I had no choice but to take my two children to the local shoe store to make certain they had the proper shoe size. Now, I was already prepared for the pushing of the socks that the owner loves to do, but I was not prepared for the old slipparoo of an extra pair of shoes in their shopping bag.

You see, after my children had given the thumbs up on the black patent shoes and rainboots that we went for, the owner asked if they wanted another pair.

When I informed him that we were set, he then started to push the socks. Suckered into two pair of ruffled socks to wear with their patent shoes, he asked about laces!