The gg set out this morning to do something I haven’t done
in years – to buy myself a new pair of “tennis” shoes. Now as most everyone who has bought any kind
of athletic shoe or “sneaker” within the past 50 years must surely know by now,
what used to truly be a tennis shoe – meaning it was intended for use in
playing tennis – has long since become a generic term for any kind of athletic
shoe or sneaker. Very few people actually play tennis and therefore
when they go to buy athletic shoes, they rarely do so for the purpose of
playing tennis. So the tennis shoe now
belongs in the same generic capacity as the Xerox machine (copiers and
printers) and the Kelvinator (the gg’s grandmother, like others of her era,
referred to her GE refrigerator as the “Kelvinator”) and the “Coke date”. But if the gg were to take a poll of my readers, I’d bet at least half
would admit to shopping for tennis shoes when what they are truly interested in
are shoes for running or jogging or some
other use.
The gg remembers when the market for tennis shoes was
limited to the old Converse canvas shoes.
They came in black, white or red, and in high top or low top. (These shoes have made a comeback recently and have become a fashion staple for girls.) And
then there were the rivals, PF Flyers and US Keds. And that was it. Over the course of my growing up
years, I owned all three from time to time, but I
remember the Converse’s the best. I and
all of my classmates who also had Converse’s would wear them to school every
day and on weekends. We’d wear them for
every activity we participated in, whether softball, football, basketball,
hunting, fishing, marbles or just hanging out.
Years later, when I actually began to play tennis seriously, I was able
to save enough money to buy myself a pair of Fred Perry canvas tennis shoes
(white of course) and later a pair of Adidas Stan Smith leather tennis shoes
(also white). In those days, every thing
about tennis was white.
Now fast forward to this morning and the gg’s trip to the
local sporting goods store. There was a
whole section of the store devoted to athletic and outdoor shoes, for both men
and women. I was at once amazed
and overwhelmed by the sheer number of shoes on display. And not just the number but the variety, as
it seemed there was a shoe for every athletic function known to man (or
woman). Upon entering the store, I was
asked what I was there for and, of course, I said “tennis shoes.” The greeter was an older gentlemen, so he
smiled and winked, knowing and understanding that I was not looking for a shoe
in which to play tennis, but more likely for walking or simply casual
wear. I followed his direction to the
big sign that said “Shoes.” The first
thing I noticed was sign on each section of shelving describing the type of
shoe on that particular shelf. The signs
included these, each having its own shelf with boxes of the shoes underneath
the displayed shoes in the various sizes:
“Running shoes, Training Shoes, Walking Shoes, Outdoor shoes, Hiking
Shoes, Casual shoes, Sandals, Lifestyle shoes.
(I asked what “Lifestyle” shoes were and was told that it was shoes that
were designed to look pretty much like athletic shoes but were intended to be
worn for casual occasions where no athletic activity was intended. The gg took this to mean such things as lounging around the pool at the country club. Continuing, I saw signs for “Boating shoes,
Water shoes, Volleyball shoes and Skateboarding shoes.” It’s a good thing the gg didn’t go there to
buy an actual pair of tennis shoes because there was no sign for “tennis
shoes.” It seemed to the gg that there was a shoe made especially to be worn for any and
every type of physical activity known to man.
And there must be well over 10 manufacturers competing with each other
to sell all these “tennis shoes” to the public.
These included Nike, Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Reebok, Merrill, New
Balance, , Puma, Saucony, Skechers, Sperry, and Timberland.
The gg has decided that the manufacturers of these various
tennis shoes are marketing geniuses.
They have convinced us, the consuming public, that when we want to walk,
we need to buy and wear a pair of walking shoes; that if we want to then run,
we need to stop and exchange our walking shoes for our pair of running shoes;
and if we want to venture off the jogging trail onto a wooded path through the
woods, we need to stop once more and change into our outdoor or hiking
shoes. Then if should come upon a body
of water with a dock, we need yet once
more change into our boat shoes or our water shoes (if we want to go
into the water). Then of course if we
should want to play volleyball or go skateboarding or engage in any other kind
of athletic or other physical activity, we should put on our shoes designed for
that particular activity. It’s no wonder
these shoes are nicknamed “Sneakers” – these
shoemakers sneak the money right out of our wallets and purses to buy a
separate pair of shoes for each activity.
But they forgot one thing:
What about the legions of us geezers out here who no longer choose or
are no longer able to participate in any of those activities for which the
shoes are made. In the gg’s case, I’m
waiting for them to come up with a “Netflix Binge Watching Shoe” or a “Chess
Shoe” that one would wear for playing chess.
Or how about a “Snooze shoe” for
wearing while stretched out for a nap in one’s living room recliner? The gg misses the old days when his trusted
Converse high-tops answered the call for just about every sport or activity or non-activity I wished to engage in – even
tennis. Speaking of tennis, It’s a good
thing the gg didn’t go in that store to buy a pair of actual tennis shoes. There were none so labeled or to be
found. And by now you know what that
makes the gg. Grouchy, yes.
gg
