Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Boots

Footwear

What you wear on your feet define you.  Trent, my son, was wearing a size men's 11 when he passed away at 15 years old. 
He loved his Red Wing lace up leather boots.  He got them that summer in Grand Rapids at one of those once a year Red Wing deals, buy one pair and get one free.  So, Trent talked his dad into going.  All the guys from the farm went.... Trent, His Dad (Brad), Nick and Kraig. He was feeling more like a man to be included in those rare men shopping trips.   Lucky for Trent his Dad couldn't find a pair that he wanted so that meant he got two Red Wing boots. 
You might be asking what is the big deal about Red Wing.  Well, as it was explained to me by Trent... they are made in the USA (not Japan like all the other boots) and they have a life time guarantee.  "Really mom, they will replace the souls for free when I wear them out!"
 "Of course, Son!"  I replied back.
Trent wore them everywhere... riding dirt bikes, pitching manure, working in the fields, shopping, even at school while everyone else thought that it wasn't cool.  Oh, he had tennis shoes but they were rarely worn.  I think he even would have slept in them if I allowed him.
They were his trademark and he was proud of that fact.  They defined him.  He was a country boy to the core.  He thrived on getting your hands dirty and getting the job done!
Those boots were well worn in when he passed away.  The toes were wore through so you could see the shiny steel toe peeking out.  The laces were tied together on one of the boots.  The leather was no longer just one color, it was darker in some spots where grease, oil or worse manure had saturated it.  The heels were starting to show some wear with some of the deep groves no longer aggressive but smooth from gripping the pedals on his quad or dirt bike.  Whew! You could smell the pungent odor of the insides of them from a room away but that didn't seem to bother him.  He just grinned.
Yes! those boots defined Trent... comfy in his boots.. proud to be a country boy!

18 comments:

  1. A proud mom too. The way you describe his boots, warn, dirty shows the love he had for something we often take for granted. He would be so happy to know you wrote about them today.
    And, BRAVO on your first slice. Here's to many more.

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  2. Your post brought me back to Van Gogh's painting of work boots, and Colum McCann's memories of his father-in-law's grime encrusted shoes from September 11th--not in a maudlin way, but in the sense of being struck by such poignancy over a simple pair of shoes. Thank you for sharing such a powerful memory.

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  3. As a father-to-be; i hope my child has the heart and soul to know who he or she is; just like your son.

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  4. What a loving tribute to Trent. I am so sorry for your loss.

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  5. Welcome to the slicing world Kris! I enjoyed this post...I could imagine what those boots must have looked like (and smelled like)! I think Trent would enjoy this post too!
    I hope you slice again tomorrow...glad you took the plunge!

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  6. Thank you for telling us this sweet memory!

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  7. A beautiful post in memory of your son. I loved reading it. Thanks for sharing your poignant story.

    Mary-andering Creatively

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  8. Shoes do say a lot about a person. It sounds like Trent was just as strong as those Red Wing shoes. A sweet memory.

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  9. This was a beautiful tribute to your son. Your pride in your son and your respect for his independence is easily felt in you writing.

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  10. This was amazing. What bravery it must have taken to jump into SOL and share such a personal story with a crowd of strangers. So beautiful.

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  11. Such a powerful slice - straight from the heart, and so beautifully written. Thank you for joining us...and thank you for writing.

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  12. This left me wanting to know so much more...what a blessing he must have been. Sending you a hug from one mom of a country boy to another.

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  13. I agree with the last post--I am left wanting to know more. Sometimes it is in the small every day things that define us most clearly. This was a lovely slice. Thank you for sharing.

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  14. Wonderful to meet a colleague of Betsy's and Robin's. Welcome Kris, and thank you for sharing such a personal and sweet part of your life. When we think of teenage boys, I think we might often consider their shoes, which seem to be such a big part of their lives. Your son really was a county boy with those Red Wings! I know them well, have a few family members who love them. Thank you!

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  15. So glad to find you and your beautiful slice. Shoes say so much about a person, particularly when they are so well loved. They walk through your world and the world you love clings to them. Thank you for sharing his memory with us. I'll be looking for your slices.

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  16. I love that you focused in on just one detail, the boots. Such beautiful writing. So sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this memory, and being a part of our community. Welcome.

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