They had faced ruthless treatment at my hands(or feet should I say?) even before, but without a whimper. But a trek to a national park infested with leeches as the heavens poured down was too much even for my reliable pair. And mind you, they didn’t go down without a fight!
The leeches, those wonderfully slimy creatures, so eager to suck my blood! Un aware, they were, of my tenacious shoes! Even though leeches from all possible directions assailed my shoes, they just let a precious few in. But in the process they ended up being; Soaked in muck disguising every sign of the faint silver and pink color that once was theirs, kicked and stamped heartlessly at all plausible leech-free zones, dabbed with all possible leech protection like chunna, salt etc.
I do feel guilty that I treated them so inhumanly, but what could I have done?! The sight of leeches had made my mind numb and when I came to my senses, it was too late. At the very first sight of my battered shoes I knew that they’d never be the same again. My heart pains to recall the pretty sight they were when I bought them a year back. They are unrecognizable by now, just a faint reminder of what once was.
I have no heart to wash them now, in half a mind to burn them! But lets see, maybe I’ll attempt to resuscitate them just once, I have given up hope though. I know that my shoes are dead by now, but their sole continues to live.
P.S. - Will post on leech theory and the trek in some days, I am still in bereavement.
