A Simple Pleasure in San Francisco
No too long ago, I was in San Francisco. Great city. And it's summer. One of my favourite things to do there, apart from stuffing my face ( which we'll get to soon ), is a simple but professional shoe shine.
Along Market Street, there are at least two shoe-shine booths. This particular one is in front of Virgin Megastore. The contraption above is where one rests one of his feet.
Both booths are manned by African-American gentlemen. Soul music blasts from their masta-blastas. On this occassion, it was Percy Sledge, Barry White, Otis Redding and The Platters. These were the few that I could identify.
For 7 US$, your shoes get the deluxe treatment which is claimed to retain the out-of-the-shop shine for at least two weeks. For 20 bucks more, the leather gets the ultimate treatment, which is going to make your walkabouts appear spanking new for 3 months! Being a cheap dude on a budget, I sheepishly declined the superior service. So Mr.D then got working on mah shoes.....
...while his partner, dozed holding his cup of coffee. Must have been the regular ashtray-brew most diners serve in the country. Free and unlimited pouring! But I digress.
Mr D started by rolling up my jeans a notch, before cleaning my Florsheim boots ( purchased at 50% off from One U) with what seemed like soapy water. Then it was an assortment of creams and black polish, and cream again.
After what seemed like 20 minutes ( judging by the number of soulful singing from the masta blastas) , he was applying the finishing buff. Voila! I was eight bucks poorer, with a pair of shiny boots. An extra buck for the tip.
To me, it is money well spent. It is a simple yet fulfilling pleasure. Simply because I am TOO LAZY to polish my own shoes.
21 comments:
Feelin preety good by just being lazy huh?
I like the rug tho..:D
auuwww...one of those things ehhh..bro?? always make me think why the hell my life ain't easy as that...
Often, the best things in life are the simple pleasures(like sex :)) They are the last refuge to complex.
i'll buy you "Kiwi R Express Shine Sponge Shoe Polish" for your birthday, you lazy bugger.
wow...im impressed.....
with...
ur shoes...nampak cam besar size nya tu ye yope...
*lallalllalal*
what the hell are doing walking around pakai jeans and kasut hitam? so belia one lor!
bukan you all telah ditrain untuk grow up and join belia 4B?
your talk of polishing shoes reminds me of the kesatria days of oversized boots and having to polish them till they shine.
i practically burned the leather off the boots. padan muka depa.
U reckon if buat something like this in Msia dpt sambutan tak?
akula..... lepak ah.
blackfeline..... it is nice, makes the shoe shine booth warm and welcoming.
uba..... seek and ye shall find.
mz_ayam..... no sex in san fran for me, hence the shoe shine.
mr incognito..... thanks, buddy. As long as it comes with a professional polisher.
missy..... deme tu size 10 and a-half - macam kape!
hobo..... I walk around in sneakers. Kasut kulit solely from the hotel to the shoe-shine and back. Belia tak main ler!
babe..... can you still give a good shine? cosmic_gurl may have a business proposition.
cosmic_gurl..... rasanya boleh la, especially if set up around office blocks.
I have yet to visit SF but I bet I would someday coz my aunty is living there.
Nice pictures Wingy :D
shionge..... hey there, it would be a nice place to relax. A lot of culture. And a great shoe shine!
San Francisco in summer. I'm jealous. One of the places I want to visit before I kick the bucket. :P :D
no before and after pics?
drama mama..... I fully agree that you should.
desparil..... didn't cross my mind, as I was so pleased. Next trip there, I'll do the before and after. Hope not to find them looking the same, though.
Hope you don't mind if I link you, o Winged one.. :) Kodak asik2 nak kena gi rumah dia ni and 'lompat' from there. :D
drama mama..... I am absolutely honoured. Nak nangih dah ni...
And here i am thinking a spit and a lick is good enough to shine shoes.
lily..... please, not on my shoes.
Again...a wonderful place...especially the Art Museum by the mini lake..can't remember what it was called....I miss the coffee culture at the high street...with loads of books and mags!
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