Why didn't I wear more comfortable shoes. My feet are killing me. Why did i even make this date with Steven. I haven't seen him in so long we're history, but i'm so excited i feel like a boa constrictor is winding up inside my chest. It's hard to breathe! Gone are the days of Birkenstocks and too short shorts, the bluster years of comfort and feet salvation. It's been a while since I've been in high high heels and I'm remembering that feeling of being a baby giraffe learning to walk. Making my way down town Walking fast

Faces pass

And I'm home bound

Staring blankly ahead

Just making my way

Making a way

Through the crowd

Vanessa Carlton's' song keeps spinning around in my head. A thousand miles a thousand miles, it seems like a thousand miles from the Airport parking structure to the Airport waiting area. It seems like a thousand years since I've seen Steven instead of just 2 years.

There hadn't been any tears, his voice broke when he'd said the implacable "I'll never forget you Suz". Geesus it sounded so mundane after four years of following each other around the country. Shivering together in a bad down sleeping bag in the dead of winter. His heavyweight wool Reindeer sox , the man never forgot my feet!! I still have them rolled up in a special place in my sox drawer. Why the hell hadn't I bought down booties!

Feet, feet, why the hell do you keep on thinking about the condition of your feet?

And now I wonder If I could fall Into the sky

Do you think time Would pass me by

'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles

If I could just see you, tonight

It's always times like these

When I think of you

Feet,... feet started it. Steven's dusty hot foot reaching out tenuously in the back seat of his old Volkswagen. He stroked my arm with it. The idiot I thought until I looked into his eyes, and without a focused thought in my mind I lifted it to my lips and kissed the sole. I felt myself twitch. I saw his pupils blow, I saw his climbing shorts bulge. Then I remembered I was 12 years older than him.

I would walk a thousand miles

If I could just see you, tonight

A long first climb I told myself later. A feeling of exhilaration that I'd both accomplished it and had been complimented by serious climbers at the end. Just a thank you to a questioning foot.

"You're gonna need real climbing boots if you continue to climb with me Suz" he said when he and the other climbers dropped me off at home an hour later. "I'll pick you up on Tuesday night to buy some"

"Wait a minute you thief" one of the other young climber said "I want her to be my climbing partner"

My feet killing me because of the thousand foot climb, and my mind in a muddle because of the invitation, I think i mumbled, "I hope they fit better then these borrowed ones do because my feet are killing me" ."Oh they'll still hurt after a climb Suz, but I'll kiss them and make them feel all better.

That silly song keeps spinning . Making my way down town

Walking fast

Faces pass

And I'm home bound

Staring blankly ahead

Just making my way

Making a way

Through the crowd

And I need you. And I miss you. And now I wonder

If I could fall

Into the sky

Do you think time

Would pass me by

Would pass me by

'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles

If I could just see you, tonight

It's always times like these,

When I think of you

And I wonder If you ever think of me

As I stepped into the airport I thought, "My feet are killing me and I want them to be kissed 'til they feel all better".