In my previous post I have mentioned 'buying shoes'. The word 'shoes' sends me right back to a weird episode in the past.
There was a small , rather pricey shoe-shop near the place where I worked; it specialized in italian quality shoes for women: fine leather, comfortable style, fashionable colors. The display window featuring the new collections always attracted me like magnet while on my way to and from work.
It was a family shop run by a middle-aged couple; the man was at the cash machine, his wife - took care of the customers. During busy hours they were joined by their daughter-in-law who helped keeping an eye on everything in the shop.
At a certain stage , the owners of the shop hired a young salesman and the two women were rarely seen since . The new guy looked completely out of place. He had the appearance of a wrestler, hardly fit to deal with women and sell them shoes. Well, his appearance was deceptive as he became known to have infinite patience for his female customers and good knowledge in the shoe trade.
Several months after he started working at that shop, it so happened that I saw a pair of suitable shoes in the window and I entered the shop to try them on. The salesman greeted me with a big smile , asked me politely to sit down , and went to bring the box with the required shoes. He then gently took off the shoes I was wearing, examined my feet to make sure they were not swollen from walking or standing (that's what he said), put them carefully into the new shoes. He radiated professionalism. Apparently, the shoes were a bit too tight, so he brought a bigger size and started again with the 'ceremony'.
At this point, I felt the guy was unneccessarily touching my feet, and I realized that he was probably one of those men who had a foot fetish. I didn't know how to react so as not to shame him, so I I just grabbed the shoes , paid for them, and decided to keep away from that shop in the future.
I told about my shoe- shopping experience to a co-worker. To my great astonishment, she shamelessly admitted that she had often entered the shop, not always with the intention to buy shoes; she was just interested in a "free massage" for her tired feet.
Well, as they say "it takes two to tango". Besides, good service is sending customers away satisfied and happy - and my co-worker, so it appeared, was a happy, satisfied customer.
That's funny Duta! I have a foot fetish myself - if you touch my feet you get kicked. It's involuntary - I just have this reaction. I did manage to calm myself down enough to get a pedicure once, but it was a hard thing!
ReplyDeleteI asked for a shoe-horn recently in a shoe department so as not to bend the back of the shoe I was trying on. The sales person didn't even know what that was. There must be a middle ground here somewhere.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... I think I would have skedadled too!
ReplyDeleteVery funny posts...interesting...Have an ask...Some female shoe saleswoman over there??
ReplyDeletehmm-interesting...I love having my feet massaged, as I've had a few surgeries on them..but massaged by a shoe salesman? only at the end of a very long march through the briar patch! BUT...if they offered that as a service that I could then opt to purchase? I'd buy it.
ReplyDeleteDUTA:
ReplyDeleteFunny read this was. This times you have slightly moved from places to people. But people and places always compliment each other. I love feet massages but definitely not like the one that man in the shoe store provided! The man sure knew ho to keep the customers happy and satisfied (winks).
Joy always,
Susan
Yes, is funny, and sometimes is good to have such experineces... it takes you out from usual things.
ReplyDeleteThe Bug,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure we are talking about the same thing. The salesman seemed to have a pervert liking of female feet which could be annoying, even harrassing the woman whose feet he was touching.
English Rider,
Right. Nowadays, most salespersons haven't got the slightest idea about shoes and their accessories they are selling. This particular salesman was too 'involved", and "knowledgable" to my taste.
Jennifer D,
Yes. That's exactly what I did, left hastily without looking back. I felt confused and offended by what had happened.
nomore,
I'm glad you find it funny. No, there was no saleswoman in the shop.
Susan,
I totally agree with you. I'm in favor of massage if offered as a service and given the option to accept it or not.
Susan Deborah,
Indeed, "people and places always complement each other".
My co-worker's reaction made me think she wasn't the only one to "enjoy the feet-touching" performed by this guy, and that maybe the shop was flourishing due to this salesman's fingers.
Flory,
I suppose you're right. It's good when something unusual happens from time to time breaking your routine, provided this something is not harmless.
Yes you did what I would have done, do not feel like a foot massage.
ReplyDeletekim
Shoe shops are not quite my thing.... in, look, buy, out. This sounds like a chiropody thing or possibly other establishments !!
ReplyDeleteDuta
ReplyDeleteI love a good foot massage BUT not by a shoes salesman. Unless the salesman looked like Robert Mitchem. Peace
Stuff could always be worse,
ReplyDeleteKim, foot massage could be a very pleasant thing, but certainly not under the above circumstances.
J on tour@jayzspaze,
With men, everything is easier and quicker - not only shoes' buying, but also clothes' buying.
Lady Di Tn,
... and not looking like a wrestler, but like Robert Mitchum. Ooo, you've got good taste!
It is all about perspective isn't it? Nice blog post, as always.
ReplyDeleteYou could say that.. Thanks for your compliment.
ReplyDeleteOH, my gosh.
ReplyDeleteThis was hilarious, I cracked up laughing.
What a shopping day you had. The friend with sore feet is wild..
I lost my sidebar and I am putting you on there
it is good advertising for your blog.
More fun stories, please. yvonne
They would have to be really GREAT shoes for me to go in...but, to each his own. You have certainly had some interesting life experiences, Duta. Great post.
ReplyDeleteLa Petite Gallerie,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it made you laugh.
Thanks for putting me on your sidebar,
Well, in life we experience all kinds of things. This episode wasn't of course, the kind of experience I would like to go through again.
I LOVE this post - I had a hunch that's where it might lead when you described him. I wasn't disappointed!! I wish I could have been a fly on the wall, DUTA :)
ReplyDeleteHi Duta!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, my friend, a fellow blogger, works in a shoe store and she had some very interesting and disturbing tales also about her experiences with customers and their foot fetishes.. maybe some are not appropriate though..
Good to be back and read your lovely posts, hope you had a great Christmas and New Year's!
Regards
C Hummel Kornell a/k/a C Hummel Wilson,
ReplyDeleteI do think that most life experiences are interesting although they might be unpleasant like this one in the shoe shop.
Bica,
You've got sound hunches, Bica, that probably never fail you. Thanks for loving this post.
Culture Served Raw,
People that work in shops usually do have all kinds of stories to tell . Well, there are all kinds of people, everyone of them being an entire world.
While I definitely wouldn't relish my feet being touched like that either, it brought a smile to my face to read about it. :)
ReplyDeleteColleen,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my little blog!
I'm glad my post brought a smile to your face. Smiling and laughing are good for our health.
Ha, ha! Your story is funny. I think you are too shy.
ReplyDeleteBut is also important to know the way he touched your feet. I thimk you know better :)
robert,
ReplyDeleteNow it looks funny, but it was not so at the time of the occurrence. The guy was "playing" a bit too much with my feet.
Anyway, I'm glad it made you laugh.
I don't know Duta...he sounds like a strange one to me and I probably would have left as well. Somehow I don't imagine it would be necessary to received a foot massage when purchasing shoes.
ReplyDeleteAlicia,
ReplyDeleteYes, very strange indeed. It was not exacly a massage, more like 'touching & playing' with the feet while pretending it's purely professional.
Not something I've encountered since.