And Then You Look At His Feet And You Think, "Whoa. Did We Really Just Jump A Few Generations?"

When I arrived to college in 1990, I really wanted a pair of Birkenstocks. Of course, being a postmodern hippie, I looked at the prices and said, "Um, I don't think so. $100 for sandals. Please." Then, when I traveled to German during my sophomore year while studying in London, I found Birkenstocks that were a lot more affordable. I lived in them...summer, spring, winter and fall. Yes, fall. I would wear them with wool socks and those big Guatemalan knit sweaters. I wore them until the tread disappeared and then I had them resoled. I wore those again until the buckles fell off. Addicted, I finally got another pair.

I lived in that pair, too. Each of them lasted 10 years and when we moved from the CT rental to the house, I realized the second pair needed to be retired, too. They were moldy, cracked, and not salvageable. I got cheap flip flops instead.

The other day, Chitunga found a pair of generic Birks at Kohl's and wanted them. I said, "Sure, but aren't they a little old and not cool?" He didn't mind.

He came downstairs last night wearing them with these socks. I had to laugh. He must think I'm a total dork, but I needed to capture him in the socks and sandals. It was a total throw back to what my feet must have looked like from 1992 to 2012. I wore my sandals all the time (and for a while I had tie dyes, overalls, and long hair to go with them).

This is his generation, though. I await the day he wears them in public and wonder how they will be perceived by his friends. I loved my birds. I remember how excited I was when I finally got my first pair...like it was a tremendous milestone and I really had accomplished something (moved into intellectual bohemian bourgeois territory. I guess I never thought I'd see the day that such shoes would be on the kid's feet. I think my sisters, friends, and other family will see the resemblance.

Man, now I want another pair. For 20 years, my swag totally loved those shoes. Maybe I need to wear Sauconys less and return to the Woodstock look.