2 weeks ago I bought new sneakers. What I like to do is go to a place like Modell’s which is self-serve and has millions of shoe boxes. I go straight to New Balance — get something in my price range in 12 E. It can take as little as 60 seconds. But this time I went to some horrible place called The Athlete’s Foot (fungus, anyone?) and was forced to deal with a sales clerk. Not only did she break me down and make me buy insoles, but she actually wound up selling me two different shoes.
I only noticed it after wondering aloud to Ann why my right foot sometimes felt tender after going to the gym. (Turns out the right foot is a 12 D.) Anyway, when lined up side-by-side, you’d have to be a blind idiot not to recognize they are different shoes. But. . .who expects a sales girl to give you two different kinds of shoes? Plus, she was so annoying I just wanted to get out of that horrible store and get on with my life. Anyway, observe:
The above shoe (left) has a little black tab, the number 608 on it, the words New Balance are in a diamond shape, and the trademark ‘N’ has swoopy lines going through it.
This shoe (right) has no tab, the number 338, the words New Balance in some sort of Arkansas shape and the trademark ‘N’ has no lines.
Left: 6 air holes. Right: 3 air holes. Also, lace holder on right shoe.
Different design at heels.
I know what you are thinking. How could I walk around like this for two weeks??? Well. . .don’t dwell on the differences. Look at all the similarities! Plus, when you have my physique, you don’t see your feet all that much during the working day.
Luckily, I had my reciept (which is totally strange. . .I never keep my reciepts) and now I have two shoes that match — a third design that I studied quite extensively.
