Barefoot Kick-about

Yeah, walked into campus today, shoes at home again (I don't even think about it anymore, which is fantastic, I can just do it and get on with it). About halfway there, got a phone call from the dancer saying one of her girls managed to get injured and the dance thing was off for today. But it's such a nice day and my feet are enjoying it that although I could have just turned around and headed home I decided to continue onto campus. So I get there only to find out that the sax quartet rehearsal I would have had today is already off. Go to visit a mate who wants to terrorise the first years with his new water pistol (more like Water WMD). He's blind so I decide that if I take him out and help him soaking people it's not as if we're not giving them a sporting chance. Get on the field and I run into a load of mates playing football with some pacy, quick athletic japanese blokes. Join in, play 45 minutes, outfield, it's bloody knackering but I manage to get through it, which amazes me as I've hardly ran anywhere for nearly a year, and I was never that good at it, always have been rather overweight and unfit. I assume my bare feet must have something to do with it as I can run more effeciently. I find myself unable to grip the ground too well, but at least I can keep up with most of the pace of the game, although those japanese blokes were REALLY hard to play against. Didn't score, but got a couple of assists and did a bit of useful Paul Furlong style holding play, and the odd Marc Bircham ball-winning tackle. Also having had a bit of a breather I feel like I could carry on. Ironically, the soles of my feet are absolutely fine (albeit filthy), but I managed to get a small cut on the top of my right foot, just behind the toes. It's small, it didn't even draw blood, but it's a bit sore in an irritating rather than uncomfortable sort of way.

Sat down next to a couple of girls after I'd stopped playing. One of them was talking about the state of her feet. Her soles were quite muddy, she wasn't sure why. She then said "Well I DID walk across the road without any shoes on." I had to laugh at that, which prompted a question from another girl about "Yes, Ben, what IS it about you and no shoes?" Again, they found the explanation perfectly acceptable although they did ask about every possible alternative for sandals, bits of plastic, flipflops, etc. very persistent. But then again their feet obviously aren't like mine and they are comfortable in shoes. I got the sharp objects question. When I said "Watching where you step is incredibly useful" that pretty much shut them up.

Passed another girl on the way over to the field earlier, she'd seen my barefoot before but as I passed her she looked down at my feet and fave me a "What are you like?" in a friendly-tease sort of manner. I let the comment pass and asked when a good time for a curry would be.

Everytime I get into discussions with friends about my feet and choice not to wear shoes, I do think about how straightforward it would be to have feet that never get hot and to be able to wear whatever shoes I wanted. But I don't think like that for very long. I love my feet and I wouldn't have it any other way.