A short story

Do you really need another pair of shoes?

All of a sudden the bus stopped. Seems like another bus driver who got his driving licence for Christmas. It is afternoon, almost three o’clock. I like travelling by bus during the day but not in the city centre. Everything around me sounds twice as loud. People are coming upstairs one after another.  Their steps are slow, the echo of heel sounds. As I see from the window most of them are carrying large shopping bags with them.  One family is extremely loud, cannot quite understand the language but sounds like Italian. By turning my head towards the entry hole initially the shiny, stylishly printed letters labelled on the bags peek out, Office and Kurt Geiger. I am getting the picture now-they have been shoe shopping; well good for them.

A couple of girls giggling and chatting about their purchases choose the middle seats for a rest. That means turning The Kasabian guys a bit louder on my iPod.  Their stylish edge could shine until the end of the bus. Individual, unique and not even close to the latest trends as if they had just arrived from Berlin!  By observing them surreptitiously I could recognize the early twenties spirit. When I was that age I went to the shops to buy something that I never actually needed. The girl with sassy orange hair pulls black lace leggings out of one of her many bags. I was getting slightly curious.  She did not seem to mind letting the rest of us on the bus know that she has another date coming up with her fancy beau. When showing her more than existed friends what she had decided to wear tonight I could not stop staring at the military style blue velvet blazer. My heart started beating as if it was love at first sight. That attention to detail, effortless cut and bronze cufflinks blew me away. The predictably crowded shopping street was just round the corner and I was running out of time.

A couple of weeks ago I went shopping while visiting a foreign country. Bought an oversized rock’n’roll style T-shirt depicting Rolling Stone illustration, which suits well either with leggings or skinny jeans. Also a greyish urban printed shirt-dress, simple yet trendy; yet still I cannot get over that pair of tiger print shoes. Its velvety texture over low heel would have balanced my electric style. Last couple of days I have been looking and restlessly browsing through same brand stores, not to mention online market. Why can’t I find them? Even the website does not have them in the new collection section.  I knew I should have taken a photo of them in the first place. I am awful, cannot go back now. On the other hand, do I really need another pair?

The bus is stuck in traffic. I am getting slightly annoyed. Should have taken the tube. Maybe I should go and walk, the place is not that far. Whilst making my way towards the stairs I could not help but overhearing this woman’s phone call. Her voice is appealing, the charm that is hidden behind her subtle camel hat. Either she is talking to her best friend or someone close to her whilst sharing the latest. In particular what she got from her boyfriend as a birthday present. Suddenly the bus turns, I fall on one of the seats on left of the stairs.  A guy turns around. Quick glance and turns back to the window side; I am not too bothered.  It is good I have a magazine with me. This shopping temptation is reaching way too far. Flipping through pictures of September issue my enemies are back: vibrant leopard-print, Gothic lace, and dominatrix leather garments. Wrong choice of reading for the day! The distraction by folks outside and the flow of bags suddenly hits me, my young niece asked me to get her tiger print leggings! I cannot believe I had forgotten this!  

I remembered a chat with my friend about needing and wanting. As he is a good eight years older than me I did not see a reason to argue, as if there is a very fair difference. I do not need another pair but I want those shoes as much as I want to make my thirteen year old relative look cool and chic amongst her friends. When looking back that is what I wanted when I was thirteen. Recently I spoke to her she was so thrilled even telling me about the leggings as if she knew deep inside I had already bought them. To be honest I feel worse than ever, and my flight is due in two days.

Windows reflect more people, shopping bags and people. The lively area itself is bursting of sophistication and smell of money. A very vivid crowd was about to get on board. There she walked smoothly around the large crowd, wearing stretchy shiny tiger print leggings over shaded leather jacket. I could not stop staring outside the window, had to figure out where she had got her leggings. Might as well try to catch her and spend that bonus on someone who needs it more than I do. Mission accomplished; half way.