Tom's New Career

Tyrrel Bay Carriacou
January 2016
I have mentioned several times before how harsh the environment can be when living aboard.  Everything seems to breakdown so quickly.  Everything.  This includes our shoes.  Okay.....Keens and flip flops are the extent of our shoes but they still seems to breakdown rather quickly.  But then again, we wear them everyday.  In true cruiser fashion, Tom has taken to fixing our shoes to get just a little more life out of them.  He has become rather good at it, testing various glues, epoxies and even hand stitching in some cases.  Currently his favorite is contact cement.

New Career?  Possibly.  Yesterday we were ashore running errands.  Our last stop was at the chicken ladies shop to buy chicken and eggs.....but not necessarily in that order!  Get it?  Bahahahaha.  Anyway, she was dragging one foot around and explained that her new shoes "only one month old" were broken.  The sole was coming off and thus flapping around.  She was very disgusted.  "One month I've had these."  So I said "My husband fixes shoes.  Do you want him to fix yours?"  She glanced at us and just sort of passed it off.  Tom got the chicken and I got the eggs (no order - same time) and he went to pay. Tom said "Seriously, do you want me to fix your shoe?  I can."  She looked at me.  "Really.  He can.  He fixes our shoes all the time." I said.  Carefully she said "Okay, but when can I get it back?  I need it back.  I must have it back.  When will you bring it?  AND....No charge, right?"

Tom assured her that he could and would have it back to her in 1 1/2 hours and NO charge.  She reluctantly took off both shoes to give to Tom.  But before handing them to him, she first reached for a plastic bag.  I was about to tell her we could just put her shoes in our bag when she put the bag on her sock covered foot.  Then she took another plastic bag and did the same to the other foot.  I guess she didn't want her socks to get dirty but it seemed to me that wearing plastic bags around over stocking feet might be dangerous.  Why not just take off your socks and go barefoot?  But what do I know.  Or more importantly, what does she know about NOT going barefoot that we don't?  Hum?  

 

Anyway, Tom fixed both shoes - the other needed help as well - and got them back to her in plenty of time.  She was very happy and quizzed him about his repair techniques.  

Update - We have stopped in a couple of times since to get eggs and or a chicken (not necessarily in that order) and she reports that her Tom repaired shoes are still going strong.