The Fag Shoes

The Fag Shoes
The black high-top Reeboks with a Velcro strap.
I was in high school, it was circa 1983 and subscribed to a men’s health magazine. Everyone in that magazine wore those black high-top Reeboks with a Velcro strap.
So I bought a pair. Quite comfortable they were.
In gym class, we’ll call him Bert; he comes up to me and says, “What are you doing wearing fag shoes.” He was a foot taller than I and had a metal plate in his head. I was offended.
The next day he calls them fag shoes again. This went on for two weeks.
Finally I spoke up for myself, “I’m not a fag. These are quite popular. I saw them in a men’s magazine.”
The day after that in gym class he asked me very nicely, “Where did you get those?”
I told him whatever shoe or department store it was I can’t remember anymore.
Anyway the next day after that I see him wearing a brand new pair of them.
I confronted him. “Listen you called them fag shoes, insulted me and now you buy them.”
“So.”
I made it a point never to forget this story. The lesson I learned is not to be afraid to dare to be different. I was the first to wear those shoes at school.

Thomas Paul Murphy
Copyright 2010 Thomas Paul Murphy