Shush

Because of my height, everyone knows me as fat but I am also quite tall, I have a little bit of trouble with wheelchair footrests. On both my manual chair and my power chair the rests are set as low as they possibly can be. It works such that in stocking feet I am quite comfortable, when I am shod I am quite uncomfortable. That little bit of extra height makes such a difference. As a result, in my power chair, I have take to wearing double socks and hoping for the best.

This was OK until the temperature fell and it was very cold. It seemed to be a choice of wear shoes or stay in. Then I tried using the slippers knitted for me for Christmas - I was a bit shy of the idea because they are white. And white slippers draw attention to themselves as white slippers. No one had seemed to notice my black socks as being 'not shoes'. Even though I stick out, I like to blend in as much as possible.

So after writing a blog about going out with my white slippers, my tuque, my gloves and a blanket over my back, someone commented - why not get your niece to knit you black slippers. Seems an obvious solution. I'm not all that good at asking for favours but I put my pride aside - easier to do than you might think after going down Yonge Street looking like a float - and wrote and asked Shannon if she would mind making me a pair of black slippers.

She agreed and then the other day wrote and told me that they were on their way. I was thrilled. I'd worn the other slippers out a fair bit and really wanted the black ones. Joe and I arrived home a couple days ago and I heard the envelope slide on the floor as the door opened. 'The slippers!' I uttered with glee. And sure enough, black slippers were in my hand.

Fifteen minutes later they were on my feet and we were heading out to do some banking. No one noticed my slippers. And now I wanted them to -- LOOK, LOOK WHAT I'VE GOT - THESE SLIPPERS MEAN THAT SOMEONE CARES ABOUT ME. So I've got my demure slippers. We're going to see Carmen today at the movies. I'm so glad because I'll have on my black slippers. When I wore my white slippers to the movie there was this reflected glow around my feet, it looked like my halo had slipped and fallen around my feet. But now I'll sit with my feet, appropriately, silent.