So I was barefoot in the stairs at my res today, and some girl said to me: "you know there's pee on these stairs, right?" I just laughed and told her there's even more pee in my shoes. Anyone else gotten any funny reactions to your lack of shoes?"
Hmm, mostly I get "The Look" (TM) of disbelief when people see me barefoot - especially in the cooler seasons. As for comment, mostly the fashion-victim-type teenagers tend to giggle and point, and the attempted wise-guy comments just fall to deaf ears, or rather, to plugged ears, since I almost always have my MP3 player turned on and in-ear earphones plugged in. Once, one of those teenage guys was rather persistent in trying to get my attention so that he could ask his wisecrack question (I am sure he practised it for a few minutes) "Is that a fashion trend?" with his pal (both about 16, typical hip-hop fashion victims) grinning. I took one earphone out to hear the question, just replied "Nope, it's healthy", re-plugged the earphone and went on. He was trying to regain some of his never-present coolness by yelling after me something along the lines of "freak" or "dork", and frankly I didn't care. So, those aren't really funny reactions, but rather sad displays of futile attempts at being funny. There are, however, reactions that are fun, when I meet other barefooters or some people really show interest in my shoelessness. Wiggling toes, ~*Ganesha*~
Yes, I'm so "thrilled" at the reactions of the young these days (not) as it was the young who were doing this when I was young. If that makes any sense. Things have changed, that's for sure. But like you say there are the opposite kinds of reactions. I notice a sort of mental calculation in peoples' minds, depending on weather and seasons here. I haven't worked out the details yet, but it will go something like this: July-August: It's almost hot out. "Older guy barefoot. Meh, what do you expect, it's summer and this is a resort town. At least he doesn't look gross." This is the time of year I am quite sure I get some checking out done on me. Also the reason I'm big on clean, (the minority view here, I realize.) Early Fall, Conditions just right: "Older guy barefoot. Doesn't he know summer is over---this is not normal to do---it was cold this morning!" Late Fall: Pre snow. Just a lot of chilly weather with a few great days. "What, is this guy crazy? Not only that, he's in shorts!" Dead of Winter: Well, I still do shorts but even I keep barefooting down to a minimum in conditons like these. I don't bf in public. First, someone would call the cops in case I'm a terrorist or something. We're talking major freak out here. Second, the snow in my own yard is one thing, but the slushy salt mix in towns and at the mall is not to be walked in, especially in temps like these. Bad stuff. You see, this hasn't just been one of those beautiful snowy Decembers we get some times. It's also been quite cold. And I'm out in it all the time. We can do a reversal of this mental calculation thing in spring. There are a few lovely sunny days with deep or just patchy snow remaining, and I have no problem crossing such areas bf. In fact, it's wonderful. This is mostly at work. That's fine. In public, there's this thing where Mainers (most of whom hate snow and winter) now, seeing signs of spring, always say, "You're rushing the season!" Interesting how that works. It's the warmer weather they want so much, but I'm rushing it. Go figure. I'm in the process of rethinking a lot of my behavior, where I'll bf, and where not.
I got barefoot around uni alot, and for some reason... at least 95% of reactions come from ghetto black people. I can that they just can't fathom the concept of not wearing shoes. "Where yo shoes at boy?" -My dog ate them.
When someone asks me where my shoes are, I like to look all spacey-like at a spot in the sky behind them and then point at it, and when they turn around to look I walk away. Or I check my pockets and shrug. Cool Spruce, barefoot wherever/whenever you damned well please. That's my guideline anyway. Y'know it wouldn't be so bad if their comments were original or witty or even just well thought out.
When i go out barefoot hiking, i wear a t-shirt with the "barefoot hikers" logo on it. (I downloaded it from the website and had a shop do it for me). This actually provokes more questions, but sensible ones, about why i do it. I have never been criticised about going barefoot, it has no social connotations here. Not that that would stpo me! The weather at this time of year does, though...
"I notice a sort of mental calculation in peoples' minds, depending on weather and seasons here. I haven't worked out the details yet, but it will go something like this" good post I found this very interesting and hilarious, I have found the same to be true when wearing flipflops in winter when its 55 degrees out, people are shocked, well some people are shocked, yesterday it was 50 degrees and raining and I actually seen some folks wearing flops, and two people wearing shorts, but no one wearing flops and shorts. Now I have gone barefoot at a park on a nice 55 degree sunny day and found it pleasant if theres little wind, it depends some people stare some don't. Some people really get bent out of shape if they see someone that doesn't conform. The thing I always think as that the people who seem so concerned about you going barefoot are probably the type that is in everyones business and don't every do anything to help anyone other than themselves. I just get that perception of them, I know I am judging them, but don't judge me and I won't judge you is my philosophy.
Thanks for the encouragement, from all of you. Trouble is, I AM one who does both shorts and bf, or shorts and flops, or shorts and Chacos, depending on what I need. Really, I NEVER wear longs, so shorts are assumed here. My climate limits bareness, though. We reach depths where bf is INSTANT frost bite. You have seconds when we're in the deep freeze. But bare legs, even in wind, last longer. I just don't work outside as long when it's like that, or I always find the sunny south exposure, out of the wind, to work in. Huge difference. And I never stray too far from the safety of the truck when it's that bitter, unless someone knows where I am. They often don't. I work alone and in some very lonely places all winter. Got to stay focused. I can still run errands, go shopping, do quick inspections, whatever, but no long stays outside. And, surprisingly, few people comment any more. While I know all about wearing shorts in cold conditions that few others do, I felt the need for an experiment on one of those extreme (for us) days when the high temp for the day, (not the low, the high) was -8F. I did the test in the morning when it was still -12F. This was winter 2004, the last time we were belted with prolonged cold. I needed to check a cottage in the woods, and the snow was shallow and crusted, so there was no worry about wallowing around in that. I left the truck unlocked and ready to go, in case I needed a quick escape. I walked a few hundred yards into the woods, and then felt the dangerous numbing of the knees start, something I never allow. I looked back and the truck seemed like it was miles away. I started back, at a brisk walk. Then the bad thoughts came in about what if I trip, pass out, whatever. I'd be done for. But I got back safely and warmed up fast. No more experiments like that. I seem to be able to take more of this than most can, but I'm still made out of the same stuff as someone from a warm climate, so no more being stupid. It's said that when it's that cold you're almost ready to push your own mother out of the way in the rush to get inside to safety. Of course, few of us would do that, but the point about the danger is made.
I'm in the same situation as Cool Spruce. ND is fricking COLD in winter!! COLD!!! -10 for a high. Not nice for ANY bare skin, not even the face! Lately, it has been warm. Highs in the 30's-40's. I did my own little experiment and tried standing on the patio for a couple seconds when it was about 30 in bare feet. The pavement was like ICE. It's not enjoyable. My line I have drawn for now is 60 because that was the temperature when I first tried it. Our first 60 degree day should be March or April. Probably April. Maybe I'll stretch it down to 50 or 55. I'll play it by ear. Back to reactions... I really haven't gotten much, besides one incidence of finger-pointing at the park, and my parents' argument. Oh, and my friend. He stared at my feet the whole time I was barefoot going to his house and playing baseball in the park. He was SHOCKED. :jester:
Yeah, your area may be colder than ours, or more like far northern Maine. We have seen days with the high -10F but it's not regular. But then you get some interesting warmups while we stay cold. Either way, low temps like that are not to be messed with. I can take lower bf temps than you say, probably being used to it, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. I'm disappointed whenever anyone is SHOCKED, or even worse, disappointed looking. What's it to them? When I was young there were more boys who played barefoot than now, and that was not from it being more liberal then (it wasn't) but because it was once accepted that much play time and summer activity was normal to be done bf. Now, we have to feed the big shoe corporations, or pander to the new priggery that's beset our free country. Sad.
