I was really enjoying the view and
meeting the many people who indicated much interest in me. During that one day that I had been on the
shelf I went from hand to foot and back to the shelf no fewer than a hundred
times. Usually, I did not mind the fuss
that they were making over me but there were times people tried to force me on
a foot that was certainly much too big.
Then there were cases where I was much too big for the little feet. Altogether, the experience was far better
than being cramped in a dusty storage room with nothing to see but darkness and
nothing to listen to, but the creaking of my friends, as the huge ship swayed
from side to side on the briny ocean.
I had just been placed on the shelf again
when in walked a distinguished looking lady with a little brat at her
side. From the time I saw him I became
apprehensive. He was pouting as he
walked among the shelves looking at many of my friends. I learnt later that he was angry because his
mother would not let him have his way. I
learnt too, that she had spent much money buying shoes for him that he had
destroyed in a hurry. The way he handled
the shoes that he took from the shelves made me squirm. I was hoping that he would not come in my direction
but I knew then that my wish would not come true.
As he drew closer to me I began to
tremble. Eventually he came and stood
right in front of me. His eyes
scrutinized the shoes from left to right then up and down coming to rest
squarely on my twin brother and me. Then
I heard his shout of glee. “Mummy! Mummy!
I see the pair of shoes I really want.
You must let me have them.
Please, Mummy. I promise to take
good care of them this time.”
His mother took me up and she turned me
over. “These look strong and durable but
nothing is lasting, especially with the way you treat shoes. And besides, they are too expensive. I couldn’t buy these at that price.”
The pout with which he entered the
store returned. My spirits began to lift
as I heard his mother for I certainly did not like him for a master. I would only endure a horrible life. Just looking at him, I could tell. “But Mummy,” he countered, “School is next
week and we have walked all through town and we have not found anything worth
buying. These are good shoes. Look, look, see how thick the soles are! And the leather is good and strong. Even I couldn’t mash these up.”
“You know, I have heard those lines
before and lived through this scene many times.
That’s what you say each time we go looking for shoes. This is the fourth time for the year that I
am purchasing shoes for you. That means
that you destroyed two pairs of strong shoes last term. I can’t continue to spend money like this on
you. You need to show greater
appreciation for the things you have.
Money don’t grow on trees, you know.”
I listened to every word for I knew
that my future hung upon whose argument was the more convincing. Needless to say, that little brat convinced
his mother that she should buy my brother and me despite the price she had to
pay. Up to this day I still believe that
$275.00 was way too much money to pay for a pair of shoes. As soon as Andrew tried on my brother and me,
there was a smug look of satisfaction on his face. This was followed by a face of resolute
determination as he refused to remove us from his feet. “Surely you are not going to wear them out of
the store?” his mother inquired, the tone of her voice indicating it was a
question rather than an instruction.
Andrew did not answer. He roughly shoved the other pair of shoes
into the box and headed off to the cashier with his mother strutting along
behind him. Anyone could easily see that
he was accustomed to having his own way.
I trembled at the thought of him being my master but there was nothing I
could do. My worst fears were being
realized at that very moment. I was
going to have a monster for my master.
Mrs. Howell paid the cashier and we
left the store. The drive home was to be
the best moment I would spend in Andrew’s employ. We boarded what appeared to be a new Toyota
Corolla. I was quite comfortable as I
nestled in the plush carpeting of the interior.
It appeared that the carpet was recently shampooed for it had a very
pleasant scent and was very clean. Mrs.
Howell seemed especially keen about her car.
Several times I heard her tell Andrew, “ You can’t put your foot up
there. Are you crazy? Sit properly in the car! What do you think you are doing, boy?” Sometimes it went on for such along time that
I thought it would never end. My master
was certainly the limit. I could see
that I was in for a horrid time. Well,
there was nothing I could do about it.
From the time I was made I had had no say in the matters concerning me
so I just had to take the rough with the smooth, if there was going to be any
smooth. My philosophy of living soon
became, ‘what will be will be’.
At long last we reached home. Andrew jumped out of the car and hurried into
the house. He kicked me off at the door
in such a rough manner that I fell back out on the step. A while after, I heard Mrs. Howell say, “I do
not believe this. This could not be one
of Andrew’s new pair of shoes. This
child told me how well he was going to treat these shoes and now here is one of
them at the door already. Andrew! Andrew!” she called out to him in a voice
full of impatience, “Come and put these shoes where they are supposed to be.”
“Coming, Mummy,” he shouted back. “I just want to finish this game on the
computer.”
“I want them moved right now,” Mrs.
Howell ordered, her voice rising even higher.
“All right, Mummy, have it your way,”
the rude brat retorted.
“Aieee!” I landed right on top of a pile of several of
my fellow shoes. They were all
complaining of the treatment that Andrew had meted out to them. “He is the worst,” I head one shoe say with
such anger that I became even more afraid.
We were all in a corner of the room competing for space with shirts and
pants, socks, belts, handkerchiefs and toys of all descriptions.
Mrs. Howell turned to her son and
asked, “Why don’t you keep that dog out of this room?”
“Awh, Mummy, he isn’t doing anything
wrong,” he replied oblivious to all that the dog had being doing. “You just keep picking on him all the
time. And besides you’ve interrupted me
and caused me to miss one the targets.
Now I have to start the game all over again.”
“Oh, well this is as good a time as any
for me to draw your attention to the state of this room, or should I say pig
sty? Don’t you see how empty the drawers
and the cupboards are and how full the floor is? I want the adjustment made this minute. Do you hear me?”
With that, she stomped out of the door
and left us. Needless to say, Andrew
continued with his computer game. One of
the problems was that Mrs. Howell never stayed around long enough to enforce
her instructions to Andrew. As a result
he would continue with whatever he was doing for as long as it pleased
him. More often than not, Andrew did as
he liked, got whatever he wanted and did not seem to have a care in the
world. This was Andrew’s life.
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