Feeling Faint About Feet

We had a bizarre feeling in our house last week. Daniel, age almost 13, and Andrew officially age 16 were both gone to different camps. Camp Loll Scout Camp was Daniel's home for the week while Andrew spent the week at Astro Academy Camp here in Ogden. Andrew has been to about 10 various types of Astro Camps over the years and so I knew it would be an exciting yet not too stressful event for him.

When we picked him up on Friday, he was exhausted but exhilarated at his "fun, awesome, amazing" experience. He was awarded to top boy participant of the week and was also voted top team member on his Beta team. On the way home we stopped to buy some shoes for his upcoming law camp.

Andrew attended a financial workshop for teens several years ago taught by Janine Bolon and has really become a fanatic saver of his money. I told him I would buy his new dress shoes but he had to purchase any others he wanted. He really needed a some new sports shoes and some sandals so we headed off to the mall.

Shopping with boys is really quite simple. Get in. Get out. Get some food. We picked up his dress shoes at the first store we went into. They just happened to be exactly like the ones that he had just worn out.

"Don't you want to try another style?" I asked trying to get him to expand his horizons.

"Why?" he looked at me puzzled. "That would mean we would have to go to another store. I like these just fine."

O.K by me. I had to refrain from thumbing through the clearance racks on the way out. We were on a mission. Since they didn't have any sizes of the athletic shoes he liked we were off to the next store.

Store number two had several styles he liked but he about had a stroke at the price tag. "50.00 for a pair of dumb shoes? You've got to be kidding." I pointed out the other styles that were significantly more. He feigned a heart attack. I took a paper from my purse and fanned him back to consciousness.

****I must add a disclaimer here. I claim to be expert in one thing - Yard Saleing. My children have raised wearing second hand clothes their entire lives and have no probem with it. It all started when we were poor students and I just never have stopped. They have listened to my excited utterances of the great deals I got on things for many years. (My husband has learned to smile and nod and act interested lest I get offended.) I rarely pay full price for anything. Shoes are however the only thing, as my children have gotten older, that I rarely can find second hand.

Anyway back to the shoe story... He ended up plunking down about $75.00 for both some sandals and athletic shoes and I let him lean on my ample arm as we exited the store. He felt a little faint. I felt a little giddy watching all the drama. He kept muttering about how expensive stuff was and that $75.00 would pay for a lot a milk shakes.

Two stores and mission accomplished. Not bad. But of course he started in with the "Mom, I am so hungry; I seriously am going to pass out unless I get some food." Hmmm let's see that was an original one. NOT. I took pity and offered to buy him some pizza. He flinched and grimmaced. After 5 days of pizza, pop tarts and fried chicken, he begged for some "real" food.

"How about a salad?" I offered.

"Yes, oh yes, living food," he begged.

We picked up a salad (he actually passed on the milk shake) and he savored every green bite. When we got home he had to tell everyone the story about how he paid $75.00 for shoes. The other children gasped in amazement. They were sympathic to his financial setback but they did oggle over the shoes enough that I think he felt comforted.

"How do girls spend so much time shopping?" he queried. "That was downright painful. I could stand shopping if I could skip the stores and just go for the food."

I'm not sure the retail stores would appreciate his philosophy but at least the food court would be busy.

Bye for now.