copyright 2017 by Michael Perry
Don’t Fold Your Feet.
Maurice was someone just like you, who grew and grew and grew and grew… but,
Maurice was different.
One thing stood out, or should I say two, the right foot and left foot in Maurice’s two shoes. Maurice was different.
And had to overcome, not fitting in.
“My toes are poking through…my shoes don’t fit anymore. My feet are larger than ever before! I know what I must do.”
So Maurice folded those feet in two
and took the bus, and quietly sat, and did good work and that was that ; every day,
but Maurice was lonely.
People would stop by and say, “We’re going bowling later today.There’s a ball game, wanna play? “
“I have to feed my fish,” Maurice would say.
Because Maurice thought, “I can’t do that, my feet will show. People will laugh and make fun, I know.”
It hurt having no friends
because eventually no one asked Maurice to play, and so Maurice went home each day, and fed the fish;
but stitching leather
Maurice cobbled shoes together. Perfectly sized. Handmade and extra wide. And when it grew dark, and quiet outside,
Maurice would try on shoes that fit,
and walk and wonder, and perhaps sit, and often think quite a bit, about shoes,
really big shoes:
And across Main Street in that little town with little windows and a little door stood tall, an empty little store. An empty little place
different than others’.
And one night after walking past Maurice took one last look…and was surprised,
From a distance,
slowly appearing the darkness was somehow clearing as Maurice went walking, nearing that empty little place. And through the glass,
Maurice saw a poster.
Wonder-filled pictures displayed giant feats, and performers with painted faces who came from far away foreign places. were different,. Different all.
And like an elephant, a trumpet sounded.
In dreams Maurice had that night, a poster, and a magical site all blared until dawn lit bright. And Maurice awakened.
And then Maurice knew.
Walking big shoed and without speaking, bravely Maurice went under-tent peaking and Maurice found what Maurice was seeking, as though Maurice had always known.
Everyone is different.
And feeling comfortable like never before
Maurice , making new friends, was lured and welcomed to the circus floor and finding a spotlighted place where inner music plays
Maurice no longer hid.
With untied shoes in life’s center ring seat Maurice stood up on those two big feet, and rubbed those folded toes.
Magical feats unfolded.
And laughter flowed from Maurice that day as life’s new lesson revealed and displayed amongst circus friends who stayed, until the week’s end.
And a new fit was found.
“But what to do when the show leaves town?” Maurice thought sitting on that bench in the park, across from that little building in the dark. Then quickly Maurice stood and walked back home.
And Maurice sold everything; except the fish,
And Maurice was free.and could now begin to listen to that voice within. Maurice was free,
and ran away…
And waved to one and all. And people watched and people frowned as the circus packed up and the circus left town and Maurice had to go,
to that little empty place.
Maurice moved in with leather, and fish to the little store, the one in town. Maurice lived upstairs, and the shop was down, no longer feeling like
the one that didn’t belong.
because Maurice found what Maurice loved to do; performing feats of magic with leather and hands, making wallets and purses and leather bands, and shoes.
It was a perfect fit.
And above that shop, a sign was lit: Maurice Megapedis. Life’s circus lesson came as news that each of us walks in very large shoes, regardless of the size of our feet.
Life is a circus: big feats await.
