Sara and Lee . com

I have been very careful with my shoes here, especially after two pairs of Lee’s got stolen. My shoes NEVER sit outside the house, they sit on a shoe rack well inside the front door, NOT near a window. The problem, it would seem, is that sometimes when we are home we leave the front door open. Even though we only do this when we are home and sitting in the living room, my shoes disappeared. My Merrells. I love those shoes. So comfortable, so cushiony, so perfect for any type of hiking. *sniffle*

I noticed this morning that they were gone, as I went to put them on for a 3 day trip I am taking for more “Outbond” (ropes course) activities with my coworkers. It will be cold where we are going, and wet. It would be great to have close-toed hiking shoes there, but now all I have are sandals. Sigh. Good thing I recently saw Fight Club for the eleventy seventh time and know that freeing myself from pesky material possessions is important.
Of course, the half hour I spent looking for them meant that I was too late to take the bus to work and had to get a taxi. I was in a slightly foul mood as I walked to the road to get a taxi, and when a guy came up and offered to take me there on his motorbike, I said no. Here’s the condensed version of my interaction with him (there is a lot more of me saying “no” that I left out since it was boring at the time and would definitely be boring in writing)

“Where are you going?”

“To the bus” (ok, ok, so I lied to him about this….it is so embarrassing saying I am taking a taxi.  It’s a sure sign of rich spoiledness)

“I will take you to the bus”

“No, thank you. It is more healthy to walk, it is not far”

“But I will take you to the bus now. Let’s go”

“No problem, I will just walk”

“Let’s go, I will take you”

” Would it be free?”
“Yes, free. Let’s go”

I get on the bike. After all, it’s the middle of the day, in my own neighborhood where everyone knows me and would stop him if I screamed, and it’s going to be a lot faster than just arguing with him for the next 10 minutes.  Besides, I sensed that there was no way for me to win this argument.

“Would you like to see my house? It is far from here.”

“No, I must go to the office”

“Ok, but you should visit my house later.”

“Ok, later!” (this comment clearly said in a vague I-will-never-go-to-your-house way)

We get to road. I get off bike.

“Maybe I should take you to your office”

“No, it is too far and I do not have a helmet”

“I will go to your office, no problem”

“Sorry, it is not safe without a helmet, but thank you”

“I will get a helmet. Wait here”

“No, I will take the bus”

“It does not matter.  Let’s go”

(I am finally getting exasperated) “It is very nice to meet you but now I will go on the bus”

I start walking quickly down the road, toward the place with the taxis, wondering what I am going to do if he follows me.  How will I explain that I am taking a taxi?  Luckily when I look back I see his bike parked at a shop and figure he has given up.  I duck into the taxi place (otherwise known as the extremely posh and expensive Hyatt hotel — one night there costs twice what we pay per month in rent).  I get in a taxi and finally am able to relax except….when we come to the road, there is the guy again, driving by slowly with a huge grin and a newly-borrowed spare helmet, obviously looking for me again.  Sheesh!  I felt like a little kid who had done something bad as I slumped down as far as I could in the taxi seat and held my backpack over my face.   The driver looked really confused about why I was laughing so hard, but it’s sometimes it’s absurd situations like that which make being here so worth it….definitely the kind of thing I would trade a pair or two of shoes for.