Dead Men's Shoes

Walking past the charity shop he paused to look into the window. It was not usual for him but something had caught his eye. He glanced through the collections of cut glass, china, books and DVD’s but couldn’t trace what had made him stop.

Through the glass he could see the two old ladies looking up from their desk in hopes of a sale. It was then he saw what had subconsciously caught his eye. A pair of beautiful brown leather brogues. Not his style at all but somehow they just seemed ….. right.

He was running late already but he decided to pop his head in the door to ask the size. He somehow knew they would say ‘size nine’ and sure enough the older of the two women confirmed what he thought with a smile.

He glanced at his watch and decided he could be a few more minutes late for his meeting.

‘Can I try them on?’

The smaller of the women held out a tortoise shell shoehorn and indicated a seat near the back. He took the shoes and the rather quaint shoehorn sat and slipped off his shoes.

As soon as the first went on he felt different, the second completed the change. He looked down and almost didn’t recognize his feet with this new look. When the laces were done up he stood and glanced in the mirror.

He liked them, liked them a lot. Of course they really needed a new suit and as if the two old ladies had read his mind they were there with a brown tweed double breasted suit and waistcoat. He checked the time. Better to be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb he reasoned.

Standing inside the changing room he smoothed down the waistcoat and looked at himself in the mirror. It was perfect. He sniffed the sleeve of the jacket, it smelt fresh not like something from a charity shop so he decided to keep it on.

Parting with money at the desk he added two white shirts and three ties and left happy for his meeting.

The two old ladies smiled as he left before the younger spoke.

‘He looked the spitting image of your Ted in his clothes.’

‘He did,’ the other said with a tear forming in her eye. ‘wonder if he realised they were a dead man’s shoes?’

‘I hope not, but I wonder if he will be so quick to jump into his grave.’

Sitting in his meeting after apologising for being late and receiving compliments for his suit and shoes he began to feel a tingle down his arm and a tightening across his chest.

Back in the shop the two ladies rearranged the displays. ‘Make sure you leave room for the shoes,’ said the elder