All the way home from The Big Box Store I was pleased with myself for finding a nice pair at a low price that should fill the bill. I confess I had a picture of how well they served the Indigenous population for hundreds of years. Until this morning, I didn't consider that I haven't seen a Native American wearing a pair except at a Pow Wow as part of their regalia. More about that in a minute.
I got home and promptly slid on the new footwear. The inside was cushy. I went about my business of repairing and replacing other Lily-the-Terrorist adventures. I was engrossed in the tasks at hand -- a new 3-telephone set; yet another TV remote (she's eaten two now); and picking up shredded paper and bedding from everywhere.
I felt pretty good about completing these looming projects and then figured it was time to take the Terrorist outside so she could sit around out there and then come in and go in the house. I think it's her way of saying how much she appreciates indoor facilities. Therein I discovered a serious flaw in my new purchase. All, and I do mean all, of the stitching from around the top of the left mocassin had unraveled. No wonder my foot felt light and airy. I couldn't even blame the dog!
This brandy-spankin' new Chinese-made mocassin lasted less that an hour. It's no wonder no one wears these things except the gullible. Sure, I'll get my money back, but the whole point was I wanted a pair of mocassins and I had assumed these would do the job.
I'm sure this isn't the only reason my Native American friends have sent their mocassins the way of the Dodo Bird, but they know quality products when they see 'em. They like nice, sturdy, stylin' shoes and boots as much as the next person. Handmade mocassins are rare and it appears that $27 mocassins from somewhere around Beijing aren't worth the Yuan to float them over here. So much for a cheap fix! I figure I'll have to sell at least ten books to be able to afford a quality pair...hmm, maybe twice that considering the dog will probably try to eat the first pair.