Growing up, all I ever wanted to be was a punk rock kid. I thought they were so glamorous with their tattoos, and their piercings, and their dreadlocks. And in my 12 year old mind, being a punk rock kid was synonymous with skateboarding. I gravitated to the boys with the boards, who stood outside my middle school and jumped down flights of stairs.
I immersed myself in everything skateboarding. I read Thrasher cover to cover and dog eared pages in CCS, picking out trucks, decks and barrings. My closet was soon filled with tee-shirts baring logos from element, DC and Independent. As the summer drew to a close and the back to school shopping began, I had my eyes set on one thing-shoes.
But not just any shoes. I wanted my first pair of Vans, in all their color-changing glory.
That's right-my shoes changed colors. Inside they were stark white, but step into the sun and they turned bright yellow. I never felt cooler than walking into the first day of school that fall, as my shoes faded back to white during first period and watching every one stare in amazement at my shoes.
I wore those shoes everyday. No matter how dirty, or worn out they looked, they still retained their color changing magic. I covered the soles with lyrics I deemed fitting to my teenage angst, and continued to wear them as a symbol of rebellion.
Almost two years later, I was on the brink of high school and decided to trade in my well worn, and even more well loved, pair of shoes for a new pair. By this time, Vans was no longer just a skating brand and every one of my friends had at least one pair. I bought a pair of standard pink and black shoes, but every time I put them on, I missed my worn in, eye catching, dream encapsulating shoes.
Today they sit at the bottom of a closest at my parents house, thier fat tongues and think laces, collecting dust. I just can't bear to throw them away and finally give up my dream of living the life of a punk rock kid.
Today's prompt is Flicker of Inspiration #6: These Shoes Were Made For Talking at The Lightening and The Lightening Bug
5 comments:
I'm pretty sure I went through a punk-rock phase too...even had a few pairs of Vans!
I like your story, and I wouldn't throw those shoes away either :)
I agree with Jen, I hope those shoes are still in your closet! There is something to be said about a sneaks & tweens. I remember my own Adidas fondly!
Never give up the dream! I love that you still have them. It's good to hold onto some tangible piece of our past existence. There's never a replacement for something that was loved so well.
Okay, those shoes have to be the coolest. shoes. ever. Seriously, they changed color? That just rocks!! I have a pair of shoes that gave me that same feeling growing up...of rebellion and freedom and uniqueness.
I sometimes wish I could recapture those feelings of youth. Feelings you described just perfectly here!
Color changing shoes...jealous... It's almost a requirement as a teenager...to own one pair of shoes that everyone else envies. I think you should keep them... forever =)
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