Train of Foot Thought...

Workin' Wednesday

When riding a train you may encounter some interesting people. For instance, you might run into somebody like me who travels with a Brannock Device and a desire to make the world a better place one happier pair of feet at a time. A travel weary but charming family shared the same train car with Mom and I on the way to southern California. Our train was running hours behind schedule giving everyone a chance to get to know one another. We exchanged eye rolls when the conductor announced another delay as well as our names and stories of other travel adventures. Naturally we got around to the “What do you do?” type of conversation and I happily busted out the Brannock and offered to measure and talk about feet. After getting over the initial shock of the oddness of it all, my new found friends shared their feet, concerns and experiences as our train moved slowly south.

The “Mister” has very strong arches that appeared to be quite static...in other words...not very flexible. This usually means that this type of foot requires more cushioning and less arch in a given shoe. He mentioned that he used to actually go for runs barefoot and I wonder if that played a role in the shape of his arch. He has also found that he likes the cushioning in his New Balance shoes that I admired when I first boarded the train. I also recommended that he check out Brooks brand athletic shoes for their excellent cushioning.

The “Missus” has a dynamic/ flexible arch, an overall nice foot shape and fun green socks. She is also quite active on her feet and needs to make sure she gets enough arch support. She likes her local running shop for their selection of quality shoes and a staff that still measures feet. She and her husband had a baby not so long ago and she wondered if her feet had changed with the pregnancy. It seemed as though her arches had lengthened and she agreed that her shoe size had gone up a bit. We talked a bit about Dankso clogs and their purposely loose fit and she may try them again.

Now, Baby just flat out had the “CUTEST” feet ever not to mention a smile that exuded the love and happiness of his parents. We all wondered about how his feet might develop and if his feet would be more like Mom's or Dad's.

It's not often that I get to see a family of feet all at one time and I truly enjoyed getting to know this lil' family from the sole up. Our train eventually stopped at the station in Los Angeles and we all had to finish our trips via charter buses. We parted ways with smiles and well wishes and I couldn't help but feel lucky to have met these folks. Perhaps our footpaths will cross again one day.