I Lucked Out

It seems like every time I find a product that I like they stop making it or it becomes extremely rare. Why is that? Am I just slow to find these things or is it a vast conspiracy to drive me nuts?

About two years ago I needed new boots for work. I figured "No problem, I'll just run down to Walmart and grab me a another pair."

Hah!

Ten stores and two months later I ended up driving almost all of the way out of the state to find a pair of boots in my size.

There are three prisons within twenty miles of my house. You would think some bright boy would be stocking up on inexpensive black work boots around here. But noooooooo........

Walmart only carries them in sizes 6,7 and 8-1/2. The two shoe stores in this area don't have anything. And the local uniform shop carries lots of boots if you want to pay 80-100 dollars a pair for the premium stuff.

I don't make that kind of money! I work for the DOC!

I buy Herman Survivors. They are fairly rugged and lightweight and they will last me two years if I stretch it and they only cost about forty bucks. They are almost as light as tennis shoes and when you spend eight hours a day on your feet on concrete and metal that is a big factor.

But man! They are hard to find!

I needed new boots bad. I discovered a couple of weeks ago when we got the first big rain of the season that I had a serious blowout in my left heel and a hole in the right sole. Spent the whole day with wet socks. That sucked.

I was planning on taking my daughter driving and letting her drive me to Walmart to see if, just on the off chance, they had my boots. But I decided to go myself this evening instead.

I lucked out.

Once I found the shoe department (they have moved everything around yet again), there they were..... a 6, a 7, an 8-1/2... and a pair of 11's! Sweet! I snatched them down and tried them on. Perfect fit! Actually they felt a little funny because I have been so used to walking around with that blown out left heel. I didn't realize how much that affected my walking.

So this rainy season I should be good. I'm sure next year they will have disappeared completely and I'll be forced to drive to Utah or Pennsylvania to find a pair of boots that fit.

Pfui.

Good thing I got plenty of socks....