The hitchhiker

Author – Jay

James was approached by a guy in his early twenties, well dressed, shirt, tie, grey trousers and dark brown brogues on his feet. He claimed he’d lost his wallet and train ticket and had no way of getting home to Manchester. James took pity on him and as he had nothing planned he would drive the guy home as long as he paid for the fuel as Manchester was over 100 miles away. The guy introduced himself as Richard, he promised to pay James when he got home as he lived with his mates, they would lend him the money.
They headed onto the motorway, Richard said he’d been for a job interview and returned to the railway station only to realise his wallet was missing. They wouldn’t issue a ticket as he had no I.D. to allow them to bill him later.
A few miles later the conversation changed, James asked about his passengers leather shoes.
‘They look expensive’ he said. Richard said they cost him a few hundred pounds made from Italian leather. He lifted his foot to show his shoe, then his wallet fell out of his black sock. He tried to hide it but James had seen it.
‘Guess you forgot to check your socks when you realised your wallet was missing, perhaps you can pay for the fuel now’ said James with a stern tone to his voice.
Richard blushed as he opened his wallet, it was empty except for a ticket, not a train ticket but a metrolink tram ticket. He apologised for his deception claiming he had hitched a ride that morning to Carlisle as he had no money
but found it difficult to get a ride back so created his bad luck story for someone to take pity.
‘Why go all the way for a job interview if you had no means of getting there’ asked James. Richard blushed again telling him he had actually been summonsed to court for theft. ‘Great’, said James ‘Bet you had no intention of paying for the fuel either. I should pullover and kick you out’.
James pulled off the motorway at the next exit and drove for several miles along country lanes until the road ended at a deserted car park up in the hills. Richard looked worried. ‘You’re not going to leave me here’ he said.
James smiled saying he wanted to see his expensive Italian made leather shoes as he ordered him out of the car.
‘You going to steal my shoes’ said Richard. James said unlike you I’m no thief but they will cover the cost of the fuel. Richard said they where his dads shoes so he couldn’t take them. ‘Another lie, you said they cost you hundreds of pounds, are they genuine leather?’ he asked.
Richard looked down at his feet as James ordered him to take off his shoes. He removed his left shoe and handed it to James as he rested his socked foot on top of his other shoe. James inspected it, he sniffed it, definitely leather, at least he hadn’t lied about that. He gave it back to Richard who immediately placed his foot inside as he agreed to hand them over when he gets home. James said he wants them now, he couldn’t trust the guy to not jump out of the car at a red light.
‘I’m giving you a choice, give me your shoes and I’ll drive you to Manchester or I get back in the car and drive home leaving you here miles from the main road and its about to get dark.
‘You can’t leave me here’ pleaded the young guy.
‘Oh but I can, you should think yourself lucky I still don’t take your shoes and leave you to walk in your socked feet’ said James telling him he hates thieves and liars. Richard got back in the car and took off his brogues. James ordered him back out telling him to place his shoes under a bush in the far corner of the car park. He watched as Richard hobbled across the gravel car park in his thin black socks. As he hobbled back he asked why as they would be ruined if it rained. James told why it mattered as the shoes no longer belonged to him but he did tell him he couldn’t try and steal them back if they where not inside the car. Richard looked down at James’s feet, he was wearing black/grey Nike AirMax trainers and with a menacing smile told him people get mugged all the time for their expensive trainers in Manchester. James looked at his own shoes and began to wonder what his hitchhiker had stolen to be in court and began to doubt his own actions, the guy may of given up his own shoes to get home but once he was in Manchester he might turn on James.
He kicked off his trainers and thrust them in Richards chest ‘Put them with your shoes, they’ll be safe until I return’.
He watched the guy hobble back across the car park carrying his trainers as he stood in his white socked feet.
The now shoeless guys got back in the car and headed down the hill, as they pulled onto the main road another car turned off heading up the hill towards the deserted car park.
‘Looks like someone could be getting my leather Brogues and a new pair of Nikes’ said Richard with a big grin on his face ‘Especially as I didn’t quite place your trainers under the bush’. James just stared ahead as they drove towards the motorway.
It was getting cold so on went the car heater, the smell of leather was still emitting from Richards feet.
As they left the motorway into Manchester James began to get nervous as he followed Richards directions, what if his mates are waiting to ambush him, perhaps steal his car leaving him stranded and shoeless in Manchester. He decided to pull up at a tram stop and ordered Richard to get out.
‘You said you’d take me home’ cried Richard who was reluctant to get out in his socked feet. James said he’d agreed to take him to Manchester telling him he had a metrolink ticket in his wallet and to use it. James felt safe, the tram stop had plenty of people at it. Richard slammed the car door shut bringing attention to himself. James smiled and waved goodbye, taking great pleasure as he watched Richard in his shirt, tie, trousers and socked feet join the queue. He took one last look at Richards socked feet as they disappeared inside the tram. ‘Hope he’s embarrassed to hell, he deserves it’ thought James.
On the motorway he was excited and nervous, he could not wait to try on his new leather shoes and retrieve his own trainers. He hoped Richard had lied and hid them properly under the bush and they weren’t on the feet of some other guy.
As he headed up the motorway his fuel light came on, he wasn’t going to reach the car park without refuelling. He too was going to have to face the embarrassment of being shoeless in public. Not only would he have to stand pumping fuel in his white socks he’d have to walk across the brightly lit forecourt into the shop to pay also. If only Richard knew as he sat on the tram hiding his own shoeless feet.

Naive: Learned The Hard Way

Author – Irsocks

This was embarrassing. That is why I waited a long time before I would share. I wanted a pair of Etnies Callicut skate shoes. I waited until I found a pair that was on sale and in my size. I found a black and royal blue pair. I ordered them and waited for them to come. Three weeks went by and no shoes. I contacted the seller and was told that they had been delivered. I explained that I never got them. They said there was nothing they could do about it. I was devastated. I felt like someone had punch me in the kidneys over and over again. All that time and money wasted. I had even bought a pair of black cargo shorts and a royal blue tee to wear with them. I could just imagine the person that had them wearing them for free. I finally let it go.
Guess what showed up on my doorstep three months later? I had forgotten all about them. My black and royal blue Callicuts were there in the box. You would have thought I had won the lottery. I immediately put them on and wore them the rest of the day. I finally got to wear them with the cargo shorts and tee. Everything was right with the world again…well for now anyway. After about a year the newness wore off, and they were just another pair in my collection.
I started chatting with a friend online. He had some Nike Shox that looked amazing. He suggested that we swap shoes for a few weeks after I commented on his Shox. I should not have done it, but I wanted to wear the Shox because I was too cheap to buy a pair. He wanted my Etnies. I hesitated, but he assured me that it would only be for a month. I agreed and mailed him my Etnies. I got his Shox in the mail. A few weeks went by, and I was ready to swap again. For some reason he was never available online. I tried contacting him over and over again and nothing.
I brain finally started working again when I realized that I was not getting my Etnies back. He even had the nerve to send my pics of my shoes on his feet. I was mad. I tried contacting him again. He would never answer because he knew why I was trying to contact him. I finally gave up. The pics were the only thing left of my Etnies. After a while I lost them too. I learned the hard way that you do not swap shoes with someone online. I had only myself to blame because I should have known that it was going to happen. Just like when I ordered them I was hoping he would feel guilty and send them back to me. He never did.

Lost a bet… And my shoes

Author – Alexander

I was at my friend’s house sitting in his room being a little bored. At some point I asked what to do, he said I don’t know. Then I said we can play some basketball. He agreed and we went outside his house. We started playing a little bit and at some point I said I bet you I can throw in 5 balls in less than 3 minutes. My friend was like okay and if you don’t? I said then I lose the bet. He laughed and asked but what’s the stake? For fun I said let’s bet our shoes we’re wearing. He looked at his feet and mine and said okay let’s do it. I wanted to say that  I was joking but he took out his phone and put it on stopwatch and said I’m ready for it. I couldn’t do nothing but to start playing. The first 4 throws were missing and then the fifth went into the basket. At that time 1 minute was almost gone. I kept throwing the balls and I thought I was doing well but after I got 4 balls in the basket he told me to stop and showed me the time on his phone. He said laughing I believe you have just lost your own bet. I couldn’t believe it and then he said I guess you owe me a pair of sneakers. I reluctantly untied my sneakers and took them off. My friend  quickly grabbed them and said nice sneakers, I always wanted a pair of these. After that we went back inside and had something to eat and a few drinks. It was getting dark and I had to go home again. I looked for my sneakers and my friend noticed and said that he hide them. Now I really had to cycle home in my socked feet. I got on my bike and first I felt embarrassed but after a few minutes I didn’t care to much. I had to cycle for about half an hour to get home.

Unlucky policeman

Author – Unlucky lad

Joe, 25, aswell as other officers from around the country had gone to assist the Met police in London for a big anti-lockdown demo that weekend.
At 6ft 3 tall with short bleached blond hair and covered in tattoos he hadn’t gone unnoticed by the commanding officer who ordered him to go undercover amongst the protesters. An excited Joe quickly changed out of his uniform into his jeans, green Lacoste polo shirt and white Nike Air Force 1 trainers. Nobody would suspect he was a policeman, his brief was to seek out troublemakers and ringleaders in the crowd.
Using his phone camera, Joe would take and send images of suspects to his superiors, he also took selfies and random photos of others to look inconspicuous. Typically, his phone bleeped ‘low battery’. He messaged ‘phone needs charging’ then hurriedly sent as many images as he could before it died completely.
Joe watched as his suspects where extracted from the crowd. Suddenly Joe was grabbed and quickly handcuffed, his protests went unheard in the noisy crowd. Thrown in a police van along with the suspects he became quiet so not to reveal his identity.
Two teenagers that he had randomly photographed where also handcuffed and put in the van. He quickly realised that in his haste he must have sent the images of himself and other innocent demonstrators. Not only had he accidentally incriminated the teenagers but himself too.
Joe assured the scared teenagers that they would be released at the police station. Another guy laughed, “We will be illegally locked up for hours to stop us returning to the protest”, he said. Joe dismissed the idea, he knew the police arrest procedures.
“Nice trainers” said another protester to Joe.
“Thanks” said Joe, looking at his white Airforce 1 trainers, they where now scuffed. He looked at everyone else’s feet, the teenagers wore Vans, most of the others where wearing Adidas trainers, ‘typical footwear of football supporting thugs’ he thought. He expected their shoes to be taken from them after they are detained at the police station. Joe enjoyed arresting young guys as they often wore the latest kicks, Joe bought his Airforce 1’s after inspecting a similar pair he’d confiscated from a lad before locking him in a cell. 
He relaxed, his Nikes would be staying on his feet knowing that once he shows his police warrant card he would be released.
The police van stopped, everyone got out. They weren’t at a police station but inside a warehouse with rows of large cages. ‘Temporary jail cells, not your usual custody suite’ thought Joe. The police left them in the custody of the jail guards. Still handcuffed they where escorted passed several cages, some already had protesters inside, angry at their incarceration, they where all without shoes. Joe anticipated the Adidas wearers to be joining them. They stopped outside an office door with a hand written sign, ‘Processing’. Joe hadn’t been wrong, one by one they entered through the door to then exit shoeless. Eventually Joe was escorted inside the office and uncuffed.
‘Empty your pockets and take off your shoes” demanded a guard.
Joe explained that he was an undercover police officer and had accidentally been ‘taken out’ with the other protesters. They asked Joe to produce his warrant card, he searched his pockets but it wasn’t there.
“God damn it, it’s still in my uniform” said Joe.
“Of course it is” said the guard shaking his head, he again told Joe to empty his pockets and remove his shoes.
Joe demanded they charge his phone so he could contact his commanding officer. “Would you like a coffee while we wait for it to charge” said the guard sarcastically. The other guards laughed.
“We are expecting hundreds of demonstrators, we need to process everyone very quickly. So without your I.D. you’ll be treat like everyone else so empty your pockets and take off your shoes”
They clearly weren’t interested in helping Joe, he knew not to resist unless he wanted to be taken to the ground, handcuffed and his shoes forcibly removed. So he obeyed the instruction and took off his trainers. A guard frisk searched Joe as another placed his now confiscated Nikes in a box containing the Adidas trainers.
A few hours earlier he had been in his police uniform ready to tackle protesters but now he was about to join them behind bars.
“Cage 3” said the guard, Joe was escorted to his confinement in socked feet.
Placed inside the caged cell, Joe asked the guard how long he would be detained.
“Until the demo has finished, could be just hours or it could be tomorrow then you’ll all be released without charge” said the guard as he slammed the cage door shut. He had wanted to spend his night in London drinking in bars and not stuck behind them.
He felt guilty as the innocent teenagers joined him in the cage after having their Vans confiscated too. If only his fellow captives knew it was him that put them there. He was feeling pretty embarrassed, how was he going to live down getting himself arrested whilst on duty. How would he explain to his superiors that he had been languishing behind bars with those he had helped to arrest. At least he now knew what it was like to be arrested and getting his shoes confiscated just like he had done to others many times before.

My sister’s

Author – Ashton

My name is Ashton and I’m in 7th grade. I play football, basketball, and baseball. I am the youngest of 3 siblings and have 2 older sisters named Anna and Sarah. They are both in 9th grade. Since I am the youngest they pick on me all the time. The other day started off pretty normal. I got up and had to wait for my sisters to get out of the bathroom for me to get in. They always purposely lock the door till the very last minute so I have to rush. When they finally got out of the bathroom I ran in and got a fast shower and brushed my teeth and got dressed. I then ran to my room and thought about what shoes I was gonna wear today. I have 2 pairs of shoes and 2 pairs of cleats for sports because I play a lot of sports. So really I could only choose between my red, white, and black Air Jordan Ones or my grey, black and green Nike air maxes. I decided to go with my Air Jordan’s. I put them on and tied them and then grabbed my backpack and ran downstairs. My sisters were on the couch waiting for the bus so I sat down in the chair and waited with them. My sister Sarah was wearing a white sweater with skinny jeans and her brown UGG boots and my other sister Anna was wearing a brown sweatshirt with black leggings and her white slip on vans. I was wearing a blue sweatshirt with ripped jeans and my Air Jordan Ones. About 5 minutes later the bus came and the 3 of us got up and walked out the door. I was the first one walking out the door but then Anna shoved me back so I was the last one out the door. I then closed and locked the front door and then walked to the bus. When I got on I walked back to my seat. My seat is sitting in the second to last row with my sister Sarah sitting next to me and my sister Anna sitting in front of me. Anna sits next my sisters friend Paige so really when I’m on the bus the 3 of them always pick on me. And to make matters worse I have the window seat so my sister Sarah purposely gives me no room on the seat so I’m smack up against the window. When I sat down next to my sister Sarah shoved me next to the window as she always did. She then got on her phone and I did the same. While I was on my phone my sister Anna kicked me with her foot. I kicked her back. She then said stop it dork and then kicked me again. Then Paige said yea stop it nerd and then kicked me with her feet too. Sarah just laughed and then shoved me up against the window again. I then kicked Anna back again. She then said stop kicking me or you will regret it and kicked me again. I probably should have not kicked her again but I was a little annoyed because I had Sarah pushing me up against the window and Anna and their friend Paige kicking me with their feet. I then kicked Anna again with my right foot and before I could pull back my foot Anna grabbed it. Then Paige grabbed my foot too. I kicked and tried to get my foot free but I couldn’t because I had 4 hands holding my foot. Anna then said I warned you that you would regret it. She then said say goodbye to your shoe Cinderella and then Anna and Paige started pulling on my shoe. They pulled so hard I almost fell out of my seat. Luckily for me my shoe wouldn’t budge because I had it tied pretty tight. Then they started to untie my shoe. I kept kicking to my and get my right foot free but I physically couldn’t. Once my shoe was untied they pulled again and my high top slid off of my white socked foot. They then started laughing and let go of my socked foot. They then started waving my shoe in the air and then said man Cinderella your feet stink. I asked for my shoe back but Anna said I told you Cinderella that you would regret it. I didn’t say anything and got on my phone again and tried to ignore them waving my shoe around. I kept my socked foot on top of my foot with a shoe so my sock would not get dirty. Then the bus stopped at the high school first instead of the middle school so my sisters Anna and Sarah and their friend Paige ran off the bus and into the high school with my right high top Air Jordan One shoe. I then just thought to myself what am I gonna do with one shoe. When my bus made it to the middle school I got up and hopped on one foot off the bus with my left high top and my right foot with just a white sock. I then hopped in the school and sat down with the rest of the school and waited for the principal to dismiss us to go to our lockers and start class. As I was sitting there waiting the kid next to me asked where my shoe was. I said my sisters stole it. The principal then dismissed us and everyone started to leave the auditorium. I got up and started top hop out of the auditorium but then I got sick of hopping and just walked on my socked foot. Everyone stared at my feet and asked me where my shoe was. I kept telling everyone that my sister stole it. When I made it to my locker I put my book bag in and grabbed my binder and then shut my locker and then went to first block. When I walked in my teacher saw my socked foot but never said anything about it. For the whole class everyone stared at my feet again. It made me really uncomfortable but I couldn’t do anything but try and hide my white socked foot behind my foot with a high top. Once first block was over I walked to my next class. Once again everyone stared at my feet and asked questions. When I made it to my next class my teacher asked me where my shoe was. I told him that my sisters stole it. He said Anna and Sarah are the nicest sisters ever I highly doubt that. I didn’t say anything but thought to myself if you only knew. For that class everyone eyed up my feet but it wasn’t as bad as first block. Once second block was over I walked to third block. Once again I got asked questions and everyone looked at my feet.  When I walked into third period and sat down I lifted my socked foot to check on my sock. The bottom of my sock was filthy and even had a few hairs on it. I thought it was so gross. I patted off my sock the best I could and then did my work. Then lunch rolled around. I walked to the cafeteria and got a tray of food and sat down with my friends. They asked where my shoe was and I told that my sister took it. By this point I had gotten pretty sick of being asked questions and being stared at. Once lunch was over the rest of the day was just like the beginning. I got asked a bunch of questions and everyone stared at me. Finally the end of the day rolled around. I walked to my locker and put my binder in my book bag and then walked out of the school. I was dreading another bus ride with my sisters and Paige. The high schoolers were already on the bus so they were waiting for me. When I got in the bus I walked down the isle to my seat. While I walked down the isle my feet were the thing that everyone was looked at. When I made it to the back of the bus with my sisters they said how was your day at school Cinderella. I said if your trying to be funny it’s not. They just laughed. When I sat down my sister shoved me up against the window again. I then asked Anna if I could have my shoe back. Anna said that’s up to Paige dork we gave her your shoe. I then asked Paige if I could have my shoe back. Paige said you can have that smelly shoe back thanks to you my locker smells like feet. She then pulled out my shoe from her book bag and tossed it at my face really hard. I then put it back on my foot and my bus finally made it home. I’ll write another story if my sisters steal my shoe again.