my dad's shoes

an artist from memphis recently wrote me that she loved the art of my dad in Somerset Workhop.....mr. acountable, mr. dependable...etc. she suggested that i consider doing a series of my dad using different shoes, red shoes,work shoes, dancing shoes.....i thought that seemed like a fun idea.

but then i began to remember..........(place fading into memory music here)...............my dad's character......(more fading music).......yeah, come to think of it, my dad had this pair of white shoes, that he considered fancy.... but my mother hated them - she thought they were tacky and fought with him everytime he tried to wear them out, especially to one of their social events. what got her in the biggest tiz was when he wore them doing the winter months "everyone knows, max, that white shoes are summer shoes".....i could see a slight glee in my father's eyes for winding her up that way. very subtle, but he was a devil. someties he would even poke his head in my room and warn me, "i'm going to be wearing my white shoes tonight, you might want to steer clear of your mom." then that look in his face..... then the real reason behind the wind up. the rebellion....." i don't know why your mother cares how i dress so much, i'm a grown man. she thinks that somehow the way i dress reflects n her." at this point, i would screw my mouth into a sideways "s" do a noncommittal, "i don't know....".

i have to admit, i certainly didn't care if he wore white shoes. i actually thought they looked just spiffy. it was a max outfit. who was i to judge my parents look. to me, my parents just came that way, dressed like that. kinda like a package at christmas you don't expect. or know what to do with.
ah well.
i miss my dad and mom so much. i especially miss their interaction. and their dress, i supose.