After taking her last Friday class, of the last week in April, Trisha grabbed a sandwich, changed into a pair of shorts and a pair of comfortable flat brown mules. She took her suitcase and hang-up bag out of the AOPi house and down to her Honda where she got in and began the 5 hour drive down to Savannah.
Trisha had been looking forward to seeing Amber again. She had only seen her best friend since 6th grade once since she transferred to the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD). That was over Spring break. Since then, Trisha had gotten her shoe modeling job, had her first photo shoot in New York and been elected president of her AOPi sorority chapter. Trisha was in no way going there to brag. It was indeed Amber’s idea for her to come down this particular weekend. There was a Saturday event her school was participating in called SpringFest and Sidewalk Arts Festival. There was a sidewalk chalk drawing competition at Forsyth Park and the rest of the event was a semi-carnival atmosphere. Amber thought it would be a fun time to visit it being the last good weekend for both of them before final exams.
Around 5PM, Trisha left what had been an extremely boring drive on Interstate 16 and took the 37th exit toward the south end of Savannah where Amber was living in a room at the back of her Aunt Olivia’s house. When she arrived, Amber and Olivia were there to greet her.
“Trisha, you made it!”
“Hello Amber..Olivia - it’s good to see you,” Trisha exclaimed as she hugged Amber and even Olivia who was a very warm and friendly person as well.
“Trisha, you’ve let your hair grow out a little.” Amber also noticed that little else about Trisha had changed. She still seemed to be the friendly, happy person she always was and she still loved wearing mules.
“Yeah, maybe 2 or 3 inches - I like it long enough to make a pony tail. Any you, you’ve cut yours and added some dark highlights.”
“Long hair is hard to manage when your working with paints and chalk and glue. I added the color to try something different.”
“Come on in, you need help with your bags?”
“Just have these two, I’m fine, just point me in the right direction. “ Once inside, Trisha added, ‘Olivia, what a pretty home you have.”
“Thank you, I have done some redecorating to pass the time since Hector passed away in November. But. I’m doing fine - I still have my friends and now my favorite niece is living here to keep me company - she helps me out a lot, you know.”
“I was sorry to hear about your husband’s passing. I know it was sudden.”
“He had just retired from the Army out at the Air Field in January and we’d decided to do some traveling. Only got to make one trip before his stroke. A word to the wise, don’t wait until you’re retired to start living…why don’t we wash up and have dinner.”
Fortunately, the conversation never did return to the subject of Amber’s Uncle Hector passing away in November. Her Aunt Olivia was taking it amazingly well and partially because she had Amber staying with her to help keep up the house and do the yard work in exchange for a very reasonable rent. Olivia had prepared a dish of her “famous” lasagna that Amber used to brag about when she and her parents would come back from Savannah during their annual Memorial Day weekend trip to visit. Amber had prepared a nice salad and heated up some canned breadsticks that were amazingly tasty.
Over dinner, the conversation focused on Trisha’s latest news.
“So Trisha, tell us about this modeling assignment you have in New York. That sounds so exciting,” asked Olivia who seemed genuinely excited for her niece’s best friend.
Trisha went into details about how she was discovered in the Atlanta Airport and all about her first trip to New York. Trisha made a strong effort not to brag on herself, but it was difficult not to sound excited about the opportunity. She was obviously nervous that she would sound too boastful and her rapid-fire shoeplay under the dinner table with her black mules was a strong clue.
As dinner was ending Trisha was greeted with a surprise by Aunt Olivia, “Trisha, in honor of your being elected President of your sorority and getting the modeling job in new York, Amber and I wanted to celebrate with you. There’s a place up on 37th street called Elizabeth’s and its one of the nicest restaurants in Savannah. We’d like to treat you to dessert.”
Trisha was flattered and was tempted to say something like, ‘Oh you shouldn’t have’ - especially since neither Amber or Olivia was exactly swimming on extra cash. But Trisha knew that this was a sincere offering she should graciously accept.
“Oh that’s so sweet of you to want to do that. I’d love to celebrate with the two of you. Amber did say something about bringing a nice outfit for going out tonight.”
Trisha helped clear away the dinner dishes and went upstairs to get ready. She pulled out a nice blue, above-the-knee dress and slipped on a new pair of Nine West slides that were booty from her last modeling job. They were a pair of dark blue x-strap slides that featured a big toe strap at the end of one of the x-straps. It was a style that Trisha normally did not buy herself, but this modeling job was expanding her footwear horizons a bit.
Soon Trisha met Amber and Olivia downstairs who also changed into nicer duds for the evening out. Three elegant ladies left for Elizabeth’s on 37th.
“Trisha, that’s a nice outfit - very pretty,” noted Olivia.
Amber quickly added, “And those shoes, I don’t remember seeing you wear those before.”
“They’re new. I think I may have forgotten to tell you that each job, I get 2 or 3 pairs of the shoes I model, free - except for income taxes I suppose - and I’m ‘encouraged’ to wear them in public places - sort of an advertisement.”
“But you’re not under a contract to do that, are you?”
“Oh no, but it’s certainly not something that’s hard to do - wear nice and pretty shoes that look expensive but cost me almost nothing.”
About 15 minutes later, the trio arrived at the restaurant and Trisha was amazed at how nice it was, both inside and out. The outside looked like a 2 story mansion with lots of greenery growing against the building and in the yard between it and 37th Street. The interior was decorated with antiques and nice chandeliers. Each table was adorned with a classic white tablecloth. The staff were well dressed and mannered, also. This restaurant oozed with class. ‘No wonder this place was voted one of the top restaurants on the east coast,’ thought Trisha even before she tasted the excellent food.
Upon arrival, Olivia confirmed their reservation and they were escorted to a nice table on the left side of the restaurant. They told the waiter that they only wanted dessert and coffee so he described each available desert in lavish detail while summoning another member of the staff to bring over the coffee pitcher.
Trisha liked the place and was enjoying the time with Olivia and especially Amber. She began to find the toe strap on her slides a little annoying, so she sat with both feet tucked underneath her chair with her toes forward enough to still be somewhat inside the x-straps but with her big toes clear from its strap.
“So Amber, tell me about this Springfest tomorrow – it sounds fun.” Trisha began while sliding her toes back on each shoe enough to lift the front end of the shoes off the floor and rock on the heels.
“Well, all of the students at SCAD are encouraged to participate. Each of us is assigned a block of sidewalk down at the huge Forsyth park and we are supposed to do a chalk drawing to be judged. They even have a section for local high school students to participate and compete separately. There’s also music and food and other fun stuff to do.”
Trisha pushed her right foot partially back into the shoe and lifted her leg to cross it over the left. She continued to rock on the left heel and began to bounce dangle the right shoe a little. “Oh, it sounds fun! I hope the weather stays this nice for tomorrow. The temperature is just about perfect.” Trisha continued to dangle one shoe and at times she worked her toes in between the two X-straps on the right side of the shoe turning it sideways on the end of her toes.
Meanwhile, at the next table, a man was enjoying dinner with his wife, when he noticed some under-the table activity at the next table. He glanced over and saw Trisha’s shoeplay. He had to catch quick inconspicuous glances so as to not call attention to what he was doing to his wife. He was impressed at the control she had over those shoes as she played with them and moved them around. Actually he would have liked it even more if she had lost control of one and flung it out of reach, but Trisha never did. He also enjoyed the look of her tanned legs and feet themselves – not a flaw was evident in them as she flexed her feet and maneuvered the shoes in various ways.
The server told Trisha, Amber and Olivia that their dessert would be out in a few minutes, so Trisha excused herself to the restroom. She discovered that there were 2 unisex restrooms and not a specific one for Men and Women. She stood in a short line that formed by the doors and behind the hostess station and began to dip in and out of her shoes. The hostess that seated them was doing the same with her cute little backless loafers. This reminded Trisha of her high school summers spent being a hostess/cashier and wearing shoes like that and dipping while not waiting on customers.
The hostess turned around and noticed Trisha’s shoes. “Oh, that’s a cute pair of slides, where did you get them?”
“They’re made by Nine West and they’re called ‘Pagonis.’ I work part time as a shoe model and these are one of the pairs I modeled.” Trisha hated to brag, but she was asked where she got them and they certainly didn’t come from a store.
“I’ll have to look for them in the mall next time I go. It’s getting to be warmer weather and I want as much of my foot as possible to be exposed and kept cool,” replied the hostess right before Trisha’s turn to go to the restroom arrived.
When Trisha returned, she walked past the table where the guy was enjoying her show. He heard the muted, rhythmic slap-slap of her shoes as she passed and he subtly dropped his napkin on the floor and sneaked a quick glance of her feet as she passed. Trisha returned to various forms of shoeplay as the three of them enjoyed their after dinner dessert and coffee and Amber talked more about Springfest and her studies at SCAD.
Olivia excused herself to the restroom after they finished eating and after a minute or two of idle chit-chat, Amber took the opportunity of being alone to tell Trisha, “I’ve met someone!”
“Really, that’s great! Who is he?”
“His name is Marlow and he’s also a student at SCAD from Evanston, Illinois.”
“So tell me about him.”
The line was non-existent at the restroom and Amber saw Olivia returning to the table. “I’ll have to tell you later.”
Before Trisha had time to question why, she saw Olivia coming back thus explaining the answer to her question. She deduced that this Marlow is someone Olivia did not know about or that he was someone she did not like or some combination of both.
Soon after that, the three ladies finished their desserts and coffee and returned home for the evening.
(Part Two)
The next morning, Amber wanted to get Trisha alone to tell her about Marlow so she suggested that she and Trisha ride up to Clary’s to pick up breakfast. This place was famous because of the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and specialized in bakery items such as muffins and pastries.
On the drive up to Clary’s, Trisha started the ball rolling, “So Amber, tell me about this Marlow guy you’ve been seeing.”
“Well, he’s a junior like myself and he lived all his life in Evanston. He’s specializing in abstract art and wants to open his own studio someday.”
“That sounds fine, Amber, but why can’t you talk about him around Olivia?”
“It’s not so much Olivia I’m worried about, but what she might tell my parents. You know, Dad took on more hours at Publix and Mom got a part time job to help send me here. The Scholarship was great, but not quite enough. They might think I’m not focusing on my studies enough if I talk about Marlow so soon after arriving here.”
“Amber, I think there’s more you’re not telling me, right? That alone is probably not enough to warrant such secrecy.”
“I’ll tell you what, tonight after dinner we’ll go up to the riverfront and meet him and his roommate at this nice little SCAD hangout called Bernie’s and I’ll let you judge for yourself.”
“You already had that planned, didn’t you?”
“You’re still on top of things Trisha!”
Amber and Trisha picked out some nice breakfast items for the three of them and returned to the house to enjoy them.
Soon it was time to leave for Springfest and Trisha was surprised at Amber’s apparel.
“Amber, you’re going like that?”
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing. I need to be comfortable, I’m going to be huddled near the ground drawing and it’s a warm day.”
“I guess you’re right, but you sure don’t look like yourself. I’ve never seen you leave the house without makeup before or wear your hair in a bandanna. And that outfit look so ‘sixty’s’.”
“I’m sorry I don’t meet your dress code standards. Maybe you really don’t know me after all. I need to wear something that can get dirty. These old flip-flops are great to kick off while I’m drawing and as for makeup, if it’s hot, then I’ll sweat and it will get into my eyes and I’ll need to wipe my eyes and if they’re dirty that’s no good…”
Trisha interrupted, “I’m sorry - I guess just worry about my best friend. I want to make sure you’re doing well. This is the first time we’ve been apart like this since 1991. I guess I need to be more of a friend and not so judgmental.”
“Trisha, it’s okay, just chill. We’ll have fun today. By the way, I like your outfit - that’s cute. The sleeveless black and white striped blouse goes well with the white shorts and black mules.”
“I guess we’re quite a contrast today. I’m in 2 tone black and white and you’re in psychedelic bright colors.”
“I don’t think anyone will accuse you of being a SCAD student - you’ll see!” Amber said laughing and Trisha joined in laughing with her as Aunt Olivia came downstairs to collect the two girls and drive up to Forsyth Park. Since Amber was going to be drawing for probably an hour and a half, Olivia was going to help keep Trisha company. Amber didn’t need someone hovering over her the whole time she was drawing. Trisha enjoyed spending time with Olivia - up until they were sophomores in high schhool, Amber used to invite Trisha to go with her to spend a week at a time during the middle of the summer with Aunt Olivia and Uncle Hector.
Around 10:30, they arrived at Forsyth Park for Amber to get in position to begin her chalk drawing. It was a nice expansive green area with a network of sidewalks that all came together in the middle of the park around a big fountain. Amber found her spot and began to set up her equipment.
Trisha looked around and saw that Amber’s wardrobe of the day was very much like everyone else’s and that hers was the one out of the ordinary. After a few minutes chatting with Amber as she got started, Trisha and Olivia left to walk around the park and see the art exhibits.
“Can I confide in you, Trisha?”
“Sure, Olivia, what’s on your mind?”
“I’m concerned about Amber. She doesn’t seem like herself.”
“She is 21 years old now, maybe you remember her more like we were in Daniell Middle School.”
“I’ve thought of that, but I’ve seen a change just in the nearly 4 months she’s lived with me.”
“What sort of change have you seen?”
“She’s always dressed a little off-beat, but she used to always fixed her hair and makeup before leaving the house. Now she goes out looking like she just rolled out of bed.”
“Do you think it’s because classes involve drawing and other materials that get her clothes dirty.”
“She dresses that way all the time, no matter where she goes. Now there is one exception. She’s been going down to the Wesley Foundation at Armstrong Atlantic University on Sundays where they do their own contemporary service. She sings in the chorus there. She usually fixes herself up for that a little nicer.”
“Olivia, maybe she’s just conforming to the dress of her peers somewhat. With her SCAD friends, maybe the dress code is a little casual. And with her Wesley friends, it’s more like what she had back in Athens at our church there.”
“Really, Trisha if it were just her clothes, I might not say nothing, but lately I’ve seen a change in her temperament, attitude and personality.”
“Now you’re talking. I have noticed that a little myself. What behavior has you concerned.”
“She stays out later now than before - especially on weekends. She seems less focused on her studies and more on her friends. She has been more disrespectful and I’ve seen some outbursts of anger also. I was hoping that you’re coming here might help her regain her old ways.”
“After dinner we’re probably going to meet up with some of her friends. Maybe then, I’ll have a better idea of what’s going on with her.”
----
Across town, Bruce Ballou, Marketing Director for Blue Turban Software (BTS) was attending a User’s Group Meeting in Savannah at the Hyatt Regency up on the riverfront. Some of the product announcements made at this meeting were public, but several, including Bruce’s, were only meant for a closed audience of Blue Turban executives.
The Saturday afternoon presentations he had to attend were mostly boring renditions of stuff he had already learned so his mind began to wander onto other thoughts and specifically in the direction of some of the more attractive ‘demo babes’ scattered around the room. BTS, like many software companies, made it a point to hire demonstration staff that was physically attractive. Most were women under age 40, but a few men were also hired just to keep the Equal Opportunity crowd happy. Most of the attractive women scattered around the conference room were ‘demo babes’ as Bruce and many of the other male employees secretly referred to them.
Bruce had been with BTS for 5 years, but in the computer industry for 10 more before that. He looked around and liked what he saw. Dress codes had certainly changed since starting out as a low-end staff technician at IBM back in 1986. Not only were men losing their ties - except those dealing with customers directly - but also the ladies were foregoing the traditional ladies suit with a skirt and jacket for more feminine styles - one-piece above-the-knee floral prints, shorter skirts and blouses. They were also foregoing the hot and constricting hose for the shaved bare-leg look and in warmer months, choosing to leave the flats and pumps in the back of the closet. Rampant throughout the conference room instead were mules, slides, dressy clogs, and other sandals. Bruce missed seeing nylon-clad legs, but he especially liked the backless styles that were easily removed and played with under the table. He loved to watch women engaged in this activity. He also enjoyed the look of a very attractive foot in and out of a shoe as well as the accompanying ankle, calf and thigh. If they were slightly tanned, that was an additional bonus. As the speaker droned on about market share and margins, Bruce found himself mesmerized with the shoeplay of 2 or 3 of the ladies in the room.
Outside the conference room within the Hyatt Regency, Dirk Ellington, who was, by title, a Research and Development manager for Macrotechniks Software was trying to slip into the conference unnoticed. He first tried to sneak in through the smokers’ door, but there was a security guard checking badges. He tried several ways to gain access to the conference and all of his attempts were thwarted by security. Fortunately for Dirk, none of them actually stopped him directly. He simply found no area were he was not subject to have his badge checked. Dirk was actually a corporate spy who was trying to steal information from BTS, specifically the information that Bruce was scheduled to speak on the following afternoon. Macrotechniks was a much larger competitor that BTS and with this information, they might be able to force BTS out of business or settle for a compromise buyout. With this information, Dirk’s company could produce the same product in half the time and one-third the cost - at least that was the theory.
Dirk decided to go back to his room at the nearby River Street Inn and regroup his thoughts and determine his 'Plan B' to gain this important proprietary information. He had been promised a new Lexus in exchange for this important information. He was not smart enough to realize that his company was getting off pretty cheap, really. A more sophisticated corporate spy might ask for $500K or even a million for such a task. But, this was Dirk’s first venture into the murky sea of technological espionage.
Up at his room, Dirk called his Vice President to let him know what had just happened. The VP gave him some additional information that he thought might help, "Dirk, we've got to have that presentation. We just found out through our internal sources, that the man who possesses the PowerPoint presentation of the information we need is a man named Bruce Ballou. He's 38 years old with a medium build, about 5' 11", black hair peppered with sections of gray, and wire-rim designer glasses. My secretary scanned a photo and it should already be emailed to you. When you get a good idea of what he looks like, return to the Hyatt Regency and hang out in the public areas like the lobby, bar, whatever and track him down. He will probably not let his laptop out of his sight so you'll have to be clever to acquire it."
“Okay, I’ll give it my best shot.” Dirk, with a renewed confidence returned to the Hyatt Regency to look for this Bruce Ballou character and gain access to his laptop.
----
Trisha and Olivia returned to check on Amber and watch her draw for a while. She was creating a masterpiece. There was a pretty sunset with various shades of blue, yellow, orange and red. The sun was setting over the ocean and there were a few boats in the water and a part of the shoreline on the right side with a few trees and buildings.
“That’s beautiful Amber, where’s that supposed to be?” Trisha asked.
“It’s supposed to be a scene from our Hawaii trip back in December. Remember how pretty the sunsets were there?”
“You know, you’re right. I remember this scene you’re drawing. It was after we got back from the football game and were about to go eat dinner for the last time. With the other sorority sisters.”
Trisha wondered if there was any significance to the scene she chose to draw or if this was just a nice view she remembered and wanted to draw.
After about 15 minutes Olivia asked Amber, “Would you like us to bring you some lunch as you finish this up?”
“Actually, I’ll be done in about 5 minutes. Just wait and we’ll all three go.”
In a little while, Amber finished her beautiful drawing and cleaned up her site. She slipped her sandals back on and checked her clothing to see how dirty it was. She did have chalk of various colors decorating them, but so did everyone else. She was even more of a contrast than before to Trisha’s cute black and white outfit as they walked over to the concessions area.
Once there, they were forced to stand in a slow moving line to get their lunch. Trisha began to slide a foot out of one of her mules, resting her toes on the back edge above the heel. She repeated this movement several times then pushed down ob the heel forcing the front of the shoe to rise. The shoe flipped over on its top and she was forced to place her big toe underneath and catch the upper and flip the shoe back over.
While standing in line she repeated this move a couple of times - once with each shoe. There was one guy standing in line right behind Trisha who was captivated by her shoeplay. He considered trying to meet her, but he never did get the courage. He did though try to have some innocent fun with her. Trisha lifted her foot completely out of the shoe and scratched the back of her other calf, leaving the shoe vacant. The guy moved his foot forward and pushed the shoe a few inches behind and to the side. Trisha’s muscle memory led her toes back to the exact place the shoe was supposed to be, but it was gone. Her foot stopped on the warm grass instead and she broke her concentration on the line to look down and see the shoe several inches away. Without hesitation she stretched out her foot and reclaimed the shoe. The guy standing behind enjoyed this maneuver and got a good view of Trisha’s perfectly symmetrically chiseled foot and luscious red toenails that shone in the bright sun.
Soon the three of them had their lunch and they went out and sat in the grass to eat and enjoy the band that was playing. Trisha popped off her mules so her feet could get a little sun. The guy from the food line got a seat nearby on the grass to get a good view of this. Amber did the same thing with her flip-flops, but her feet did not seem to draw the guy’s attention like Trisha’s. Hers were not as symmetric and her nails were unpainted.
Olivia commented, “I see why you girls like those kind of shoes. They’re so easy to get on and off when you want.”
Trisha quickly replied, “I love them! I’ve been wearing this type of shoe for 10 years. I only wear shoes with backs when I need to.”
Amber added, “Aunt Olivia, what styles were common back when you were our age.”
“Well, I was 21 back in 1969. Back then everything was clunky and secured. Sure, there were flip-flops for the beach, but even sandals mostly came with straps. Clogs were unheard of - nice ladies didn’t wear them.”
Trisha pondered, “But didn’t ladies back in the 50’s and early 60’s wear mules and slides. I’ve seen them in movies. Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and others wore them.”
“Yes, if you go back to when I was a little girl, some of the ladies wore them. They were not as common though, but they were somewhat in fashion.”
Again Trisha wondered, “Why did they go completely out of style for so long. Really, except for a brief time of Candie’s and Exercise sandals and ABBA style clogs in the late 70’s and early 80’s, backless shoes were out of fashion for at least 25 years.”
Olivia responded, “I really don’t know. Well, maybe one idea. With the Vietnam War came some other societal changes. Girls began to drift away from things that were overly feminine. Backless shoes are certainly that. The chunkier styles were less feminine and therefore matched the societal change of the time, maybe. But that’s a theory.”
Trisha added, “Do you think Mules and slides will go out of fashion again?”
Amber said, “Just about every fashion seems to fade, but this one seems to have lasted awhile. Maybe it will retreat somewhat, but this time, maybe it will not totally go away.”
Trisha concluded, “Well, I’ll still wear them and be out of style I guess if I have to.”
Eventually, the three finished their lunch and walked around to some of the exhibits so show them to Amber. Olivia suggested that Trisha and Amber see some of the sights downtown and offered to come back in a couple of hours to pick them up. That would be the time that the contest winners would be announced.
Amber and Trisha walked up Bull Street and stopped at Chippequa Square.
“This is where it happened.”
“What happened, Amber?”
This is the place where Forrest Gump sat on the bench and waited on the bus and made his famous “Life is like a box of chocolates” comment.
Trisha thought that was neat and they figured out where he must have sat. There was actually no bench or bus stop there, but it was an interesting find.
The girls chatted about nonsense - relived good times and enjoyed the nice weather as they strolled though the historic district. Amber pointed out some of the buildings where she had classes, and showed her some of the other points of interest along the way. Soon it was time to meet Olivia and hear the awards ceremony.
Amber was surprised to be nabbed third-place winner in the still-life category. She was extremely happy to have earned a ribbon for her hard work. Her achievement was excellent for a new student to the school.
“We’re going out to night to celebrate, I want to take you girls to Orleans Brick Oven,” Olivia announced.
Amber excitedly replied, “Oh, that’s a great place. They have these wood-fired pizzas. Trisha, well have to share one and each get one of their wonderful salads.
(Part Three)
They soon went home and took some time to relax, get showers and change into their evening clothes. Trisha had brought another pair of shoes that she had modeled to wear to dinner. The rest of her outfit for the evening was a pair of slim-fitting khaki Capri’s, a light-green sleeveless shirt and an ivory button-down that she chose to leave unbuttoned with the shirttails tied in a knot near her waist.
Amber wore a pair of white shorts, a cute pink blouse and a pair of sandals. She commented favorably on Trisha’s outfit, “You look so cute tonight. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dress like that.”
“Yeah, Jeannie helped me pick it out to match the two colors in these new shoes.”
“Are those some you modeled in?”
“Yes, they’re called ‘Emilia’ and they’re made by Cole Haan. How’d you guess?”
“Well, you’ve never been a big fan for thong sandals.”
“I know, but these aren’t too bad.” Trisha removed one to show her the shoe’s features. - she had to flex her toes to keep her balance. “See, what ties the t-strap to the sole of the shoe is a hand-braided piece of soft calfskin. It’s very durable and small. It barely even touches the space between my toes. You know, that’s what I normally don’t like about thong sandals, but there are reasonable.”
“’Reasonable’ - that’s girl fashion code for ‘not very comfortable’.”
“I’ll admit I have shoes I like more that these, but I do need to wear these some - just like all of the ones I’ve been given.”
“Are those real snakeskin?”
“No, they’re embossed python onto calfskin. But I love the reptile look this green and tan color combination offers.”
Olivia also commented favorably about Trisha’s outfit and soon the three of them got on Abercorn St. and headed south toward the mall area to eat at Orleans Brick Oven.
----
Dirk returned to the Hyatt and roamed between the lobby, the restaurant and the courtyard for almost 3 hours and never did find Bruce. He was very disappointed and decided to go back to the River Street Inn, get a few drinks at the restaurant downstairs and retire for the night and try again the next day.
Not long after Dirk left the Hyatt, Bruce finally ended a long day of meetings and decided to walk around the riverfront to relax and maybe get an appetizer and a couple of beers somewhere. All that technical stuff had his brain fried and he needed to relax - after all it was Saturday night. He still had his laptop with him - in case he got a bright idea he needed to add to tomorrow’s presentation.
----
At the restaurant, Olivia and the girls enjoyed a nice meal and good conversation. Trisha seemed to be enjoying her sandals (as well as her meal) and was dipping and dangling a little throughout dinner. It was some of the best pizza the girls had ever had. Olivia drove the girls home where soon afterwards, Amber and Trisha said goodbye to Olivia and took off in Amber’s Honda to the downtown riverfront.
“So tell me, Amber, where we’re going tonight?”
“It’s called Bernie’s. It’s a nice little hangout where me and my friends come sometimes.”
“Sounds fun! I wish we could enjoy some of their food, though. I’m too full to do anything than get a drink, maybe.”
Amber and Trisha arrived at Bernie’s and got an empty table. The place was a fun-looking place that served sandwiches, appetizers and light entrees. They also had a small bar off to one side and the décor was full of local photos and other treasures. The clientele was mixed with quite a few college students from Armstrong Atlantic and SCAD as well as older tourists in loud shirts, shorts and blue socks and a few businessmen in coats and ties. This place happened to be associated with the River Street Inn and Dirk was already relaxing over a drink in the bar.
“So when are Marlow and his friend meeting us?”
“He said 8 so I’ll start looking for him around 8:30 or 8:45. You want to get a drink while we’re waiting on them?”
“I’m okay for now, you go ahead, Amber.”
Amber ordered a Coors Light and on its arrival, Trisha ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri for dessert. The conversation resumed the subject of Amber and Marlow.
Trisha crossed her legs in the direction of Dirk and soon she was dangling one of her faux snakeskin thong sandals from her toes. She slapped the sandal against the sole of her bare foot a few times. Gradually, she slipped her toes past the thin piece of braided leather that made up the thong part of the shoe and dangled the shoe from there.
Bruce Ballou wandered into Bernie’s and grabbed a vacant table on the edge of the bar about 10 feet away from where Trisha and Amber were sitting. All the tables in that area of the restaurant were high with stools for seats so soon Bruce noticed Trisha’s beautiful legs and incredible shoeplay.
Dirk was shocked to see Bruce sit at the table two down from him. He looked a lot like the photo sent to his email so he was easy to spot. Bruce did indeed have his laptop computer in-tow so the opportunity was apparently going to come to steal the presentation - but how was he going to get access to it
Trisha continued to dangle her sandal, perilously to the edge of her toes while bending her foot at the ankle and causing the shoe to bounce off her foot each time. Amber posed a question to Trisha, "So what's new with your love life?"
Trisha became a little nervous at this sensitive issue and lost control of the sandal. It slipped off the perch made by her toes and bounced off the table leg and landed on the floor on the other side of the round table - not only was it out of reach, but she needed to get up and walk around to retrieve it. Instead of retrieval, Trisha just switched legs, placed the bare foot on the barstool and began to dangle her remaining sandal just like the first one.
"It's been a tough year and it still is, Amber."
"Well, I thought with Chuck's girlfriend Anita assumedly returning to Waycross for the summer and you returning to Atlanta, maybe there'd be a chance for a reversal."
Trisha interrupted, "They got engaged over Spring Break in Cancun."
"You've got to be kidding!"
"No, they're planning a June wedding when Chuck graduates a year from now."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Is Tim still seeing that girl from his hometown?"
"Yeah, and he's graduating in 10 days and moving to Texas to attend seminary in Ft. Worth, anyway. I still speak to him at church, but I'll have to admit I was disappointed in how things ended with him."
"You're such a nice, friendly and attractive girl, I'm surprised you've not met someone new. That's really what I was wondering?"
"I guess I've been so busy with the sorority and with classes that I've not taken the time to look. I do a lot of things with the other sisters - especially some of the younger ones - trying to get them into leadership in the group. I do a lot with Jeannie, now that we're roommates. I hang out with Jay quite a bit."
"Now you're talking! So you still do stuff with Jay, huh?"
"Yeah, I see him just about every day. Sometimes we sit in the TV room at the frat house and hang out, or we walk over to the coffee house and grab a cappuccino, we may get a group and go to get food and salad bar at Ryan's, just friend stuff."
"I think that's the answer to your love life right there."
"Oh, that's silly - he's just a friend, you know - a buddy - we hang out together."
"Mom says that's the best type of boyfriend there is. That's like me and Marlow are. We don't do anything elaborate together - just spend time together and do whatever we want to do when the mood hits us. Do you find Jay attractive?"
"Well, I suppose is average, maybe even above average in looks."
"Does he find you attractive?"
"He might...but we're friends. I don't think of him in that way."
"Well, do what you want, but I advise to keep an open mind and see what happens."
Trisha sat there and began to argue with herself the merit of Amber's words. She was now dangling the other shoe much like the first one and it too fell to the floor, but this one just below the stool within easy reach.
This whole time, Bruce was mesmerized by Trisha's shoes and feet and had lost complete grip on what was going on around him. A waiter came to the girls table and brought them refills on ice water and in doing so, kicked one of Trisha's sandals about 5 feet in Bruce's direction. She did not seem to realize what had happened, nor did the busy waiter fleeing to help an angry customer across the room. Bruce saw the sandal and a strange impulse enveloped him. He cautiously picked up the sandal off the floor and, as discreetly as possible, began to look at in detail and rub the insole. 'Hmm..Cole Haan. My ex-wife used to wear those sometimes. They're not cheap - either! There's not a drop of sweat on the insole -it's so dry but smooth - they seem pretty nnew.' Bruce thought as he finished his examination. About that time, he saw a waiter walking nearby and in a panic - not wanting to be revealed as to what he was doing - he quickly stuffed the shoe into the attaché where he had his laptop stored. After regaining his composure, he began to figure out what to do with the shoe and how to get it back to her. He thought about going over to meet Trisha, using the excuse that he found her shoe, but he felt a bit old to be chasing what was obviously a college student. On the other hand, he thought she was very pretty and he also associated shoeplay with a fun carefree personality - something Bruce liked.
When Bruce placed the shoe in the bag, he inadvertently placed the bag a little out of view from where it was originally. Dirk, who had made a risky quick dash to the restroom while the shoe examination occurred, was pleased to see that the bag was now more accessible and that Bruce seemed to be not guarding it very well. He took the chance and casually walked over to the table from behind Bruce and picked up the attaché and walked out the door - leaving a $20 bill on the table to more than amply cover the bar tab and tip. On the way out, he passed right by Marlow and his friend Derek. They quickly found Amber and made their way over.
"Hello guys, I'm glad you're here," said Amber while the guys were still a few feet away.
Trisha stepped off the stool to try to discretely become re-shod before meeting Marlow and his friend. She placed the most-recently dangled and dropped shoe back on with ease without even having to look down but then looked casually for the other shoe but quickly assumed it had fallen out of reach. She decided to wait about looking for it.
Marlow responded, "Whassup Amber! This must be your lovely friend, Trisha."
To this Amber promptly replied, "Yes…Trisha this is Marlow and his friend Derek."
Extending her hand, Trisha replied "Nice to meet your both."
Marlow took her hand and gently kissed it. Derek simply shook it and said, "Nice to make your acquaintance."
Since the guys came in from the other side of the table, she wondered if they even saw she was wearing only one shoe - but she also surmised that they saw an abandoned sandal near where they stood.
Bruce was disappointed that his view of Trisha's legs, feet and shoe were now obstructed. He realized that he was probably not going to get to use the shoe to meet her, but he decided to try to kick the shoe back in the direction of their table and undo any harm he had caused. He reached down to the floor to get the shoe and to his horror; the bag containing the shoe and more importantly his laptop, containing tomorrow's vital presentation, was gone!
Not to make a scene, Bruce went to the bartender and quietly reported the theft. Inside he was fuming and on the verge of an anxiety attack. Losing that laptop could mean losing his job. Then he calmed a bit and then remembered that he had a backup copy made of the presentation before he left Wichita and one of his coworkers had brought it with them. After calming down some more and returning to his room at the Hyatt, he called the police to report the crime.
----
After unknowingly passing by Marlow and Derek on the way out of Bernie's, Dirk decided he needed to work quickly. He walked over to a dark and deserted part of the riverfront and sat on a bench, facing the street with his back to the river so he could know if he was being followed. Dirk reached in the bag and first found Trisha's missing shoe. This puzzled him, but he did not have time to worry about it; he simply placed it back in the bag and removed the laptop.
Dirk then removed the disk already in the laptop’s drive and replaced it with a blank disk of his own. He quickly navigated the Windows explorer and found a directory called ‘BTPresentation.’ Within it was a file entitled ‘pres042901.ppt’ - Dirk ran it to verify that it was what he needed and it was. He then saved the file onto the disk and placed the disk in his pocket.
Dirk pondered on how to dispose of the laptop. He decided to casually walk over to the river’s edge on the dock, look all around to see that no one was watching and drop the bag containing the laptop and Trisha’s shoe into the Savannah River where it quickly sank to the bottom. He then casually returned to his room in the River Street Inn like nothing had happened. There was no way he would be discovered of this crime - he thought!
The guys seated themselves and both promptly ordered large mugs of beer on tap. Trisha leaned back from the table and scan the floor below to try to locate her shoe but it was not to be seen. Still, she figured that the stools the guys were sitting on were simply blocking her view. Trisha was getting tired of resting her bare foot against the bar stool and gripping with her toes. She wanted to get her shoe back but was embarrassed to ask for it. Trisha felt the stares of other customers in the restaurant but she decided to put the missing shoe out of her mind for awhile and focus on getting to know Marlow a little better.
"So Amber tells me you're roommates."
Marlow replied, "Yeah, we got us a little loft apartment downtown - it's great! Been there since we were freshmen."
Amber added, "They're walking distance from classes. I'm jealous - I have to drive in from below Victory Drive every day."
The conversation went pretty well and Marlow did not have any important glaring flaws. He seemed polite and personable. Their attire was similar to Amber's in style, but that seemed to be the norm for SCAD students. Marlow had one earring in his left ear and Derek had two, but that was not that uncommon, either. Overall, Trisha was pleased with their meeting - but she still had failed to discover why Olivia's perceived personality change in Amber had occurred.
Once again, Trisha wondered about her other shoe. She dropped her napkin on the floor - on purpose - to try to get a getter look. ‘Still no shoe to be seen! Where did it go! What am I going to do if it’s gone for some reason! I don’t want to have to walk around and be seen with one shoe.’ Trisha’s thoughts began to wander.
The conversation continued for another 30 minutes. Trisha gradually became even more worried about her shoe since she had not yet seen it. She sat with her bare foot on the stool and the shod foot crossed over. She dangled a little but less fervently than before. Marlow and Derek really hadn’t noticed her one shoe condition because of where they were sitting across the table. A few other patrons in Bernie’s did notice and secretly joined Trisha in the subtle neck straining and routing their trips to the restroom by their table just to see if the missing shoe was on the floor somewhere. They also enjoyed how Trisha flexed her beautiful tanned bare foot with pretty red nails flexed on the foot bar of the stool. These other guys in the restaurant were hoping to be the prince that found the missing shoe and offered it to the one-shod pretty brunette princess.
Marlow suggested, "Hey, let's go for a walk on the riverfront."
Everyone else agreed that that was a good idea. Amber and the guys immediately got up. Marlow and Derek together placed enough cash on the table to cover what all 4 of them had purchased. Trisha hesitated for the guys to take a couple of steps before she leaned her head under the table to locate her missing shoe. She figured that they were blocking her view and now she’d be able to easily find it.
Amber looked back, "What's wrong, Trisha."
"Oh, just getting my other shoe back on. I dropped it on the other side of the table earlier." Trisha did not see the shoe anywhere and was now really starting to panic a little.
After a few more seconds of looking, Amber asked, "You found it yet?"
In a weak tone Trisha replied, "No. Maybe you could help me look." Inside, Trisha was getting upset. All she could think about was this being her first impression on Marlow and what a klutz she must seem to be to him. She also did not like the prospects of walking outside with one shoe and everyone seeing her.
Soon, all 4 were walking around the area of their table looking around for a shoe that was unbeknownst to them sitting on the bottom of the Savannah River, zipped in an attaché.
Derek suggested, "Maybe one of us kicked it behind us when we came it. I'll look over here."
Marlow volunteered, “I’ll ask the bartender if a lost shoe’s been turned in.”
Amber whispered to Trisha, "I guess some things don't change.. do they?"
(Part Four)
Soon Trisha and the rest succumbed to the fact that the shoe was gone. There was no reasonable explanation and that made the loss even harder to endure. Marlow was quick to suggest, “It is a warm night, just take that one off and go barefoot.”
“Maybe, but the rocks out there on the street and sidewalk are difficult to maneuver. I also have to be careful walking in bare feet because of my modeling job.” Trisha was also concerned that she had lost such an expensive pair of shoes - even though they were free to her - except for the income tax - she still hated that it happened. She was also upset that it happened the very first time she got to wear this particular pair. Even though she was not terribly thrilled about thong sandals, she wanted to give these a chance to get broken in. She did like the way they showed off her toes and red polish. She liked the way the shoes looked more than the way they felt - as is true of most ladies shoes really, she thought.
“Trisha, I know I wear a size 9 and you a 7, but I’d be willing to go barefoot and let you wear my sandals,” Amber offered generously.
“That’s sweet, Amber, but I’ll be okay.” Trisha was not really all that much okay, but she decided to make the most of the time and try to enjoy her time out for the evening.
Marlow added, “I’d offer mine but I’m a size 11 men’s - there’s no way you’d be able to walk in them.”
Derek nodded as if to give his agreement with the offer - he also had feet too big to help Trisha.
“Why don’t we drive out to Tybee Island and walk on the beach - no one needs shoes for that,” suggested a wise Marlow. Tybee Island was 20 miles and a 30-minute drive on Highway 80 so that was a reasonable suggestion. Everyone liked it. Marlow then followed up with, “Uh, um..we walked over here. Amber can you drive?”
Amber said, “Ooh, I don’t know I had a couple of beers.”
Marlow replied, “Yeah, I guess not - but Derek and I did too. “
Trisha generously volunteered, “All I had was a virgin daiquiri. I can drive if you show me the way.” She was obviously feeling better about her predicament, now that all would be on an even playing field, so to speak.
Amber had parked about a block to the east near the riverfront so there would only be a short walk to their car. Trisha decided to keep her one remaining shoe on reasoning that there was no reason to make both feet endure the rocky sidewalk and street.
Outside the restaurant, Amber suggested, “Let’s just cross the street here and walk on the nice sidewalk for Trisha’s sake.” This suggestion was well received, especially by Trisha, seeing that the sidewalk along the same side of the street as the restaurant was entirely comprised of inlaid stones of uneven size and height.
Crossing the street, they passed a group of 4 teenaged guys and one of them happened to see Trisha’s one shoeless foot and unbalanced stride and shouted, “Hey girl, where’s your other shoe! How’d you lose it. Please tell me!”
Trisha and the others just ignored is inquiry and continued on their way to Amber’s car. The rocks were hurting her bare foot a little. She tried to walk on her heel to keep the stress off her toes. This made her stride even more awkward.
Once at the car, Trisha kicked off her remaining shoe and slid it under the driver’s seat to drive barefoot. She often removed her right shoe only, keeping the left still on, when driving in loose mules and slides. But this time, with the right shoe being the one lost, she seemed oddly compelled to remove the left one and drive completely without shoes. Maybe the thought of going to the beach had her thinking ahead about walking on the sand barefoot.
Along the way the conversation continued - mostly about classmates at SCAD. Trisha focused on driving and listening and trying to learn more about Marlow and also Amber to try to get some feeling of whether or not Olivia’s concern was valid.
Derek mostly listened as Amber in the front passenger seat and Marlow in the rear seat behind Trisha talked about their attitudes toward classes, classmates and life in general. Marlow was a bit pessimistic, Trisha noted and she noticed that Amber seemed more pessimistic that she had noticed her being before. Still, there was not enough evidence to fully support Olivia’s fears, but there was at least some truth, maybe.
Amber instructed Trisha on where to park for the public beach and all four departed the Honda to frolic on the sand for about an hour. Trisha enjoyed this part of the evening quite a bit. It was relaxing and it was easy to get lost in the solitude of the beach and the Atlantic Ocean in near darkness. Trisha enjoyed the feel of the soft sand on her feet as did everyone else. It was a nice elixir after having to walk without one of her shoes on the rough rocky sidewalk and street back in Savannah.
The foursome sat down in the sand to look at the sliver moon in the western sky getting ready to set soon and the stars that were quite bright since they were away from the city and because of the small low moon. Without saying a word, Marlow got out a joint and started to smoke. He passed it to Derek and he took a hit. He then passed it to Amber who refused.
Amber quickly whispered in anger to Marlow, “ I told you - not around Trisha, remember.”
Marlow similarly replied, “Look, when are you going to quit putting on an act for everyone else and be who you want to be.”
Amber stood up and walked toward the water out of earshot. Marlow caught up and the two began to walk up the beach leaving Derek and Trisha to wonder what was going on. Trisha knew that Marlow had lit up a joint and she figured that was the problem was.
“Amber, when are you going to grow out of that wimpy sorority lifestyle and be yourself!”
“I don’t know who myself is anymore! Before I met you I had never smoked pot and I was a virgin. Now both of those things have changed. I’m still doing some soul-searching.”
“If you don’t want to smoke, fine. But why try to lie to your friend, Trisha, and pretend that you’re still Sally Sorority. I guess you’re afraid you’ll lose her friendship or that she’ll preach at you. Are the two of you going to that Wesley Fellowship tomorrow morning.”
“Actually we are.”
“I suppose you’ll not tell her that you’ve only been there twice and that you come to my place on Sunday and tell your Aunt Olivia that you’re at Wesley. What happens tomorrow when you come and get treated like a visitor and when you’re not singing in the chorus like you said you are.”
The conversation continued like this for 10 more minutes as Derek nervously tried to make small talk with Trisha. Marlow had told Derek from the beginning that Trisha was not his type and that this was not a set-up. However, he did find Trisha very attractive. He had not known that many sorority girls but he thought he could get used to their nice clothes, sweet smelling perfume and refined manner. Derek happened to be a leg man and the way Trisha’s capri’s fit snug on her hips and legs and accented her tan legs turned him on, He also found her red toenails to be quite nice. He found himself staring at her legs and feet in silence fumbling for the words to say to start the conversation.
“So Trisha, how long you known Amber?”
“Ten years since Middle School.”
After a pause, Trisha asked Derek, “So you’re from Evanston? What’s it like living near Chicago?”
Derek responded with a shorted answer than Trisha expected and that was the end of the conversation until Amber and Marlow got back.
Trisha wanted to probe Derek for information about Amber and Marlow, but she felt like that would be unfair to put Derek in that situation. She instead decided to have a chat with Amber on the way home.
Later after dropping the guys off at their place, silence permeated the car like a vapor as Amber anticipated criticism from Trisha, who in turn was trying to come up with the words to say. Finally, Amber broke the silence, “I’m sorry you had to see what happened back there.”
“Amber, whether or not I saw it really is insignificant. I just worry about you getting involved in the wrong crowd and tempting you with drugs. I’m glad you said ‘no.’
Amber decided to tell the truth and reveal that she had not always said no to drugs and ‘other’ requests that Marlow had made. “I guess you’re pretty disappointed in me, huh, Trisha?”
‘We’ve been friends for 10 years - best friends. I always thought of you as the sister I never had. I just assumed we’d be each other’s maid of honor. I just want the best for you and for you to not get into trouble and mess up your life.”
“Trisha, I guess I’ve always somewhat been living a lie. You come from an upper middle class family, your dad has a good job at Coca-Cola; your mom doesn’t have to work to make ends meet; you’ve had things pretty easy. My dad’s a butcher at a grocery store. Mom also has to work to keep up our lifestyle. I guess I’ve always wanted to do things that fit your world. I really never liked that sorority stuff, but it kept us together so I did it anyway.”
Soon both girls sat in Amber’s car in Olivia’s driveway, and tears, talked more about their friendship and Amber’s slide down the wrong path. Amber promised to do something about it, but Trisha was not totally confident she would follow through. Trisha realized that their friendship had taken a different turn, one that was probably not to be reversed.
“So, do you still want to go to Wesley Fellowship with me tomorrow - even though I’m not a regular or a member of the chorus?”
“Sure Amber, I’d love to go. It will be fun and maybe you can get to know some folks who will be here over the summer with you.”
“One more thing Trisha, can I count on you to keep our conversation in confidence - please don’t tell Olivia, your parents or mine.”
“OK, I’ll give you a chance to straighten things out. But it things get to out of control, as your friend, I feel an obligation to help you and do whatever I need.”
Amber was okay with Trisha’s response and soon they went back inside and retired for the evening. Trisha carried her remaining sandal and tossed it carelessly into her suitcase.
The next day, Trisha and Amber went to Wesley Fellowship. Amber was practically treated like a visitor but they met some nice folks there. Both enjoyed the casual informal time of worship and afterwards, they went to lunch at Wendy’s before Trisha had to get on the road and drive back to Athens.
Amber did not depart from her wayward ways but she made Trisha think like she did as they talked about once a week as the summer progressed.
(Part Five - Epilogue)
Three months later, a crew was cleaning the floor of the Savannah River. One of the divers found the long-lost attaché containing Bruce’s laptop computer and Trisha’s missing sandal. The computer’s serial number was run through the crime database and a match to the one reported lost by Bruce Ballou was made. This was the first break in the case since the crime was originally reported. Meanwhile, the information that Dirk stole off the computer had been used by Macrotechniks to create a competing product against the one that BTS was also getting to market. BTS had accused Macrotechniks of stealing their idea, since they knew about the stolen presentation on the laptop, but this was the first break that lent any credibility to the claim.
The sandal inside the bag raised the curiosity of the police and the press jumped all over it. He headline of the story was LAPTOP THEFT VICTIM PRINCE LOOKING FOR CINDERELLA. Bruce initially denied any contributing role to the shoe being in the bag. To be found out as a shoe fetishist would be damaging to his reputation and he had to protect himself.
The morning after the story broke, Amber and Marlow were at the coffee shop in the SCAD bookstore and they overheard some fellow students discussing the humorous headline. Amber asked to see the paper and was shocked to see what the article contained. It described the shoe as a right, size 7, Cole Haan ‘Emilia’ thong sandal with a reptile pattern upper. She remembered this as being the shoe that Trisha lost in Bernie’s on April 28th. Indeed that was the night they were there and lost the shoe, she deduced. The article asked for anyone knowing who might have lost the shoe to report it to police immediately.
That evening, Amber called Trisha and told her to check out the story on http://www.savannahnow.com/. Trisha was shocked to see the story and a photo of her long lost shoe on the web site. She told Amber she’d call the police in the morning.
Trisha called the police and reported that she had lost that particular shoe in Bernie’s on the evening in question. The officer was elated and very surprised to talk with Trisha. After hearing the whole story - he told her she might be subpoenaed it the case went to trial - as would Amber, Marlow and Derek and the bartender. She also told police that she kept the orphaned sandal in her closet - a fact that greatly pleased the police.
Police did a fingerprint dust of the evidence and apparently; Dirk wore gloves to do the deed. Only Bruce’s fingerprints were on the evidence and particularly damaging, only his prints were on Trisha’s shoe.
The investigation continued and the press ridiculed Bruce and his apparent shoe fetish. Trisha was also embarrassed as her name leaked to the press also and she was referred to as Hi-tech Cinderella. One winner in the deal was Cole Haan and C-III Marketing who had hired Trisha as one of their models. The Cole Haan ‘Emilia’ shoe became very well known and sales of Cole Haan shoes rose 11% after the story broke.
Dirk was never found to be the guilty criminal and eventually BTS dropped the case against Macrotechniks due to lack of proof of foul play. Bruce kept his job at BTS, but was the object of shoe jokes from his co-workers for awhile.
NOTE: This story can also be found at Dangling.Com.
