Call me a stereotypical gal, but I love shoes! From sneakers to boots, flip flops to high tops, my shoes not only take me where I need to go, but also absorb the memories of all the places I’ve been. They’re wearable scrapbooks, if you will. As you can tell, I’m a sentimental person, which made replacing my 7+ year-old Vans extremely difficult.
My 7+ year-old Vans, my go-to shoes, are black with white-walling and multi-colored eyelets. The eyelets feature colors reminiscent of the Google logo; thus, these Vans have been dubbed my Google Vans. Some might call those eyelets a flaw, arguing instead for less distracting, uniformly-colored eyelets. To me, the eyelets are that special quality, that differentiating factor that make my Vans more special than anyone else’s. They make my Vans perfect.
These Vans have been with me since sixth grade. They adapted to my changing foot size as I grew, stretching out as we walked through life. They took me all the way from middle school hallways to Brown’s campus. These are the Vans I learned how to skateboard in. They’re the Vans I learned how to longboard in, and in the same day, learned how to longboard into a tree in. They took me to and from swim practices on puddled pool decks, and they never once complained about getting wet! They endured all types of weather, and didn’t get tired if I wore them for a long time. I could depend on these Vans.
A few weeks ago, I noticed Google Vans really starting to show signs of wear-and-tear, with some discoloration on the sides and puckering in the fabric. I looked down one day, admiring my feet as one does, only to find that both of my big toes had poked holes through my shoes. I was devastated. And my toes were cold.
Once they developed the holes, I knew I needed to say goodbye. It was so painful. Of course I wanted the same pair of Vans again, but alas, they are no longer in production. So, Google Vans took me to the mall on Saturday. We walked to the Vans store, and together, picked out the pair next in line for the throne that is my feet. We agreed on a pair of maroon, thick-walled but incredibly light Vans.
I put on Maroon Vans, putting Google Vans inside the shoebox. It was a bittersweet moment as I closed the lid of the shoebox coffin and said goodbye. Google Vans, you will be missed. Maroon Vans, let’s go have some adventures.