.

Kurt schemes to have her work off what she owes him through child care and housekeeping after she refuses to pay up for the work he did and after she tosses his tools into the ocean. Like all good endings, they bring out the best in each other, fall in love and live happily ever after.

Last year, Larry bought me a pair of one-of-a-kind, custom-made western boots. I couldn’t justify the expense until the saleswoman said everyone needs to have at least one pair of good boots in their lifetime. If that is not the best sales pitch to a woman who loves footwear, I don’t know what is. I had to have them.

The boots are camel colored with red hearts in the shape of peace signs surrounded by baby blue colored wings. If I ever learn how to country line dance, I'll be ready to do some boot scootin' boogie-ing.

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I wasn’t wearing my boots at the time, but Larry said I looked like I was trying to act out a scene from Willie Nelson’s song “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” when I tripped over a tree root last year.

Larry stood by helpless watching my legs and feet trying to catch up to my upper body’s momentum. It felt like I caught a little air but not enough for liftoff and I landed with a thud.

When we got back home, I needed Dr. Morgan to put me back together again. Thank God for chiropractors.

While channel surfing one day, I saw glimpses of a strange reality show called “Naked and Afraid.” It got me thinking what a waste of time it would be for me to check out a nudist colony unless shoes were allowed. For me, shoes are a great conversation starter, but I don’t think one is supposed to walk up and point at things one likes at a nudist colony.

Forget diamonds and pearls. Show me the shoes!

Rita Wyatt Zorn is a wife, mother, grandmother and lifetime Monroe County resident. She can be reached at 7.noniez@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Rita Wyatt Zorn: Some shoes are conversation starters