remember your first time barefoot?

Does anyone remember the first time they worked up the nerve to go barefoot in public? I imagine it's a fairly memorable experience if it's something you just started doing suddenly in your life.
The first time I actually made a conscious decision to walk barefoot in a place where I'd be seen by people was a few years ago. I was walking home wearing shoes, and I just decided I wanted to go the rest of the way barefoot, so I took my shoes off and stuck 'em in my bag and continued on home barefoot. I remember being pretty nervous, actually, because I'd never really done it before. When, like me, you're not a 24-7 barefooter, the thrill of deciding to walk barefoot never wears off.
The first time I actually walked barefoot in a public establishment was this last summer. I was walking to the convenience store to send a fax. I took off my flip-flops and walked to the store in bare feet. I had made up my mind to stay barefoot in the store. When I walked in, the clerk couldn't even see my feet, so it didn't matter that much, but there was a guy sitting at the counter in the window drinking coffee who took a good long look at me. I didn't care. I strolled around the store for about five minutes in bare feet waiting for the fax to go through. The clerk finally noticed I was barefoot when I tucked my flip-flops under my arm to pay for the fax--then he looked a little surprised.
That experience gave me confidence and I went barefoot a whole bunch of other places after that.
Anybody else?

M.

 

While living in Ohio the first time for me is when I decided to walk home barefoot after a full day of High School band practice. It was common to see girls around my neighborhood barefoot during the summer, so I thought if they go barefoot, then why can't I ?, so off came my shoes and socks. It felt great, even though I was a little shy about doing it.

A few years later, I lived next door to a woman who went barefoot all of the time during the warmer months, I guess she set an example for me. The more I did it, the easier it became. Going barefoot can really become addicting!!

Convenience stores are great places to go barefoot in, being the clerk is usually behind the counter and your visit is often brief. One store that stands out in my mind was owned by some folks from India. The clerk would often sit on top of the counter barefoot with legs crossed while watching televsion. When I came to the counter to pay for an item, she would get off the counter and slip on her shoes just to ring the register! I kidded her about both of us having the same kind of shoes on, and asked her If I could continue to come in barefoot. She had no problem with it despite the NSNS sign on the front door.

 

I go barefoot in public so little I could tell you about every time I've gone barefoot in public


The first time was just after I turned 18 in 2002. It was September, a few weeks after I started my first full-time job. I took my dad's car to Colorado to visit my brother, and on the way home, I thought it'd be cool to get the gas I needed for the trip home barefoot. It took me over an hour to get the nerve to do it, and I actually went until the fuel light came on in the car... So I stopped in a small town on the way home, and found that I had to pay in advance. So I went inside, where there were about 3 other people in line. The female clerk walked by, looked down at my feet, smiled, and went about doing her job. The male clerk didn't say anything, nor did anyone else in the store... I paid for my gas, went out and pumped it, and left. I didn't walk around the store or anything. In fact, it would be a few gas stations later before I got up the nerve to go anywhere other than straight to the counter to pay for my gas.

 

well a few years ago, went to the broward county fair, my flip flop broke, so i just threw them away, stayed barefoot, and thats what started it.

other then summers off from school.

 

I clearly remember the first time I DELIBERATELY went barefoot in public. Most of the time before then was just me running around barefoot in the summer at pool parties or a day at the park or whatever.

I was living in my first apartment, and I was right across the street from a 7-Eleven convenience store. It was a hot summer Saturday and I was feeling like walking out to get a Slurpee to cool down. Well I figured I'd just walk down and get one but I didn't want to put on my shoes because it was hot. At that time I didn't own any sandals...I was a sneaker wearer. So I decided, having seen other people go barefoot into stores before, that I would give it a try and see if I could get away with it.

I very much remember the nervousness I felt...it was like I was doing something wrong, I felt so anxious! But I went in, got my slurpee and left without a single hassle. I got a few glances from other customers, but I didn't pay it any mind. That led to many more barefoot trips to the 7-Eleven that summer, as well as to the video store downstairs from my apartment.

 

I've been barefooting since I was very little so I can't comment on my "first" time .. but in a side-ways related way .. when I was first stationed in England (lUSAF ate 70's at RAF Upper Heyford) I went barefoot around the dorms (you can't go barefoot into ANY military store .AAFES) but wasn't sure how the "prim and proper English" would take to seeing someone barefoot in a store. One day, my room mate needed a ride to get a part for his car and I said I would take him. I was barefoot and decided I wasn't going to wear shoes. Pat, my roommate, asked if I was going to wear shoes and I said NOPE. We went to the auto parts store and the clerk noticed I was barefoot and in a friendly and kidding way asked if I was a hippie. I smiled and said YES I AM ... he gave a quick laugh and said "I thought so, because you're barefoot. I think it is great." So, now that I broke the ice I realised I could barefoot in England and did so on and off over the two years I was stationed at Heyford and again when I returned 4 years later at RAF Lakenheath.