Broken Shoes

A broken shoe is not an uncommon thing here. 

This is a sign that you've worn the same shoes for the past 2 or 3 years
 and it's almost time for you to return to your home country!

Sole separates from shoe

The heat and the humidity (H&H) melts away the glue that holds the shoe to its sole. H&H laugh when we spend money on shoes that are guaranteed not to separate! They accept our challenge and ALWAYS win. Here are a couple of my shoes that have lost the fight against H&H.

This happened while I was playing indoor soccer!

So I had been dragging my feet in search of a new pair of shoes that I liked and didn't have to spend a lot of extra money on. The day before I looked at the local sports store. I found one that I could live with, but they didn't have the shoe in my size. The other pair would force me never to look at my feet and just be thankful I wasn't barefoot. So I skipped on purchasing and walked out with my soles clapping with each step- a victory for them. 

While I was washing dishes, staring out my window, I saw a man walk by on the road. He was calling out "Sepatu", which is Indonesian for "shoe". When I say "calling out", he was really singing as he walked. He jingle was like this "Se-Pa-Toooooooo", which each syllable an octave above the previous. He was very fast, because by the time it registered in my head what he was singing and my running outside he was at the end of my street. I called to him,"Excuse me!" He turned around, and I waved at him. He was at my gate before I could gather my broken shoes. He walked with a stick that was balanced on his shoulder. The ends of the stick had boxes dangling from it. Inside those boxes were the materials that would be used to perform an operation on my shoes. He sat across from my house under the shade of the neighbor's starfruit tree and went to work. The operation lasted less than an hour, for he had skilled hands. I provided him with cold water, and left him with my shoes. 

The cost of repairing both shoes was less than the price of one new pair. I feel like I got a deal. I didn't even have to leave my house!

The shoes were glued and then stitched with matching thread. I'd say the operation was a success!