Boots

I think I must have been, like, 12 years old or so... I was in NYC with my dad and my sister. We were doing the whole 'tourist' thing on a summer vacation. We did it every year. We'd spend almost the entire summer in Jersey visiting my Aunt (and spending a few weeks in Brooklyn with my Grandmother) and we'd take a day to spend in The City.

That particular year, though, we were doing a little more shopping than usual. The usual being none at all. Maybe it had been a good spring for my dad and he had a little extra green in his pocket, I don't know. Either way, though, when we'd be in a store asking for something, where he would normally say NO, he was saying YES.

The only store I actually wanted anything from was some gian Army Surplus Store. I didn't even know they had those in the city, but there it was. I got a pretty sweet pair of camo pants. They were tear resistant. I remember that. I put those pants through hell over the next few years and they withstood the test of time. and puberty.

That wasn't the prize, though.

The real prize was a pair of Paratrooper Boots. I didn't know paratroopers had special boots, but apparently they do. and they were badass. and they fit. they were used, so they had that I've-been-through-more-battles-and-seen-more-things-than-you-ever-will look to them and i loved them.

if i had those boots now, i'd wear them.

well, not those exact boots. a larger version of them that fit, though. those i'd wear.

those were some badass boots.