My Big Toe

I Love Being Barefoot

I can’t lie. I don't know about most females, but as far back as I can remember, I’ve always loved being barefoot —I hate wearing shoes.

I spent my whole childhood barefoot ... well, that's not quite true. Growing up in Ohio, we did have winters and I had to wear both shoes and boots most winter days. But indoors, I kicked them off by the front door.

For sure, my summers were barefoot though. I always had at least one, usually both, big toes bandaged all summer long.

I live in Florida now and I can be barefoot every day if I want to —and I DO want to. It’s hot, and as usual, I'm barefoot.

I remember one morning in my 60’s, when I still lived in Pennsylvania, I went outside in my bare feet to do one simple thing — get the mail.

I went out the front door, across the porch, down the steps and, damn, if I didn't trip and stub my big toe on the sidewalk! I remembered that dancing and hopping on the good foot usually helped while waiting for the pain to back off — so I did that. But I don't remember it hurting as bad, or taking as long for the pain to go away when I was a child.

From there, I hobbled back up the steps, across the porch, and back through the front door. Then hopping one-footed through the house to the kitchen sink, I rinsed it in cold water. I had to see how bad it was —the darn thing was bleeding like sun-of-a-gun.

I can't think of anything worse than stubbing my toe. Well, that's not quite true. Stubbing my toe as a senior is worse ---I was a senior and I had a frigging bandage around my big toe. I still can't believe I did that. I was glad it was summer. I could at least wear sandals so I wouldn’t stub it again —-but I remember warning my friends if they saw me out and about and dared to laugh at my bandaged toe, I’d punch them in the arm.

Uh oh. I have to go … I just stubbed my toe again. Yes, NOW, all these years later. I’m 75 now and even more senior than the time I told you about.

There's a blood drop trail all the way from the sidewalk to my kitchen and I have to go clean it up. It might attract an alligator, or people might think Hansel and Gretel were here and they ran out of bread crumbs ...

Thanks for reading.