THE WELL DRESSED OLIVE

“The young ball player helped the old man remind himself as a 12 year old barefoot boy running thru the well-worn path in the woods with his 10 year old sister in hot pursuit playing Hide-Go-Seek. They had done this so many times clearing a trail crushing the grasses and moving the sand that they needed no road map to follow through the woods. Both were sweating profusely from the summer heat with their bodies crusting with salt and dust kicked up by their churning feet collecting on their skin and clothes.” “Shoes in our family were off the summer and new sneakers were on only at the start of the next new school year. At least this was for my sister and I due to the lack of money that allowed only one pair per year per child. We would have to travel in Dad’s old Willys pickup truck sitting in the back bed bouncing about all the way for miles to the farmers market in Woodstown, NJ. Upon arrival, we were greeted with the distinct creature smells of the cattle and carnival like sounds of country music and loud crowds milling about looking a bargain at every turn.” “At the shoe vendor we would dig thru piles of left over shoes for our choice and the right price. We had to be cautious about mismatched shoes trying to avoid the repeat of last time when Mom had bought me two left footed white buck shoes that I wore at my first Holy Communion. The ill-fitting white suit that was a hand-me-down from my older brother was over-sized but my feet were killing me for no obvious reason. At home later in the day I took them off and told Mom about the error. Her unexpected response was ‘what do you want for only a dollar!’ Thanks, Mom!” “Well, those leftover sneakers had to last longer than the natural life of the purchase. Spring time at school was tough as the holes would appear and the sneakers would fall apart and the classmates’ laughter would start up again along with the teasing. It was like a rite of spring. And, again another school yard fight to protect my dignity and self respect. And, another ‘stay after school’ penalty by the teacher with the late arrival at home which I dreaded the most!”