My Wonderful, Ugly, Rubber Boots

Once upon a time, in a land not at all far away, there lived a young girl who suddenly, after many years of being home-schooled, had to go to a Real School. She was fairly neutral about this, having long ago learned that adults were prone to unfathomable behavior and her energies were better spent on other matters such as insect collecting, sketching, and keeping a sharp eye on small brothers.

All went well until the weather, as weather does in this land-not-far-away, especially the Northern reaches of it, turned cold and snowy and it transpired that Senior Parent did not intend to purchase attractive boots for her to wear to this Real School. Her dreams of lovely, taffeta-textured boots with shiny buttons and fur trim were cruelly dashed. SP actually expected her to wear, gasp, horror of horrors, rubber boots. The awful farm kind, black with red rubber soles. SP pointed out that many kids wore rubber boots to school. Our heroine pointed out that they were all boys. Talks failed. Negotiations failed. Diplomacy failed. Relations became strained.  An atmosphere of great chilliness developed.

She decided to wear her old canvas sneakers to the bus, a matter of a two kilometer trek twice a day.

It rained. She wore her canvas sneakers.

It snowed. She wore her canvas sneakers.

Further chilliness developed, and not in the atmosphere. SP figured she was having a Learning Experience.

She was. But what she learned was that, if it is wet, then it isn't all that cold, and if it is not wet, then canvas sneakers with two pairs of wool socks are no colder than rubber boots.

Yes, of course, this young heroine was me, and I still well remember changing out of those cold wet dirty sneakers in the school bus. It was years later that I finally began to appreciate rubber boots. I was getting interested in hiking and gardening and needed something to keep my feet dry..... Now I love my rubber boots!

My wonderful, ugly, rubber boots! (I got a new pair yesterday!)