The end of an era is nigh. I'm getting rid of my crazy cool hipster shoes.
A few years ago, back when we lived in Connecticut and I had a fancy university job (well, at least that's come full circle), I wrote an entry about my shoe love. There was a time when all I wore were fun tennis shoes, mostly Converse Chuck Taylors and Vans. They were the item of choice when I was in need of retail therapy, and they gave me the illusion of youth. Say what you will about me, but I was a Fun Shoe Guy.
I haven't been able to wear my Chuck Taylors for about a year now, not for any length of time, and since I got my diagnosis, I now know why. I've recently embraced the Way of the Gimp Shoe, although I went with the New Balance which, in addition to being doctor-approved for younger beedies patients with early onset neuropathy issues, are cheaper and much less sad and gimply than the actual medical diabetic shoes. I now have two pairs of shoes that I can wear, as well as my old ugly leather slip-ons. And that's cool, I can deal with that. If I can quit drinking, I can quit wearing fun shoes. (As for the drinking thing, my pancreas is an evil little monster for taking away my booze. Just so you know. I'm a hoot at social gatherings now, trust me.)
The problem for me is that having all my old shoe friends sitting in the closet is both a sad reminder of better days and an unhealthy temptation. The few times I've tried to wear a pair of Chucks or Vans just for old times sake have ended in limping sorrow.
Someone suggested that I try to sell them on eBay, which I thought was both funny and a little nasty. Remember that part about how I wore them almost every day of my life? Even spread out among half a dozen pairs of Chucks and four pairs of Vans, that's still a lot of time spent on my big feet. Even given the fact that I wasn't exactly out there playing basketball in them, we're still talking about shoes that aren't even remotely new.
But I went on eBay, and sure enough, people are selling nasty old Chuck Taylors. I think the key word they all use is "vintage", which in some cases means that they are shoes from like the 60s that haven't been in production for years and would be of interest to collectors. But a lot of the ones I looked at were clearly just used. Still, people are out there buying them.
So sure, I'll give it a shot. I've never sold anything on eBay, but then I never had a hot item like smelly, old, freakishly large, extremely distressed, VINTAGE tennis shoes to offer, either.
That's what gives them that personal touch.
ReplyDeleteYou can sell *anything* on ebay. If someone was willing to pay $54 for a yellow 60's donut phone (like so: http://www.popbubble.com/Collections/phones/Donut.jpg except mine was cuter because it was yellow) that I paid $3 for at Goodwill, then definitely someone will buy your shoes.
ReplyDeleteYes, I had shocking-good luck selling some items that were worthless to me over the holidays. They make it really easy, too.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough, I have a bunch of comics I couldn't give away to a pet store, so the idea that some people will buy "anything" is over rated.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a correlary, people will buy only weird shit.
I remember trying to actually play basketball in CTs. Mistake.
Good luck dude.
Just wanted to tell you your whole foot issues have got me to think of my own issues. Working in retail good ole green apron land.. which equals standing for hours I thought and had been told I had torn my plantar shield but maybe the other issues I am having I better get checked out for diabetes. Thanks Rob you might have saved my life. Oh and you're just so cool I wanted to copy you and have diabetes too. I love ya that much. ;)
ReplyDeleteNo thanks again for the heads up.
Keep your shoes I too remember the goopy toe.. blah!
i would totally buy the purple chucks. if they were new. and my size. my custom orthotics should be in soon. yay. or something.
ReplyDeleteIt would kill me if I had to stop wearing Chucks. I've been wearing them as my primary shoes since... oh... 1982. Not the same pair, of course. I wish I knew how many pairs I've actually gone through. Of course, I wear industrial strength orthotics to make up for the crappy support in those things...
ReplyDeleteI would buy yours, but I wear, um, size 4 1/2.
Another brand of shoe to try is Ryka (there are those little dots somewhere but I'm not sure where). They are fabulous for support. I have to have wide width and like most shoes the most fun ones don't seem to come that way, but they are very supportive, very comfortable, and accomodating. I find them much better than New Balance since I developed foot problems, and I was a New Balance all the way person.
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