Monday, September 12, 2005

Requiem for a worn out sock...

I'm a sock person. I pretty much love all types of socks...the only exception would probably be those thin nylon dressy things worn by guys who wear suits and ties. My favorite would probably have to be the thick warm wooly socks I get on occasion from some thoughtful soul around christmas time. Why christmas? I'm not sure. I rarely get socks at any other time of the year, and although I love socks, I rarely purchase them for myself. Perhaps I'll have to do better at buying my own socks, given my propensity for pickiness when it comes to my personal attire.

The last pair I got was three years ago at...christmas. I got two pairs of thick wool socks. Both grey, but one had a red stripe at the top with red toes and the other a black stripe with black toes. I've yet to wear the socks as a matched pair. It's always been pretty much one black and one red sock at all times.

I wear socks all year round, with nearly every type of footwear, except my Chaco sandals. There is something so very wrong with men (or anyone for that matter) who insist on wearing socks with any type of ugly chunky teva-style sport sandal (the sport sandal thing is a whole other issue, which I'll spare you the details...for now.) . The only exception to this rule in my opinion (and I know quite a few who would disagree with this opinion) would possibly be a nice thick pair of wool socks and a pair of Birkenstock sandals worn on a chilly autumn morning.

Two pairs of socks worn at the same time can help you avoid the searing and disabling discomfort that can only be inflicted by a blister on your foot when you're out on the hiking trail by adding a little extra cushion and layering between your skin and the inside of a hiking boot...they also, when worn in the proper combination...such as a polyester sock under a heavier weight wool sock...help your feet to stay warm and dry in your boots.

I did laundry this past weekend and as usual, I have to wash the socks I wear at work. Standard black cotton socks. I've managed to pretty much keep the same six pairs of socks for a good four years now, without losing one for any longer than a week or so. Occasionally, one would find its way to the back of my sock bin in my closet for a few days and escape being worn and washed a couple of times until I'd find it again and mate it up with its twin.

Anyhow...as I was sorting out the clean socks and mating them up with their significant others, I noticed a hole the size of a dime in the heel of one of my black work socks. Ordinarily, holey socks wouldn't bother me all that much. I've been known to wear the same pair of wool socks til the feet were completely disentigrated and were nothing more than the necks of the socks on my ankles. My solution to this was generally to wear a pair of thinner cotton socks underneath. This time however, I don't think I have any other recourse than that of disposing of the afflicted hoisery for good. The problem with holes in my cotton socks being that although they can be darned, I wouldn't wear them because the knot of thread patching the hole would feel like something balled up in a tight knot and stuck to the inside of the sock, which would cause me to try and shift the sock around to a more comfortable position. This wouldn't work because as anyone who wears cotton socks can tell you, once that sock has been worn and broken in to the shape of your foot, it's almost impossible to get a comfortable fit in any other position.

So, it appears that I'm off to Target at some point to purchase a new pack of socks. Black socks that come in packs of six or eight and cost five bucks. Unfortuantely, the sock that developed the hole was purchased at the same time as and has seen about the same amount of wear as the five other pairs I have that are just like it, and once one starts to go, the other eleven aren't far behind. So, even though I'll probably wear those other socks til they too disentigrate, another fresh supply of socks is definately in order. Perhaps while I'm there, I'll see if they have any cool wool socks. Winter is approaching and I'd like to scare up another couple of pairs to see me through the cold months ahead. Perhaps they have some toe socks as well. I like toe socks too.

4 Comments:

Blogger tamara said...

I knew we were perfect for each other... I heart socks, too! I don't even wear them matched hardly at all - it's much more fun to pair off completely different types of socks and make people laugh. Or think you're crazy. :)

love you lots and lots,
Sunshine & Hazel Mae

4:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

HEEEHEEE! You are the only person I know that can create such an artful piece of literature over socks. Great reading for hurricane war-zone weary me. Love Ya!-Jana

7:41 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

wow wee..very trippy post on socks..held my interest all the way through..your good :)

1:11 PM  
Blogger J said...

I engage in a daily "Sock Meditation" (as my girlfriend calls it). Sometimes it can take me as long as 20 minutes to put my socks on as I ponder whatever's troubling me, plan my day, or simply daydream. I don't know if there's anything symbolic in my sitting on the edge of the bed with one sock off and one sock on. Perhaps there's something profound in that gesture. I don't know. It works for me. -JJ

12:48 PM  

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