Day two/three – tiny victories

By admin

Exciting things happen every day. To me. They didn’t used to, but with a few minor adjustments, I’ve been able to up my excitement quotient significantly. No, I have not started holding up liquor stores or running out into traffic. In fact, I didn’t change my behavior at all. The trick to having an exciting life is lowering your expectations.

What do you think is exciting? What makes you smile? Is your life mostly dull? I highly recommend lowering your threshold for amazement, amusement and joy. That is how I made my life more exciting: with ordinary victories and mundane diversions.

In my new job at the Undisclosed Retail Location (URL), I have found a wealth of amusement. I am starting to understand the eighth circle of hell – the stockroom for those of you who missed my previous entry. About 80 thousand times each shift, I go questing for shoes in hell. And sometimes I find them. Without any help. This moment is one I savor. I have the Box. In the Box are two shoes of the same size and color, but different feet. If the story ended right here, I’d be satisfied. Finding the Holy Grail is reason enough to be excited.

But then I return to the surface with my prize and am rewarded with a smile from a happy customer – well, sometimes. Some people are annoyed they had to wait so long. If they had any conception of what it’s like down there, they’d all be showering me with pearls and fancy titles like Archduchess of Ankle Boots or Thane of Cawdor. But, really, the finding is enough – and a thank you, maybe a smile, too, is nice.

Now, while searching through hell I have found additional amusement in the shoe style names. Who would call a high heeled pump “Clown”? Look at my fab new Clown shoes?! Really?!!? I wish I could remember which line that was, but I can’t – just believe me when I tell you it was a fancy dress-up sort of shoe with a big, tall, spiky heel. My other current favorite is “Kookiee.” It’s a hideous patchworky-looking skimmer flat (I think that’s redundant, but I added “flat” for those who read skimmer and said “huh?”).

Tonight’s unexpected bonus was a row of stiletto, black patent leather, lace-up ankle boots, with wispy fur trim around the top. One pair alone might be sweet, but a row of a dozen is enchanting! That was my biggest smile of the day. I would not in a million years want to own this shoe, but boy do I love looking at a phalanx of them. I giggled. I pointed. I commented to the man who was setting them up. I was pleased to discover he understood – or at least could appreciate – my delight. If they’re still there Saturday, I’ll take a picture.