I'll walk a mile in your shoes

In yoga studios it's typical to remove your shoes before entering the actual practice space. There's usually a dedicated area for one to leave one's shoes. At The House of Yogi this spot is right as you enter the front door. You enter, you remove your shoes.

Sometimes there are a lot of shoes:

Sometimes it takes a minute to find your shoes after class. Especially when you have a solid yoga buzz kicking. Sometimes you fail to find them.

Case in point, about 3 weeks ago I was closing down the studio, so was the last one to leave, and the only flip flops left were not mine. They didn't even look much like mine. The were black with white, not all black, and they were at least a half size too small.

I walked to the car barefoot.

The woman who left with my flops emailed us and left them at the studio the next time she was there. Happy ending.

But last week, well, last week the situation was much more subtle.

Again, I was one of the last people to exit.

I found my shoes, and left the studio.

But something was off.

Yes, they were sparkly black, thin-strapped Reefs. Size 10. Yes, that's definitely what I had worn to class.

But they didn't feel right.

And did I take them off all the way over there, by the benches? Pretty sure no; I habitually leave them in a different spot, but hey, people sometimes move your shoes around. They were size 10 back sparkly Reefs. C'mon.

Still. I voiced my sense of unease to my boyfriend. He's is a great listener, and heard me, but, well, he didn't really react. (Yes, he's smart too.)

I took them off. I looked at the toe imprints. Pretty good fit. But still - not quite right.

I kept talking about it. Wondering if I'd really finally lost my mind.

Maybe.

I wore them to work the next morning.

Here they are:

I mean, pretty right-on fit, right?

These look like they were made for me.

But I knew that they weren't. These were made by/for someone else. And the not-quite-right toe imprints were bugging the shit out of me.

And yes, I was still talking about it. My poor boyfriend. At this point I even had a theory about who had taken them.

She came into the studio Monday night. She was wearing black sparkly Reefs!! Aha.

"So, um, hey, " I asked her, "Weird question, but do your shoes feel different somehow? Like not quite right? Slightly off toe imprints maybe?"

"Excuse me?" the woman replied. I explained my theory (which was really much more than a theory at this point), and she got on board with it (oh thank god!).

"Huh, yeah, I do put my shoes over there, and yeah, I guess these are a bit different."

I didn't have my black sparkly Reefs with me that evening for a trade back. But she was a doll and came in last night just to get the trade done.

Ah the relief!

Can you see it?

Yes, now this is the right fit!

C'mon can you see it?

No, well I suppose not. But let me assure you -- they are different and they are right and yes, another happy ending.