Friday 17 August 2007

Smug

Yesterday, completely on impulse as the daughters and I wandered around town in search of marshmallows, torch batteries and other camping essentials (a bath? A proper bed? An electric kettle?) I steered them into a shoe shop.

We emerged, half an hour later with three pairs of school shoes.

Oh yes. More than two weeks before the start of term!

This is organisation on a scale never previously achieved by me.

Two of the pairs of shoes have small windows in the bottom of the sole, through which a strange little doll peers eerily from a sort of medieval-style prison. You can release her by lifting a compartment inside the shoe. I started off with an attitude of extreme cynicism about this latest mad marketing ploy, but find myself increasingly fascinated by the possibilities of applying such 007 technology to shoes for grown-ups. You could have change for the car park secreted in your insoles. Or lipstick. Or emergency chocolate.

Must go and email Clarks head office with these suggestions immediately.

8 comments:

Kate Hardy said...

Windows in shoes?

Oh, no.

We have yet to do the shoe run (did the uniform last week). I'm going to have to buy lots of books to psych myself up for it.

Love your idea, though. Now, do you see yourself as the female version of Q or as JB? (You're prettier than Halle Berry though so you can't say "Jinx" instead.)

Unknown said...

Oh yes, I'm afraid so. And I think you have to shunt the shoe buying excursion up to the top of your 'to do' list as the lady in the shop informed me the 'incarcerated dolly' shoes were selling out fast.... (Which just goes to prove it IS yet another infuriating marketing ploy designed to ensnare our children and trip up us poor parents!)

As for the JB or Q question-- I think I'm far too scatty to even get to second interview stage for either. Actually, it would be hilarious if I did somehow land the Q job and could supply JB with all his gadjets. He'd no doubt phone me as he dangled from the jaws of death, to ask how the 'wire cutters in the cigarette lighter' worked. 'Oh... Did I say the cigarette lighter had wire cutters in it? Hmmm. No, I think they're in the fountain pen. The cigarette lighter contains a handy refreshing lemon scented wipe and a toothbrush. Sorry....'

(And lol at the HB comment. I wish!!)

Helen said...

Not done the school shoes yet. He grows so fast I daren't buy them until the last minute when they have probably run out of his mammoth size anyway (he starts school in September, I'm still in shock at where the time has gone). So no school shoes but I have however, ordered my Christmas cards. ;)

Unknown said...

Helen, that terrifying revelation has made me want to go and lie down in the dark. If I ordered my Christmas cards now I'd undoubtedly have lost them by December, so top marks to you on the organisational front!!

(I can't believe your lovely boy is starting school this year either! Will you be lost and lonely or are you looking forward to more writing time? Or both?!)

Helen said...

India I am really looking forward to my writing time - I have so many plans and I'm looking forward to editing my novel. But as the day gets nearer I'm getting a little emotional. Is he really ready for school? He's still a baby!

Oh and my sister sells greeting cards, she showed me the new catalogue at the weekend - thats why I got my order in. I'm not really that organised!

Michelle Styles said...

I make no comments about dolls in prison, except I am really pleased my daughter has gone beyond that stage.
She instead steal my romance novels...

Anonymous said...

Brilliant ideas for the adult shoes, am already setting aside funds to purchase a chocolate pair when they finally come out...I can only guess that they're going to be enormously expensive based on: Do you remember those 80s jelly shoes? They've reinveted them, and now, instead of a pair costing $5 they are now in the neighborhood of $200-$400.

Unknown said...

Helen, I know what you mean-- but you'll probably feel exactly the same when he goes off to secondary school too!!

Michelle, I'm looking forward to that stage. Your daughter is so lovely, it makes me dread the advent of teenagerdom much less!

Brown, I must dig out all the aged pairs of children's jellies I still have hoarded away somewhere and slap them on ebay immediately. Over here they seem to have been rather superceded by crocs, which all my children love. Have they hit Canada too?