Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Feets of Steel


I remember back to when I was a kid. Not sure exactly what age. In the range of 5 to 15 years. I specifically remember that I wanted my feet to be tough. I don't know the exact reason why I thought this was desirable. Perhaps it was to gain some superhero advantage over my friends. I was always one of the guys that wasn't especially athletic, and often picked last. Maybe I thought that I could run faster with feet of steel.

The things I did to get to the point where my feet were tough were varied. We lived on a rock road and I recall running descalzo, bare foot, up and down our road in spite of the pain. I would try, with less success, to run through briar patches too. I don't know if this worked, but I do know it made me feel tough.

These thoughts rise to the surface of my mind because of my wife. It's funny how people or the sexes are different. On more than one occasion I have witnessed my wife putting gobs of lotion on her feet. Not strange you say. Women use lots of lotion, right. Well, in fact, I agree. Women, and many men, use lotion to soften and wimpify their feet. What I had never seen, though, is placing socks on your feet after the application of the lotion and then going to sleep with the socks. I have a hard time sleeping in socks unless it is 30 degrees or below. but whatever.

I must admit that I have abandoned the quest to have rock tough feet. I find myself wearing shoes, boots, or crocks everywhere. (My wife hates it when I wear the boots with shorts.) I guess now I will find myself buying one of those hand held grinding boards that are sold in infomercials that are used to grind away the tough skin on your heels and balls of your feet. Some superhero I am.




El Toro Negro