Excuse me, where are your shoes?

Since Perth is steaming hot for 4 months of the year, it’s natural that people will go shoeless from time to time, after all there’s nothing quite as revolting or uncomfortable than hot, sweaty paws. What's not quite so natural however is to go barefoot in shops, supermarkets, libraries etc. When I first witnessed this I thought it was a simple case of memory loss and that said shoes were sitting by the front door at home, simply forgotten in the rush of the morning. But actually these people are choosing to leave their shoes at home and opting for the soles of their very own feet to carry them around for the day. Of course there is the prospect that they may be too strapped for cash to afford them but it’s most probable they are simply so laid back, shoes just don’t feature in their list of things to do.

Now I wouldn’t mind this so much were it not for the hygiene issue.  If you’re walking from your car, into the supermarket, through the shopping centre and so on, there’s going to be quite the build up of grime going on there. I witnessed a man go into the gents (for a quick wee presumably) at the shops the other day, he then proceeded to exit the lavatory and head straight to the fruit and veg shop to pick up his 5-a-day. Quite what he transferred from the loo to the veggies shop in the process is probably best left un-analysed, but it does pose the question, should there be a shoe law in place?!! For shopping centres at least where people are picking up fresh provisions?

I propose the council set up rental machines in highly populated areas where shoe-forgetting people are at large. Just a couple of dollars and out pops a pair of thongs – simple and easy to use and the shoes are theirs for the duration of their visit. It could be quite the little earner for Stirling council.