Shoes
“Shoes” is a short story by C.K. James and can be read in its entirety below. Enjoy!
She was nervous her shoes wouldn’t keep quiet.
After all, school was all day.
If they made any sounds, she couldn’t deny it.
What could she really say?
Her shoes would often misbehave,
with a moo or an oink or a quack.
Have you ever had any silly old shoes
that made funny noises like that?
All was well until around lunch,
when her left shoe had to sneeze.
It lifted her foot straight up off the ground!
She kicked a whole bowl of peas!
In one single moment everyone stopped,
until someone began to cheer.
Her shoes even giggled at what they had done,
but nobody seemed to hear.
In the late afternoon, her shoes were unruly.
They barked and moaned and hissed.
The teacher asked “Are you feeling all right?”
And off to the nurse she went.
“Look up. Look down. say ‘Ahhhh.’” said the nurse,
but nothing wrong she could find.
The nurse asked “What is the matter, my dear?”
Her right shoe said “Nothing. I’m fine.”
Startled! Amazed! Frightened! Confused!
The nurse ran out of the room!
Her shoes started sliding across the floor!
Her feet began to move!
“Isn’t this amazing? her right shoe said.
“I feel so much joy in my sole.”
“Not now” said her left shoe. “I need your help!”
Just then her shoes lost control.
Out of the school and through the hopscotch,
the shoes leapt forward with haste!
Then started the countdown until the launch…
when the shoes went to outer space!
“Hey now, hold on!” said her left shoe.
“That’s not how I recall it.”
“What happened was much more solidly grounded,
but sensational is kind of your habit.”
“Excuse me, good sir!” exclaimed her right shoe.
“Your versions are always so boring.”
“I tell the truth from my point of view,
and I’m the one telling this story.”
“I was there too,” the young girl said.
“I remember it well, you know…”
With a grin and a plan, her right shoe said
“So, let’s do it again tomorrow?”
For more information about the story, please contact C.K. James here.