EVAN

Evan has worn mismatched converse hi-tops ever since I have known him, which I think is about 10 years or so. He was kind enough to lend me this pair--a black left shoe, and a brown right shoe. They didn't have holes in the sole, which is nice, because I know that some of his old shoes do, and I walked through a lot of mud today.
Evan's shoes, like many of the others, are much bigger than my own. I pulled the shoelaces tight, and wrapped them around my ankles before tying them (which I imagine would make Evan cringe), and they stayed on really well. I just had to be careful not to trip.


Today I did a bit of stuff at home before going to an appointment in the morning and running some errands downtown. I ran into Carley and her son Shea, who at not quite 2 years old suddenly has an impressive vocabulary. It was distracting when I looked down to see shoes that not only were far bigger than my feet, but were two different colours. Evan's shoes don't have much in the way of cushioning or support, so I much preferred walking on the grass than the pavement. I also noticed that they made a funny sound--they bend just about where my toes end, and at the end of each step, the shoes snap back into place. This is kind of amusing.


After lunch I met Yehuda and we went for a walk along the river to a spot where some friends have been living in a woodlot (property of a friend of theirs) near the river. It was quite a walk--I think it took 1 hour, 45 minutes to get there. The trail is beautiful this time of year, and I've never taken it that far. We checked out the kitchen shack they are building, chatted with Matt for a bit inside his tepee, and explored around. We saw some really really large aspen trees, some ruins, and deer tracks. It began to snow. I found myself wishing I had worn my long johns.


From there I walked to the university. By that time my feet were beginning to feel awfully cold, and even a little numb. I was wishing that the school was closer than it was. But when I could let go of wishing things weren't as they were, it was actually a beautiful walk, even with all the cars on the road speeding past.


I also found myself thinking about how I took Evan's shoes on a trip that they probably wouldn't go on on his own feet. About how some time ago now I used to walk an awful lot beside his shoes (these shoes?), but that now a lot of what we each do is pretty different. This was just interesting to notice.


Evan's shoes are unusual in their different colours, and so much his own. They are hardly there between feet and the world. Evan's shoes are well worn and familiar to me at the same time as they feel strange and uncomfortable.