cinderfella

There is something to be said for the confidence-boosting power of wearing a pair of shoes that produce a confident clip or clomp as you walk in them.  A well-soled individual tends to walk a bit taller when their shoes sound strong against the sidewalk.

A week ago today, I was walking downtown, on my way to church, gussied up and trussed into a pair of shoes that make me feel good…from the feet up.  Pride does indeed goeth before a fall.  You see, if I goeth too long in these particular shoes, I tend to lose feeling in my feet, and losing feeling in one’s feet is not conducive to walking erect. 

In other words, if one were to film and replay at high-speed my progress through a day in which I wear this particular pair of shoes, I would appear somewhat like that diagram of the evolution of man …in reverse.  Needless to say, I only wear these shoes when I know I will be home before I transform into Neanderthal Man.  Though pumpkins and glass slippers are not involved, when it comes to wearing these shoes, I am somewhat of a Cinderfella.

All of that to say, I was lookin’ good and feelin’ good as I walked the block from the subway station to the church.  The sun was shining, a cool breeze was blowing, and the street was lined with provincial police officers, milling about in dress uniform.

We were a block away from the provincial legislature, and so I assumed that our province’s finest were in their finest for some sort of ceremonial function later that morning at the Legislature.

As I confidently clomped down the sidewalk, I was greeted with, “Good morning, sir” by every officer I passed.  Without fail, every officer acknowledged me and greeted me with unexpected respect.  I was startled the first time it happened, but I have to admit, I grew used to it, and eventually graduated my response from a simple nod to a reciprocal, “Good morning” as I completed the block.

By the time I stood at the intersection, waiting for the traffic light to change, I was feelin’ reeeally good.  My feet were screaming but I was deaf to their cries. 

I turned to my right to look towards the Legislature, grinning at my good fortune, when I saw him.  Standing just behind my right shoulder, clearly having walked the block behind me, decked out in gold braid and other decorative whatnots indicating his authority, stood one of the highest ranking police officials in the province.

I should have greeted him with an appropriate, “Good morning, sir”, but my feet were aching.