Enclosed in cotton, then encased in tight leather, my feet begged for forgiveness and air, so I stopped walking in the midday sun and looked around for somewhere to sit. Unfortunately for my feet the only bench I could see was at the top of the hill.
They wept when the message was sent down from my sweaty brain but they did as they were told once they realised my purpose was to get there and stop.
When I reached the bench and turned to place my tired arse on the wooden slats I could hear my toes screaming, "Release us, let us out! Stop squashing us!"
So I stood still for a couple of seconds to teach them some manners and rocked gently from heel to toe.
As I looked out across the park, the sounds of children directed my gaze downhill to the left and there I saw....no don't tell. I blocked out what I saw and denied my brain the freedom it usually had to pass thoughts around, took a deep breath and began to walk back down the hill.
"No! You promised!" Said the outside of my left foot. The toe that isn't quite the littlest rubbed harder against my shoe and began to blister in annoyance. I gritted my teeth and stepped out with my mind closed to the orders my unhappy feet called out to me.
They were trying to halt my progress in any way they could, they cramped up inside the arch, they looked for lumpy ground to unbalance me, used all the salt so my calves became tight and jerky, but on I strode, my purpose and destination a secret.
As the sound of children grew ever closer I had to trick my feet into believing I had friends in a playground, but occasionally the joy of what was happening made me quicken my pace, so I let it happen. I let the joy control me and began to run, which they hated and nearly tripped me up.
I climbed the 3 foot fence and as I placed my foot on the other side I slipped my hand down my leg and rolled my sock down and with one action pulled off my damp shoe and wet sock. Before the air could really let my foot breathe I had the right sock and shoe off and was rolling up my trousers.
Just before I looked up I stopped, closed my eyes and opened them while I gazed into the blue sky.
More memory and guesses than truth and terrain led me to the edge of where I wanted to be.
Confused, my feet spread across the earth and grass and allowed the sudden, natural environment to envelope them and before they had adjusted to that I waded into the paddling pool.
"You bastard, you beautiful, beautiful bastard!" They both screeched in delight.
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