Slippers and Rubbers

Abstract

Slippers and Rubbers Matthew J. Spireng (bio) My old slippers fit fine for years, but thenthe back of one broke and was difficultto keep on, and both had holes at the big toe, so I was given slippers for Christmasthat constantly felt like they were going tofall off. Going up or coming down the stairs was dangerous because it seemed I would slipand fall. I threw the new slippers out andwent back to wearing the old ones, with one kept on by double wrapping a thick rubber bandaround it at the instep of my foot. Then I gotanother new pair of slippers that I’d tried on and thought would fit fine, but they, too, feltlike they would fall off and I would slipand fall on the stairs. I considered returning them and wearing my old ones when it dawned on methat if I double wrapped rubber bands at theinstep of each of the new slippers, they might fit fine, and they do. I’m thinking slippersare called slippers because they make you [End Page 11] slip and fall. And I’m thinking my invention with the rubber bands might be calledrubbers because they keep you from slipping,though they won’t keep your feet dry. [End Page 12] Matthew J. Spireng Matthew J. Spireng’s book What Focus Is was published by WordTech Communications. His book Out of Body (Bluestem Press) won the 2004 Bluestem Poetry Award. He won the MacGuffin’s Annual Poet Hunt. Copyright © 2019 University of Nebraska Press