I imagine stories for all the women in the photo. I imagine this tiny boy grows into a man filled to the brim with self confidence; into a man who has absolute knowledge that the women in his life adore him. Self confidence beats tentativeness every time. The little boy's shoes are the kind of shoes which, were I a better cousin, I would buy for Cousin Tate.
I wore either Buster Browns or cowboy boots through early childhood. There was some type of problem with Southern Brother and I rolling our feet outwards (to best of my understanding), and Mom attempted to fix it with "good shoes". She seemingly succeeded. I will attest that Buster Browns were good and durable shoes: we beat them to death, yet they persevered. I was in first grade before I scored a pair of tennis shoes like the other kids.
Searching Buster Brown online,
I discover the venerable company no longer makes the model of shoes which Southern Brother and I wore, and which looked a lot like the shoes the Spanish boy is wearing. Modern day Buster Brown preschool selections for boys
The "Bryce" comes closest to replicating the shoe we wore. Except, memory of the shoe is burned in my mind for life, and the Bryce's non leather sole is an aesthetic fail. If shoes make the outfit, soles make the shoes. The Bryce does not measure up to our 1960s classics.
Photo at top is from a blogpost of travel photos from Seville, linked by lovely Tatyana.
*Would I recommend those purple ankle collar shoes? I would not, yet a man does appreciate the charm of a thing which may be unbuckled.
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8 comments:
Greg, Thanks for finding this wonderful photo from Seville. I too like everything about it. Furthermore, it reminds me of something I saw years ago when I was first married and working in a fine linens shop in Nashville.
It was a small shop with exquiste linens and lingerie. There was a mannequin in the front dressed up in a gorgeous silk nightgown and robe.
A mother of two little boys--- maybe a year or two older thanthat darling little boy---comes in to shop, admonishing the young fellows to mind their manners, then leaving them to their own devices..... a little while later much to the mother's horror she spotted them both down on the floor with their heads under the nightgown....they were enchanted to discover the mannequin had no underpants on....
Needless to say this was a source of unlimited giggles and delight to these little guys. Of course the mother ran to grab them and pull them back from what she saw as a gross impropriety....however, we all thought it was hilarious and couldn't stop laughing ourselves.
I suppose the moral of the story is that boys will be boys, no matter how young!
Delightful story. You probably know this, but: the father of those boys was proud when he heard that story. He bragged to all his friends, for years. Guaranteed. I would've done the same.
I wouldn't recommend the purple shoes myself; the reason is standing right next to that purple-shoes-owner. The older lady with swollen feet and sandals she can never find in quite the right size - that's what happens to leg circulation after years of yielding to men' propensity to unbuckle things!
You cousin Tate is adorable and yes, the Buster shoes would be more appropriate with leather sole. But what manufacturer now wants his product to last?
Speaking of Tate: if "Tatyana" is too complicated, you can call me Tat; my friends do.
Then I shall call you Tat. Although,
Tatyana is a beautiful name, and is fun to say, so I will still have to use it sometimes!
-yes, if it is written correctly - Tatyana - and not Tatanya...
Ack! Correction made. I knew your name, and just glitched it. Had you sounding like an American Indian.
Aw, so precious! And forget the shoes...I want the whole outfit for Tate! Love it.
Jen,
I knew you would love this photo.
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