It was something about shoes. It wasn’t a particular color or style. It didn’t matter if they were men’s shoes, women’s shoes, or kids shoes. Casual, dress, canvas, jogging, or tennis… it didn’t matter. Shoes were Ricky’s obsession!!!
An independent walker and runner, Ricky was impulsive. His mom had done a great job teaching Ricky how to behave in the community, but because of his impulsive behaviors, we still had to watch him and keep him close. For the most part, field trips were uneventful with Ricky, until he became obsessive. First, it was candy bars, helium balloons, then shoes. Oh yes, shoes.
It started innocently enough in the classroom. Ricky would see a pair of shoes and obsess over them. It didn’t matter who were wearing the shoes, whether it was one of his teachers, a student, the secretary or principal, if he saw a pair of shoes that caught his attention, they were coming off. And, I do mean literally coming off!!! Ricky would make every attempt to take the shoes right off of the feet of the person who was wearing them. The behavior came to a head when we went to the pumpkin patch, and Ricky body flipped a perfect stranger, an adult woman, for her red shoes while waiting in line to pet a lamb! He had one shoe off of her foot so fast, we were all stunned. Yep, I had a heck of a time explaining and apologizing to that stranger!
So, when it was time for our annual trip to Arden Mall to go Christmas shopping, I had it all planned out since Ricky was going to be my charge for the field trip. I mapped out where I was going to take Ricky, and how we were going to get there. I knew where every shoe store was in the mall, and strategically avoided each and every one of them. Things were going just as I had planned! Yep, I was feeling pretty good about myself!!! So far, so good. Ricky and I were having a great time. He had chosen his Christmas gift for the classroom gift exchange during our Christmas party. He was on his best behavior, enjoying the sights, sounds, and festivities of Christmas.
Now that it was getting close to lunchtime, I told Ricky that we were going to head upstairs to the food court. Shopping bags in my right hand, and Ricky’s hand in my left, we headed up the escalator, and started making our way to the food court. We were almost there, when all of a sudden, Ricky broke away from my grip, and took off running! Caught totally off guard, I start running after him, wondering why he broke away and where he was going. It only took a second for me to see what had caught his attention!
After all of my careful planning, and strategic paths to take throughout the mall, I did not account for a small kiosk full of shoes near the food court. I didn’t see it, but Ricky sure did. He made it to that kiosk in a matter of seconds and shoes started flying!!! All I could see was shoes being tossed in the air, dropping to the ground, and flying over the landing to the first floor. As I get to Ricky, I am already apologizing to the owner of the kiosk. The look on his face was priceless. He didn’t know what to do, or how to feel. Just as quick as it took Ricky to get to the kiosk, was just as fast as it took Ricky to find a shoe that he liked. At that point, Ricky sat on the mall floor, smiling and contented as can be!!! Once again, I had a heck of a time explaining and apologizing, and promising to make sure every shoe was accounted for, which, thank God, and the help of some very kind and sympathetic strangers, we were able to do. The owner of the kiosk took to Ricky and was so impressed with his love for shoes that he was going to give him a free pair! Thank you…. but no!!! Ricky sure did not deserve a reward for his behavior!
Needless to say, by the time Ricky and I got to the food court, and I told everyone why we were late, everybody had a good laugh on us. Yep, never a dull moment!!!