Shoes

Well, this may be a strange experience but it's the truth.

I left the office at a decent hour and planned on taking a side detour to a new shoe store. The store is kind of in a transitional neighborhood.

I was searching for a pair of black mid-calf boots. My current pair have a funky wedge that I've never been crazy about. The shopping gods were on my side this day and in my size section I nabbed a great pair.

While zipping up my not so favorite pair, I had this young girl with her mom say, "Mom, those are the kind I want!" Pointing to the pair I was wearing.

The mom asked if I got them there. I said no and told her I didn't really care for them an was getting rid of them. Then I said to the girl, "what size are you?" She replied, "10"...I immediately said, "here try my shoes on, you may like the wedge..." She looked at her mom for approval. Mom nodded, she tried them on and said, "they fit perfectly..."

Next thing you know, I then insisted she take them. I assured her that I didn't need them. She looked with hesitation and then I assured her and her mother. She ripped open her backpack and threw her tennis shoes in and started rocking back and forth on her "new" shoes.

Her mother profusely thanked me. We introduced each other and she said something along the lines of me being a good soul and I must do some sort of good work. I laughed and she then asked what I did. I told her about my job and goal of helping less privilege kids get access to higher education. The woman light up and she told me she was told that she was to get her daughter into the programs we offer. Next thing you know I'm giving her my cell phone and email (I didn't have business cards or know my office number).

She was determined to walk me to the checkout stand so that I didn't change my mind about the shoes and that I was going to walk out with a pair on, because at the time I was standing there just in my socks.

I happily purchased my new boots and the mother and daugther left me. It was a strange encounter but selfishly gave me a buzz. Regardless there is a very happy 9th grader out there with a hip pair of black wedge boots.  

- Carrie (a girl in DC)