La Obsesión de Ian con los Zapatos

I returned to Academy this week – it is the first time that I have shopped there since you went Home. The store seemed the same, unchanged in the last 3 years. The layout, the order, the sections, all seemed the same – I felt that I walked back in time. How I wish that I could – “go back in time” and Huey Lewis would sing.

Academy is not a special store, not “our store”, but a store we frequented over our years in Austin. I remembered many special times wandering through its aisles. While Mom and Caylea looked for kickboxing gloves, yes, your sister is doing kickboxing. And yes, I am a bit afraid… I remember the “fitness” area where you and Caylea would try out the equipment: weight machines, bow-flex like devices, punch bags and do sit-ups on machines. We could kill half an hour just in that section when we first came to Texas. (Yes, I know I entitled this “shoes” and I have not even brought up the subject yet. Hang in there; it’s coming.) That section was like a theme park – sweat being the theme – that you guys loved to explore. I remember once you worked out so hard, your hair had sweat in it – we were in a store! But this section was also where we looked for knee braces, ankle braces and other braces to help you as you recovered from your many injuries – basketball and football especially took their toll. We still keep your football knee brace – don’t know why. I just remember you Freshman year, your whining, your playing, your icing, your whining – but mostly, I remember the “process” it took to find that brace at Academy. We looked, tried some, took some back, returned to look again, etc. until we found one that finally worked. If the joy in parenthood comes from high surface area with your kids, the knee brace was one of those “joyful” times. 

But I didn’t stay in the fitness section – I was drawn to the aisles with discs. We looked for golf discs; or correctly said, I would look for golf discs. You would look for Ultimate discs. But this was met with disappointment – for they never carried good Discraft discs. A lecture would then follow describing the nuances of the “lip” on the disc, finger placement, smoothness, height of lip, etc. I guess you were an expert. I never could feel “that” much difference in a disc. In these aisles we would wander, looking for random things that you “needed” at times. Yes, we would go to Dick's or other larger sporting goods stores to look for things, but Academy was the “go to” and one we often found ourselves in.

I may have started my visit in the fitness section, but I soon wandered to the discs, basketball and random aisles, but I knew what my target was in the store. The shoes! (See, there it is; I finally made it to the subject). From Jr. High on through High School you and I would explore shoe options here – may not buy them, but we would explore. Indeed, your whole life – you were obsessed with shoes. And, for a kid who drove his Mom crazy (yes Dad too) taking off their shoes immediately after getting in a car seat – it was hard to believe that shoes would become an obsession. I mean, Mom or I would buckle you in, and we had not even sat down and “thud”, “thump” your shoes would hit the floor. We would say “No”, “Please stop that” “ You are in trouble!” (Parents know all the phrases) and sure enough, once one of us put your shoes back on and turned around, “thud”, “thump” – the shoes would hit floor again. You were so agreeable, so easy as a kid – but with shoes - “thud”, “thump” – the shoes would hit the floor. But from your time in pre-school on, shoes began to “define” the stages of your life.

As a toddler, it was EVERYONE else's shoes that caught your attention. I cannot believe I forgot this - but thankfully Mom reminded me. Mom's shoes, Danny's shoes, even my really big shoes (11-11-1/2) you would put on and put your feet in them and scoot around in those shoes. It was so funny to see this little guy trying to master shoes half his full body size. We would tie up the laces to try to keep them on and you would tool around the house in "clown shoes." Poppa Gene still remembers how you would wear his shoes. He still talks about your cute self and the joy you brought to us all (not just then but always). If uniqueness defines memories, well we all are full of memories of you - scoot, scoot, scoot with that infectious smile on your face all the time.

From pre-school through early elementary school, you would wear primarily skater shoes. No doubt you idolizing your brother, and your desire to embody all that was cool, influenced that choice. But Vans and their ilk were “it.” I think their choice sprang from your inherent laziness about certain things – like tying your shoes. Never liked that. So, the Vans could stay tied, fit loose and you could slip them on or off as you liked. You could always go shoeless at a moment’s notice. You could kick them off – hurling the Van across the room, on a bookcase, into a tree, giggling the whole time! Now, you were a skater – continued to be a skater through Jr. High and Sophomore year – so you may continued to “have” a pair of beat up skater shoes, but you found a new obsession.

Once you found basketball, the high tops, of some or any type, became what we would spend hours to find. We would go to Academy, Dick's, Sports shoe places, Nike, Reebok, Adidas, etc. stores in the outlets, regular stores searching for those perfect shoes. These were often “named” shoes – MJ’s, Shaq, Kobe. They could be full high tops, ¾ tops – it did not matter. Ankle support, flexible with tying or not, basketball shoes were it! As a growing boy, you would move in and out of these b-ball shoes very quickly. Having two pairs was essential – always. If you did not outgrow them, you wore them completely out.

 Soon the trend moved from “real”, supportive basketball shoes to a shoe style older than me – Chuck Taylor Top 10’s. You, Caylea and Danny all enjoyed these shoes – Caylea having the longest wearing record. The unique styles, with flames, skater and rapper signs, flags, etc. were just too much for a modest guy like yourself to pass up. Jonathan in Jr. High made a small business drawing his amazing cartoons on Chuck Taylor's – lots of surface area, but also any other shoes that someone would commission him to decorate. After our trip to Washington DC, he decorated a pair of shoes for you – this was very special birthday gift. In spite of the “cool” factor of Chuck’s, they were not really “functional” for basketball. The lack of padding, ankle support led to constant complaining about knee pain, ankle pain. But the worst was playing basketball out on the driveway. When the rocky pavement became the least bit wet, it would be very slick and Chuck’s have really no “stickiness” so slips and spills could occur.

I could go on and one about the specialized shoes you would find important. Bowling shoes. Yep, you liked them – definitely a killer look – well for a while, then usually they would be shed for bowling in socks. Those evenings at the Underground were great family times – blacklight bowling baby! There were more “skater” shoes as you and your Jr. High friends revisited this sport. Any “low top” became a skater shoe choice, but if you could have an extra pair of shoes and make those a Van or another skater shoe – you were always open to a closet full of shoes. At Academy, we searched for just the right cleats for football – for real grass but also working on the occasional turf. There is a very clear difference between football cleats and cleats that are appropriate for Ultimate – well you were confident in this. Further, there were differences with cleats required for soccer. Cleats and cleats – traction, cutting, jumping, kicking, running, stopping on a dime. Your natural athleticism was elevated by the wonders of cleats. I still have one of your high top blue socks from soccer. I keep it with my socks – a prized possession reminding me of you as I scramble for socks in the morning.

 It was the back wall, the “cleat aisle” at an Academy that held my attention most – this is where we often found these shoes. The Chucks, the b-ball high tops – really more often at Nike or Reebok or maybe even Famous Footwear – but good cleats, Academy was it. I visualized our conversations on utility of the “plastic-like” outers, the wear-ability of different cleat heights and compositions. Watching you run, cut, jump, as you tried out each pair. You would only slowly make a choice, talking incessantly about your vision for their utility, what they will empower you to do, how they will “take you higher!” 

 Your brother Danny as a kid, when trying on shoes, would put them on and tell us to watch him run “These shoes make me run fast!!! Watch me Daddy! Watch me!” he would say as he sprinted up and down the aisles of a store – frightening other patrons. But you always jumped, trying to touch high things. You would run down to the basketball goals – down the back wall in Academy – to try to touch the nets, the backboards, the rims. Shoes with you guys always transformed your performance – well, if you picked out the right pair of shoes! And that took forever with you.

Ultimate had its own cleats, but as your brother Danny tried out and began wearing Vibrams; you had to as well. Five finger shoes – really five toes. You loved them – you said you could feel the ground and you could run as if you were barefoot. Your dream of barefootedness while still having the benefit of shoes was fulfilled. All of a sudden, you began to jog. Jogging on the balls of your feet seemed to take the pressure off your knees and you could run farther, faster and longer. You always told me to get a pair. Didn’t until after you went Home. Have one now and indeed, you were right – I can really run in them. They are feather light, lead me to run on the balls of my feet, leaning forward, farther, faster and longer. Should have listened and we would have jogged together. Only issue, when worn without socks – yikes, they really got nasty and smelly. I have one of your socks still – too small for my feet. But like the soccer sock – a prized possession.

But in High School and college, you migrated more to the other type of shoe that was near to barefoot – the flip flop. You really loved them. 

The brown, the leather-like, the cheap, the functional. You could be in the rain with flip flops and you need not care (like you really minded getting your shoes wet!). You were at home in flip flops – because you could (like your Vans) just kick them off and you were off, running on the sidewalk, in the grass letting your Hobbit feet grip, turn and move. I can just see this happen in my mind as we were at A&M – going from rest or hanging out to “disc-ready” in no time! 

The Vibrams were used for working out a lot – but at home, you really like stronger, more supportive shoes, especially if you were going to do squats. You seemed to have my old Reeboks with you every other day. You would NEVER put them back in my room. They would be lying by the front door, by the couch in the Pogue common room or in your room. I was always searching for them for they were my ONLY pair of cross trainers. I would wear running shoes and you would wear my shoes to 24 Hour gym for arm day, back day or leg day. I still have those grungy old shoes – another constant reminder of you in my closet – an irreplaceable token of the life we share.  

 I don’t remember the shoes you were wearing that April 19^th – I should, but I don’t. I know you wore that amazing button down maroon shirt – the one you wore on your last trip to Austin – Easter Sunday with Brenda. You wore your nice, new Lucky jeans. Mom took you all around town to find jeans that actually fit your sexy butt, you big thighs and calves. Lucky had the pair. We were going to check out how they worked – because they had to be hemmed. You wore your best clothes home to see your Mom and I – Mom always has a way of inspiring the best in us. I can’t think about Lucky jeans without getting a bit sad. The story of you finding them and wearing those home to see us just gets me. I wear Luckies – guess I am a bit sad all the time.

So, I know you are asking, why the zapatos in the title? I remember your heart, your generosity and your purposeful attitude for service. They are all captured by zapatos. When we went to Riverbend Church, the pastor challenged us to serve the people of the community by giving our shoes away – yes that very morning, in church!. Well, you were one of the first ones down and gave away your shoes. They were a cheap pair, but Mom followed and gave away an expensive pair. You led the giving of shoes from our family to those in need. You, Mom and Caylea left the church that day barefoot, but richer. My generosity followed up the next day - you taught me that it takes only two thoughts to be generous - one toward our Lord (who was rich, but for our sakes became poor so we could share in His riches) and the needs of others. The giving came slower to me - still learning. We later went with Riverbend to serve the people of Siloe El Salvador. We put on VBS, puppets (gosh my knees hurt), handed out food, loved on kids, listened to the people, encouraged the ministers there, played soccer (football) and basketball and made life-long family in Central America. We were told to expect to leave our t-shirts and shorts behind for the people there. You were all about that – less laundry to do upon returning!!! But you also gave away your good basketball shoes so that a brother in El Salvador would have good zapatos.

I guess I am wrong when I said you were obsessed about shoes. Actually, you were obsessed about loving, serving and being with people. I can’t help but think of our Savior, bending down, taking off the dusty sandals from His disciples and gently washing the road residue from their feet. He said we were to follow His example. You certainly did follow Jesus, not only serving, washing, but giving away what you valued, often valued most, for the benefit of others. Thank you for this example. "Go and do likewise" - I hear that whispered in my ear. 

Love you "E"!

Dad