Dear shoes,

We’ve been through a lot.

You took me across Europe, in and out of countless subway stations, to almost every corridor of Tate Modern, and from the gravel paths of Sanssouci to the bustling avenue that is Champs-Élysées. You even managed to take me to the top of La Tour Eiffel. By the way, thanks for that. It was a nice view. C’était une belle vue.

And don’t forget those 10-minute walks from the lot to the lab. I apologize for the construction on Washington Ave; it must’ve been dusty down there. As for rush hour on the way back, thanks for taking charge of the brake and acceleration pedals. The former more so.

Remember our stroll down the Magnificent Mile?
Of course you do.
You should say something before I step in gum.

I owe you one for taking me up and down the school stairs everyday, especially whilst navigating around the occasional spilled milk carton or the upturned Nachos Grandé. You don’t deserve to be pressed against that filthy floor five days a week but I guess that’s your job. You never complain.

Here’s to more journeys.

Your dependent biped,
Ishmam Ahmed