Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Thongs

My podiatrist banned me from wearing thongs over five years ago. 

Now that is a middle-aged statement if ever there was one. Yes, I have a podiatrist - but I only see her once a year, normally for a foot checkup and to get my toenails cut nicely. She got me onto Birkenstocks back then, and I have never looked back. 

Coming to Darwin this time around I've been bewildered by the rain, and very scared that the said rain is going to wreck my wonderful shoes. I was then told by some of the Darwin-based team that a pair of thongs was necessary up here, to be kept in your drawer for when you had to go outside in the wet. You take your ordinary shoes in a bag and take them with you and walk the streets in your flip-flops, changing back into your work shoes at your destination. 

As the rain was unrelenting today and I had to go down the other office on the other side of town, I needed to get some thongs. Remembering that my podiatrist had said that there were some specialist things, with arch support, available from podiatrists, and, having a podiatrist around the corner from work, I went in to source some. 

Bloody expensive things. $40 for these things. But they are comfortable, and they won't ruin my middle-aged feet. They're called Archies. They're surprisingly sturdy. For $40, they should be. 

I went to the other office in the driving way, turning up looking like a drowned rat, my new umbrella inside out, but my feet comfortable - thankfully, I wasn't slopping around in wet Birks. 

It was pointed out that I had become a local. I was once told by a friend that Darwin people change into their good thongs to go out. 

These will stay in my Darwin bag, in the office, with my new umbrella, the bug spray, the eye makeup remover and the spare water bottle. 

In the last meeting of the day, we were talking about today's purchase when my Canadian big boss came on the line. He smiled, and asked what we were talking about, stating that where he comes from, thongs were something completely different. 

"Do you want to see them?"

He shook his head.

I got them out of the bag anyway and showed the innocuous rubber flip-flop/shower shoe/ plugger on the screen. 

"Boss Man, these are thongs."

"Not where I come from," he stated. 

"Well, your mind should not go there," I warned him. "Just don't."

The meeting was off to a good start.



No comments:

Post a Comment