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Gopher Gulch: Walking in comfort, untangled
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Nearly all of us have some little oddity that might be considered a defect. I’m not talking about mismatched ears or extra wisdom teeth. I need all the wisdom I can get, because the defects at hand are mental processes.
And it’s not even big challenges that would be called disabilities, but goofy little things that, nevertheless, impact our daily lives. The human mind is so complex, I suppose it’s no wonder little things don’t always compute. What brings this to mind now is a new pair of shoes. I buy locally if at all possible, but I go to Oregon for my shoes. Harmony is in Harbor. That would make a rather nice Zen koan, but Harmony is the young woman who manages On Your Feet, a store in Harbor that carries upscale footwear. If it exists, she’ll find it for you, and I’ve discovered that you can handle virtually anything if you're wearing comfortable shoes and socks. In the process of learning that it’s possible to pay more than $30 for a pair of shoes, I found myself insisting upon step-ins. I will never again wear shoes that must be tied. I used the creaky back that makes it hard for me to reach my feet as an excuse, but there’s more to it than that.
I can’t tie a knot. Doesn’t matter whether it’s shoelaces, yarn,
rope or fishing line, it just ain’t gonna happen. When all the other
hippies were making macramé plant hangers, I was gardening, canning,
raising babies and arranging not to have time for macramé. I could
handle shovels, twist on lids and diaper pins.
I’ve followed step-by-step illustrations of the process of tying a knot. Made loops and pushed this through that until I was sure I had it right. I’ve tried the “bunny ears” method. I’ve made knots the size of junior league shortstops, only to have them simply slither apart. But do you think I could untangle such a knot? Not on your life! My only hope is cutting it apart or setting fire to it. When bungee cords became available I was ecstatic. And then they developed ball bungees, which not only hold things together but can give you a nice concussion if your fingers slip. My world is secured by bungees. They hold my bike on the car carrier, bales of straw on the dolly and a tarp over the pump. They keep my gate closed and my drapes open. I’ve spent the last few days replacing the tarp cover over the PVC frame for my hottub shelter. A tarp that’s bungeed to the deck under 200 gallons of water isn’t going anywhere. Even when the bungee slipped and whapped me, I was grateful it wasn’t rope. As long as Harmony can find wonderful shoes I can step into, and the world doesn’t run short of bungee cords, I may never again have to look like an idiot while trying unsuccessfully to tie a knot. |
