I will never forget the day my mother had bought me my first Carvela shoe. I couldn’t wait to try them on and show off to my friends. It was going to be Christmas the next following day, so I not only got the shoes but some awesome jean also.

When my mother had arrived, I was more interested in the shoes more than anything else. With a smile on her face, I knew she’d gotten the shoes I wanted, despite the busyness and hustle-and-bustle that came with Christmas shopping. It would be a joyous day after all.

I rushed to open the plastic bags that were full of surprises and took out my shoe box, I slowly read the outside of the box, it was written ‘Carvela Dark blue, R1695.00’. I was so happy and couldn’t wait to try to them on. I hadn’t checked the size yet, but I was certain that my mother knew my exact shoe size.

I opened the box and took out my tekkies off that I was wearing to put my new shoes on. I took out my foot leg and tried wearing the one shoe. “Haibo!” I cried because my foot wasn’t fitting in, I told myself that it was only a nightmare. This could not be happening to me. The worst part was that I had already torn the slips, due to my excitement and certainty that the shoe would fit.

I then put the shoe aside and thought for a minute, and then I tried with my right foot, luckily the shoe just fit without any struggles to wear it, I then began to wonder what was causing the other foot to be tight. “Is it my foot or the shoe that’s the problem?” I thought, transfixed on the shoes and my feet. I then slowly checked the box and saw that my mom dad bought me the wrong shoe size.

I was filled with anger, “How could she do this to me, mom?” I thought in my mind with anger. I wished that this situation could have occurred with other shoes and not my previous Carvelas.

I then went into the lounge and told my mother about the ill-fitting shoes. It was pointless though, she could not return them.

She told me that I should put the shoes back in the box, which she was going to find a way to sort the mess out, even if she had to sell them at a cheaper price. I was angry. I didn’t want her to sell my shoes. I then decided to force my feet into the shoes.

“Mama doesn’t worry, I’m going to wear these shoes, whether they fit me or not. They will eventually fit, these things take time.” I told my mother all this so that she could find relief, even if it was her fault. I didn’t want my mother’s money to be wasted.

Shoes can pinch, the pain I felt when I had to wear them or walk wearing them was as if someone had stabbed my feet. I was beginning to get sores on both my feet, especially my left foot at the back, the pain was extreme. I felt it as the heat was intensifying, but I was strong enough to persist in all odds.

Every time before I wore the shoe, I thought twice and motivated myself. “Anyway, the pain eventually subsides and everything will go back to normal. I walked in the streets as if everything was normal while inside, my feet were dying, the shoes had caused wounds that weren’t like any other, and they had holes as if something was poking them.

I did not show or tell my mother because I knew she would have never allowed the situation to get that far. But after one week, the shoes had stretched out and were beginning to fit me properly, at least they did not cause any pain or wounds anymore, and I could walk freely. I then decided to visit my friends, to a place where I was praised, they praised me like I was a king for my shoes.

When all the pain was over and wounds had healed, I thanked myself for preserving until the end, I then wore my top shoes with pride. After everything, I was happy, knowing that those shoes were a challenge to me that I was able to overcome.

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What makes Carvelas so special? What pair of shoes would you have preferred?