Trick or Treat, City-Style…
In an unexpected turn of events, I found myself face-to-face with some red shoes.
Now, everybody knows, red shoes are Powerful!
My sister gave me a pair of red pumps one year for Christmas in a year ripe with romance at every turn and said I’d be lethal. Men would be falling at my feet uncontrollably in love with the simple wearing of same. I didn’t believe her until I tried ’em out and then I couldn’t believe my luck! Yoowsa. Amour to spare.
THE TREAT: when I came up out of the Blue Line Subway Tuesday, I fell into the local ALDO outlet. Now how lucky is a shoe freak to have a store like this right enroute. This time of year it’s really full of last season’s cork wedgies but man alive. The Boots. I had to run down another aisle to get away from them and that’s when I ran smack dab into those Red Shoes.
It tickled me to see their smooth wide leather toes, all decorated with ribbon embroidery so subtle and gorgeous it was hard to believe. They were lined in thin, soft tan suede and had little red soles with little red heels.
No question but these were meant to be big birthday love for, yes, La Sis.
THE TRICK: these shoes were so powerful that even in a box in a bag I was still dreaming of them and didn’t even notice it until it was too late. A large parka in my path made me swerve to the right and when it swerved left and blocked me my eyes lifted higher and met his. They were wrong. So very, very wrong. And I shouted.
And even hearing Step Back Now didn’t stop their tilting sneer and I heard NO and felt him push me and grab the strap across my shoulder. I swerved again and knew it.
Hurt. Coming to a Corner near You. Oh I was yelling. And a man ran up and told the young man to Leave Her ALONE! I saw a policeman come around the right and grab the Sneer and as fast as that, it was done.
3:30 in the afternoon, broad daylight, right in front of a cop (!), it just didn’t matter to the young man. What’s mine is yours, (or maybe not). He started yelling how he was going to sue us all.
I was so aggravated that someone had the NERVE to touch me then say THAT that the cops made me wait in the lobby of a bank while they put the Sneer in their car. It is unbelievable the rush of protective nature that fills your veins to bursting when insult trumps injury. It could move mountains; it could kick and stomp.
CITY-STYLE: and just like that, the last deep breath exhaled, the last thank you exchanged between me and the Man in Blue and it was time to move on. Somebody needed to wrap it up and wrap those shoes. Birthdays and such don’t take a holiday just because it’s hard out there for a thug. Maybe Friday, I’ll see if they still have a pair in my size.
I think after that, YOU deserve some “red shoe” love.
WOW. I’m so glad you’re ok. Jarring, frightening and damned infuriating, but I do think you need to see if those shoes are in your size.
Whew! That was scary just reading it!
The shoes are precious – a perfect gift, and yes, you must have some, too.
Honey, if you don’t go back and get those shoes, I just might start a campaign to get your Ravelry group to go in and get them for you.
I know just how you feel – I was mugged on Irving Park Road at 10 p.m. on a Friday night. Right at the intersection of Lincoln/Damen/Irving. I was carrying a new handbag and they got it. And my two new Bobbi Brown lip glosses. And about $4 in cash. Ugh.
That is crazy! I can’t believe his nerve.
Me, too, glad you’re OK. Love Chicago but does it seem like people are getting more desperate? Even in my beautiful West Michigan, we are seeing more robberies in the Holland/Zeeland area.
I have those same red shoes! Glad you’re okay.
Absolutely shocking…the nerve of some people. So glad you are okay.
Those shoes are amazing! I’m so glad you were able to avoid anything worse and are okay. And yes, you deserve some new shoes of your own!
Wow. I had a similar experience ages ago and still remember it vividly. I was extremely lucky that there was a policeman RIGHT THERE when I needed him.
I’m so glad you are okay and it wasn’t any worse than it was.
Amazing post, I could feel the anxiety and shock. So sorry that happened to you, but I’m not surprised you stood UP for yourself!
My heart was pounding just reading this–I’m so sorry that this happened, but so relieved that you’re okay. Now it’s time to treat yourself.
Dear G-d! Be thankful for the presence of mind to protect yourself as well as the presence of the policeman and the other man. How frightening and angering.
He just better be grateful you weren’t wearing the red shoes to stomp his sorry be-hind!
Oh! Oh my! Glad you’re okay.
Glad you’re alright. I believe red shoes really are magic!
WOW. SOOOOO glad you are not hurt…..what a world, huh? BTW, those shoes are simply fantastic. I think we all need a pair! ;)
Dude picked on the wrong person.
Wow, how scary. I hope you are doing ok now!
Ay, chica! Sooo glad you’re ok and even more glad the universe put that cop in your path, too. and the nice man who defended you. Heroes abound, eh?
And yeah, I want to know when you’ll be modeling the Red Shoes of Power…heheh. you don’t think it’s an accident that the defending man AND the cop appeared in seconds whilst you were carrying the Shoes, do you? didn’t think so…..
So glad you’re relatively unscathed and that you had a hero or two at your disposal. I’m very reassured that a passerby stepped up!! You go guy!! Whoever you are!
My sister-in-law wasn’t so fortunate….and she was mugged in front of her house.
What’s wrong with people?
I got angry and worried just reading your post, what’s wrong with some people? I’m so glad you are OK.
Holy smokes! I’ll buy the shoes for you! :-)
Wow. I’m glad that you are OK. I’ve been pretty lucky and everything I’ve had to deal with is just people shouting out the car windows or yammering at me while obviously drunk. *shudder*
So glad you are okay, even if the adrenaline rush STILL hasn’t totally died down yet. I had one just reading about it. You are definitely quite the storyteller.
I ended up walking through not so great a part of Chicago at nightfall on my last visit there in September, due to a map misreading and no taxis, and although it ultimately ended up in my ‘discovering’ Knitwerks en route, which was a bonus, I felt very vulnerable. And stupid. So glad to get to Loopy Yarns without incident! And I found a taxi back, fortunately.
I’m glad you’re okay. I think recovery from something like that may require two pair of red shoes!
I’m so glad I haven’t gone to the Aldo shop and have no money, I think I would have to buy those shoes too, they are simple perfection!
Whew! Thanks so much for all the well wishes!
I am still tripping over this. I saw a three strangers in the company parking garage very early this morning and I felt my hand on my chest right by my neck, that clutching kind of move. Turns out they were there on some kind of inspection!
Holy mary! Glad you’re ok and the punk didn’t get you. Bastard.
Shoes and a handbag are in order for you.
Mugging is such an insult and then HE threatens to sue? Unfreaking believable.
Relieved to hear you are all right. I wish you have been wearing ruby slippers when it happened. Two heel clicks and home!
Oh. Man. So sorry about that scary encounter. But those shoes! Those SHOES. I will send you an email with a pic attached, and you will laugh yourself silly. Or at least go AWWWWW. XO
I’m so sorry you had to go through that. That’s terrible, but I’m so happy that a)the self-preservation instinct was alive and working for you that day and b)that strangers were there to assist and the cops came out to help you instantly. glad you are ok.
Good grief, the nerve. I’m glad everything turned out ok — including the man in blue who had the foresight to protect the idiot from the wrath of the redhead. You definitely deserve red shoes & some lovely new yarn to match.
That sounds like scary stuff, but I am glad you are okay.
Red shoes are my weakness, I have several pair at the moment – shiny, red goodness. I love them.