Barefooted
Newt Harlan
Back when I was a youngster in elementary school, there was one thing we used to look forward to in the spring with almost as much anticipation as Christmas. That big event usually occurred around mid to late March when wed start shedding our shoes and socks. This condition of foot freedom was known as going barefooted. Youll notice that I said barefooted and not barefoot. Going barefoot is what you do when you go without shoes for a brief period, such as, walking barefoot through the dew covered grass to get the morning paper.
Going barefooted is an entirely different thing. Going barefooted involves making a commitment. It means that you aint gonna wear no dang shoes or socks unless you just have to, or somebody makes you.
The early spring transition period was the hardest part of the barefooted commitment. The first thing you had to do was convince Mama.
I think Ill go to school without shoes and socks today.
Are you out of your mind? It cant be over forty degrees out there and Im not about to let you go without shoes and catch your death of a cold. Besides, Im not going to have the whole town thinking that were raising a bunch of heathens out here, even if we are.
Aw Mama, it aint that cold out there and besides everybody else is going barefooted already.
Youre not everybody else and quit saying aint and get those shoes and socks on right now before I have to put a belt on your butt and you miss the school bus.
Round one usually went to Mama.
Actually, this wasnt a bad thing. You really didnt want to be completely shoeless in early spring. All those months of running around in shoes let your feet get all tendered up. Why, when you first started out after winter, those little pebbles and clods of dirt on the parking lot and playground that you didnt notice at all last fall, hurt like the dickens when you walked across them, and you sure as hell didnt want to step on a grass burr or sticker bush left over from last summers crop.
So for two or three weeks you were content with just taking off your shoes at recess and during the play period after lunch. Before long your feet would toughen up and youd find yourself forgetting to put your shoes back on before going into class after play. If you were lucky, a friend would bring them to you, but if not, youd have to risk making the teacher mad by having to go back out and retrieve them.
At this point you were right on the verge of going barefooted. Before too long that fateful afternoon would come. Youd hop off the school bus and wave to all your friends and walk down the driveway toward the house, all full of plans for the rest of the day, just enjoying the beautiful spring afternoon and waiting for school to be out for the summer. You dont even notice the rough shell of the driveway on your bare feet . . . Omigosh! Im barefooted, wheres my dang shoes?
About that time, Mama, whos waiting for you in her accustomed spot at the picnic table under the trees beside the driveway notices, too.
Young man, where are your shoes?
I ont know.
What do you mean, you dont know, those damned shoes cost almost half of your daddys check, and youre telling me that you dont know. Get over here!
As you walk toward the table, your mind is racing, trying to remember just exactly where you did leave those dang shoes and trying to think up a good excuse for not having them on, or at least having them with you.
Now, where are your shoes?
I ont know, I guess theyre at the schoolhouse.
You guess? Well, theyd better damned well be at the schoolhouse and if you think Im hauling your butt up there to look for them, youve got another think coming. Youll just have to go to school in the morning without shoes, just like the rest of those urchins around this town do. Youre sure as hell not wearing your good leather shoes to mess up and lose. Ill tell you one thing, young man, if you come wagging your happy ass in here tomorrow afternoon without those shoes, your daddys going to whip your butt with his belt.
Yes mam, Im sure theyre at school, and Ill be sure to remember to bring them home tomorrow.
If youre lucky, your shoes will still be at the schoolhouse and youll remember to bring them home with you tomorrow. If not, the old man will maybe take pity. After all, the old tennis shoes were $2.99 specials in Weiners Bargain Bin back in September and are about worn out anyway.
Besides its going barefooted time! Except for Sunday school and church and other special occasions, your feet wont have to see another pair of shoes until at least the start of school in September. Before long, the bottoms of your feet will be tougher than shoe soles and the only things you have to fear stepping on are broken glass and boards with nails in them. Concrete sidewalks that have been baking all day under the sun and hot enough to fry the proverbial egg are a little uncomfortable, but if you go real fast or walk on your heels, you can do okay for a block or two without burning . . . and thats what going barefooted was all about!
I dont think kids go barefooted anymore. At least the ones I see around town dont. Theyre all wearing Nikes or Adidas or some other of those tennis shoes that make you run faster and jump higher. Bless their hearts, the poor little things sure dont know what theyre missing.
***
Newt Harlan has a B.S. from Sam Houston University in Huntsville, Texas. After spending 4 years in the USAF during the Vietnam era and 35 years as an itinerant steel salesman, he is now semi-retired, dabbling in steel sales, and writing. His fiction has appeared in USA Deep South and DeadMule.com.
© Newt Harlan