my boot story

ok.... I have to tell my boot story! I bought these Red Wing boots in Nelson for the Sakhalin 1 project in Russia that I was assigned to during summer of 2004. They were the most comfortable boots I've ever owned and over the course of the first 6 week rotation in Chayvo those boots and I put on many miles. Upon returning home after the rotation I went to the shoe store where I'd bought them to purchase boot grease so they would be waterproof for the next rotation. The lady looked at me and then asked 'are you the fellow who bought those Red Wings a couple months ago?' My reply was 'yes, those are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned!' She started to laugh then replied 'did you find yourself stumbling alot?' I said no, the boots are excellent. She then said ' you better check your boots when you get back to camp to confirm the right boot isn't a size 13 and the left a size 9 1/2.' I laughed and said 'there's no way the right boot could be size 13! I'd be tripping and stubbing my toe if that was the case. I put on way too many miles in those boots to not notice such a size difference between them!'

to make a long story short: when I arrived back in Chayvo the first thing I did was check the boots. I nearly fell over when I compared the two and realized the right boot was a couple inches longer than the left! Then, of course, I had to work for 6 weeks in the odd sized boot! Now that I was aware of the size difference I seemed to be stumbling and tripping over everything! When I returned to Nelson I took the boots into the store and the lady howled when she saw them. She gave me the proper fitting right boot but now after 12 weeks of work the left boot was scuffed and worn so here I was with a brand new right boot and a scuffed up left boot! So she offered to polish up the left boot and she did such a good job I had almost matching boots. Of course by then it was winter in Chayvo so we were wearing snowboots! The Red Wings sat on the shelf till spring but provided endless chuckles throughout the winter for all of us. The boots survived Russia and then spent 2 years on the hard Marro ground in Barbados till the heels broke apart and I had to retire them. I left them for a Bajan to repair and I bet they are still being worn. So thats my Red Wing boot story!