I just want a pair of shoes, but in this country shoe sizes stop a size below my feet. My prayers grow more intense with each shop visited, but after 7 shops in 2 different areas of town, reality is proving not very accommodating. Food is everywhere, and it's fantastic, I'm a sucker for something as "authentic" as street food, but right now I needed some mass produced fabrications that fit my feet.
I stop in a couple pharmacies and to find the meds for cheap that my parents had requested I look for. It took a couple tries to get everything, but was nothing like the futility of manually searching for something that the internet should show me multiple options for, and deliver to my door after a few minutes of comparing them. I'm not a shoe freak, I just need a pair I can be active in because luggage was expensive and hard choices had to be made.
Kinjal knows the markets well and can make sure I get a good deal, but she knows where to get women's shoes, not men's. She loves the vibrancy of open air markets like I do, we've never been forced to appreciate corporate lifelessly boxy sterility before; at least I'm starting to appreciate it. She thinks it's all a joke, which is an improvement from a stunt I'm pulling to imply things about my manhood. This was never an issue for me before, how was I supposed to know?
Finally, shop number 11 has size 12.5, not just 11.5s they want me to try on to see if some magic will happen. They look fine, fit fine, price fine (he knows we have no ability to haggle since no one else has them, but he doesn't gouge), and so we get the shoes and I'm able to play ultimate frisbee tonight with the only people here who play, which is why they're on the national team.
They laugh at me (in a kind way) when halfway through the first night I'm wearing them the bottom portion starts peeling off from the rest of the shoe, making loud flapping noises like the flip flops I paid 200 Rs to not be wearing. At least this way I get to play my game but have my excuse to get out of soccer.
The trip is great, but all these ironies that mock you make for a nice anti-vacation to help you appreciate what you used to take for granted.
