Childhood Trauma: The fixed shoes

     With a pair of shoes, you enter the repair shop. Just by glance, its size was about thirty feet square from the outside but as it turned out, it feels much larger when you enter. Inside, you can easily find shiny leather shoes which are placed on the shelves. The man who is probably in his fifties had very friendly expression in his face. At the moment when you enter the room, he is polishing a brown shoe.

     “Can you repair these shoes?” you tell him as you point the bottom of your shoes which are ripped. He answered with a gentle nod. You felt very assured because they are one of your favorite pairs of shoes. Then you ask the person about the price. He tells you that it is only five thousand won. Compared to what you have expected, it turned out that it is much cheaper. You give him the shoes and money right away and thank him for such service. The shop keeper tells me to come back few hours later. As you stroll back to your home, the only thought in your mind is about your fixed shoes.

     Few hours later, because you were gone somewhere, your mother goes to the shop instead. About ten minutes later, she returns with the shoes. They looked like a new pair of shoes that seemed like you bought them yesterday. However, your mom asked you a strange question. “Did you really pay the money?” At first, you are baffled that do not get the meaning. Few seconds later, you speak to her about the purpose of the question. Then she told me about what happened at the repair shop.

     After finding the shoes, she is about to leave the shop. But then the shop keeper tells her to pay the price. She is confused since you already told her that you already take care of the payment. But the shop keeper insisted that you have paid nothing but only gave him the shoes. So she has to pay the shoes again. Your shoes are fixed only once, but it was paid twice. Later that day, you visit the shop again to tell that you already pay for it. But with skeptical glance, he tells you that he never receive the money.

     

     You felt betrayed by the shop keeper. You did not insult him or show impolite attitude, but asked politely and paid the price. It can be a tiny mistake because anyone can make mistakes sometimes in his or her life. However, inside your mind, it is filled with anger and frustration. If you were an adult, would you be treated the same way as this? Why would not he believe you?

      

     The shoe repair shop was in the middle of the road to your middle school so you always have to pass it every morning. In the beginning, you almost tried to kick the door because you were angry. However, as time passed on, your negative feelings lessened and you no longer care about it. Although it might have been a mistake, it was the first time you realize that the world around you is not always perfect. As time passed, your idealistic view of the society was slowly destroyed by many 'shop keepers'. Shoes were the only things that were fixed.