Order #357445552

I love shoes.  Not very original, I know.  But I do.

There is one pair of shoes in particular that I loved for years.  I wore them with everything.  I dressed them up, I dressed them down.  I walked, danced and even competed in them.  

After years of abuse, I took my shoes to Arturo's Shoe Fix in Beverly Hills, only to be told me that my shoes could not be salvaged.  Even though I could no longer wear them, I could never bring myself to throw them away.

 

Two weeks ago, I saw a woman wearing my shoes.  I was confused, dumbfounded - they looked pristine, brand new.  How could this be?!  I asked her where she got them. 

"Aren't they great?  They're my favorite," she said.  

No, they're my favorite.  "Where did you get them?" I asked again.

She proceeded to tell me that Victoria's Secret was selling the Colin Stuart shoes again, but that they were hard to find in the catalogue and that she had to convince the customer service person she called to locate them for her. 

They're selling my shoes again?  I didn't care that it might be a challenging to find them, I felt positively giddy.

That night I hopped on the internet and browsed away at the Victoria's Secret web site until finally, there they were.  My shoes.  Two clear straps and a cork bottom 3 3/4" heel.  Simple, beautiful, comfortable.  

I picked up the phone and dialed, grinning from ear to ear, only to be told that Victoria's Secret does not sell the version of my shoe that I so desired.  

"But I saw someone wearing them today, and she just ordered them from you," I said, more determined than ever.

The woman on the phone asked a question to someone nearby.  And then I heard it.  

"Oh."  The most brilliant sounding "Oh" I'd ever heard.  An "Oh" of realization.

"Huh, we do have them," she said.

The heavens opened and angels sang.  

I ordered four pairs.

Photo: victoriassecret.com