Cinderella on the Hunt

As we often do, we hit the Mall on Saturday. Parking was without incident and we were in the mall in record time.  Generally it takes us so long to get going we have to whip through so the nurse isn't locked outside waiting for us to get home. Not this time. We arrived around 11AM and the nurse was arriving at 1, so we had plenty of time to stroll.

We entered Macy's at one end of the and made out way to the middle of the mall. There Maggie chose to take the elevator UP and continue on the second floor. We went down one side all the way to Nordstrom, and started up the other side. We went all the way back to Macy's. I bought a pair of pants and as I was paying I noticed this

Maggie had lost a shoe

This is not unusual. Maggie's feet are so tiny and pliable, that it is difficult to keep shoes on her. Often once the shoe goes, the sock follows suit. Maggie looks like a small field goal kicker from a former NFL era.

The sock was still on, so the shoe could be nearby. I asked the clerk if anyone had turned in a shoe, but alas, it was not going to be that easy. We wound back through the departments we utilized, but nothing. We made our way back to the mall entrance stopping at an especially central and very busy cashier station to ask before we left the store.

I could feel the disapproval of the women in line as I interrupted the busy clerk, but that quickly changed to sweet concern. The clerk couldn't hear me at first, so I pointed to Maggie's shoeless foot and said "She dropped a shoe, did anyone turn it in here?" The ladies in line all clucked their concern but I just said airily, "Oh thanks, but don't worry. this happens all the time. She's Cinderella and she's trolling for Prince Charming." Maggie laughed uproariously at that. The ladies tittered politely.

We made our way back down the mall, looking on ledges and in corners for the errant shoe. At the food court I asked a woman if there was a lot and found because we were missing a shoe, but she didn't speak English and suggested I go to Aldo and buy Maggie some designer shoes. No. But thanks. If we are going to lose shoes, they are not going to be expensive shoes.

We continued our quest. We were getting close to the other end of the mall and I figured it was gone forever. Two women were walking in our direction talking about something that was likely stolen. Turns out they were referring to a single shoe. As they passed us the view behind them opened up and there it was.

 

All in all a good trip to the mall, though Prince Charming remains elusive.

I wrote most of this early this morning before putting Maggie on the bus. I noticed a familiar sight and had to grab this shot while we were downstairs waiting for the bus to arrive

Maybe Prince Charming is at school.

A Cinderella Story

To match the fairy tale that is her life (sarcasm), Maggie emulates Cinderella. 

NO, we don't make her scrub the floors or lock her in a tower and she isn't headed to the ball to meet her handsome prince. In fact, she's takes after Cinderella in only one way - she loses a single shoe all the time. 

Because of her dystonia and cerebral palsy, Maggie moves constantly. Her body is in motion somewhere even when she's all strapped into her chair. A lot of times she is moving her legs and feet.  Her feet are very small. She is 17 years old and still in children's sizes. She wears a child's size 12 or 13 which is generally appropriate for a child about 5 or 6 years old. Her feet are little and skinny. Between the movement and the teeny feet, it is difficult to find shoes that will stay on her feet.  Most styles are right out.

Invariably when we go for a walk, someone tells us she's dropped a shoe. After a couple of tries putting it on again,  I will give up and stick it in my purse. We have been lucky that we retrieve so many.   With this new problem with her wheelchair footpad (see yesterdays post), her feet are out of sight and no one sees it drop. She lost one shoe last week while on an outing from school. They retraced their steps, but never found it. Then I lost another shoe that I tossed in the car after she dropped it. Hope springs eternal that one will still show up.  

Saturday morning I took Maggie to buy some new shoes. She thought that was the greatest time ever. We've done it before, but she never reacted one way or the other. That has now changed. Shoe shopping is the bomb!  I let her choose between a glittery/sparkly pair of high tops and some slip ons with peace signs. My girl went for the bling, of course. We also bought the white athletic shoes from yesterdays post. When we returned to Steve, she quickly said "Dad look new shoes." She repeated it over and over again until she felt his praise was sufficient.



Sunday morning came and Maggie and I were heading out to run some errands. I said, "Mag, where do you want to go today." She didn't hesitate at all. She just started making a sentence "Mom, shoe shopping please."  I had to nix that idea and quick.  I may have created a monster. 

Maggie may have feet the size of a small child, but when it comes to shopping, she definitely acts like a 17 year old.