New shoes sparking conversation

I've never purchased something purely to be a conversation piece, but it often seems to turn out that way regardless.

Case in point, the last few weeks. I had a birthday, and a few people sent me some gift certificates for an online place that may or may not have something to do with a rainforest. Gift certificate money is different from actual money, in that you're more willing to go all out with it. Kevin's money will go to a nice shirt, or a few mp3s. Kevin's gift certificate money will go to some shoes with the toes sticking out.

I'd seen a few friends, and acquaintances I think highly of, in these shoes called FiveFingers. The best way to describe the way they looked is if you dipped your feet in a rubber coating, and then added some straps and color. I went with a waterproof red shoe so A) I could take them into the pool and B) I figured if the shoes were going to get attention anyway, why not just give in and get something that matches my 49ers and Texas Rangers gear?

I just wanted some comfortable shoes, and I got them. But more people look at feet than I give credit for, and conversation drifts to the shoes and where I got them ... or, in the case of Sunday, how much of a fool I was for wearing them. You see, with these shoes you feel more of the ground, for better or worse.

"Those are going to feel like tar, (expletive)," said a Curry County Cats player at Sunday's playoff game. He was right; the turf at Leon Williams Stadium is much, much hotter than grass. Good thing those shoes were waterproof, because they got sprayed down a few times.

I'm quite sure more conversation will come up about the unusual footwear, but I can at least look back on my Mambosok experience as a reminder that there's nothing wrong with trying something different.

Peaked in 1995, flamed out shortly thereafter, and still available if you look hard enough, the Mambosok is a hat that looks like a pant leg/floppy hat. I picked up one because they were good for skiing; lightweight, breathable and kept the hair out of the way. Wear them anywhere but a ski resort, and you get some odd looks. I did once at a mall in Montana, and I felt like the Steve Martin character in "Roxanne" ... come on guys, these are the best insults you can come up with?

There's not a lot of skiing open right now, but maybe I'll look into a Mambosok again. I don't mind being a guy who puts on a shirt and a tie, but there's something to be said for also being a guy unconcerned with what people might think of a guy with a pant leg on his head and rubber toes on his shoes.

In either case, I don't mind the conversation.

Kevin Wilson is a columnist for Clovis Media Inc. He can be contacted at 763-3431, ext. 313, or by email:

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