Who buys shoelaces?

So as many of you with children of school age will know, come the end of August it’s time to start shopping for all the essentials required for the new school year.

My daughter Addison was starting school so it was a very exciting time buying all new things for her. So as you do we had to get the school uniform, the new coat, school bag, reading book bag, wellies etc etc the list was quite extensive. Now six weeks in I’m told by Kara (my wife) that she (Addison) needs new footwear, something a bit more practical now the season has changed more protective for her feet instead of those open dolly shoes she wanted.

Without hesitation I said ok. What happened next came as quite a surprise. My wife came home from work I might add with a pair of reputable and well known shiny boots but with one flaw.

“Where are they from I asked” a little bamboozled, “oh one of the girls at work was selling them and they’re in mint condition they just need new laces!” If I remember rightly I actually took a step back, “need new laces I said why on earth, what happened to the originals.?” I have never ever even heard of anyone having to replace laces before in my life.

In all my working career to date I’ve worn lace up work boots, which have been in every environmental condition you can think of rain, wind and snow not to mention various work sites from muddy bogs of sand and cement to trampsing through landfill sites with decomposing household waste and rotting food around my ankles and still I have never had to replace a lace! (I’m a poet in my spare time)

Even my wife said she couldn’t remember having to buy/replace shoelaces. I don’t know what kara’s work colleagues child had been up to to require new laces and I may never find out but I now have a new first in my life I had to buy some new laces, but not for me I might add!

Here’s a thought what have you never had to buy?